Coniston is every bit as pretty as Windermere but for some reason seems to have fewer visitors. Coniston has many items of interest, such as the home of the artist John Ruskin and the lake was the site of several speed records that were set by Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald. Donald was tragically killed during one of the attempts to set a new record. In addition, the popular children’s series, Swallows and Amazons, by Arthur Ransome was based on many features on and around Coniston. The island called Wildcat Island in the books is based on Peel Island in Consiton, and it’s possible to swim to Peel Island from the shore, or if a person is feeling less adventuresome, perhaps convince a local youth to ferry them over in a small boat.

The water is very cold most of the year, so swimming might not be the best choice! In addition to the lake, there are several peaks around the district that afford wonderful hiking trails, and the views from the tops are lovely (unless the fog has obscured everything of course). Fog on the fells can come in quickly and cause the hiker to become disoriented so it’s important to be aware of the weather and to be prepared in case of fog.

There are of course many colourful and interesting shops and restaurants in the area, but not all are open year round, so if you are there during the off season it’s best to check ahead if you have a particular spot in mind. There are also many lovely Bed and Breakfast establishments, many directly on the water and very reasonably priced, but the best digs have to be lake district cottages as these offer peace and a place to escape the other travellers. As an added treat, for the fans of Swallows and Amazons, the house that Arthur Ransome used as a basis for the farm where the Swallows stayed in the book is an actual farm which operates as a Bed and Breakfast on the bank of Coniston Water.

At Virgin Holidays, we believe amazing service should come as standard. That’s why Virgin Holiday’s magic touches are made available to all Virgin Holidays customers – not just the VIPs!

We realise that you want to make the most of being on holiday, so we came up with Check in, Chill out, so you can check in for your flight without leaving the beach…or bar.  Airports are a drag.  The holiday only really starts when you get to your destination.  And if you’ve got kids, then airports are living nightmares.  So, to perk up the airport experience, we came up with the VRoom. And when you’re on holiday, you want to make sure it’s as good as it can be.  That’s where Virgin Holidays’ Concierge service comes in – a concierge actually tuned in to the buzz of your destination, not a guy in a suit on kick backs from rip-off restaurants. This belief is what sets Virgin Holidays apart from the competition. That’s why we actually encourage our customers to ‘Ask For the World’.

But how do you express that exclusive treatment in a single thought.  What do Virgin Holidays offer that no-one else does?  We think it can be described as…

“ROCKSTAR SERVICE”

It’s a level of care you’d normally associate with the glamour and excitement of the entertainment elite.  Made available to every Virgin Holidays customer.
 
The Rockstar Service campaign is the latest creative expression of this belief. With Virgin Holidays, you can rest assured that you’ll get intuitive, imaginative typically brilliant twinkle-in-the-eye Virgin service, every single time you travel with us.

And that is only the celebrations for the ‘new’ New Year. Some communities in Scotland still celebrate the ‘old’ New Year on January 11th. This tradition dates back to a calendar that was changed way back in 1660. In Scotland it is referred to as Hogmanay and the celebrations last and last.

If you haven’t already made plans to attend Edinburgh then it is probably too late. It’s increasing popularity means that hotel rooms are in extremely short supply. There are however a few other places in Scotland that will offer the same level of excitement. Or perhaps you could book early for next year and be sure to bring in the New Year in style.