Jetsettersblog

世界的な歩行との最後のフロンティアを交差させる

Hike up the challenging Salatin Hill, a Nature Reserve of extraordinary botanical and zoological value with a gentle beginning and a sting of an ascent at the top! From Liptovsky Mikulas, site of the Slovakian Robin Hood’s execution, continue through Prosiecka Valley where a series of ladders assist walkers as the route meanders between waterfalls and caves. Next, ascend the highest peak in the Low Tatras, Mount Dumbier (2,043 metres), for spectacular views over the beautiful Demanovska Valley.

In Poland, visit preserved traditional villages including Lanckorona and Zuberec, and the UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage site of Zebrzydowska with its imposing Bernadine monastery. Finally, in Krakow, the country’s oldest city, there is time to explore the bustling, central market square surrounded by beautiful Renaissance architecture, before the tour concludes.

The trek costs £895 p/p (land only) including transfers, B&B hotel accommodation and expert guiding.

Walks Worldwide
01524 242000
sales@walksworldwide.com
www.walksworldwide.com

Butterfly Heaven in the High Tatra

The High Tatras and White Carpathians at the western end of the great Carpathian Mountain chain, form the mountainous heart of Slovakia and cross into the eastern border regions of the Czech Republic.

This beautiful region covered in forested hillsides and flower-filled meadows, punctured by jagged rocky peaks and carved by deep gorges, offers a wide range of habitats for an exceptional variety of butterflies and other wildlife. Naturetrek’s 8-day Butterflies of the Tatras & White Carpathians tour, departing London 12th July 2008.

From Brno, in the Czech Republic, drive north-east into Slovakia and the High Tatras Mountains. Based in the village of Zdiar, spend 2-nights exploring the peaceful alpine meadows and conifer forests, backed by towering, jagged granite and limestone peaks of the High Tatras range. Here, butterfly species include Shepherd’s Fritillary, Dewy, Blind and Mountain Ringlets and Mountain Green-veined White.

Explore the valley meadows where an abundance of butterflies include an exciting variety of fritillaries such as False Heath, Pearlbordered and Cranberry Fritillaries.

Travel west to the White Carpathians, famed for its patchwork of large, flower-filled meadows dotted with solitary limes and extensive mixed forests. Spend 5-nights in a small, family-run hotel on the edge of the quiet village of Lopnik in the Czech Republic. As well as providing home-cooked meals, the hosts are sure to bring out the local plum brandy - Sliwowitz! Here, Butterfly species include Camberwell Beauty, Scarce Swallowtail, Blue-spot Hairstreak, and Scarce and Dusky Large Blue.

Flowers are also abundant here and include large patches of Yellow Flax and Pyramidal Orchids of an unusual deep purple variety. Local bird life on offer includes River Warbler, Hawfinch, Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike and both Grey-headed and Syrian Woodpecker. The nearby Vah River Valley is home to Assmann’s Fritillary amongst many others whilst, to the east, the low dolomite hills provide habitat for Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Turquoise and Eastern Baton Blue.

Next, explore the sand dunes and pine woodlands of Zahorie, me to the abundant Rock Grayling, plus Ilex Hairstreak, Lesser Clouded Yellow and both Dusky and Oriental Meadow Brown, two tricky species that test identification skills to the limit!

Other wildlife highlights include bird species such as Golden Eagle, Water Pipit and Common Rosefinch, and mammals including Chamois and Marmot.

The tour costs £995 p/p including flights, transfers, comfortable hotel accommodation with private facilities, all meals and expert lepidopterist guiding.

Naturetrek
01962 733051

Landscapes of the Tatra Mountains of Poland and Slovakia: A Countryside Guide  -  The aim of this series is to lure visitors away from the tourist centers and into the countryside. Books cover car tours and picnic suggestions, but walks - from short strolls to long hikes - are the key feature. The authors know their chosen landscapes intimately; many live in the area, others visit annually. They have written these books because they see the beauty and interest in these regions and want to share, not because they are paid to go to this season’s hot destination and write a book. See page 18 for our full list of Sunflower Guides. You’ll read about dozens of unforgettable walks for all ages and abilities, with highly detailed walking maps in full color. The most rewarding driving tours of the region are also profiled. Large color fold-out maps and color photos show what you will see on every walk and tour. For planning purposes, timetables for buses, trains and ferries are provided.

 

 

 

Strong Euro Puts Brits Off Holidaying On The Continent

Eurostar Booking Center

29 per cent of Brits may opt for destinations outside Europe

17 per cent thinking of putting their European travel plans on hold

With the pound weakening against the Euro, research shows some Brits are shunning European holiday destinations in favour of travelling further afield.

A poll1 from price comparison site moneysupermarket.com has found 29 per cent of Brits are now considering travelling outside Europe due to the poor exchange rate. One in six are thinking of putting their plans on hold altogether and staying at home. And another one in six said they wouldn’t have booked their European holiday if they had known the pound would plunge.

Peter Gerrard, head of insurance research at moneysupermarket.com, said: “With the pound falling by over 16 per cent against the Euro since September, it’s not surprising Brits are re-evaluating their holiday plans and looking away from Europe. Whether you’re a sun-seeker, adrenaline-junkie or culture-vulture we all want to get the best value for our hard earned cash and it seems Europe may not be the place to do that this summer. Holidaymakers are weighing up their options between a more expensive flight to a long-haul destination or a short hop across the channel and paying through the nose when you get there.

“The difference in travel insurance is minimal if you get a stand-alone policy. A family of four can get worldwide travel insurance for a two-week trip for less than £30, compared to under £14 in Europe.

“It is essential you check the levels of cover on your policy are right for you, particularly cancellation and baggage cover, which can sometimes be set below the value of the holiday or your belongings.”

Kamper Hire’s VW California Camper Vans in Europe

A specialist Volkswagen camper van rental company is benefitting from a shift in the UK’s music festival culture.

With over 150 music and performing arts festivals planned for the UK this summer, a record number of festivals are going out of their way to be family-friendly; and with the great British summer weather notoriously unreliable, a camper van is an increasingly popular way to survive a festival with children.

In the past three years Southampton-based Kamper Hire has seen a huge increase in the number of their Volkswagen camper vans being hired to take to a festival. Many organisers have been quick to react to this new trend by selling tickets for camper van-only sites.

“The generation who spent their teenage summers at Glastonbury and Reading have grown up and had kids, but that doesn’t mean they want to change their lifestyle completely,” said Kamper Hire’s Mark Daysh.

“Every year more and more people are taking our vans to festivals because they’re a really civilised way of coping where facilities are often pretty basic. Festival rentals have trebled since 2004 and Glastonbury weekend was fully booked six months ago, so it really has been a huge growth area for us.”

One of the first festivals to embrace the new multi-generational trend was The Big Chill (Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire, August 1-3). Described as “where dance music went when it grew up”, the event was one of the first festival to feature a children’s area with special facilities and services laid on.

Latitude (Henham Park, Suffolk, July 17-20) has followed suit with a children’s area as diverse as the rest of the festival, with books, art, music and theatre activities. Camp Bestival (East Lulworth, Dorset, July 18-20) even has a Kids’ Garden complete with dressing up tent, maypole and the Breastival Mother and Baby Temple. All three festivals have free entry for children 12 and under and dedicated camper van sites.

Kamper Hire’s fleet of brand new VW ‘California’ conversions are fitted out to the highest specification, with everything required for a week on the road - or in a field. The £38,000 vans are equipped with a gas cooker, fridge, sink with running water, and all crockery and cooking utensils.

The vans can accommodate four people with ease: the front seats swivel round so everyone can sit around the dining table; the main cabin seats convert to a comfortable double bed, and children love the electrically powered pop-top roof bedroom.

“Taking a camper to a festival means everyone has a comfortable bed, the vans are safe and secure, and having heating, hot water and a fridge can make a huge difference when the weather turns nasty,” said Mark Daysh. “Then, after the festival is over a lot of people carry on and go and chill out somewhere else for the rest of the week.”

Located only 30 minutes drive from the ferry port at Portsmouth, Kamper Hire is well-placed for travelling throughout southern England and Europe, and customers can leave their car at Kamper Hire’s depot while on holiday. Portsmouth has the largest choice of ferry destinations in the UK, with routes to France, Spain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Wight.

Weekly rental rates for the T5s start at £550 inclusive of VAT, unlimited mileage in the UK, insurance for one named driver, roadside recovery and a welcome pack. Optional extras include cycle and surfboard racks, awnings and sun canopies, and European satellite navigation systems.

More information can be found at the website, www.kamperhire.co.uk  or by contacting Kamper Hire on 0845 226 7869.

Germany Summer Festivals

International Haendel Festival, Halle a.d. Saale , Jun 5 - Jun 15
www.haendelfestspiele.halle.de

Luther’s Wedding, Wittenberg , Jun 6 - Jun 8
www.wittenberg.de

Munich’s 850th Anniversary , Jun 6 - Aug 3
www.muenchen.de

Museum Mile Festival, Bonn , Jun 7 - Jun 10
www.kah-bonn.de

Bach Festival, Leipzig , Jun 13 - Jun 22
www.sachsen-tour.de

Kiel Week Sailing Regatta, Kiel , Jun 21 - Jun 29
www.kieler-woche.de

Opera Festival, Munich , Jun 28 - Jul 31
www.muenchner-opern-festspiele.de

30th Christopher Street Day in Berlin , Jun 28
2007. www.csd-berlin.de

Rheingau Music Festival, Rheingau , Jun 28 - Aug 31
www.rheingau-musik-festival.de

Christopher Street Day, Cologne , Jul 4 -Jul 6
www.colognepride.my (German only)

Kaltenberg Knights Tournament, Kaltenberg , Jul 5 - Jul 27
www.knighttournament.com

Sand World, Travemuende , Jul 11 - Sep 7
www.luebeck-tourism.de

Exhibition: A Century Ago - Kandinsky, Münter, Jawlensky, Werefkin in Murnau , Jul 11 - Nov 09
www.murnau.de

Music Festival, Schleswig-Holstein , Jul 12 - Aug 31
www.shmf.de

Richard Wagner Festival, Bayreuth , Jul 25 - Aug 28
www.bayreuther-festspiele.de

Travel Fellowships to Disadvantaged Students

Context, a network of scholars who design and lead walking tours of major world cities, has partnered with St. Hope to offer a one-of-a-kind travel fellowship aimed at youth achievers from economically-disadvantaged communities.

The Context Travel Fellowship includes roundtrip airfare, accommodations and at least six days of on-site classes, seminars, and workshops with the scholars in the Context network. The Fellowship aims to expose intellectually curious students to the history, art, and culture of Europe, and use the power of travel to broaden the horizons of promising youth who may not, for economic reasons, have the opportunity to travel abroad.

Each year, St Hope will select one or more students from its high schools or from its Hood Corps program, a leadership-training program for college students involved with St. Hope. The candidate will have the possibility to travel to one or more of the culturally rich cities where Context operates, accompanied by a chaperone, and there experience an intensive, multi-day program of seminars, classes, workshops and other programs.

Candidates will be chosen based on their deep interest in art, history, cultural, language, international relations, or any other discipline for which an experience abroad is invaluable. Drawing on its network of university professors, graduate students, and professionals in a wide variety of disciplines,

Context will organize a multi-day trip, in consultation with St. Hope staff, for the student and chaperon that will focus on topic areas relative to the city and the student. For example, in Rome, the student might take seminars on ancient Roman society, Renaissance art, Roman cuisine, and Italian language. Context’s docents, again in collaboration with St. Hope, will develop a lesson plan for the student that will dovetail with the seminars.

Visit www.contexttravel.com or www.sthope.org

European Calendar Of Events Festivals 2008 website

Have you had the problem of trying to search for the confirmed dates for specific events and cultural festivals in Europe? So many web sites and guides just show the month it is held and not the actual dates, which is not very user friendly.

There is now a Pan European web site, which shows events and annual festivals by country, with specific location and descriptions, many with the individual events web site details.

Published by Chalk Farm Publishing, the European Calendar of Events and Public Holidays for 2008 is available to view and download from their web site www.ontheroad.co.uk  Click on Public Holidays and Events on the home page.

The Calendar is part of the annual European Group Travel Trade Guide, which is used by International and National Group Tour Operators, Cruise Companies and Conference and Event Management Organisations. The separate file has now been produced so it can be loaded onto personal systems as an aide memoire

Slovakia Nature Tours

For a glimpse of landscapes and rural communities unchanged for centuries, and a diverse flora rivalling many better known botanical destinations, join Naturetrek on an 8-day appreciation of the flowers of Slovakia’s mountains and plains, departing London 7th June 2008.

The richness of the flora will be revealed during this carefully timed tour exploring a range of contrasting habitats from the Slovak Karst in the south, where flowers typical of the dry steppes may be found, to the high alpine meadows of the High Tatras Mountains. Using conveniently located hotels as bases, guests enjoy daily forays into wildflower-filled meadows, a nostalgic reminder of how Britain used to be.

The first focus of the tour is the former Roman province of Pannonia, containing expanses of mostly flat country known as the Slovak Karst, a northern spur of the Great Hungarian Plains. June is the peak of the flowering season for the many local and specialised plants that occur here.

Several nature reserves have been established to protect this vulnerable steppe habitat and it is here that Naturetrek hopes to discover the endemic Turna Golden Drop (Onosma tornensis), amongst a host of unusual species, many of them unfamiliar to British botanists.

The Muran Plateau National Park, a forested limestone massif, provides the perfect habitat for the endemic Saxifraga wahlenbergii, Alpine Aster and Red Helleborine. Campanulas and other flowers add vivid splashes of colour to the wild meadows, whilst the woodland undergrowth conceals the maroon flowers of the exotic Lady’s Slipper Orchid, one of the most striking members of the Orchidaceae family. Next, Naturetrek travels into the Tatras Mountains, beginning with a couple of nights in the Mala Fatra National Park, also known as the Low Tatras.

Explorations in the picturesque valleys and gorges carved by the region’s many rivers, hope to reveal more floral gems including False Daisy, Jasmine Hungarian Snowbell and Alpine Butterwort. Higher up in the alpine zone or High Tatras, accessed by ski-lift or on foot, species such as Carpathian Snowbell, Spring Gentian and Crimson-tipped Lousewort are just a few of the specialised flowers flourishing above the tree-line.

The tour costs £1,095 p/p including flights, transfers, comfortable hotel accommodation with private facilities, all meals and expert botanical guiding.

Naturetrek
01962 733051
info@naturetrek.co.uk
www.naturetrek.co.uk

Adventure in the Blooming Balkans

With the gardening event of the year about to burst into bloom, Naturetrek offers a Chelsea ‘chaser’ - an 8-day botanical tour to a little-visited corner of Bulgaria that hosts one of Europe’s richest floras, including many endemic species you won’t see, even in Chelsea, departing London 21st June 2008.

From Bulgaria’s first city of Sofia, Europe’s highest capital, set out for even cooler climes and enjoy the wealth of late spring flowers in the country’s mountains and National Parks.

Drive to Vitosha Mountain National Park, an area of pine clad hills and alpine meadows draped with over 1,500 species of higher plants, 31 of which are Balkan endemics, and then enter Bistrishco Branishte UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, habitat for such plants as Gentianella bulgarica, Lilium jandae and Orchis militaris.

The bird population includes Nutcrackers and Ring Ouzels, butterflies abound and Brown Bears and Wolves pass discretely through. From a base in Bansko, tour the Pirin Mountains National Park with its vast and varied flora and stunning scenery – encompassing 100 peaks over 2,000m. A special feature is the ‘Baikusheva Mura’, an ancient twisted Macedonian Pine thought to be over 1,350 years old!

The third region to be visited is the Rhodope Mountains. Searching amongst the 2,000+ recorded species, look out for some of the 90 endemic plants plus Red Helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra) and Greater Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha), while a glance upwards could reveal a passing raptor such as a Short-toed Eagle or elsewhere, a crimson-winged Wallcreeper scaling the vertical limestone walls of the Trigrad Gorge.

The tour costs £995 p/p including scheduled flights, transfers, full-board hotel accommodation and expertly guided botanical walks.

Naturetrek
01962 733051
info@naturetrek.co.uk
www.naturetrek.co.uk

European Boating Special for Self-Drive Vacations

European Boating Holidays (EBH) is offering rates starting at $1,100 per week for couples renting select Locaboat Penichettes throughout Europe and Cardinal Europas in Germany.

The EBH fleet of over 400 Locaboat Penichettes and luxurious Cardinal Europa models are fully equipped with everything from linens and tableware to CD players. “There’s nothing quite like the romance of cruising in a boat just for the two of you on the canals and rivers and lakes of Europe,” said Diane Brenner, director of sales and marketing for EBH in North America.

“Couples can create their own personalized itinerary from any of our 29 bases and savor the places they discover along the way as long as they wish.”

EBH has 29 bases on the inland waterways of France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy and Poland.

One option suggested by Brenner is to pick up a traditional Penichette or contemporary Europa in Chioggia, Italy, and drive to Venice and the beaches along the Adriatic coast.

A more unusual suggestion is to self-drive a boat to Poland’s Lake Country in the Mazurian region. The EBH base in the town of MIkolajki offers both Locaboat Penichettes and Cardinal Europas.

For more information, call 866-606-5278 or visit www.europeanboatingholidays.co.uk