The Met Office has issued a red alert, and police in Scotland have told people not to travel. There are long delays at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports as the wind speeds have made it unsafe for many aircraft to travel.

Network Rail has imposed a 50mph speed restriction on trains operating north and west of Edinburgh. The Tay Rail Bridge has also been closed. Passengers are advised not to travel north of Edinburgh for the time being as the conditions worsen.

The River Clyde has burst its banks in Glasgow, parts of buildings have fallen down as well as the city’s large Christmas decorations strewn across pavements.

The Atlantic storm is expected to cause further disruption across Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North east of England tomorrow.

The strongest winds are expected to affect central, southern and north eastern Scotland, northern parts of Northern Ireland, and North East England. The risk of snow is also likely in Western Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northwest England on Friday and Saturday for which there are also weather warnings.

The Met Office have published a selection of some of the highest winds recorded around the UK today (Thursday 8th November):

Cairngorm Summit: 165 mph

Aonach Mor: 145 mph

Tiree: 90 mph

Dunstaffnage: 86 mph

Aberdaron: 81 mph

Church Fenton: 73 mph

Glasgow, Bishopton: 71 mph

Edinburgh, Gogarbank: 69 mph

St Bees Head: 74 mph

Mumbles Head: 62 mph

January started with testing out my culinary skills at the Ashburton Cookery School in Devon.

A survey in February showed high speed rail was more important to people than airport expansions.

The Shambles in York was voted most picturesque street in March. There was also trouble on the railways with a Network Rail threatened strike.

Easter was a staycation preference in April.

There were many family fun festivals between May and August.

Even before the Royal wedding announcement we found out how the Royals are key to UK tourism.

27 West Country beaches were awarded blue flags in August, showing that the West Country is a great place to visit!

We were given tips on how to give tourists a better welcome during the Olympics.

Taxing times for holiday rental businesses.

The famous Exmoor Food Festival was in October, tickling visitor’s taste buds!

Bonfire Night had many events to travel to, including the flaming barrel run in Ottery St. Mary’s!

It got very cold in November and December as part of the big freeze.

The year ended with a little early Christmas cheer for the travel industry!

So there’s a pick of the Holiday Cottages blog coverage of events and news over the year. For travel news pertaining to outbound travel don’t forget to check out our sister site’s blog, Villaseek. There will be a run down of the year’s news on there very soon also!

So having a well chosen selection of books (as well as DVDs and games) in a holiday property can contribute a lot to a holiday. Bookshelves tend to acquire a life of their own, with visitors donating books they’ve brought and read. That can lead to a wonderfully mixed selection of books reflecting all sorts of tastes and interests. Even so, it still helps a lot if at the heart of the collection is a core of books appropriate to the property. Books about the area, of course, whether guide books, local history or fiction. But also books that can help visitors appreciate aspects of country life they might otherwise miss.

For instance, a couple of new books from Britain’s Wildlife Trusts do this in quite different ways. The first is a guide designed to help you get closer to nature, called 152 Wild Things to Do. Divided into four seasonal sections, it lists places to visit (mostly wildlife reserves owned by the Trusts), activities for both adults and children, and skills you can acquire.

In spring, if you’re in Wales you could visit Silent Valley nature reserve. Or you could cook nettle soup. “Healthy, delicious and found absolutely everywhere, nettles are a wonderful leaf that can be cooked up into a wholesome soup. Food that’s free and full of goodness – perfect! You’ll need to pick the tender tops of young nettles in the spring.” It goes on to a full Nigella-style listing of ingredients (including optional wild garlic leaves), cooking instructions and a final flourish: “You could stir in some crème fraîche or serve with a swirl of cream and some crusty bread.”

In summer, you could go wild swimming or glow-worm spotting; in autumn, you could go blackberrying (and make jam), discover Tolkien’s inspiration or see Britain’s largest butterfly. And in winter… well, buy the book and give it as a present, or just for yourself to spur inspiration and booking another cottage holiday.

In all there are – as you would expect – 152 recommendations, so there’s plenty to keep you busy. The book is probably aimed mostly at parents hoping to occupy children and stir an interest in nature and the countryside, but there’s plenty for everyone. It serves as an introduction to a number of small, lesser-known nature reserves and the colour photography is beautiful. It’s a book that deserves a place on every holiday cottage bookshelf.

Rather more traditional is Nature Tales, from  the same source. It’s a compilation of nature writing spanning the last three hundred years, with a forward by Sir David Attenborough. “This wonderful collection of some of the greatest nature writers in Britain’s history is a pleasure to read from start to finish and a valuable addition to any naturalist’s library,” says Sir David. Quite so, but don’t let that reference to a naturalist’s library make you think this is some learned, stuffy book. Quite the reverse, because it’s the ideal accompaniment to a cup of tea and a digestive, with most of the items no more than two or three pages long.

The book is organised in themed sections – By river and sea, From my window, Nature trails, and so on – each with items from across the 300 years. So an entertaining piece by Bill Oddie – one of the longest items at nine pages – is preceded by the 19th century novelist Richard Jefferies and followed by Nan Shepherd, a wonderful descriptive writer who died in 1981 at the age of 88. There are brief notes on each contributor, which might well lead you to follow up on their other writings.

Even more than in a naturalist’s library, this book belongs in every holiday cottage. And it, too, would make an excellent birthday or Christmas present for any nature-minded reader.

152 Wild Things to Do, published by Elliott and Thompson Ltd, £12.99,
Nature Tales, published byElliott and Thompson Ltd, £18.99

There are several mini-festivals under the umbrella of the main festival, these include the Chocolate Festival (Saturday at midday) where you could win a year’s worth of dining out in Manchester if you find a golden ticket in one of the chocolates; and the Ale Festival (tonight and Saturday), both in Albert Square.

Other events include Dinner on River by Robert Owen Brown and Oktoberfest with German beer brand Kaiserdom.

If you’re not too bothered about planning your visits, then pop down to the festival hub in Albert Square throughout the festival period and just have a mill around and see what’s on offer. I’ll be popping down on Sunday afternoon I think, although tomorrow’s Chocolate Festival is certainly tempting too…Decisions, decisions!

It is free to attend and is from noon until late in the evening and will include music and performance in the park by:

8-BALL, DONNA MARIE, SPESS, BUGS IN EMBER, FEATURING STAVROS, THE POCKETS, LEFT AT THE ROBOT, SCAPEDOGZ

Along with:

- rides, stalls, face painting

- Unity Arts with music & art for children

- all kinds of wonderful foods & stalls along Beech Road

- the Tombola

- fantastic bars & shops open throughout

You can reach Beech Road from the centre of Manchester by catching either the 85 or 86 bus to the Chorlton Bus Station and Beech Road is just alongside this, here is a map.

The indoor real snow centre, ‘The Chill Factore’ won the ‘Access for All’ category award at the ceremony. Judges praised the efforts made to cater for the needs of guests with disabilities, including the close association with Disability Snowsports UK (DSUK)and also recognised the positive relationship The Chill Factore has with the local community.

Guest Services Manager, Jodie Finnegan, was also recognised in the ceremony, coming in the top three in the ‘Outstanding Customer Service’ category. She’s greatly improved guest satisfaction with a 5,000% reduction of complaints over the past 18 months and the complaint ratio now standing at less than 1 per 25,000 visitors – not bad going for such a popular and large attraction!

The Chill Factore also won the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) accreditation by VisitEngland, for their commitment to guests’ needs after being assessed on all areas that impact on the quality of the guest experience.

The Real Snow Attraction can now display the VisitEngland Tudor Rose Quality Marque which is generally known as a reassurance of a quality attraction.

Chief Executive, Stephen Evans said: “We’re delighted to have our hard work and commitment recognised by these prestigious organisations. At Chill Factore the enjoyment of our guests is of paramount importance to us all and we do all we can to ensure their needs are met. As the northern headquarters of snow sports charity Disability Snowsport UK, it is a particular honour to be awarded for the quality of care we give to everyone who visits us and the efforts our adaptive ski instructors go to to get those with disabilities skiing using specialist equipment.”

There are many things you can do at The Chill Factore, you can take lessons in learning to ski, or go to improve your skiing, snowboard and you can take the children to learn at the kids snow sports academy.

Blackpool tower picture by Flickr User llamnudds

An interactive online film has been created to allow visitors to star in their own film in Blackpool and share it online with their friends and family. The move is to encourage more visitors to the seaside resort. Users can upload their favourite pictures to The Movie’s microsite www.blackpoolthemovie.com and automatically share their virtual adventure with friends and family online.

Blackpool: The Movie has been designed by Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board to encourage potential holidaymakers to visit the resort and to maximize internet chatter on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Youtube.

The trailer provides a tour of Blackpool’s top attractions accompanied by a voiceover by the X Factor’s Peter Dickson. By entering their family name and home town, users will see their personal details become an integral part of the trailer, appearing on billboards, posters and lighting up the sky alongside a pyrotechnic firework display.

All entries will be entered into a prize draw and for one family to win annual passes to Blackpool attractions.

Mike Wilkinson of Lancashire Tourist Board said: “Blackpool has made a name for itself as a destination which uses leading-edge technology to encourage tourists to visit Blackpool and Blackpool: The Movie marks an exciting venture into the new world of virtual tourism.”

Tranquil Otter in Cumbria

This and other last-minute cottage offers are available on the holiday cottages late availability page.

 There were lots of stalls showcasing the latest in contemporary craft, including jewellery, ceramics and textiles. The building itself was a little uninspired but the stallholders had made an effort with their own displays of work, a few of which seemed to have special offers and prices on their work if bought at the fair itself.

 Tickets are £5 or £4 for concessions, and can be bought on the door.

 If you’re into crafts and up in the North this weekend then I’d recommend giving it a look, although I don’t think you’ll need to spend a whole day there.

The new district has attracted big names like American Apparel (now open), the north west’s largest John Lewis, Urban Outfitters, and a number of independents as well. There are new bars and cafés, including Loch Fyne and Wagamama, many with outdoor terraces and views.

Liverpool seems to have learned a lot from being European Capital of Culture. It’s adopted European opening times so that people can shop until 8pm. And its 3,000 space car park is hidden underground and covered by greenery in a pleasant green space called Chavasse Park. French cities like Lyon have reaped the benefit of this arrangement of hidden vehicles under city centre oases for many years.

If the rest of your family or group can only take a limited amount of shopping, don’t forget that Liverpool has ferry rides on the Mersey, Beatle attractions, and apparently more museums and art galleries than any other city in the country. www.liverpool-one.com