Jun 12, 2024 • 12 min read
24.05.2024 - 21:05 / insider.com
Fans of "Outlander" can visit an ancient Scottish mansion where part of the series was filmed — and it won't cost a penny.
Callendar House in Falkirk, Scotland, was used as a filming location in season two of the historical drama series.
But the building's cultural and historical significance stretches beyond the TV show. Dating back to the 14th century, Callendar House was once home to the Livingston family, one of the most powerful noble families in Scotland.
Alexander, the 5th Lord Livingston, was appointed guardian of Mary, Queen of Scots, after her birth in 1542. The royal visited Callendar House on many occasions, and she was close friends with Alexander's daughter, also named Mary.
These days, Callendar House is a free tourist attraction and private event venue. I took a tour and was amazed by the building's beauty.
Jun 12, 2024 • 12 min read
A Taylor Swift fan from Northern Ireland said she and her fellow Swifties were prevented from attending the Eras Tour after a bird flew into their plane.
Earlier this month, audio powerhouse Sonos debuted its very first pair of headphones. The $449 Sonos Ace connects to your device via Bluetooth 5.4 and offers 30 hours of battery power so it can last from takeoff to landing on even the world’s longest flights. If you forget to charge them before takeoff, the headphones can also regain three hours of battery life with just three minutes of charging, so you can be up and running before wheels up.
A version of this article originally appeared in Glamour.
Immerse yourself in the lush hills, heather-capped mountains and river valleys of the Bannau Brycheiniog national park (formerly known as the Brecon Beacons) with a three-night retreat that combines nature’s restorative powers with yoga. Located on a historic country estate, accommodation is in comfortable converted farm buildings – including the old grain silo, ideal for two, with the grounds perfect for restorative strolls. The package includes two guided hikes, delicious vegan food, paddleboarding down the River Wye or walking into the nearby book lover’s town of Hay-on-Wye. Four-day retreat (various dates) from £649pp full-board; adventureyogi.com
Great Western Railway (GWR) is welcoming a new summer menu to its Pullman Dining service next week, with seven new dishes being served to customers.
Walking holidays are popular lately and here are the best places to go for a walk around the world, from Italy to Peru and more.
Old Sod Travel launches Old Sod Golf, a new brand dedicated to crafting luxury golf experiences across top European destinations including Scotland and Ireland.
At the foot of Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak, and at the northern end of one of the Lake District’s most dramatic valleys is the National Trust campsite at Wasdale Head (basic grass pitch from £38 for two nights). As well as standard pitches there are heated camping pods, three tipis, a bell tent and campervan pitches. Great Gable and Pillar, two other famous fells, are a walk away. The location, at the foot of the mountains, with Lingmell Beck flowing past, is brilliant and there are enough facilities to make life easy but not detract from the camping feel. We haven’t climbed Scafell Pike yet, but even without doing that there was still enough for a good active trip.Emma
The carved face of a cateran stares out of the waymarker before me. Deriving from the Gaelic word ceatharnach, meaning a lightly armed warrior, “cateran” later came to denote the cattle raiders particularly active here in Strathardle, Glenshee and Glen Isla up to the 18th century.
The Albion hotel, which can lay claim to some of the best sea views on the island, has been welcoming guests to Freshwater Bay since Victorian times. It is about to reopen under new ownership after a multimillion-pound refurbishment. The new-look Albion will have 40 rooms, 36 of them sea-facing, including two suites, seven dog-friendly rooms and two accessible rooms. Some have roll-top baths and balconies or terraces. The Rock is its new 100-seater restaurant, which sources more than 90% of ingredients from the island, including garlic, tomatoes, fish, lobster and meat. A free shuttle bus drops off and picks up guests from local bars and restaurants. The hotel is about a 10-minute drive from Yarmouth ferry port.Opens in June, taking bookings for 19 June, doubles from £99 B&B (two‑night minimum), albionhotel.co.uk
As I boarded the Caledonian Sleeper with my family at Edinburgh Waverly on a cool Scottish summer night, it was difficult not to get caught up in the romantic quality of this eight-hour journey to London. The train's midnight teal exterior reflected the hue of the sky, and coupled with the vintage-y copperplate gothic font emblazoned on it, the scene felt spliced from the celluloid of a Wes Anderson film. That a kindly bellhop from The Balmoral, our hotel adjacent to the station, loaded our valises off a trolley cart did little to rein in these trappings.