We are about to launch this range into garden centres and shopping outlets across the country, but the easiest way of ensuring you have a full choice is to purchase from our website.  All the garments are pretty true to size, apart from the ladies jackets which are a quite neat fit when the inner fleece is zipped in.  I love the olive green and navy combination, as well as the charcoal and beeswax – in fact I would wear any of the colours this 3in1 interactive range - a very difficult choice!    It’s a perfect choice of winter jacket for the  freezing temperatures we have been told to expect, and we will all be wearing these jackets when we walk our office dog, Harry, in the nearby fields every day. 

We are all proud to have all been involved in the design of this 3in1 winter jacket range, and are looking ahead to next year when we will be continuing with this theme.

Rutland Water is surely the heart of England’s smallest county.

This attractive 3100 acre reservoir provides a balance  of sport, leisure and wildlife conservation, offering everyone the opportunity to try something new.  You can try sports such as windsurfing, rock-climbing or canoeing, hire a dinghy, bicycle or fishing boat, visit the nature reserves at Egleton and Lyndon, or walk the numerous paths and tracks that wind their way alongside the water and through the woods.

This is a haven for walkers – and there are many to choose from.  One of my favourites is the 6 miles round the Hambleton peninsula – a finger of land jutting into the lake, beginning and ending in the picturesque village of Hambleton – or in the Finches Arms, perched on the hill as you drive into the village.  This walk begins a short distance from the waters edge and winds its way through woods and pasture – and where you come away from the water for a while, you can still glimpse it through the trees.  Wildlife is all around – you can hear the call of many birds, and if you are a birdwatcher, you can even spend time watch the activity from over 20 hides, with experts on hand to help you identify some of the lesser known species.  As you walk you will see many swans gliding over the smooth surface of the lake, and it is particularly beautiful late afternoon when the sun is beginning to set.  Walking with my Italian greyhound Sophie many years ago, she spotted a swan gently taking flight – so she promptly took off, running like lightenening towards the water, and failed to see the steep drop from the edge into the water… She literally ran through the air for about 3 feet, then dropped like a stone into the water!   You can imagine my trauma thinking that my beloved dog had disappeared into a watery grave, when suddenly after about 10 seconds her head popped up like a telescope and she started to swim to shore!   I, of course, had been ready to wade in after her, even prepared to give her the kiss of life – but thankfully this was not required.  She certainly was surprised by her watery adventure, but shook herself off and happily continued her walk, albeit at a more sedate pace.  This was at a spot where dogs were permitted at the time, but you do have to keep an eye on them and respect the ‘keep dogs on leads’ signs as there are lots of sheep grazing, and at this time of year, lambs.  You may even find yourself amongst them, even trying out an array of bleating noises to see if they answer back ( they do, and don’t tell me you have never tried it!!!)  

The Hambledon peninsula walk is 6 miles and depending on speed and fitness levels it can take you a good hour or longer if you are not on a route march with an active daughter.  The last bit of the walk  brings you up and down hillocks, you keep thinking you must be near the end when suddenly you are back on the road, the Finches Arms in sight. 

Another lovely walk takes you to the far shore, at  Normanton, where you can see the remains of the church (above picture)  that was partially submerged when the valley was flooded to create the reservoir.  This now houses a mini museum, where you can see how Rutland Water was planned and formed in the 1970s.  Additional visitor centres are at Lyndon Hill and Egleton Birdwatching Centre, where you will find a viewing gallery and Wildlife Trust shop.   

As we emerge from winter into spring, the snowdrops are out and the air is crisp and clear.  Although still cold, the days are drawing out and soon it will be light enough to walk in the early evening.  The beauty of Rutland Water will captivate you whatever the season and you will want to come again and again. 

Are you fed up of seemingly everyone and their dog going on about it? As 2010 rolls round and with it, a new decade is it time to take the plunge and go skiing for the first time?! With travel getting easier and some great deals around there are fewer and fewer excuses not to at least try a bit of skiing. With flights from as little as £50 return and some pretty good all inclusive deals going, cost isn’t such a prohibitive factor. Late ski deals are often the best, when on a tight budget as not only is it much cheaper, you can also head to where the snow is good.

Clothing also need not be a problem, (shameless plug alert… but they are cheap!) An outdoor scene ski jacket, ski trousers and a pair of socks will give you change out of £60. They’ll do the job of much more expensive coats and jackets without all the fancy terms and the fancy prices.

Unfortunately mainland Europe doesn’t seem to realise we are still in a recession and therefore can’t afford 7 euros a beer, so eating and drinking on the piste can prove expensive. However if you are sensible and do look around there are a few resorts with happy hours, family meal deals and the like. A tip: Europeans are very keen on rewarding loyalty so if you frequent the same bar/eatery for a couple of nights, chat to the owner etc you are likely to be rewarded with a good discount off your bill. They are also great hosts so its hardly a chore!

Lessons can also be quite expensive so try and rope in your son or daughter for the basics. You will have to pay more for British ski instructors so don’t be scared to use the locals as even though they may not speak queen’s English they will have a good grasp of the language and will also be able to show you all the local tricks and tips.

So if you’ve not done skiing before make 2010 the year you finally take the plunge!

Christmas is coming to England’s smallest county this weekend with a 2 day Italian Christmas market in

 Oakham on Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th December and late night shopping on Monday 14th.  Shoppers will also be able to enjoy a funfair in the market place, stalls, hot food, Christmas Carols, a craft and gift fair in Victoria Hall, mulled wine in All Saints Church, and live music.  

Oakham Castle will be turned into a magical winter wonderland with Santa and his reindeers welcoming children to the Christmas Grotto.  There will also be an innovative, interactive art installation entitled ‘Winter’,  situated in the grounds of Oakham Castle from Saturday to Monday.  This is funded by the Arts Council England and aims to capture the haunting beauty of the winter season in an extra special way – small audience groups will be able to explore and wander through 7 gleaming hexagons whilst listening to a soundtrack via headphones – we are looking forward to this experience!  

The pantomime Robin Hood and his Merry Men will also be showing at Rutland County Museum on Saturday – great entertainment for all the family.  Car parking in the main town car parks will be free from 3.00pm on Monday so there is no excuse not to come to our lovely market town and soak up the Christmas atmosphere.  We are so lucky to have our Head Office here, in a tall, elegant town house right on the High Street – we might even see Santa on his way to the castle!   

However, if you need a little peace and tranquility after an afternoon’s shopping,  head to Rutland Water, only 5 minutes drive away,  where you can breathe in the beauty of the resevoir in winter and restore your equilibrium.  There many miles of beautiful walks by the waterside – and you may even get a glimpse of the elusive Rutland panther…

However this can cause some problems ….

Hopefully it’s started in your favourite resort!

Check out the ski club for more info.

The walk takes you round the harbour entrance onto the coast, with excellent view of Looe Island nearby. Then the path rounds the coast, past the National Trust beach at Portnadler and through the small village of Talland, before arriving into Polperro.

If (as we were!) you are feeling a bit tired after the long and sometimes challenging walk, then it’s definitely not cheating to take the bus back to Looe, we wont tell anyone if you don’t!  You will have earned it no doubt and you get your timings right it will be far too dark to walk back anyway…

Length: 5 miles                     Difficulty: Easy/medium                      Best time of year: Autumn

This ‘guaranteed ‘ snow has had another side effect in creating a very cosmopolitan feel around the village with over 70% of the visitors being made up from non French nationals. The village itself is all hustle and bustle with plenty of things always going on. The resort has managed to retain some of it s original small resort charm.

The skiing itself is very varied, especially if you purchase the 3 valleys pass which gives you access to the neighbouring resorts such as Merible and Courcheval.  There are 68 marked runs and plenty of off piste areas to explore. For the more extreme skiers/boarders there are a total of 5 terrain parks so you can flip, grind and spin to your heart’s content.

The resort can work out to be a rather pricey destination especially with the strong Euro and the ‘guaranteed snow’ factor with hotels working out at around £90- £150 a night after already paying nearly £50 for a days pass.

So, overall, if you only go skiing once a year and need to guarantee good and plentiful snow then this is the place to come. It is , however, a little bit on the expensive side and perhaps a bit too busy, particularly for older visitors.

Price: ££££                     Difficulty: medium       Website: www.valthorens.com

 As you can see from the photo there is a real sense of drama that is difficult to get in other parts of the UK. Given that Ben Lomond is very popular with the local Glaswegians we suggest that you take the Ptarmigan route to try and beat the crowds. The route is no less beautiful or dramatic it’s just not as well known (so don’t tell everyone…).

The route starts at the amply sized car park in Rowardennen and you should head North following the West Highland Way (WHW) until you reach a fork in the path, then take the right hand turn. Carry on over a bridge and aim for the forest that you should see a couple of hundred metres in front. Continue past the Ranger centre and White cottage then take the right hand path away from the WHW. There should be a nice area of trees to make you way through (no need for a machete). A sheepfold should then come into view, walk past this and through the gate and then follow the zig zag path that goes steeply up to a false summit (unfortunately). As soon as the path goes away from the stream you should start to cross the hillside just below the exposed rocks. You should then reach the beautiful Tom Fithich summit, which allows you to get a lovely panorama of the whole Ben Lomond National park as well as sneak in a well-earned rest.

After the brief rest continue North the Ptarmigan mini summit then walk Northeast to the Ben Lomand summit, well done you’ve made it! You will hopefully be able to see a view similar to the one below Once you have soaked up all the wonderful views and invigorating mountain air start to head South East to a ridge and follow this until a forest is in view then start to veer Southwest back towards your starting point. Once you have finished there are plenty of pubs to take on some liquid and again look out over the Loch. It can get pretty chilly in Autumn and Winter so make sure you are suitably equipped and ready for any weather eventuality. As we all know too well, the weather in the UK is not the most reliable!

For car Sat navs: G63 0AR

The village is a bustling hive of activity so you’ll never be bored and the pistes mirrors this high octane style. The piste is probably more suited to intermediate to  advanced skiers but there are some considerations for the beginners out there. To surmise.. Expensive, action packed but most importantly a lot of fun!

Price: £££££     Difficulty: medium/hard    Website: http://www.verbier.ch/