The other main attraction for visitors to Cartmel is the racecourse. With the first recorded race said to have taken place on the mid 1800’s, Cartmel races continues to grow in stature and popularity year on year. The creation of a new grandstand, with the back drop of the beautiful southern Lake District coupled with catering to rival any top race event has really put Cartmel on the map.

Cartmel is very much becoming a gastronomic destination. Cartmel and its surrounding villages have some of the best examples of Lake District gastronomy in the whole of Cumbria and the Lake District. Even though many of the restaurants and public houses are located within historic buildings, the food served is right in the 21st century using the finest locally sourced produce that is found in an abundance in the south Lakeland area.

Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of the most famous exports from Cartmel. The pudding is now sold all over the United Kingdom and even world with high class restaurants in London serving this still handmade in Cartmel pudding.

With its top quality food, beautiful historical buildings, race course and spectacular scenery, it’s not hard to believe that Cartmel attracts a cosmopolitan visitor. Luckily, Cartmel offers some stunning Lake District self catering properties. When attending the races, what better place to stay in than a beautiful Grade II listed manor house or a beautiful double-fronted period property in Cartmel.

Nearby attractions also include Holker Hall (a stately home with lovely gardens and grounds and a cafe, Cark-in-Cartmel), the Lakeland Motor Museum (In addition to vintage and classic motors, the museum now features of faithfully recreated period shop fronts and also has a themed gift shop. It is now located at its new site in Backbarrow, on the main A590) and Brantwood (an historic house & gardens which used to be the home of John Ruskin with a shop, café and terrace on the east side of Coniston Water).

You simply can’t afford to miss this if you want to get the most out of mail and postal optimisation.

What is MailSave+?
In today’s deregulated postal market all dispatch and facilities managers must look for the most cost-effective way to send out business critical documents. MailSave+ is a new and unique service that gives you the choice of postal provider and discounts when you send your mail.

Who’s it for?
Small to medium sized businesses and public sector bodies whose mail volumes do not meet the traditional pre-sorted or Cleanmail volume criteria.
Postrooms who want a cost effective service for non time critical traditional second class mail.

What are the benefits to you - the customer?
•    Reduced cost per item on every item
•    Lower volume thresholds attract discount on every item
•    Volumes can be averaged to meet collection minimums
•    Collections times that are convenient for you
•    A cost-effective and flexible way of achieving daily mail discounts

The Mailing Room is a leading supplier of mailroom equipment and consumables including franking machines, postal scales, folding and inserting machines and letter openers. The Mailing Room is brought to you by an alliance of FP Mailing (North West) Limited, FP Mailing (South) Limited and FP Executive Agency Limited.

For more information on MailSave+ from The Mailing Room, visit http://www.themailingroom.com

Firgarth Windermere B&B has the advantage of car parking, and is situated just a short walk from Windermere centre, with its many shops and restaurants and rail/bus station. We make an ideal base for touring, walking or just a relaxing break at any time of year.

Just take a 15 minute walk through ‘Millerground’ to the shores of Lake Windermere or alternatively climb to ‘Orrest Head’ from where stunning views of Lake Windermere and Morecombe Bay can be enjoyed.

Firgarth offers eight bedrooms comprising of double, single, four poster and king size double which are all ensuite. All rooms are centrally heated and decorated in a combination of modern and traditional design, all have colour TV, tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryer and a range of toiletries.

Shabby chic home furniture and accessories can give your house the WOW factor! The style of shabby chic is steeped in history yet with the modern day paint effects and colours, these items of furniture are brought right up to the present day. Shabby chic offers the traditional look without being heavy and stuffy. It adds character to a room and pieces can be used as little or as much as one wishes.

The influences for shabby chic furniture are taken mainly from French furniture of around the 1800’s period. The paint effects on these traditional reproduction designs of furniture recreate the shabby look but keeping it chic. The pieces are far from just shabby.

Shabby chic home furniture is extremely easy to look after and clean which makes it an excellent choice for those who have families or other busy lifestyles. Just one piece of shabby chic style furniture can give a focal point to a room.

With the rise of popularity of shabby chic furniture, complementing accessories and decorating items such as wallpaper are now readily available. Accessories for every room in the house including glassware, candle sticks and mirrors can now be found along with bathroom accessories such as soap holders, mirrors and towel rails.

The town of Penrith, with its beautiful red sandstone buildings has fascinating yards and alleyways to discover, pleasant open spaces and a selection of places to stay from fine hotels in Penrith to cosy guest houses and self catering cottages.

A lovely walk up through the wooded slopes of Beacon Hill to the Beacon “Pike” Monument, built in 1719 of local red sandstone, rewards you with great views over the town and lake district fells beyond. The Rotary Club of Penrith have produced a leaflet with details of an “Access for all Walk” - a self guided tour of Penrith. The route has been chosen to make the walk accessible to all, including those with disabilities. To download a copy, please visit the Rotary Club website.

Back down in the town, explore the ruins of Penrith Castle, dating back to the 14th century, set in an attractive public park where you can play tennis, bowls, crazy golf, pitch and putt or simply watch the world go by! There’s a children’s playground and paddling pool too.

Many visitors come to Penrith for its unique specialist shops offering local produce - fine foods like Penrith Toffee Fudge, loved by the Royal Family and traditional Cumberland Sausage together with all sorts of local crafts. A Specialist Shops leaflet for Penrith is available.

Eating out in Penrith is a pleasure, there’s a good choice too, ranging from inns with home cooking, Penrith restaurants with international cuisine, cafes and tea shops.

Don’t miss Penrith Farmers’ Market, held every 3rd Tuesday in the Market Square, where you can cut down the food miles and enjoy locally produced and sourced goods. The newly named Charter Market, a traditional street market is also held every Tuesday in Great Dockray.

Penrith Museum, housed in the former 17th century Robinsons school building gives a fascinating insight into the history of Penrith, local geology and archaeology and houses an exciting programme of temporary exhibitions.

Dating back to Norman times, St, Andrew’s Church in the centre of Penrith is surrounded by historic buildings with a peaceful outdoor seating area. Look out for the “Giants Grave” in St. Andrew’s Churchyard!

If you are feeling active, the recently extended Penrith Leisure Centre has swimming pools, gym, indoor climbing wall, large sports hall and indoor bowls hall.
 
The town has an award-winning station on the main west coast London to Glasgow railway line and is served by National Express buses. The C2C cycle route passes through Penrith and the town has been designated Cumbria’s first Cycling Hub, which means cyclists are made extra welcome and will find excellent facilities and specially designed routes starting from Penrith along with many of the Penrith hotels being cyclist friendly.

There is less stuffiness regarding art. Artwork can now be ordered more readily in bespoke commissions or particular colours and themes can be stipulated. A few years ago, this was an absolute no go area, the artist ruled and what they said was final. There are a number of artists now offering an easier to reach bespoke service, both by way of approaching the artist but also in terms of cost.

Not everyone has the money to buy modern canvas artwork produced by famous artists so it has enabled the not so famous but equally as talented new artists to produce work and be successful selling them. Canvas art is quite dramatic as the medium used is either oil or acrylic paint. Both achieve high depth in colour and on a bright white wall, a piece of canvas artwork on a stretched canvas frame has maximum impact.

Art can be bought in many different forms, one very in vogue at the moment is canvas art. The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame and oil or acrylic paint can be used or even mixed media. The canvas stands away from a wall and enables the painting area to go right to the edge. Painting around the edges can also be done for an enveloped look.

Art is the perfect gift for someone very special. Some artists offer the service of recreating a memorable photo into oil or acrylic. This is a highly personal and special gift and something completely unique. Such a service has been enabled to be found through the internet. The internet has been the most influential part in enabling art to be reached to the masses and now being more accessible. Galleries that were once confined to purely the premises can now sell and advertise their work online and reach the whole country in fact, the world. Artists that may not have been able to afford a gallery premises can now sell their art online, reaching a far wider audience. In the respect of the consumer, a huge variety of artist’s styles, genres, media and themes can be chosen from. Mail order has enabled the artwork to be sent when collection is not obtainable. There are artists in the UK that through the internet, have been able to sell their work to clients abroad. This brings in a whole new market and is extremely exciting.

Guest artists are now selling their canvas artwork through large department stores. As with many of the supermarkets that stock local produce, this is a similar occurrence in department stores with local artists. Even if not local, then an artist can sell their work through a selection of stores.

Interior design has become high in a home owners mind in recent years with shows such as 60 Minute Makeover, Changing Rooms and other home make over shows. Artwork is always a large part of the overall finish of the room that has been decorated. Interior designers are working more and more closely with artists for artwork that complements the interior of a room. A piece of canvas art can make a huge difference to the way a room looks and feels and can transform a drab, boring room into something very special.

So, to conclude, art is one of the oldest forms of enjoyment yet new technology has in fact transformed and lifted art. It has made people feel more comfortable about art and that it is available for anyone, not just the rich or privileged.

Each year these beautiful and rare birds return to nest. The female osprey laid her first egg of 2009 at the nest near Bassenthwaite Lake on Thursday 16th April. Ospreys normally lay a clutch of three eggs.  Incubation is carried out mainly by the female and takes between 34-40 days.

Hundreds of people visited the Bassenthwaite area over the 2009 Easter weekend to get a glimpse of the Lake District Ospreys.   Visitors can get great views of the birds from a Viewpoint in Dodd Wood, only 400 metres away from the nest.  The Viewpoint is open all daylight hours, with staff on hand with telescopes from 10am-5pm daily, as part of the RSPB’s ‘Dates with Nature’ Project.

It is also possible to see the birds on the nest on a giant videowall at the Visitor Centre on the Forestry Commission estate at Whinlatter Forest, near Braithwaite.  Live pictures from cameras overlooking and inside the nest are also beamed to the screen and can also be viewed on the Project’s website ospreywatch.co.uk and the BBC Cumbria website at bbc.co.uk/cumbria. It is now easier than ever before to visit Dodd Wood and Whinlatter thanks to the Osprey Bus which was launched in 2008.  The liveried bus service named after the spectacular birds of prey operates around Bassenthwaite Lake taking in the Whinlatter Exhibition and the Dodd Wood viewpoint and runs weekends from 4th April to 31st August 2009, except during the following school holidays, 6-17 April, 25-29 May and 18 July - 31 August when it runs every day. 

As well as the Osprays, Bassenthwaite is a popular location for sailing. The Bassenthwaite Sailing club has been in operation since 1952 with RYA, or RYA Affiliated Club members entitled to sail on the lake at a cost of £10 per day. The tranquillity and exclusivity of this lake make it an amazing sailing experience. When staying the sailors are lucky enough to stay in some of the best hotels Lake District has to offer.

Mirehouse is most definitely worth a visit. Alfred Lord Tennyson stayed at Mirehouse whilst writing his poem ‘Morte D’Arthur’ in 1835. It is a private house but open to the public on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. The grounds and a tea shop are open daily though. Further on from Mirehouse is an open air theatre erected by the Tennyson Society is the location where Tennyson was thought to have written most of that famous poem. All around the lake and the surrounding area is a strong literary feel along with a popular place for artists. The landscape is perfect for painting and photography. Work by local artists can be found in the excellent galleries in nearby Keswick. There is a selection of Keswick hotels to stay in whilst visiting.

Everyone is looking for a bargain at this time of year so why should the sales be confined to the high street? Goosemire Cottages are offering discounts on full weeks booked in each of their 46 self catering properties. The discounts range from £30 - £50 depending on the property size.

The number of self catering holidays in the UK has risen quite dramatically in the last 2 years. Various factors have contributed to this for example the poor Euro exchange rate resulting in tourists staying in the UK and the cost savings of self catering compared with a hotel stay. A self catering holiday allows freedom, the ability to cook within the property so saving on restaurant bills and is an excellent type of holiday for families and pet owners.

Goosemire Cottages have available 46 traditional Lake District self catering cottages for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lakeland cottages or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each property are reflected on their website which offers full online booking facilities and information and images on each of their properties.

For more information on the Goosemire Lake District cottages January sale or their last minute booking discounts, visit http://www.goosemirecottages.co.uk/special-offers

If you have the best knives, saucepans and oven all the better but not everyone does. After buying the best produce you can afford the next most important purchase should be quality cookware, i.e pans.

Many people will have noticed that when a chef is cooking on television, they state and describe the pan they are using and that is normally one that they would strongly recommend you use. This is because pans are such a large part in how a recipe is cooked and how the finished dish turns out. When searing meat the last thing you would want to do is use a high sided pan as this would effectively steam the meat and you should not boil paste in a small, shallow pan.

Different pans cook food in different ways which is confirmed in a number of famous dishes from around the world. Many famous dishes are named after the pan or dish in which they were cooked in for example Spanish Paella, Moroccan Tagine and Indian Karahi. Each piece of cookware has been used for years and years to specifically achieve different effects.

Moving on from the correct type of pan or piece of cookware and then there are the different finishes including bases and coatings on pans, non-stick, stainless steel and copper pans are the most common. There are then cast iron pans namely for casserole dishes and griddle pans. Leading brands include Stellar pans, Le Creuset and Tefal.

The life of a pan can be greatly prolonged by cleaning it correctly. Although many pans these days are “dishwasher safe” this is not the advised method of cleaning pans. Seasoning a pan not only prolongs the life of the pan but it improves the quality of the cooking in it. This is done by heating oil in the pan then letting it go cold. You then wipe of the cold oil with a cloth or kitchen paper. This is also the advised method when dish washing by hand, basically anytime you use detergent on the pan.

The Lake District is the perfect location for children. Endless activities to keep them occupied for example watersports, walking, Go-Ape, a zoo and the Ravenglass-Eskdale railway. It has long been an area popular with families.

An area full of activities and stunning scenery is the area of Keswick and Bassenthwaite. There are many Keswick hotels that offer child friendly rooms with excellent leisure facilities on site. These facilities include heated swimming pools, gyms, tennis courts, putting greens and some even have games rooms with both board games and computer games such as Wii consoles installed. The practical facilities within these hotels come in the form of flexible meal times for children, the use of complimentary high chairs and cots, bed time books and stocks of essential items such as nappies, baby milks and food and dummies.

The Bassenthwaite Lake area encompasses some of the most well equipped hotels Lake District. The lake is one of the largest in the English Lake District situated at the foot of Skiddaw and in such close proximity to Keswick, it is a great location. The lake is 4 miles long and is the shallowest of all the lakes with its maximum depth just 70 feet. For parents interested in bird watching, it is one of the best places to spot an Osprey.

Bassenthwaite the village itself is one of the most beautiful Lakeland villages and is an ideal base for discovering the woodlands of Thornthwaite Forest and the trails of Dodd Wood. It is the northernmost and only true ‘lake’ in the Lake District; it is renowned for its peacefulness, accessibility and continually changing scenery caused by changeable weather and seasons.

Tasteless dressing up and gimmicks are becoming a thing of the past. Manchester for example is one such destination where a stag and hen party can be both loads of fun but without being tacky. Manchester is such a large city, it really does have everything. Take a hen party Manchester package and you can experience the amazing shops, go on a special spa focused weekend, have a cocktail master class or get VIP access to top clubs.

Ideally situated in the centre of the United Kingdom Manchester is easily reachable by Air, Rail, Coach and Car. In order to help you plan travel arrangements for your stag and hen party the following pages are a guide to each of these modes of transport giving you that extra peace of mind.

From humble beginnings Manchester has grown considerably to cement not only its position as the 3rd largest city in the UK but also as the unofficial “Capital of the North”. You will find an abundance of things to do and places to see within the city centre itself during the day as well as in the Greater Manchester Urban Area such as the Trafford Shopping Centre. Development is also continuing to bring further growth to what is already a cosmopolitan, and lively place for fun.

Come the evening its “24 hour party people” have over 500 licenced premises in the city centre to choose from that can cope with up to 250,000 visitors at any one time and normally see around 130,000 revellers on a typical weekend night. So you can expect the normal friendly northern welcome. All in all it has everything you will require for that Stag or Hen party that you will never forget! In the day, well the shopping is beyond your wildest dreams but below are some other activities well worth looking into.

Goosemire Cottages have available over 39 traditional self-catering holiday homes for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lake District cottage accommodation or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each Lake District cottage property are reflected on our website, and while some maybe more luxuriously appointed than others, all are carefully prepared and maintained.

They offer Cumbria self catering holiday cottages in the following locations - Bowness on Windermere (largest lake), Lake Ullswater,( the Lake Districts second largest lake), Haweswater, the Eden Valley, Bassenthwaite, Grasmere, Kendal, Ambleside in the central lakes, the South Lakes peninsulas, and Wastwater. If you are feeling energetic you can go fell walking, climbing or even mountain biking. Other activities include sailing, wind surfing, fishing or bird watching.

For further information on the areas, availability and prices of all 46 cottages visit http://www.goosemirecottages.co.uk or telephone 01539 731 801.

Often, the gifts people remember the most are gift experiences not objects. Lake District Hotels Ltd are pleased to offer a solution to the age old gift buying problem in the form of gift vouchers which can be selected for use in any one of their six hotels.

The gift vouchers have been created to suit every taste, requirement and budget. For example, the hotel break vouchers are available for one or two nights and range from a standard room right up to a luxury four poster room. Other vouchers include food and drink vouchers which incorporate a two course lunch for four people voucher or a £25 wine voucher, vouchers for afternoon tea and spa vouchers which include luxury massages and manicure treatments or full “well being” spa breaks. If you aren’t sure or simply can’t decide on which voucher to buy, a monetary gift voucher for one of the hotels in an excellent idea. They come in values starting at £25 up to £250. Gift vouchers take away the worry of buying the correct size or colour for a present and they allow the versatility to be used at a time that suits them.

The Lake District Hotels Ltd group consists of six luxury hotels in the Lake District, The Inn on the Lake on the shores of Ullswater, The Lodore Falls on the shores of Derwentwater, The Borrowdale Hotel in the Borrowdale Valley, The George Hotel in Penrith and finally the Kings Arms and Skiddaw Hotel in Keswick.

For more information visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net and http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/giftvouchers/.

Self catering holidays benefit the environment too. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities. Some self catering property owners and developers are creating a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities.

In areas such as Grasmere and Ambleside there some idyllic self catering properties such as traditional Lakeland houses dating back years. Staying in Grasmere cottages or Ambleside cottages means there are views in every direction.  Located at the heart of The Lake District National, some properties have views of Helvellyn also Silver How, Steel Fell and Helm Crag. Grasmere is an idea base for walking with the foot of Helvellyn just minutes away and located on main A591 road which leads right up to Keswick for the highest concentration of fells in the Lake District.

There is an excellent choice of accommodation available within Eden including hotels, guest houses, Cumbria cottages and caravan parks. Away from the main holiday season many of the Lake District holiday cottages offer the flexibility of short breaks rather than just whole weeks, so visitors can enjoy a long weekend in the area and perhaps buy some fresh local produce to cook yourself at the property. However your eating requirements are catered for by the many excellent restaurants and traditional pubs that reflect the local flavour.

Historic Penrith, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Northern Lakes”, is the major town in the Eden Valley, with a good mix of traditional shops selling locally made products and crafts, including famed Cumberland Sausage and Penrith Toffee.

When it comes to places to visit during your stay the Eden Valley offers a wide range of historic houses, castles, gardens, craft workshops, galleries and museums. In fact there are over seventy visitor attractions in Eden. For the more active there are many sporting facilities including sailing, windsurfing, horse riding, golf, squash, tennis and fishing.

One of the area’s key activities is Appleby Horse Fair, which takes place every June. The Horse Fair gathers together travelling folk from all over the country, buying and selling horses, keeping alive a 300 year old tradition. This is Britain’s largest gypsy gathering, with hundreds of tradition horse-drawn caravans converge on nearby Gallows Hill.

Walkers will find Eden is wonderful walking country, either a leisurely walk along river banks and lake shore or you can take to the higher paths over the Pennines and Lake District fells. In fact, the Pennine Way National Trail reaches into the Eden Valley at Appleby-in-Westmorland as it winds its way towards Scotland. Cyclists can follow the coast to coast (C2C) and Cumbria Cycle Way, both routes are clearly marked along the way.

The River Eden provides challenging fishing, and has in place a “Go Wild” scheme to enable visitors to try wild fishing on the river.

The property boom over there has been a huge lure for UK investment property buyers. It has also become a hot destination for UK residents wishing to relocate on a permanent basis. This has been coupled with many large international companies setting up offices. They have either relocated or require the need to be visible in the UAE for business purposes. These include UK banks, property consultancies and large international corporate organisations.

Migrants, emigrants, ex-pats, overseas students and corporate movers to the United Arab Emirates will all required shipping to United Arab Emirates. A professional and reliable international moving and shipping company can take away all the worry often experienced with a large relocation.

•    excess baggage shipping and forwarding by sea freight, airfreight, road, worldwide
•    cartons, boxes and packing materials should always be supplied by the shipping company for self packed consignments
•    international household removals/ international relocations/ overseas removals by shared or exclusive containers
•    antiques and fine art packing and overseas shipping
•    motor vehicle shippers (autos, cars, motor bikes etc) containerised , roll on / roll off, over crating and case packed.
•    long and short term storage facilities
•    international freight forwarding

It is quite evident from the examples above the people and situations requiring shipping to Abu Dhabi and United Arab Emirates are very varied. It also shows how popular shipping to these areas has become.

To complement the interest people have in cooking and dinner parties the items on a dining table and the settings should be strongly considered. How the food looks on a plate is extremely important as well as how the plate looks within the table setting. The look of the food is the first impression and as is regularly said, you eat with your eyes. The food itself needs to look appealing but what it is presented on can also greatly affect the way the dish looks. Top chefs know the importance of this and they will be the ones that choose the dinnerware range for the restaurant. Only a few years ago, a standard plate would be used to serve all the dishes. Now there are curved, square, rectangle, oval and shallow bowls.

You cutlery then needs to match the dinnerware. A traditional set of cutlery would look out of place next to a modern square plate for example. Likewise, a modern set of cutlery would not feel right with a traditional set of china plates. Leading cutlery brands such as Arthur Price cutlery have been manufacturing high grade cutlery for over 100 years. Their traditional ranges remain popular but they have introduced contemporary ranges in keeping with the modern look that many home owners are requesting.

One of the leading modern cutlery brands at the moment and one which is synonymous with innovative design is Villeroy and Boch. Villeroy and Boch cutlery as with other brands of such stature retain a timeless design but firmly keeping with a contemporary look. Due to the nature of stainless steel, cutlery can be a real statement on a dining table. For a customer wanting to achieve a very contemporary look, modern cutlery perfect finishing touch.

The event was organized by Kit Graves in conjunction with Hilary Cookson from the renowned dress shop Maureen Cookson from Whalley in Lancashire and a regional a lifestyle magazine. Whilst there were a number of ladies from Lancashire, Liverpool and beyond, there were also tables of local ladies from Cockermouth and Keswick.

The fashion show was presented by Hilary Cookson from the Maureen Cookson shop and during her show she also gave a humorous talk about what to pack in a suitcase for holiday.

Local ladies include Susan Farrell and her team from Solway Heaters in Workington, they regularly book their Christmas parties but took the opportunity to have a look at the autumn clothing from Maureen Cookson. Her collection included a mix of practical and very stylish clothing and of course, some sparkle for Christmas.

Kit Graves, managing director of the group of hotels in the Lake District said “it was a wonderful opportunity for ladies outside the Lake District to experience what we have to offer. The autumn weather was lovely so they had a fantastic drive through the lakes. We were especially pleased to see a group of ladies who had been dropped off by their husbands for a surprise treat - they went on to do some walking and collected their wives on the way home!”

During the lunch, £750 was raised to support Keswick Mountain Rescue.  Anyone interested in finding out more about organizing charity events at the Lodore Falls Hotel should contact Stephen Johnston at the Lodore Falls Hotel on 017687 77285.

According to the Giftware Association, the gift industry is worth and estimated £10 billion per year. This is made up of various sectors such as traditional gifts, design led gifts and cards and gift wrap.

Unlike Christmas, a Birthday is a special day for the person who Birthday it is solely. This makes it even more important that a special gift be sent. At Christmas time, the shelves are filled with generic Christmas gifts and it is very hard not to buy a gift set. Buying a Birthday gift is the perfect opportunity to purchase a present that is personal and unique.

A quirky, unique or personal gift, no matter what budget, can be extra special. A real emphasis should be on the thought, not the budget. Thoughtful Birthday gifts can be worth so much more than an expensive item which has hardly any thought. This is especially true with children. How many times does it happen that a child will be more taken with a smaller gift but that is fun, than the main present that cost fortune?!

Special gifts are guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face no matter what age as well as the giver of the gift. Quirky gifts are available now for example, grow your own chilli plants, to become a laird or lady, or own a share in playboy.

The giving of gifts is not just birthday’s, sending Wedding gifts or at Christmas anymore. Easter, Mother and Father’s days, Christenings and moving house are seeing increasing amounts of gift giving. Everyone likes receiving presents so it enables even more excitement than just on the usual days.

Finding the right gift has never been easier now we have the internet. The online gift industry is huge. Having the choice of so many online retailers at a touch of button means a special gift can always be found and the ability to have the present gift wrapped and sent direct to the receiver makes it even easier.

Independent Wheelchair Lifts
Wheelchair lifts are extremely beneficial for disabled drivers with manual wheelchairs who wish to be independent. They fit most cars and operation is easy. These wheelchair lifts offer enclosed protection from the elements, for the wheelchair and the cost of transferring it to your next vehicle is minimal.

Wheelchair and Scooter Lifts
Wheelchair and scooter lifts are designed to lift manual wheelchairs and scooters and can be fitted to hatchbacks, estate cars, 4 x 4’s and MPV’s. When not in use, these devices store neatly away and can be transferred should a new car be purchased. The wheelchair and scooter lifts come in various models depending on the weight of the wheelchair or scooter, typically around 40 to 150kg lifts.

Person Lifts
Person lifts are for lifting people from their wheelchair into a vehicle and out again. Some models enable the person to stay in their wheelchair which then becomes the car seat. These devices are extremely practical and useful and can be bought for use in the home or the car. It makes the lifting of people effortless and with complete comfort for the disabled person.

Swivel Seats
Swivel seats for cars are a quick and easy way of making getting in and out of cars much easier. Pulling a simple lever allows the seat to be manually swiveled through approximately 90 degrees, making it easier to either stand up or doing a sliding transfer onto a wheelchair or scooter. Each swivel seat usually come with glide rails to enable the user to position the seat for optimum comfort when travelling. The seat can be used on either the passenger or driver side. When used on the driver side, there may be limited rotation. There are even special swivel seats available for MPV’s and 4 x 4’s which can also be utilized on mobile homes. These seats swivel out but also lower the person as well.

Hand Controls
There are various push pull hand controls available for installation in to cars. These devices can be for a single control use or can multiple controls for example integral indicator switches. There are devices that operate secondary functions at the touch of a button can also include:

• Indicators & hazard lights
• Headlights
• Horn
• Windscreen wipers (front and rear)
• Windscreen washers (front and rear)
• Fog lights
• Other functions may be possible, e.g. Radio on/off, heated windscreen, etc

Should a person not be to operate the foot pedals in an automatic car then there are push pull systems that can be fitted which enable them to do so. The rods connecting the controls and the pedals are fixed within the steering column for safety and ease.

Other devices that can be fitted are steering wheel balls for one handed steering, easy release mechanisms for handbrakes and one that enables the switching of the accelerator operation from left to right.

Marbella is a playground for the rich and famous although in recent years, more affordable holidays have become available. This area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. This is typified west of the town at Puerto Banus, this area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. A St Tropez like marina at Puerto Banus is home to million pound plus ocean going boats. Marbella as a whole has a very cosmopolitan community which has built up during the years. Many famous people have resident’s in Marbella which has all the characteristics and facilities required to serve them, casinos, boutique and designer stores, street cafes, world class restaurants and luxury night clubs.

As with most of the Costa Del Sol, golf in Marbella is a very popular activity. There are around 50 golf courses many with huge country clubs. The 320 days of sunshine a year mean as with all of the Costa Del Sol, it is the perfect Marbella as with most of this coast is steeped in heritage so it isn’t just all shopping and golf when it comes to leisure activities. The White Village “Mijas” is well worth a visit. The village set 428 metres above sea level and it is obvious why it is called the White Village due to the hundreds and white-washed buildings. The views from the village are spectacular, right across the whole of the Costa Del Sol coast. Due to the nature of the village with its narrow cobbled streets, Mijas has a very close community especially with those over 60, many of which are English speaking.

It isn’t hard to find the real Spain in Marbella. There is the Old Town, which is based around Orange Square or ‘La Plaza de los Naranjos’. In this vacinity are three historical buildings: The 16th Century Town Hall, the old Governor’s House and the Chapel of Santiago. As in Mijas, you will find small cobbled streets, small boutiques, galleries, local tapas bars and other authentic restaurants.

There is a varied range of Marbella accommodation from apartments and hotels to private Marbella rentals. Some properties are beyond most people’s wildest dreams. Rentals Marbella can be found in the forms of villas, apartments, townhouse, marina properties and golf accommodation. Short and long terms lets can be found with most providers. Properties can be found in central locations where a car is not required or for a more peaceful holiday, there are retreats away from the central locations.

Conferences are not just held by large multi-national companies anymore. Conferences for smaller numbers and smaller businesses are now very common and expectations of a conference have also moved on.

As with many areas of business, technological advances are continuing to be integrated, none more so than the ever growing conferencing market. It wasn’t long ago that black boards, conventional white boards and flip charts were common sights. Over head projectors and then digital projectors followed.

Now there are integrated audio visual, or AV, installations that can really make a difference at a conference, meeting or pitch to a prospective client. There are various audio visual and sound system installation packages available, many of which are tailor made to each specific requirement. For example, a large conference room can have 3 separate audio visual installations enabling the room to be divided into three, acoustically isolated rooms for hire to individual groups. Such installations can be operated completely independently but also have the ability for all of the projection systems to display the same image when the main hall is completely open for large delegations.

Plasma screens can be installed into conferencing suites and offices for a truly professional look and can really get a message across, “a picture paints a thousand words”. These systems can be cleverly installed so when not in use, they are completely disguised.

To further engage delegates and in addition to an audio video installation, interactive whiteboards can be used to energise presentations and motivate learners. Interactive whiteboards combine the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer and engages students and audiences. The touch-sensitive display connects to your computer and digital projector to show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display, write notes in digital ink and save your work to share later. And what is a huge plus point with these interactive whiteboards is that if a person can use a computer, they can use one of these systems.

Modular buildings can be constructed for temporary, semi permanent or permanent purposes. As they are quickly and easily constructed, they are very well suited to provide temporary emergency housing or when disasters occur such a fires for example.

As modular buildings are constructed in a factory, the weather does not affect the construction time which means a more accurate and faster completion date is achievable unlike a traditional construction site where the weather and other factors often mean a building is delayed. Even electrical wiring is done in the factory.

Modular buildings are either constructed from a single section or in the case of larger structures, they are made using several sections. These structures can be ordered from a company’s standard range or they can be made to specifically designed and built to the needs of the end user/company. Once completed, the modular building is shipped to its location where foundations will have been layed and these foundations can be temporary or permanent depending on what the need is for the building.

Modular buildings are almost unrecognisable from those available 10 or 15 years ago. They are far more complex and are of far better quality with many incorporating state of art technologies and materials. In these tough economic times, the ability to save a great deal of money on office space, extra classrooms and temporary health care centres for example is crucial. Modular buildings fulfil all the criteria required whilst being quickly and cheaply erected.

From environmental perspectives, modular and portable buildings have advantages over traditional construction. The manufacturing process creates far less waste than traditional construction and can be built cost effectively but using materials that are both environmentally friendly in the construction process and for fuel saving when occupied. As mentioned earlier, not all modular buildings are permanent. Due to this, second hand modular and portable buildings are available. When purchased, these pre owned structures embody even more environmental effectiveness. The embodied energy required to manufacture a modular building is transportable as the embodied energy is locked within the fabric of the building. Therefore the energy contained within pre?owned modular buildings can be transported and relocated to another site. In traditional buildings this is largely lost when they are no longer required and demolished, even when the materials are re?cycled. However, with modular and portable buildings the embodied energy can be relocated along with the modules to another site.

www.grovecottages.com has been refurbished and updated to fully promote the refurbishments and upgrades of the five properties on Grove Farm. The new website offers much clearer and informative details on each cottage, the environment, farm and location. An online booking system has been integrated allowing quick and easy real time
availability and booking of each cottage. More images have been included which enlarge when clicked.

Grove Farmhouse is the latest addition to the four holiday cottage lets already on the farm. This new renovation comfortably accommodates 8 ? 10 people. Grove Farmhouse has been finished to a very high standard and contains all the modern conveniences expected from a luxury holiday let without compromising the original features of the farmhouse. Grove Farmhouse has two lounges each with log burning stoves, wireless broadband access and in the kitchen, a traditional Rayburn cooking range. A total of three bathrooms make this property an excellent choice for a large group.

The luxury Lake District cottages lie in the beautiful Stock Valley in Ambleside. They are reached by a private drive from Ambleside, which runs past Stockghyll Falls and nature park, climbing to 700 feet to offer some of the finest Panoramic views in the Lake District. Each of the Cumbrian cottages has been lovingly converted from a traditional
Lakeland barn. Guests are invited to relax in the secluded gardens, or explore the farm and its wildlife. The latest development on the farm is Grove Farmhouse which was released earlier this year. This new renovation comfortably accommodates 8 ? 10 people. Grove Farmhouse has been finished to a very high standard and contains all the modern
conveniences expected from a luxury holiday let without compromising the original features of the farmhouse.

Andrew Howard together with his brothers Max and Ross, took over the running of Grove Farm in the summer of 2008.Their family has been farming for over 150 years on the edge of Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. Grove is a typical Lakeland hill farm, running to some 160 acres of grass and woodland on the slopes of the Stock Valley. The pastures on the farm are home to the Howard’s herd of pedigree Dunn Galloway cattle. The cattle are sold to local speciality butchers.

For further information and to check availability go to http://www.grovecottages.com or telephone 015394 33074.

Cyprus Tax aspects
Cypriot international trusts enjoy important tax advantages, providing significant tax planning opportunities to interested parties. The following advantages are indicative of the possible options for tax minimization: All income, whether trading or otherwise, of an international trust (ie a trust whose property is located and income is derived from outside Cyprus) is not taxable in Cyprus Dividends, interest or other income received by a trust from a Cyprus international business company are also neither taxable nor subject to withholding tax provided that the beneficiaries are not tax resident in Cyprus. Even though a trust with shares in a Cypriot company may not be an international trust, the exemption relies on the fact that Cypriot tax is imposed only on Cyprus residents. As the beneficiaries are not residents of Cyprus, no tax is imposed on the distributions made to the trust Gains on the disposal of the assets of an international trust are not subject to capital gains tax in Cyprus An alien who creates an international trust in Cyprus and retires in Cyprus is still exempt from tax if all the property settled and the income earned is abroad, even if he I a beneficiary An international trust created for estate duty planning purposes would not be subject to estate duty in Cyprus.

The nature of a Trust
A trust is established by an individual (the Settlor) and is a means whereby property (the Trust Property) is held by one or more persons (the Trustees) for the benefit of another or others (the Beneficiaries) or for specified purposes. The Settlor can be a Trustee and the Settlor and the Trustees or any of them can be Beneficiaries. In law, the Trustees are the owners of the trust property, although they may not deal with it as absolute owners but rather in accordance with the provisions of the law relating to trusts and the rights of the beneficiaries as set out in the trust documents. In other words, the trustees are under a binding obligation to deal with the trust property in accordance with the law and the direction set out in the trust document. The trust property can include all kinds of assets situated anywhere in the world. Trusts are usually used by wealthy individuals for the purpose of protecting their estate from inheritance or capital gains taxes in their home country. They can also be used by expatriates settling into a trust before repatriating assets acquired while working abroad, to protect such assets from the tax of their home country.

Other aspects
There are many situations other than saving in taxes where Cypriot trusts can prove advantageous. These
include the following: an individual, through the use of a Cypriot trust, can ensure that minors, mentally impaired persons or persons unable to deal with the management of the individual’s estate are well provided for, even after the individual’s death an individual, through the use of a Cypriot trust, can arrange to be inherited by persons, who due to the legislation of the individual’s country, would otherwise be excluded from the inheritance an individual who wishes to divest himself of personal assets for fiscal or other reasons can achieve that by transferring them to a Cypriot international trust an individual who wishes to keep the ownership of a company anonymous and confidential, can do this by setting up a discretionary Cypriot trust to own the shares in the company an individual who has or may have income arising overseas, which they do not wish to remit to their country of residence, can arrange for such income to be directed to the trustees of a Cyprus based settlement and be held in a discretionary trust in accordance with their wishes an individual with assets outside their country of residence – which country may in future extend its exchange control restrictions to include remittance of overseas funds – may wish to retain the flexibility of overseas funds by transferring them to a discretionary trust.

Other advantages
In addition to the tax and other aspects set out above there are other favourable factors for creating a trust in Cyprus The favourable legal system relating to trusts together with the advantageous geographic position of the island make Cyprus a particularly attractive trust location. Cypriot international trusts are not subject to exchange control. Bank deposits with Cypriot banks, either local or international, or with any bank around the world, are also not subject to exchange control. The absence of exchange controls and the availability of excellent telecommunications and international banking services, make Cyprus a convenient base for the remittance and transfer of funds The presence of a number of reputable international fund management companies on the island and the high standing of the legal and accounting professions ensure the availability of expert advice as well as the competent management services required for the proper operation of a trust. There are no, registration or reporting requirements for trusts established in Cyprus nor are the names of the trust or of the persons referred to in the Trust Deed disclosed. Cypriot law is flexible in that it allows the removal of a trust from its jurisdiction and vice versa. This could be important in cases where a change in circumstances may render such a transfer advantageous for fiscal or other reasons.

Oneworld ltd are financial services advisors specializing in offshore financial services and Cyprus financial services, business advisory, corporate finance, accounting and payroll, VAT and customs.

I have a great web site and want to maintain my branding, can I change the look and feel of the customer booking pages to match my web site style and brand?
While many owners are happy and successful with standard booking calendars, some have a particularly stylish site or simply want to maintain their branding, then some booking calendars can be customised to reflect the original web site’s style.

I like the idea of taking payments online, but prefer to speak to the customer and confirm a booking before taking deposit payments ? is this possible?
Some systems allow the creation of invoices and let you specify which payment methods are accepted. Having spoken to a customer and confirmed they are happy, an invoice can be created and e?mailed. The guest receives an email pointing them to a page detailing the invoice and payment methods. It is then the operator’s choice as to whether they take payments online, by cheque or other means.

Are these systems secure?
Security is paramount so make sure the software company has its own dedicated servers and that the data on which is accessible only by the company. Ask if the computer is located in a secure building with the appropriate security checks, passcards and alarms etc.

Are these booking systems reliable?
In property circles its location, location, location that matters. On the internet it’s availability that matters, 24 hours a day, every day. Every minute your website or internet service is down you are potentially losing customers. Servers should be monitored 24 hours a day using monitors such as the WebsitePulse professional monitoring service.

I like to have control over my bookings ? does this system take that away from me?
You should have complete control. Any bookings placed via the standard system are provisional. You receive the booking details, then liaise with the customer to confirm the booking and any particular needs they may have and to arrange payment.

I don’t want to take bookings, I just want to show my availability and increase enquiries ? is that possible?
Yes as systems are available with an enquiries?only option. Instead of placing a booking, the system simply obtains the customer’s contact details and preferred dates. You then follow this up to confirm the arrangements and take the actual booking.

If a customer books via the online booking system, am I then forced to take their booking even if I don’t like the sound of them?
No. The customer is made very aware that bookings are provisional until they are confirmed by the owner. No money has changed hands, and there is NO legal obligation to accept their booking. If for whatever reason you wish to decline their booking, you are free to do so. You may wish simply to say that someone else has booked the property for example.

Will I need to change my current web hosting to use a booking calendar?
No, most systems run from a dedicated server so you won’t need to invest in new hosting. Although it will appear as part of your website, all the system pages are on our secure server computer.

How will an online reservation system help me?

• Let you add a live availability calendar to your website
• Let you take bookings or enquiries via your website
• Let you take payments online
• Notify you instantly you get a booking or enquiry via an email or to your mobile phone via text message
• Help you organise and keep track of your bookings, both those taken via the system and via other sources
• Enable you to keep track of who’s confirmed, who’s paid and very importantly who hasn’t!
• Enable you to quickly produce professional looking invoices and even take payments for invoices by credit card
• Keep your data in a secure place and back it up for you every day without fail
• Give you an overview of your availability and how successful you’ve been in ensuring maximum occupancy in the past.

Cark-in-Cartmel and Allithwaite are both located at the southern end of the Cartmel Valley and are classic ‘working’ Lakeland villages. This area is beautifully quiet without being remote and has a gentle pace of life. With its location so close to Morecambe Bay this area brings a milder climate than the rest of the Lake District.

The medieval village of Cartmel lies just 1½ miles north and is the oldest and most picturesque village in South Lakeland. The 12th century priory escaped destruction during the Dissolution of Henry VIII and remains one of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in the north of England. The ancient village square is home to two good pubs and is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. There are another two good pubs just around the corner to visit when staying in Cumbrian cottages.

Cartmel Valley is a gentle, undulating landscape of lush green fields, rolling hills, leafy lanes and tranquil forests. The woodlands are an ideal base for easy access of the whole of the Lake District, Morecambe Bay, the rolling sand dunes of the Cumbrian coast, the Forrest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Walkers can put away their car keys as there are dozens of walks from their Lake District self catering cottage. The ancient Cistercian Way pass through Cark village and links up to all major walking routes in the Lake District. The Cumbrian Coastal Way also goes through both Cark and Allithwaite and provides spectacular coastal and fell walking for mile after mile. Morecambe Bay, with its vast areas of sand and marshes is a popular haunt for bird watchers, as is nearby Leighton Moss bird sanctuary. The Bay and the Cumbrian coast are great for windsurfing, with clear winds from the south.

If walking is not on the agenda when staying in one of these Lake District cottages then a visit to Holker Hall is a must. Holker Hall is Cumbria’s premier stately home, the home of Lord & Lady Cavendish. Residents and visitors of the village are granted permission to walk freely around the extensive parklands stocked with herds of deer and rare breed cattle and sheep. They also have a farm shop on site where produce from the estate can be purchased.

And finally, for families, a 10 minute drive north leads you to the nostalgic Haverthwaite to Lakeside Steam Railway. This connects to the awaiting Lake Windermere steamers and cruise boats that travel the full length of England’s longest lake where stops can be made at Waterhead (for Ambleside) or Bowness-in-Windermere.

To make matters worse there is a lot of anger amongst local residents of Devon because high demand and high prices of those properties that are available to buy are pricing them out of the market. In parts of North Devon, more than four in every ten properties is a second home, with many being owned by people living in other parts of the country,
particularly London and the South East.

For those interested in buying either Devon holiday homes, or second homes in Devon, but are struggling to find available properties within their budget, then an alternative would be to consider luxury lodge. There are a lot of advantages to choosing Devon lodges including the affordable price tag, the high quality finish and luxury furnishings.
These days holiday lodges come with better specifications than a lot of houses with broadband, sky TV, spacious plots, large decked areas, paved courtyards and all year round holiday use. Better still on some of the top Devon resorts you will also be able to make use of the onsite facilities such as heated indoor swimming pools, golf courses and
equestrian centres.

You will also have peace of mind about the security of your home as the resort will provide a range of security and maintenance services including a private access controlled entrance to ensure your investment is protected all year round. In keeping with such a luxury investment, you will not be responsible for chores such as grass cutting and
ground care around your lodge. These tasks will all be taken care of for you so that you are free to relax and make the best of your holiday time.

The website has been updated to enhance the continuing development of the Stowford Farm Meadows family owned and run caravan and camping site. The fresh, new site has been designed to be easier to navigate, show even more information and showcase the full range of facilities on offer. The new site also gives essential information on the location including links to attractions and places of interest in the North Devon area.

Stowford Farm Meadows, one of the most picturesque Devon caravan sites, was established in 1978 by Winston Rice. The site is still family owned and carries the same commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction that has been a trademark of Stowford since its early days. Now with their new offering of touring caravans for sale, Stowford continues to develop this excellence.

An extremely high level of commitment and investment over the years has seen the site develop to a place where it is now recognised to be amongst the very best of the best in the country. In recent years Stowford has won industry awards or achieved the highest industry standards for environmental commitment (David Bellamy Conservation Gold Award 2008), first place 2006 for the Alan Rogers European Country Campsite Award ? This award acknowledges sites which are attractively located in delightful, rural locations and Practical Caravan Magazine UK Top 100 Parks Awards ? Overall Winner 2004.

Located in the heart of North Devon, a mile from the nearest main road along its own private drive, Stowford Farm Meadows has a superb rural setting. There are 500 acres of rolling Devon countryside, mature woodland and lush green (caravan and camping) meadows lined with Beech and Ash tree Devon hedges. The site is a peaceful retreat and makes an ideal base for exploring a wide variety of outstanding scenery and for visits to many places of interest and family attractions.

Within close proximity of Stowford, there is the natural beauty of Exmoor National Park ? wild, open moorland, deep river valleys, wooded gorges and the rugged appeal of Valley of the Rocks. Lynmouth ? England’s ‘Little Switzerland’ ? provides some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the British Isles. Elsewhere along this coastal fringe you will find magnificent cliff headlands, sheltered coves, picturesque harbours and stretches of golden, sandy surfing beaches. Only 8 miles away is Woolacombe, a regular winner of both Blue Flag and Premier Awards for beach safety and cleanliness, and rated as one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

For more information and to view the new website visit http://www.stowford.co.uk

All cars need to be looked after and sheltered from the elements and damage but of course, the more expensive the car, the greater the emphasis is on keeping it under cover and protected. There are a huge number of houses that do not have a garage or a driveway. Cars then have to be parked on streets where rain, dirt and the risk of damage is extremely high. Most outdoor covers are 100% waterproof and made of a lightweight breathable material making them very easy to quickly put on to a vehicle.

Car covers are mainly associated with the protection of cars when they are outside. Cars stored inside are still in need of protection and now special indoor covers are available manufactured from a soft breathable material that is designed to protect vehicles from dust, bumps and knocks, and scrapes and scratches. There are of particular use should a car be going into storage for a length of time. Even if just covered in a domestic garage, a car cover can protect against dust, dirt and grime and especially scraps and scratches that all too often occur. Half covers are very useful where you only need the roof of your vehicle protecting against garages with leaking roofs or to protect your vehicle from frost or ultraviolet rays in summer.

Living by the sea is a huge draw for many people, the views and fresh air. It is not such an idyllic situation for cars. Airborne sea salt is highly corrosive both on outer paintwork and inside the body of a car. Salt corrosion can result in nuts and bolts and even fuel injector pipes corroding. Well fitted car covers can eliminate this.

Buying the correct cover for your car is important to get the most protection. There are now car covers available to fit most makes and models of cars. For example, should you have a Porsche there are Porsche car covers available including Porsche Boxster car covers. Should here not be a cover suitable for a particular model of car there are companies that can manufacturer bespoke car covers individually hand made to order. It may be that a cover is required for a very specific reason too which would require a bespoke cover to be produced.

Unvented:
Unvented Cylinders work off the mains pressure water, and therefore use the water mains pressurised system to move the domestic hot water around the property, and so eliminates the need for a header tank in the loft.

Unvented Cylinders offer higher hot water flow rates, and are therefore able to provide higher water pressure for showers, baths etc.  As an Unvented Cylinder does not require a feeder tank, this frees up valuable space in the loft area, and also gives you the option to site the Cylinder anywhere you want thus freeing up further space in your airing cupboard.

Unvented Cylinders are generally manufactured out of top quality stainless steel, this ensures long life and durability, and Unvented Cylinders can also carry a manufacturer’s guarantee of up to 25 years. E.g. the Gledhill cylinders range.  Other Manufacturer’s guarantees may vary.

Vented Cylinders

A Vented Cylinder (or cistern fed) has a header tank that is usually situated within the loft area.  This header tank feeds through the cold water from the mains feed, and relies on gravity to pass the water through the pipes to your heating/hot water system.  A vented hot water cylinder is normally associated with a conventional heating system.

Vented Cylinders are manufactured out of copper, with the copper varying in thickness measured in grades.  The better the grade, the better the resistance to copper corrosion, and therefore advances the longevity of the cylinder.  A domestic vented copper cylinder is usually Grade 3 such as Gledhill hot water cylinders.

Direct

A Direct Cylinder is heated via an internal element, usually an immersion heater.  The water in the cylinder is heated by these immersion heaters directly, hence why the cylinder is called “direct”.  The water in the cylinder is not heated via any other heat source.  Once the water has been heated, it is then fed out the top of the cylinder and supplied to the required outlet.  E.g. Bath or Tap.  Larger capacity Direct Cylinders can have up to three internal immersion heaters, to ensure the maximum amount of hot water is available.  Direct Cylinders are available in Vented or Unvented Models.

Indirect

Indirect Cylinders are heated via an external heat source, such as a boiler or solar panel.  The water inside the cylinder is then heated using an internal coil/heat exchanger, which transfers the heat obtained via the external heat source, to the water inside the cylinder.  Although the cylinder is heated via an internal heat exchanger, the original heat is obtained externally, and therefore why it is commonly referred to as “indirect”.  Indirect cylinders may be fitted with immersion heaters, acting as a supplementary heat source, but they will still be considered to be Indirect Cylinders. Some manufacturers supply an immersion heater as standard, therefore any additional ones will need to be purchased separately.  Indirect Cylinders have a faster heat up and recovery time than that of a Direct model. Indirect Cylinders are available in Vented or Unvented Models.

Solar Cylinders

Solar Cylinders are specially designed for Solar Heating installations.  A mixture of water and a special Glycol liquid (specially designed to absorb maximum heat from the sun’s rays) is circulated through pipe work in the solar panels.  This liquid is then returned to the cylinder where the heat is transferred to the stored water via an internal coil/heat exchanger, the liquid is then pumped back to the solar panels to be reheated.

An additional coil is also required to obtain heat from an alternative source, if the heat from the Solar Energy is insufficient.  This is most commonly referred to as Indirect “Twin Coil” Cylinder.  Direct Cylinders can be used for Solar Power, with the added heat source being supplied via the internal immersion heaters.  It is advised however, to install an Indirect Cylinder, as this provides faster heat up and recovery time.

Whether you are a beginner or a highly experienced angler you will find the region has plenty to offer when it comes to Lake District fishing. The more adventurous may enjoy experiencing one of the region’s many hill tarns, or fly fishing on say, the river Eden, or perhaps boat fishing on one of the lakes, or even sea fishing. For the less experienced why not combine you activity break with some expert tuition from one of the area’s qualified instructors. You could also combine tuition with a visit to one of the fisheries, such as Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery and many Lake District hotels offer special fishing breaks along with all the information required on fishing in the Lake District.

There are a number of Lake District fishing restrictions in place that include no live bait, or leads in National Trust Waters. Anyone over the age of 12 is required to hold a rod licence, these are issued by the environment agency, but they can be purchased from most local post offices for the day, week or season, or you can even buy them online. There are two types of licences available for Non-Migratory Trout and Coarse Fish, also Salmon and Sea Trout. Which Licence you obtain depends on which species you are fishing for. Full information can be obtained from the Environment Agency website.

Below you will find some additional information regarding fishing permits in the Lake District:
Bassenthwaite Lake - Permits available from Field & Stream, a fishing tackle shop in Keswick on 017687 74396.
Brotherswater West Shore, Patterdale National Trust
Tel: 015394 35599
Dacre Beck near Penrith. Tickets from Sykes Sports Shop, Penrith or Pooley Bridge Post Office - Tel. 01768 88294.
Derwentwater, Eastern side of lake, permits from Field and Stream, Main Street, Keswick - Tel: 017687 74396
River Eamont Fly fishing for trout only from Pooley Bridge to River Eden. Permits from Sykes Sports Shop, Pooley Bridge Post Office - Tel. 01768 88294.
River Eden - ideal for Salmon fishing before the season ends on 14th October at Lazonby Estate, near Penrith, contact : Edwin Tailford - Tel: 01228 560122. From 15th October there is some good fishing for Grayling on this stretch of the river.
Ullswater Lake - Fishing is available from the Inn on the Lake’s three private jetties. Permits are available from Glenridding Tourist Information Centre - Tel: 017684 82414
Watendlath Tarn near Keswick - ideal for Rainbow Trout. Contact Stephen Edmondson - Tel: 01768 777293