travel

This eerie village was once a bustling settlement

Perched atop a hillside in the back of the UK’s most beautiful areas are the ruins of a once thriving town. Tucked away inside Dartmoor National Park in Devon is the remains of the medieval settlement known as Hundatorra – a town which was once home to several households, and named in the Domesday Book.

Lying beneath the shadow of Hound Tor is the ancient ruins of this once bustling town. The whole settlement has an eerie feel to it – in fact, it’s thought that the area was created by the curse of a witch.

According to legend, the rock formations atop the Tor are the remains of a hunter and his dogs who ran foul of a coven of witches and were drowned in a mire as a result.

As a final insult, the witch turned the hunter and his dogs to stone – and they are what you can see looming over the ancient settlement of Hundatorra.

Historians think this land has been farmed since as early as the Neolithic Age – but by the 15th century the village was completely abandoned.

No one is exactly sure why this town, once bustling with agriculture and life, fell away – but according to Historic UK there are some theories.

The first is that during the 14th century, the weather across not only Britain but all of Europe deteriorated.

Extraordinarily cold winters, chased by cold, wet summers, meant that farming became very difficult. This led to what’s now known as the Great Famine of 1315 -1317. Smaller famines continued through the 14th century which led to the average life expectancy to plummet to just 29 years old.

Now, it’s thought that this devastating weather which led to such misery was actually caused by a volcanic eruption in New Zealand.

Around 1314, the eruption of Mount Tarawera is thought by some scientists to have sent aerosols into the stratosphere which in turn disrupted global atmospheric circulation and depressed surface temperatures, leading to unsettled weather.

The second theory as to why Hundatorra was abandoned is that famine was not the only threat to life medieval Brits had to deal with. In 1348, the Black Death touched down on English soil and by its end, a third of Devon had been wiped out.

During the Black Death, the average life expectancy was just 17.

Now, the ruins of the town still stand atop the hillside as a reminder of those who came before.

The remains of four 13th century longhouses where Medieval Brits lived alongside their livestock, three barns , and three other unidentifiable buildings can still be seen. The barns appear to have been adapted to include corn dryers – a sign of the desperation to harvest despite deteriorating weather.

On a Saturday morning in July, a swimsuit-clad crowd of athletic mostly 20- and 30-somethings jumped in and out of ice baths. A DJ performed from a podium adorned with pink disco balls, brands gave away protein drinks and powders and people competed in a pull-up-bar-hanging competition. With matcha lattes in hand, attendees walked around the synthetic turf filming content. It was all very Santa Monica.

Except this wasn’t Santa Monica, or even Venice, where the event organizer, Coffee & Chill, started. It wasn’t Los Angeles at all. It was a rooftop in Queens. Day parties like this are less common in New York City, but people were into it. “This is so fun,” April Zhang-Autio, who often attends art happenings around the city, said while wandering from a cabana area to a merch booth. “You feel like we’re in Miami or L.A.”

L.A. wellness and social events, especially from the Westside, are making inroads in New York City. Besides Coffee & Chill, RummiKlub LA, which started in West Hollywood and throws Rummikub game nights in stylish settings, hosted an event last month at the West Village outpost of San Vicente Clubs, the elite members club operator that is another L.A. transplant. Also last month, SOSO Club, a singles meetup group from Santa Monica, popped up in New York City and returned Sunday.

Coffee & Chill started in Venice as a way to hang out without alcohol.

(Coffee & Chill)

Coffee & Chill attracts L.A. participants who look like they could appear on the upcoming “Baywatch” reboot. But the formula, which includes coffee and cold plunges in what resemble very high-end kiddie pools, has worked elsewhere. Blake Waller, who co-founded the event in 2023 as a way for his friends to gather without alcohol, said they decided to expand as requests came in from people in other cities. First came Miami, followed by New York City in 2025. They also host events in Austin and San Diego.

“We didn’t really feel that there’s anything like it in this space,” Waller said, referring to the New York City scene. He cited Bathhouse and Othership, but those hip wellness places are brick-and-mortar establishments, not pop-up events. (In a reversal of the trend, New York City-based Bathhouse is opening a Hollywood location, in the old Amoeba Music space.)

Whereas L.A. events are often in parking lots, and Miami ones are by the beach or a pool, Coffee & Chill’s New York City organizers have relied on rooftops. At one early event, they had to rig a hose to a bar faucet to fill the ice baths. “Maybe the reality is that Coffee & Chill could have only been born somewhere like L.A. or Miami,” Waller said. “Who would think to fill up an ice bath from a water faucet on a rooftop in Chelsea?”

The gatherings in each city have their own character, Waller said. “The L.A. events feel different than the Miami events, that feel different than Austin, that feel different than New York,” he said. Each city has local organizers. “That’s a space that they want to create, rather than us being transplants,” he said.

Still, local flavor only goes so far. Looking at photos from each of the cities, it can sometimes be hard to tell where they are. “When it comes to the actual event experience, I would say that there is a decent amount of consistency, in terms of what the tubs look like, the merch, what that looks like, even the touch points of what brands we’re working with,” Waller said.

To be sure, L.A. winds up with events from New York City too. Endorphins Running, which I run with, started in 2022 in New York City before expanding to other cities, including Los Angeles, where it hosts runs twice a week in Santa Monica. The Dinner Table Club, where strangers eat together, also launched in New York City and expanded to L.A. But the L.A. to New York City pipeline seems to be a newer trend.

RummiKlub LA, both in Los Angeles, as seen here, and in New York, below is meant to be as much about the mingling as it is about the game play.

(Ashley Gallerani)

Another series, RummiKlub LA, launched in early 2025 and has hosted three events in New York City. The city has plenty of board game gatherings, but founders Marnie Wekselblatt and Laura Galvan, both L.A. residents originally from New York, intend for this one to feel more chic, with RummiKlub-branded game sets and post-game cocktails.

“It’s not just bringing your board to a cafe or a park. It’s really like a night out, where you can get dressed up, have cocktails, mingle, meet friends, and there’s a whole night after the game play is done,” Galvan said. Past L.A. locations have included buzzy restaurant Craig’s and the West Hollywood Edition hotel on the Sunset Strip.

New York City actually came to them. Wekselblatt and Galvan said Tao Group Hospitality approached them about hosting events, resulting in back-to-back game nights at Moxy Lower East Side in July 2025. The people who attended, some of them visiting from L.A., were dressed for a nightclub, not a board game night.

The New York and L.A. crowds are similar. “Both cities are really interested in these gaming experiences,” Wekselblatt said. “Everyone has the same end goal and wants to be part of RummiKlub because it’s this curated event and night out that’s different from the traditional going for drinks and standing at a bar.”

RummiKlub NYC events attract a similar crowd as in Los Angeles: young folks who want to socialize in a non-traditional setting.

(Ashley Gallerani)

The events are similar too. “It almost feels like we’re copy-and-pasting on different coasts,” Galvan said. “I wouldn’t say that we necessarily have an intention to bring L.A. to New York … but from a logistics standpoint, I would say that the flow of the event is pretty much standard throughout.”

Meanwhile, SOSO founders Stephanie Scheele and Mackenzie Zoppi heard the demand from New York after launching their dating event in Santa Monica in 2023. SOSO, or Singles Only Social Club, was born out of a growing desire among young professionals for in-person connections following the pandemic and years of dating app fatigue. New York was just as full of fed-up daters as Los Angeles, so they brought SOSO east.

“We have friends in New York and we know it’s difficult to date in those places,” Zoppi said. “We had people messaging us constantly asking us, ‘When are you coming to New York?’”

They’ve had around seven events in New York City and Brooklyn. Sometimes the founders fly in to host, while other times they enlist what they called a small “boots on the ground” team.

“Whether you’re in L.A. or New York, people want the same exact thing: an excuse to get off their phones and get out of the house and meet people face to face,” Zoppi said. Still, the organizers don’t want their New York City events to feel like L.A. ones. Zoppi added, “We want people to date the New York way.”

A version of this story originally appeared on Max Kutner’s Zephyr Letter substack.

VIRGIN Trains has been given the green light to launch European train services from the UK.

The operator will run routes from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

The announcement comes as the Office of Rail and Road pre-approved the outline for track access via St Pancras and HS1, right up to the entrance of the Channel Tunnel.

This access would contribute to Virgin Trains operating 20 daily return services between the UK’s capital and the three European cities.

The agreement for services will be from October 1, 2030 to December 31, 2040.

Next, Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed will look to make an agreement on services by September 4.

Read more on travel inspo

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

CHEAP BREAKS

UK’s best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks and pubs

Then Virgin Trains will need to purchase trains, gain access to other rail networks and make sure safety measures are met.

The operator then hopes to get services up and running in 2030.

While there are no announcements on prices, the launch could see cheaper tickets what with more competition.

Martin Jones, deputy director, access & international, said: “This is an important next step in bringing competition and growth to the market for international rail services, and we welcome the progress Virgin Trains and London St Pancras High Speed have made.

“While there is still more work to do, we are supporting Virgin and the wider industry to grow international services.”

Back in October, the Office of Rail and Road approved Virgin Trains’ application for access to Temple Mills International depot – which will help them to launch international services.

Other operators’ applications including Evolyn, Gemini and Trenitalia, were rejected.

At the time, Jones said: “With this decision we are backing customer choice and competition in international rail, unlocking up to £700million in private sector investment and stimulating growth.

“While there is still some way to go before the first new services can run, we stand ready to work with Virgin Trains as their plans develop.”

They fear replacement flights today may also be grounded

A couple have been trapped in Italy for a week after a volcanic eruption saw their flights cancelled. Barbara Krmelj, 35, and partner Roy Barone, 46, went to Sicily to spend a week’s holiday with his parents. They were due to fly back to their home in Hackney, east London, on August 11 – but when Mount Etna became active that day, their flights were cancelled as a red warning level was issued.

The couple have had to take an extra week’s leave from their jobs and find alternative sitters for their two cats back at home as they remain “trapped” in the seaside town of Marina di Modica. They have alternative flights provided by the airline for August 17 but anticipate having to pay around £700 to rebook with a different airline if those are cancelled too, which they feel is likely.

They remain in a small holiday home owned by Roy’s family but say they “feel like a weight on his parents” to overstay. They checked but said the only hotel available would have cost over £2,000 for five nights because of high demand as it coincides with Ferragosto, a holiday period across Italy which sees people flock to the region.

Sales associate Barbara said: “On the way to the airport to fly back to London we got a message that our flight was cancelled. Eventually we managed to get a flight for the 17th, but the budget we allocated for our holiday is gone now. We have come back to Roy’s parents but the place is small and we feel like a weight on them now. We’ve had to organise for our friends to pop over to our home in London because the cat sitters we booked are done now.

“We’ve been paying for things like food and drinks with credit cards – and if we aren’t able to fly on the 17th we’ll have to book new flights. If we have to book new flights it will have cost us around £1,000 in total. It’s a beautiful city, but the holiday has turned into a frustration now as we want to go back home to our pets now. We can’t enjoy all the beauty around us as we feel trapped on the island.”

Barbara and Roy have been paying elevated prices for taxis to travel around due to high demand due to the Ferragosto festival. They said they have seen a steady flow of ash over the region as well as eruptions in the distance coming from Mount Etna.

The couple did not purchase travel insurance ahead of the trip. Barbara said: “We have had a chat with a few other tourists, people are definitely frustrated. People have been sleeping at the airport – when we went, people were sleeping or sitting in every hallway. There was no space even to sit and organise ourselves when we were trying to rebook flights.

“We were given a hotel for one night when our flights were cancelled, and thank God we have Roy’s parents here. I don’t know what people are doing when they don’t know other people living here.

“When we tried to go and stay at a hotel, there was nothing we could book, the prices had skyrocketed, it was around £2,000 for five days and there were only one or two options.”

The couple are going to the beach each day and trying to make the best of their situation but say they are no longer enjoying the once-relaxing trip. Barbara added: “We’ll have spent over our budget by about £1,000 if we end up having to rebook flights.

“We’ve been using credit cards because you do what you have to do in this situation, but we have to be careful, we don’t have a lot of money left because we didn’t expect this. Ordinarily, the holiday was lovely, and I’d recommend the area to everyone. But now the holiday has turned into a frustration.”

Holidaymakers are now avoiding places they have returned to year after year

Brits are ditching holiday destinations they’ve returned to for years in search of ‘more meaningful’ trips, a study has found. Research from Tourism Tasmania found nearly two-thirds would no longer consider visiting a destination they once visited regularly.

More than a third say they want to discover new places, while one in five believe their old favourite has become too touristy, overly commercialised or overcrowded. Tourism Tasmania says the findings point to a broader shift in British travellers seeking more meaningful holidays, with a growing desire for deeper connections to people and places.

Almost all of the respondents say it’s important that their next holiday offers a ‘genuine connection to a destination, rather than an overly touristy experience’. Immersing in local culture, trying regional food and drink, discovering history and seeking new adventures now rank among travellers’ highest priorities.

Three-quarters hope to visit a bucket-list destination and more than two-thirds are actively searching for somewhere lesser known and off the beaten track.. Tourism Tasmania says interest in Tasmania continues to grow among Brits, with two-thirds of respondents to their research saying they would consider visiting in future.

Nearly halfare drawn to the island’s natural landscapes, while half say unique nature and wildlife experiences help them feel more connected to a destination.

Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson were even recently announced as the international headliners for Tasmania’s Tamar Valley Writers Festival, held in Launceston – a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

CEO of Tourism Tasmania, Sarah Kingston Clark, said: “While British travellers still want holidays that give them a chance to rest and recharge, this research suggests they’re increasingly looking for experiences that leave a lasting and more meaningful impression.

“We’re seeing a real shift in the UK and globally in what people want from travel. Holidays are becoming less about ticking another destination off a list and more about slowing down, connecting with a place and coming home feeling like you’ve genuinely experienced it.

“People are looking for holidays that feel authentic and meaningful, whether that’s spending time with the locals, immersing themselves in culture, discovering distinctive food and drink and experiencing the real character of a destination beyond its best-known attractions and bucket-list sights.

A EUROPEAN airport has finally restarted flights after a week of chaos – but passengers are still being warned of cancellations.

Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy, was forced to cancel hundreds of flights last week as well as close for a number of days due to Mount Etna erupting.

Today, the airport is open again, however flights are still being cancelled.

There are currently no restrictions on departures, but only five flights are allowed to arrive at the airport per hour.

And despite departure flights going ahead, there are already several delays this morning affecting Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways passengers.

In the latest statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to Etna’s eruptive activity and the associated release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the airspace corresponding to Sectors B1 and B2 has been closed.

Read more on travel inspo

ALL IN

I found the best value all inclusive London hotel… just £55pp with free food & booze

TRAVEL TIP

The £2.99 SIM hack that can save Brits HUNDREDS abroad

“Arriving flights are limited to 5 aircraft per hour until 2:00 PM today, Monday 17 August.

“There are no restrictions on departures.

“Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport. Further updates will follow in the coming hours.”

In the latest update, at 7:09am this morning a new volcano vent opened, creating a new lava flow.

“Intense explosive activity” also resumed at the summit crater, with an ash plume rising a few kilometres, according to Volcano Discovery.

Some passengers have been left stranded during the volcanic activity.

Barbara Krmelj, 35 and partner Roy Barone, 46, were due to fly back to London on August 11 but their flights were cancelled.

As a result, the duo had to take an extra week’s leave from their jobs and while they have been given new flights, they anticipate that they too will be cancelled.

The couple, who said they are likely to have been left £1,000 out of pocket, added: “We can’t enjoy all the beauty around us as we feel trapped on the island.”

Another passenger, Evgenia Filimianova, 39, flew to Sicily from London to attend a friends wedding but their return flight was cancelled.

Evgenia said: “It feels like there is no way out. Emotionally, it’s not easy – it’s stressful and tiring and we weren’t prepared for it.”

Last week, the volcanic ash also caused issues at Malta International Airport.

People picking this side of the plane could get a lot less – and for some that could actually be a good thing

When aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus build planes, they design the windows to line up perfectly with standard, comfortable legroom (usually a 31-to-32-inch seat pitch). But most budget airlines make a change to their seating set-up that some passengers might actually prefer.

Because aircraft seats are mounted on floor tracks, airlines can move them freely. Budget airlines like Ryanair, Jet2, TUI and Easyjet will often deliberately push the seat rows much closer together (down to a tight 28-to-29-inch pitch) to fit extra rows onto the plane.

Although the seats move, the window cut-outs in the metal body of the plane stay. It’s this shrinking legroom that instantly forces the seats and windows out of sync.

Most window seats that passengers pick will have a view out of the plane, but some are known to have restricted views. In some cases, there are seats that have no window at all.

While this might sound like a complaint waiting to happen, some people may actually see this as a perk. Unlike the ‘extra legroom’ trick, this flat surface offers the best spot for those wanting to take a nap during their flight – or those nervous fliers who would rather not know what being 30,000ft in the air looks like.

Certain people claim that the window-free wall space offers a great place to rest a pillow. These misaligned seats often run down the left-hand side of the plane.

For people wanting to benefit from less of a view, check your plane’s seating chart before confirming your choice. You can often see how the window situation will work.

• Ryanair (Boeing 737-800): The misalignment runs heavily down the left side of the aircraft. It is so pronounced that Seat 11A and 11F often has no window at all.
• EasyJet (Airbus A319/A320): Highly noticeable misalignment on the left-hand side. The final rows (Row 31 on A320s and Row 26 on A319s) are completely windowless as well as certain overwing exit rows which may also have slightly altered alignment.
• Jet2 (Boeing 737-800 or Airbus A321neo): On their Boeing 737s, you will find the Jet2 windows out of alignment past the front bulkhead. If you book an “A” seat on the left, you will frequently find yourself staring directly at the plastic pillar between two windows rather than out of the glass.
• TUI (Boeing 737 MAX or 787 Dreamliner): On TUI’s short-haul Boeing 737s, the misalignment works exactly like Ryanair and Jet2 models. However, if you are flying on TUI’s long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the rule does not apply as long-haul aircrafts usually maintain standard legroom pitches, meaning the seats and windows stay properly aligned.

If your goal is to sleep on your next flight, sitting on the left side (Seats A) of a short-haul flight on these airlines gives you a higher statistical chance of getting a solid wall or a heavily forward-shifted window to rest your head against.

If you actually want to enjoy the view, you are better off sitting on the right side (Seats F). Booking these seats may also offer a little ‘extra’ legroom at a fraction of the cost.

The Mirror’s Stephen Jones and his wife Charlotte have a lot of tips to pass on to other news parents after taking their newborn babies on holiday for the first time to the TUI Blue Orquidea in Gran Canaria

‘That’s it,’ my friends said, when I told them we were expecting twins. ‘Wave goodbye to your nice holidays, you’ll never have another,’ they warned.

Could it be true, that I would never relax in sunshine again? Never have I been determined to prove anyone so wrong. And never have I wanted a holiday more after the exhausting first few months of keeping two newborns alive, we needed a break.

A week-long trip with our TWO four month old babies to the fabulous all inclusive TUI Blue Orquidea in Gran Canaria (flying time: four-and-a-half hours) seemed an apt test. Whether you think we were brave, foolhardy or naive, I am pleased to say we not only survived, but we enjoyed it! Here’s what we learned.

1. It pays to prepare

We did our research and bought a lot of decent equipment in advance. Our rule was to pack half a suitcase each for ourselves while each baby had the other half. Pushing a suitcase and a pram each at the same time proved an acquired skill but was made easier with the two Bugaboo Butterfly 2 which can stow in overhead lockers. And we sensibly booked a night at a London Gatwick hotel to ease the stress of our 5am check-in time.

Having two babies sat on your laps for the whole flight once you have factored in feeding and sleeps isn’t too bad; having bottles prepped for both take off and landing is essential. We bought Alpine Muffy ear defender-style headphones to protect their precious ears, and Jellycat cloth books to keep them entertained. Changing a nappy in the cramped toilet is a challenge but doable. As the wheels touched down I breathed a sigh of relief the flight hadn’t been as bad as I expected and I felt buoyed by the sense of achievement.

Booking a private transfer from the airport to the hotel 20 minutes away in Bahia Feliz with two baby car seats was a luxurious extra which proved worth every penny and we will do again.

It meant we avoided queues at check-in and after our warm welcome, we were pleased to discover our room was spacious enough to accommodate two travel cots and the balcony provided a quiet post-bedtime drink spot.

We can highly recommend following travel journalist mums like Emma Cooke (@petite.blondine) on TikTok and Instagram for useful tips like bringing an inflatable chair for bathtime and collapsible bucket for sterilising bottles.

2. It doesn’t matter how much noise your children make

The one thing I really feared before our holiday was the embarrassment of our babies crying. I soon discovered the truth is most people are too busy worrying about their own children to care what yours are up to. The reassuring sight of so many other families trying to do exactly what we were trying to do spurred us on.

Even when our kids did cry in the restaurant, it was too noisy for anyone more than five metres away to really hear, and not once did anyone look bothered. The hotel’s buffet-style set up had a huge variety of choice but importantly meant we could take it in turns to get food while one of us stayed with the babies. A highlight of our stay was an evening out at the Orquidea’s scrummy a-la-carte restaurant La Taverna where they thankfully behaved.

The one time one of our babies did have a meltdown (in a queue on a day trip), people were sympathetic not judgmental. We soon realised the joy our babies bring others far outweighs any panic.

3. Plan, plan, plan

When you have babies you have to slow down your itinerary. Aim to only do one or two significant things a day. We soon learned to always make up bottles for the next feed straight after the current one; the next comes around pretty quick!

When you have fed them, you have a gap of max three hours to do an activity before they get grouchy, so try to already have something planned or booked in advance. Before our trip ,we hadn’t really appreciated how well set up for kids aged under three years old this family friendly resort was. One of the best things we did all week was a visit to the baby spa put on by the TUI baby and tots club staff, a sensory led experience where both babies delighted in being pampered.

Most days followed a pleasantly simple rhythm: breakfast, play time, lunch, naps, swimming, dinner and sleep. And repeat. When I have since been asked what the best thing about our holiday was, I’ve replied: ‘Being able to take the kids swimming every day’. Getting them used to being in water daily in the calm surroundings of the toddler pool, kicking their little legs and grinning while we held them, is a precious memory. We planned a lot of our feeds around these dips.

4. Hotel staff will help you out and people are kinder than you imagine

We were overwhelmed by the generosity of people who on seeing we had twin babies were only too happy to allow us to push in front of a queue or be served before them.

That said, travelling with babies is never completely stress-free. There were often moments when one twin decided nap time was optional or both babies demanded attention simultaneously. And we never left our room without extra nappies and wipes (having restocked at the nearby Spar) ready for any unexpected drama.

But somehow everything felt manageable. There was a godsend of Baby Lounge with aircon next to the pools we used every day to change nappies or just quiet time (the staff organise playdates for kids and their parents here too).

There’s tonnes for kids of all ages to do on a TUI holiday but it’s worth stressing they have trained staff who will take your babies off your hands for a couple of hours while you go and enjoy a peaceful lie by the pool or trip to the luxurious spa or gym (I pleased to say I made it to both more than once).

Indeed, the TUI staff couldn’t do enough to ensure we enjoyed the best possible trip – while we were staying at the busy Grupotel Orquidea, they recommended we check out their more sedate sister hotel, the Playa Feliz next door. This was a tip that made our trip as that’s where we ended up spending most of our time (the staff hold Little Splashers sessions for babies here as well).

5. Once you’ve done it once you will want to do it again

Now we have done it – and survived – I almost can’t remember what we were worrying about in the first place.

One of the other highlights of our trip was a day out to the village of Mogan – a picturesque fishing village on the coast known affectionally as ‘Little Venice – which you access via ferry.

I was 50/50 about booking a boat trip with babies but there was nothing remotely difficult about ditching our prams for slings. Our Ergobaby Omni baby carriers’ mesh design coped well in the heat as we explored the village’s quaint streets and waterways by foot.

Mogan has a pretty, sandy beach where we were able to dip the kids’ toes in the sea for the first time, a memory I will never forget. It was at that point I realised that’s the point of holidays, a chance to make those kind of long lasting memories. And when I started to think where we could go next.

Book the holiday

• TUI offers seven-night holidays to Gran Canaria, Spain staying at the 4T TUI BLUE Orquídea on an all-inclusive basis from £900pp, based on 2 adults and 1 child sharing a twin room, flying from London Luton in August, and 23kg luggage per person and transfers included. tui.co.uk
• TUI Musement offers a Gran Canaria’s ‘Little Venice’ – visit Puerto de Mogan by boat from £45 per adult, £28 per child (3-12 years old) and children (0-2) go free. tuimusement.com/uk

BUTLIN’S is closing a popular attraction at one of the holiday parks – and it’s the last one of its kind.

The Bognor Regis resort confirmed the holiday park’s spa will be closing later this month.

The Ocean Spa facility opened back in 2009, as part of a huge £20million opening of the Ocean Hotel.

Inside is a hydrospa, outdoor hot tub, sauna, relaxation pods, a crystal steam room and an outside sun terrace. 

But guests have since received an email saying the facility was to shut its doors permanently on August 28, with refunds given for existing bookings.

The message read: “We’re writing to let you know that the Ocean Spa at Bognor Regis will be closing permanently from 28 August 2026.

MINE’S A DOUBLE

Join darts party for just £583 for 4 nights at Butlin’s Minehead PDC Finals

POUR-FECT

Butlin’s launches new self-serve booze bars – the first of its kind in Europe

“This means we’re no longer able to provide the spa package you’ve booked.”

Refunds on bookings will be made automatically, and will be returned within 14 working days.

The message added: “We’re sorry for any disappointment this may cause, and we can’t wait to welcome you.”

Lots of families have been left sad by the news, with many saying it was a favourite of many adults wanting some child-free time.

One previous Butlin’s visitor said on Facebook: “This was one of the only things for adults to relax and have a break from the kids! Such a disappointment.”

Another added: “One of the highlights of the Xmas break was the hot tub in the dark bit, gutted.”

A third said: “Butlins used to be a place for all the family, now it feels that all adult things are being phased out.”

And a fourth said: “Gutted to hear that it closed for good, went there and loved it.”

The decision follows the closure of the spa facility at Butlin’s in Skegness in 2021.

The other Butlin’s resort, Minehead, has never operated a spa facility.

Butlin’s said: “We can confirm we’ll be closing our spa at Butlin’s Bognor Regis.

“We’ve contacted the small number of guests who had booked to visit the spa and they will, of course, receive a full refund.

“The spa has always been a small part of the resort experience.

“Our focus is on the activities and entertainment that families come to Butlin’s for, including recent additions such as PLAYXPERIENCE, which opened at Bognor Regis last year.”

It comes after the announcement of new self-serve booze bars being rolled out across the parks.

Haylet Waters says her daughter was only ill because it was 30C in the airport and their flight had been delayed

A family was left stranded on a Greek island after Jet2 refused to let them fly home because their six-year-old daughter was sick in the departure lounge. Hayley Waters, 37, was waiting at Rhodes Airport with husband Jason, 40, and kids Addyson, six, and Xander, three, when the youngster vomited at the gate.

She said staff immediately barred the family from boarding their delayed flight to Leeds Bradford Airport shortly after midnight. They were told they could not travel with Jet2 for at least 24 hours and would have to arrange their own accommodation, transport and alternative flights – which cost them around £1,000.

Hayley, a performance analyst from Leeds, West Yorks., said: “While waiting at the gate, my six-year-old daughter was sick once. I cleaned it up immediately. She’d had no illness all holiday – she was simply exhausted after the delay, it was around midnight, and over 30C in the airport.”

The family had been due to catch the 11.15pm flight on July 31, which eventually departed at around 12.05am. They were travelling as part of a larger group of nine when a member of Jet2 staff spotted Addyson being sick.

But Hayley said nobody assessed her daughter or asked whether she had been ill during the holiday before the family was stopped from boarding. She said: “The only explanation given was ‘policy’ because my daughter had been sick.

“Nobody asked whether she had any underlying medical conditions, whether she’d been unwell during the holiday, or how she was feeling. No medical assessment was carried out – the decision was based solely on a member of staff seeing her vomit once.”

The family were forced to book an easyJet flight to Newcastle for the following day to get home. Hayley said: “We have no written explanation for why we were denied boarding, no paperwork, no medical assessment, no duty of care, and we were left stranded abroad with two young children.”

Jet2 said its team in Rhodes had followed procedures and helped the family find somewhere to stay. The airline said staff also advised them to retain their receipts so they could make a claim through their travel insurance.

A Jet2 spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our absolute priority, and our teams have processes in place to help prevent the spread of illness onboard our aircraft. We are sorry to hear that Mrs Waters was unhappy with her experience and we are in contact with her to discuss the matter further.”

However, Hayley has disputed the airline’s claim that it had been in contact with her. The airline said it had promised a response within 14 days, by August 20, and remained on track to provide one.

Hayley said the family have not had acknowledgement that their written complaint has been received – and that they have not been told about the timescales Jet2 are working to.

The ferry cuts across the waters of Lake Biel, creating soft ripples, as if someone has taken a brushstroke to a blue canvas. To starboard, as we approach St Peter’s Island, are gentle mountains; to port side, lie golden fields. Straight ahead, the isle looks empty and Crusoe-esque.

On the jetty, Max Frey, a boatman, historian and guide, is waiting for me. He’s a man of dates and paperwork and pulls a handful from his satchel as he greets me, thrilled at the prospect of leading a tour; Switzerland’s Jura and Three Lakes region, this idyllic nook on the French border, is often overlooked by visitors.

“Welcome to paradise,” he says, raising his voice above the ferry engine thrum. “That’s how Jean-Jacques Rousseau felt about the island when he came in 1765. He was always running away from places, but spent the happiest days of his life here.”

Beach-fringed St Peter’s Island is now actually a peninsula (in the mid-19th century the level of the surrounding lake was lowered, creating a land bridge to the mainland) but it is still best reached by boat, and is car-free. With golden light falling on the sand and silver zander ghosting through the clear water, it undoubtedly feels heavenly. Rousseau – the philosopher, writer, composer, rebel who spent six weeks on the island in exile – wasn’t the only one to fall under its spell. “Alexandre Dumas and Goethe stayed, too,” says Max, proudly. “So did Joséphine Bonaparte, the first wife of Napoleon. When she arrived, it is said that more than 1,000 boats sailed on to the lake to see her.”

Home to the country’s gentlest summits, the Jura Mountains, and the glacial-blue lakes Biel, Neuchâtel and Murten – linked by the beautiful Zihl and Broye canals – the region is connected by regular ferries (perhaps it could offer an alternative to Greek or Croatian island hopping, only with better cheese). It’s also wine country, the lakesides fringed by tidy vineyards, and small towns such as Ligerz, La Neuveville, Le Landeron and Erlach contain dozens of understated family cellars.

I’m here on a three-day, DIY ferry-hopping trip, travelling from Biel to Murten, hiking, swimming, birding and wine tasting along the way. It’s a wholly different side to the Switzerland I’m used to – low on pomp, lower on price, but high on novelty.

The ferry journey to St Peter’s takes just 15 minutes from the mainland towns of La Neuveville or Ligerz (or 55 minutes from Biel, where I’d arrived from), and Max and I are as good as alone as we explore. Paths slalom through chestnut trees to empty coves. Butterflies flit by. A farmer cycles past to tend to an Angus herd grazing beside swans and reed-bed warblers on the shore. An information panel gives notice that St Peter’s was once home to Romans, then Benedictine monks who, it is said, with free rein on the island lured in the most beautiful girls from around the lake.

We explore the western side on foot, and vineyards take over from forests and sandy coves as we cross to the east. I arrive at my accommodation for the night, Hotel St Petersinsel, housed in a beautiful monastery dating back to 1127, complete with a restaurant courtyard, sarcophagi, Roman-era columns and a museum-piece bedroom where Rousseau slept. As dusk approaches, I dine alone on zander with lemon risotto and summer tomatoes with burrata from nearby Fribourg, paired with local wine.

The next morning, I start the day with a swim by the jetty as a heron flaps overhead. The Three Lakes are full of easily accessible swimming spots and beaches, but I’m alone apart from a family of ducks watching me from the sand. Afterwards, I hop on a ferry to Ligerz, a wine village halfway along Lake Biel’s northern banks on the Franco-German linguistic border.

Ligerz’s name is said to come from an ancient Roman settler, Ligerius, and it turns out to be a village bursting with grapes and bacchanal bliss. Every house seems to have its own vineyard plot leaning towards the shore, which is ideal if it’s lunchtime and a hike around pretty-as-pie St Michael’s Chapel has helped you work up a thirst.

Wine drinking in Switzerland has its challenges. The Swiss keep nearly all they produce and it’s pricey compared with German or Italian wine. But I arrive at Andrey Schafis, a fifth-generation family cellar overlooking the water, where drinkers on the restaurant terrace enjoy chilled lemony chasselas for 15 Swiss francs (£13.50) a bottle, accompanied by charcuterie and cheese. The feeling is less Alpine, more Amalfi.

“Almost everything we make is drunk here,” says Arielle Andrey, uncorking a bottle. We chat over a glass before she dashes off into the wood-beamed cellar to bring out more fresh-baked bread, cheese and wine.

With a spring in my step, I take the village’s Vinifuni – a short, steep funicular through the vineyards – all the way through a cleft in the limestone to the Tessenberg plateau and the petite village of Prêles in the shadow of Chasseral, Jura’s flat-topped mountain. This is a country of preposterously beautiful summits, and although this crest is a gentle one, the view from it is still one of the most dazzling; the fields below look like a gigantic eiderdown of gold and green stitched around three enormous patches of blue.

I follow the lonely path to the highest point through a forest of pine, then stand awhile on its observation deck beneath a 120-metre telecommunications tower that has all the exposed platforms, gantries and satellites of a rocket launch pad.

From here, I zigzag downhill to the village of Nods, as sleepy as it sounds, and then take a bus back to Prêles and the family-run Hôtel de l’Ours Prêles, sitting high above the lake. It isn’t the most celebrated address in the Alps, but it quickly becomes one of my favourites, because of its delightful hosts, Mélanie and Marcello Pigozzo. Marcello cheerfully brings me a cold BLZ beer from nearby Orvin and Mélanie serves an entrecôte steak and profiteroles on the terrace. My meal is soundtracked by bell-rattling cattle in the next-door field.

On my final morning, I take one last boat ride, a three-hour journey from Lake Biel via the Zihr canal to Lake Neuchâtel, and on via the Broye canal to Lake Murten and its lakeside fortress town. The ferry putters past radiant sunflower fields and fruit crops. While the verges are scattered with campsites, cycle paths and bird reserves, including La Grande Cariçaie, the country’s largest marshland, the medieval town of Murten is a time capsule.

Church spires soar, swifts nest in the towers and the battlements can be patrolled, offering a Mary Poppins view of old rooftops and stone chimneys. Beyond the ramparts, beneath a vivid blue sky, vineyards gather on the hazy hills and I watch the ferry depart on its sailing back to Biel. The horn blows. A heron takes flight. A dozing fisher stirs on the jetty. A different Switzerland is out there. You simply need to take the slow boat to find it.

The trip was provided by Jura & Trois Lacs, supported by Switzerland Tourism. St Petersinsel has doubles from £128 B&B and Hôtel de l’Ours Prêles has doubles from £175 B&B. A Swiss Travel Pass for three days covering all public transport, including lake ferries, costs £238

A UK airline is set to withdraw all of its operations from a UK airport from October due to being “financially unsustainable” withh customers impacted to be contacted

Loganair has confirmed it will withdraw all of its operations from a UK airport in October.

The airline will not operate any flights from Dundee Airport after announcing the end of its service to London Heathrow on October 23.

The public service obligation (PSO) route is supported by the local authority and the Scottish and UK governments.

But, Loganair stated the contract was “financially unsustainable”.

After announcing the closure of the route, the airline added that it would support its Dundee-based employees to find alternative roles.

Currently, the service runs twice a day during the week and once on Sundays and has been in operation since 2014.

It was originally expected to end earlier on September 28, but the last flights will now run the following month.

The closure of its operating base in Dundee will impact air travel to Orkney and Shetland.

A Loganair spokesperson said: “Following a review of the route’s long-term viability, Loganair can confirm that its Dundee–London Heathrow service will cease after Friday 23 October, and the operating base will close.