December 2021 Newsletter
Accessible London, inclusive winter snowsport and much more 😊 our newsletter best bits - with travel tips, inspiration and giveaways. All you need to plan your next supported holiday or travel with the UK's number 1 company for all things care and accessible tourism.
Highlights:
- December dates for your diary
- Top Carbon-neutral Hotels
- Our Top Holiday Destination 2021 – Aviemore
- Other UK places to check out this December...
- Inclusive Winter Snowsport
- Travel Tip: Our community shares...
- Travel News
- Our Recommendations: shows, blogs and more
- Destination of the Month: London
- Extra advice for getting around London
- Where We've Been: November
- Altogether Travel News
- December Giveaway
- Accessibility
Feature: Changing Places Toilets UK
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December dates for your diary
International Day of Persons with Disabilities – Fri 3 Dec
Since 1992, to celebrate the achievements of disabled people around the world as well as to promote the rights of people with disabilities. Around one billion people worldwide experience disability of some form click here to read more.
Christmas Jumper Day – Fri 10 Dec
You don’t need to save your festive outfits for Christmas
Day – why not join in the fun and money raised helps the charity Save the
Children.
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Top Carbon-neutral Hotels
It can be tricky finding a hotel with genuine green credentials. Following COP26 last month, some top Carbon-neutral hotels include Room2 in Chiswick (London) opening December – with solar panels heating water, green roof boosting biodiversity above a ‘blue roof’ designed to catch rainwater. Palé Hall (Snowdonia, Wales) also tops the list – with its own hydroelectric plant to generate energy and a Green Michelin Star for sustainability click here for full article.
Our customers top Holiday Destination in 2021
Aviemore is our top holiday destination this year, proving to be a popular all year round choice for our customers. It really comes to life at this time of year. Christmas activities there include – the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, Christmas Eve Parade with carol singing and pipe band, Disability Snowsport Santa Run 14 Dec (so you could meet Santa hundreds of times) click here to read on.
Other UK places to check out this
December…
- Visit England’s 9 festive places and much more this winter click here to find out.
- Northern Ireland’s top Christmas Experience at Glenarm Castle – making gingerbread with Mrs Claus and popular Polar Express train adventure.
- Reindeer Lodge in Wales has a Reindeer safari experience and theatre show from the comfort of your car.
Inclusive Winter Snowsport
Winter Snowsport holidays have been becoming more accessible and inclusive. Click here to find out more and to check out resort reports by Ski 2 Freedom click here. You can also click here for Disability Snowsport UK info and there are loads of venues across the UK to visit – like Chill Factore (Manchester), SnowDome (Tamworth) and The John Nike Ski Slope (Llandudno) with Para Snow Sports Wales.
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Travel Tip – Main train stations
& Cabin bag only
Emma (Altogether Travel Office)
My top tip is checking out the main train station where you
go - this is usually the oldest in the area and can find stunning architecture
with stained glass windows you might expect at a top cathedral/ historical
building - but you don’t have to queue to enter and there’s usually the best
on-the-go food around! The pastries in Copenhagen Central Station (across from
Tivoli Gardens) were a great find. Also, travel with a backpack only if
possible - avoiding a wait at baggage claim and having essentials handy like
battery pack/ charger or comfort items like toiletries (and of course a book!)
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Travel News
EU announces the two 2022 European Capitals of Smart Tourism for their excellence as tourism destinations in 4 categories, including accessibility - Bordeaux (France) and Valencia (Spain). Click here to read more and check out Shortlisted cities and previous winners.
Dartmoor train line back after 50 years – the northern edge of Dartmoor has been one of Devon’s more isolated corners, until now. You can explore the area via Exeter and click here for what to do and see along the route, or click here for The Dartmoor Line website.
Loch Lomond drive-in cinema returns with festive favourites click here to read more.
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Our Recommendations
50 Most Popular UK Travel Bloggers in 2021 click here to check out.
Top travel podcasts to inspire your next trip to Europe click here.
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby click here to check out 3 series on BBC iPlayer with top hotels around the world.
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Destination of the Month: London
Spurs football fan Stephen took a
trip to London in November to watch a match live with Holiday Companion Alan.
After catching a flight, they dropped into their hotel to leave bags before
heading over to the stadium. Stephen went for the hospitality tickets, so the
guys enjoyed the pre-match atmosphere in style - the perfect place to be as the
stadium fills and pre-match excitement builds. They met former players Pat
Jennings, Ossie Ardiles and Ledley King inside the ground. After a good result
to top it off, the happy chappies had an overnight stay to rest before heading
home again the next day.
Did you know we have a London guide in our Downloads section? Click here to check it out.
Extra advice for getting around London – the underground can seem like a maze to most of us! Around a quarter of Tube stations have step-free access. Click here for handy accessibility guides including Audio Tube map, Step-free Tube guide and Getting around London guide.
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Where We've Been
As well as Stephen's footie trip to London, our supported
holiday highlights from November include people loving trips to Cullen,
Blackpool and Liverpool.
Barbara rated her Cullen holiday 20 out of 10 and told us
she was very happy spending time with her Companion Shirley – having a hire car
gave her the freedom to explore the area around this relaxing seaside
destination.
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Altogether Travel News
As we reach the end of 2021, we
want to say thank you to all our customers old and new.
We started back in June this year when restrictions lifted and it was great to get away again with so many of you.
Looking forward to see where we go in 2022.
Our Top 5 Destinations in 2021:
- Aviemore
- London
- Edinburgh
- Liverpool
- Devon
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December Giveaway
Anyone who receives a quote from us in December will be entered into a prize draw for a Christmas hamper. The lucky Winner will be chosen in a few weeks so you can receive by Christmas! We look forward to hearing from you 😊
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Accessibility Feature - Changing
Places Toilets UK
Changing Places Toilets UK highlights how important these facilities are and has a handy ‘find a toilet’ search tool for wherever you are in the UK – including service stations. Click here for more info.
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Thank you for staying connected with us and we would love to hear from you! Any ideas, questions or travel tips then click here to get in touch.
Take care,
Altogether Travel
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