Author: Richard

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Bringing history to life for the next generation

Connor reading Paul Reed's book at Hawthorn Ridge No.1

Bringing history to life for the next generation

…introducing Conor Reeves

 

Here at Leger we’re used to having people of all ages come along on our battlefield tours, covering everything from eight to 98. Often this can include those who may be looking at it as part of a school project or who are interested in researching something personal to them.


Let us introduce you to Conor Reeves, a 15-year old battlefield enthusiast, who decided to take it a step further and pursue his dream job for his school work experience…

My name is Conor Reeves, I’m 15 and I’m from Cheshire. In July 2013, I will be doing some work experience with Leger. This will involve me accompanying a guide on one of the battlefield tours as a kind of ‘apprentice’. During the trip I will be presenting some of the research that I have uncovered about the men from my school who died in The Great War.

Bringing History to Life for the next generation - Connor reading Paul Reed's book at Hawthorn Ridge No.1
© Mark Banning – Conor reading Paul Reed’s book at Hawthorn Ridge No.1

This fortunate situation arose when I returned from my second awe-inspiring trip to The Old Front Lines and my history teacher suggested contacting Leger about my work experience. I expected nothing more than a “we would love to, but it just wouldn’t be possible” response. As I sat at home wishing I was back in France, I emailed my Leger guide, firstly to thank him for the brilliant service we’d had on our tour, but secondly to enquire about the possibility of work experience. Within the hour he had replied, and got in touch with Paul Reed (the head Leger battlefield guide) to see what could be done. Paul was incredibly obliging and quickly responded with a “yes”. After discussing details, we decided that the best date for me to accompany a tour would be in the summer of 2013.
I have had a passion for First World War history for a long time so it was extremely important for me to walk in the footsteps of the heroes that I have read about for so long. The first tour of The Western Front that I went on, in 2011, was Leger’s most popular tour “All Quiet on the Western Front”. Being my first visit, I really did not know what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. Everything ran smoothly and I could absorb all of the information that was being imparted to me by the incredibly knowledgeable guide, as one by one the names of places that I had previously only seen in books and histories rolled by. On the coach, I told the driver that I would take as many photographs as possible because this would probably be my only trip to the battlefields, to which he replied: “You’ll be back with Leger. Once you have been on a tour, you will always come back”. Little did I know how right he would be.
I was in awe of my guide from the start, longing to know as much as he did, as he delivered the stories of the soldiers that had fought on the ground on which I was stood. As I wandered through the military cemeteries of Northern France and Belgium reading the beautiful epitaphs and admiring the wonderful work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Brookes’ words were flowing through my thoughts: “If I should die, think only this of me”. I ground to a stop to look at one of the portland stone graves and had a moment of disbelief when I realised where I was. I was in that “corner of a foreign field that is forever England”. I was standing in front of heroes. Men that went to war for our King, our country and our freedom. I felt honoured to be in the presence of this particular great man. Then, when I lifted my head and saw over 11,000 of these stones, you realise that all these men had interesting stories and all deserved an equally prolonged visit, which of course is sadly impossible to do.
After returning back to ‘Blighty’ my interest in The Great War increased greatly. It inspired me to do some research into the stories of my school’s old boys who had died in the First World War. I decided to set up The Peace Garden Project which will create a place of remembrance for all the men from Sandbach School who died in conflicts around the world. My interest in The Great War has not gone unnoticed from my school as I have worked with the History department to add a local aspect to the teaching of The War, using my research to try and encourage interest in the conflict.
So, what does Leger mean to me?
Leger allows The Great War to maintain its longevity as people can easily access the battlefields and the wealth of information that Leger and their guides provide. The team at Leger will always be the people that allowed me to reach the battlefields of the 1914-18 war.
Conor will be going on the “All Quiet on the Western Front” tour in July 2013. We will be posting further blogs on how he finds his work experience – good luck Conor!

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Grandparents Grounded with Childcare Duties

You may have seen it in the news (or even experienced it first hand) but when it comes to childcare nowadays, it’s often the grandparents that are left holding the baby.

Rising childcare costs have left many parents in a situation where it’s not worth one of them working. Unless of course, good ‘old’ granny or grandpa can help out that is!
Around half of UK families now depend all year round on the older generation, who we’ve dubbed ‘Retired Help’ (get it?) for their childcare. This savvy situation is thought to save more than £2,000 per year for the average family and over £10,000 for those who rely on grandparents to provide full-time support.
And let’s face it, most grandparents are only too happy to step in. Looking after children is undoubtedly hard work but (allegedly) so much more fun when you can leave them in the capable hands of their parents at the end of the day and go home to put your feet up!
But at Leger Holidays we began to wonder if this reliance was actually impacting on the holiday and leisure time of grandparents and so we conducted some research. And it seems we were right…
The research revealed that over a quarter of Britain’s 14 million grandparents feel that such commitments and responsibilities actually stop them from going away as often as they would like. Interestingly, grandmas are more likely to feel this pressure (32 per cent as opposed to 28 per cent of grandads).
So, whereas historically the mature traveller has always enjoyed more freedom when it comes to holidays, it appears there are now more than 3.5 million of them delaying or sacrificing their dream getaways to help their families.
One alternative of course is for grandparents to go on holiday with their families. But in our research some grandparents admitted *whisper* they didn’t enjoy the experience. One in five said they find it hard work and many also feel they are only invited to provide free childcare. Of course tastes differ across the generations too. Whereas many young families choose to lie on the beach or by the side of the pool, the older generation often prefer to have more experiential getaways, looking for new things to see and do each day. They want to visit museums, admire art, enjoy leisurely shopping and see the sights without a toddler who isn’t interested to bear in mind. Plus, most grandparents have done their fair share of “are we there yet?” journeys.
So we say ‘Retired Help’ of the world unite! Don’t feel guilty about needing a break, it’s important to take the holidays you want, see the places you’ve dreamt of seeing, and to get some well earned R&R! And if you do feel bound by childcare duties (and you don’t mind that) why not squeeze in a long weekend or short-stay break wherever possible, giving you lots of mini treats to look forward to? Come on now…surely you can squeeze in a few days on a midweek break to Paris, recharging your batteries? And imagine all the great presents you could get the grandkids from a trip to Belgium, the Chocolate Capital of the world?
We’re sure your grandchildren will appreciate a rested and rejuvenated granny or grandad – now you’d better get back to building that treehouse…

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Paris Midweek and Weekend Breaks by Coach

Arc de Triomphe by night

Richard Mansfield, Leger’s E-commerce Executive has been working at Leger for just over four months now. After seeing the popularity of the Paris Midweek and Weekend breaks by Coach, he decided he had to see what this tour and Paris had to offer.

A burning ambition of mine has always been to visit Paris and with it only being across the pond, I can’t believe it has taken me until 2013 to tick it off my ‘Bucket list‘.

Which tour did you go on?

We went on the four day Paris & Versailles – Weekend and Midweek Breaks by coach

How did you get there and how long did it take?

We choose not to take the option of breaking up our journey by stopping at the Ashford, Holiday Inn. Instead we were picked up from the Wakefield departure point at 4:30am (the first pick up of the day), picking up along the way and stopping for the odd comfort break.
We arrived at Dover at around 12.45pm where we boarded our ferry to Calais, France. After a wander around the ferry and a fabulous fish and chip dinner, we returned to our coach to complete the final leg of the journey to our hotel in Paris. This was around a 4 hour journey split up with comfort stops and a film onboard the coach.
Overall from Wakefield to our hotel it was around 13 hours. (which for a coach holiday novice like me, seemed to fly by)

Where did you stay?

We stayed in the 4-Star Holiday Inn Paris-Versailles-Bougival, which is located on the western side of Paris. The rooms are very nice offering all those little amenities you would expect of a 4* hotel. Unfortunately I didn’t sample the variety of treatments available at the onsite health spa, but after a little nosey around I must say it looked the perfect place to wind down after a days sightseeing in Paris.

What was the weather like? Did it affect your visit?

It was very cold, but we did go in February. (The hot refreshments on the coach were well received). The weather didn’t affect our stay in any way, we still did all the optional excursions. My only suggestion if you are thinking of travelling at the same time of year would be to pack extra layers.

Which optional excursions did you do?

We did all of them, starting with the Paris Sightseeing tour this may sound a little cliché but it really is the best way to see Paris. The tour is around 2 and a half hours long, with the chance to hop on and off the coach for those all important holiday snaps. The tour also includes an English speaking French tour guide. Few pictures below


After the sightseeing, we had an hour’s free time around the Eiffel Tower (2 hours if not going on the cruise) before joining the river cruise excursion which is around an hour long.
Once we returned from the cruise, we then boarded the coach back to our hotel to freshen ourselves up for the Paris by night excursion. This includes all transport, a meal and a trip up to the top of the Montparnasse Tower, where we got to see the magnificent views over Paris and we got there in time to see the 9pm light show of the Eiffel Tower.
9pm Eiffel tower Light Show - Paris Midweek and weekend Break
9pm Eiffel tower Light Show

The next morning was a trip to Montmartre and Versailles. We decided to pay a little extra and took the guided tour of the kings living quarters. Montmartre is the hill on which the Sacré-Cœur sits.
Sacré-Cœur Basilica - Paris Midweek and weekend Break
Sacré-Cœur Basilica

After returning from the day’s excursions we had time to change and head out into the Latin Quarter. This is an area packed with souvenir shops, bars (where we watched England beat France in the Six Nations, a little awkward!) and eateries offering everything from a delicious waffle to fresh lobster.
After a stroll around the shops and some amazing pizza topped off by a chocolate and cream waffle, it was time to return back to our coach for our departure back to our hotel where we prepared for our journey home the following morning.
If you would like to know any more about our trip to Paris, don’t hesitate in putting any questions in the comments section below. Maybe you are considering the tour for yourself? More information can be found here – Paris midweek and weekend breaks by coach.

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Make your Mother’s Day this March

Childs mothers day painting

By Margo

Before you buy your mum a gift this Mother’s Day, I want you to think back to when you were younger. Back to the days when you used to paint your mum’s portrait (although it often resembled a warped pink splodge with a smiling face), make her macaroni jewellery or heroically volunteer to take on the washing up for a day. You know, as an extra special treat!

 
I know what you’re thinking, ‘it’s the thought that counts’ and you’re right it was. But now that we’ve grown up, it’s time to make amends for all those crafty creations and really treat the women who resolutely admired them for all those years.
Now, it’s a well-known fact that we girls aren’t adverse to a bit of shopping now and again. So, what better excuse to indulge in this pastime than booking a spending spree away together for her Mother’s Day present?
Whether it’s Paris, Venice or Rome, Europe is packed with exciting shopping destinations and experiences you’ll both remember for years to come. So rather than forking out for flowers, chocolates and potpourri again this March, why not book yourselves an unforgettable trip together instead?
My top shopping suggestion, and one of our most popular choices for mother-and-daughter breaks at Leger, is the German Christmas Markets. Enjoying a spot of retail therapy is one thing, but enjoying it at Christmas is a whole different kettle of fish. And, if your mum is anything like mine, she’ll be at her retail peak at this time of year. There’s always one more present she has to buy or another bauble the tree just wouldn’t look right without!
With their picturesque locations, authentic stalls and fantastic foods, a trip to the German market is a gesture your mum will cherish forever. And, with plenty of time to enjoy the pre-holiday build up; it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Be warned though, I would definitely recommend taking an extra suitcase for all the treasures you’ll bring home.
For those of you whose mothers are not as keen on shopping, there are plenty of other great getaway ideas out there so step away from the forecourt flower stand! From the Beautiful Bulbfields of Holland to the geared up atmosphere of a Grand Prix, there are so many great places and events that you could be looking forward to. If you’re still stuck for suggestions you can always give me and the rest of the reservation teams a shout, there really is no excuse for not making your mother’s day this year.
What trip would you go on to treat your mum for Mother’s Day? Share your ideas by writing a post below. What’s more, if this has inspired you to book a trip, why not visit www.leger.co.uk, where you’ll find endless of options of tours and customer testimonials.
 
Image courtesy of Flikr user: Nojhan
 

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Getaway, What a Great Gift!

Getaway, What a Great Gift!

By Anita Rogers

When it comes to presents, I suppose I’m a little tricky to buy for. I tend to receive a lot of chocolates (although I’m nearly always on a diet) and there are only so many bath sets a woman needs! That’s why I love the idea of receiving (and giving) a getaway gift.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day or a birthday celebration, arranging a holiday for those you love is not just an original present but a thoughtful one too. Firstly, a well-chosen trip shows that you pay attention to a person’s interests. Secondly, it provides the recipient with an ideal opportunity to indulge in their favourite places or pastimes without any guilt. And finally, as you’ll most likely book the trip as a pair or group, you could get the added benefit of sharing the trip together.

I think that Leger’s ‘See it Live’ tours make perfect gifts. They’re short, affordable and full of great things to do. Late last year, I went on The Grand Prix tour in Belgium where we filmed a promotional video by the track (which will be available to view here soon). During my 25 years with Leger, I’ve also been lucky enough to experience a few more of these tours too, including Ladies Day at Ascot and the Chelsea Flower Show. And I have to say, I’d be glad to experience any one of them again (hint, hint)!

Winners circle at Ascot
Ladies day at Ascot

Each one offered something totally different to the next, whether it was picking up a rare plant at the flower show, having a flutter on the horses or hearing the roar of an F1 race car from the track side. In my opinion, there’s no better way to see a live event than to get close to the action and experience the atmosphere first-hand.

Brussels Jazz marathon stage
Brussels Jazz Marathon Festival

Should any of my friends or family happen to read this post in time for my birthday, I would very much like a weekend in Brussels to see the Jazz Marathon festival. I also think that the Paris Tour de France would make an amazing gift. If there’s anyone else out there who’s sick at the sight of socks, do let us know and we can pop a strategically-timed brochure in the post for you. Feel free to get in touch with your suggestions for new live tours too, we’re all ears.

Visit our website to read more about Leger Holidays’ See It Live tours.

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Comfort and Camaraderie

A customer review by Eddie Thompson

When the good people at Leger Holidays asked me to write a post on my experiences of their tours, over a decade of great memories came back to me. My wife sadly passed away last year, but some of my fondest recollections are of our numerous trips together across Spain, France and Italy. In fact, you can pretty much name any Leger European tour and I’d bet you a pound to a penny we’d been on it (at least twice). We were quite the travelling twosome!

Nowadays, I travel with the friends I’ve made over the years on Leger tours and we already have some exciting trips lined up for 2013; Picturebook Italy in March followed by the Costa Brava in April. I’ve not decided on my summer holidays yet though, I’m still waiting to hear what the rest of the gang fancy!
But it’s not just the great company on board that keeps me coming back to Leger. Over the years, I’ve become quite attached to the Silver Service coaches it offers and I wouldn’t want to compromise on the kind of comfort they provide ever again.
You see, for me, when you’re going on an amazing holiday you want to make the most of your experience and it’s often the little things that can make the biggest difference. For instance, I’m 6ft 4in, so you could say I’m a little on the tall side! Due to my height, I’ve always found travelling long distances in cars, trains or coaches uncomfortable. On a Silver Service coach, however, the extra legroom means my legs don’t get stiff after just minutes in my seat or (even worse) seize up when I attempt to get off the coach (leaving me hobbling down the aisle like Bambi)!
Having a bit of banter on board isn’t for everyone but, for a chatterbox like me, it’s essential and that’s where the rear lounge areas found in Silver Service coaches come in handy too. As the social type, I like to escape my seat every now and then, raid the on-board games supply and create my very own travelling games room. And, as nice as it is to sit and watch the world go by, there aren’t many that can resist coming up for a game of rummy, brag or pontoon once we get going! I recall one trip to Sorrento and the Neapolitan Riviera where we had a rummy league running throughout the whole tour. Unfortunately, I was at rock bottom throughout the contest but I made some brilliant friends that day; friends that I still go on tours with today.
Along with the comfort and camaraderie, I have to say that it’s the drivers that really make Leger the right company for me. Not only are they experts in their fields but they continue to make each and every journey a pleasure with their witty jokes and insider knowledge. John and Tony are amongst my favourite characters. I’ve travelled with them both countless times and they always make me laugh non-stop. They’re driving my Picturebook Italy trip in March and I can’t wait to hear the latest news they have to offer and share in a joke or two along the journey.
For more information about our Silver Service coaches, or any other Leger Holidays tours, hop on to the website or give our friendly sales team a call.

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Traditional Dutch Stamppot Recipe

Traditional Stamppot recipe

The traditional Dutch Stamppot recipe is a very popular recipe in colder months of the year. It is a combination of root vegetables and mashed potatoes. The Dutch Sausage topping really brings this dish together. Go on give it a try.

What you’ll need

  • 3 carrots
  • 1/2 of a turnip
  • 1 leek
  • 1/2 of an onion
  • 2 lbs potatoes
  • ½ lb sweet potatoes
  • 1 lb butternut squash
  • 1 lb green cabbage
  • ¼ cup of butter (add more dependent on taste)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 ½ lbs of Dutch sausage (Chorizo works well)
  • Optional Cashews

How to cook it

After washing and cutting the vegetables, chop the onion. Peel and cut the potatoes, with the butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, turnip and the sweet potatoes.
Using a large stock pot, place the vegetables in water, this should be brought to boil and simmered for 15 minutes
During this time you can cook the Dutch sausage to the packaging requirements
Once the vegetables are tender they need draining for mashing, then season with salt and pepper to required taste. This is when the cup of butter is added and mashed
Now add the Dutch sausage to the top and serve
Enjoy!
For a real taste of Holland why not take a look at our Dutch tours available with Leger Holidays.
The image is courtesy of Flikr user – Incase

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10 interesting and fun facts about Ireland

Ireland - River Liffey

Here’s a list of fun facts about Ireland…

  • The longest place name in Ireland is Muckanaghederdauhaulia.
  • The Guinness Brewery in St. James Street Dublin has a 9,000 year lease
  • The Titanic was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • In 1447, moustaches were illegal in Ireland.
  • An odd Irish birthday tradition is to lift the birthday child upside down and give his head a few gentle bumps on the floor for good luck. The number of bumps should allegedly correspond to the child’s age plus one.
  • The national symbol of Ireland is the Celtic harp, not the shamrock
  • Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle, thanks to its lush greenery
  • The St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in Ireland on March 17th which is a national holiday
  • Although set in Scotland, most of the battle scenes in the 1995 film Braveheart were filmed in Ireland.
  • The river Liffey runs through the centre of Dublin and is 75 miles in length

Do you have any facts about Ireland? Please share them in the comments below. Alternatively for more information on any of our Ireland Coach tours follow the link provided.

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Romantic trips to take in Europe

Spanish Steps Rome

By Danny Leeming (our very own Leger love bird)!

After proposing to my wife (and colleague) Caroline on the Spanish Steps of Rome, I’ve earned myself a reputation as a bit of a romantic here in the Leger offices. So, when it came to writing a post on the best places to visit this Valentine’s Day, I wasn’t too surprised when I was asked to come forward with my suggestions.

 
Over the years, Caroline and I have been lucky enough to visit some of Europe’s most stunning settings. However, when it comes to picking out the most romantic breaks to take, we do have some stand-out favourites to share….
 
Rome: Obviously, as this was the place I proposed, Rome will always hold a special place in our hearts. I remember sight-seeing in the city that day, the ring secretly hidden on my person. I had a slight panic when I had to empty my pockets after setting off a Vatican metal detector, but then later that day I surprised her on the Spanish Steps by dropping to one knee. Thankfully, she accepted! Fond memories aside, Rome has everything you could wish for when it comes to a romantic break. Be sure to take a bike ride around the Colosseum (very Peck and Hepburn) or pop two pennies (for love) into the Trevi Fountain whilst you’re there.
Paris: Although we’ve not been to Paris together, Mrs Leeming and I have both been to the city independently and agree that this just had to be in the top three. Surrounded by buildings like the Notre Dame cathedral, the local cuisine and the French accent, you can’t help but get that fuzzy feeling. They don’t call it the ‘city of lovers’ for nothing! A scenic cruise down the River Seine should definitely be on your list of things to do here too. We were actually hoping to go to Paris this year but, having just found out that we’re expecting our first baby, we’ve had to put those plans on hold for now.
Madrid: It’s not as closely associated with romance as say Paris or Rome but Madrid is a fantastic place to go as a couple. The architecture is stunning, the warm summer evenings are full of atmosphere and the local people are so passionate about their culture, you can’t help but get caught up in it. Caroline and I both share a love of football so would love to see Real Madrid play here. Understandably, that’s not for everyone but there is so much more to do than just watch the footy should you take the trip.
 
Well there you have it, our top three romantic trips to take. And, after the baby arrives, I’m sure we’ll begin crossing more heart-warming cities off our wish list too. With Prague, Bruges, Florence and Venice still to visit, we’ve certainly got our work cut out but I’ll be sure to report back to you on our findings soon.
I hope that’s enough inspiration to get you thinking but don’t forget to check out our website if you’re still undecided about your Valentine’s break. Don’t forget to consider coaching as your method of transport too. With no directions to argue about and a glass of wine to enjoy as you take in the scenery, coach travel really can be a couple’s paradise – trust me!
 

Me and Caroline

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10 facts you may not have known about Russia

Find out what made our list of facts about Russia below:
 

  • Moscow has the busiest Mc Donald’s in the world (30,000 people entered on the first day of opening)
  • There are more than 600 universities in Russia
  • Russia is home to the world’s largest active volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka which stands at 4,750 metres.
  • Russia is the second biggest oil exporter in the world
  • 10% of St Petersburg is covered by water
  • Russia is the only country in the world to have 12 seas
  • Russia is so vast it spans 9 time zones
  • The first man into space was Russian, his name was Yuri Gagarin
  • Vitaly Petrov is the only Russian Formula One driver to date
  • Life expectancy in Russia is 59 years for men and 73 years for women

 
Do you have any facts about Russia? Please share them in the comments below. For more information on our tours of Russia take a look at our Tours of Russia page.