WHEN thinking of overwater bungalows and lodges, tropical destinations like the Maldives are the obvious destinations that spring to mind. However, there’s a place in the UK that has some cabins that stand over “crystal clear” teal waters, less than an hour away from London. 9 It’s home to Kent’s largest aquapark with inflatable obstaclesCredit: […]
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WHEN thinking of overwater bungalows and lodges, tropical destinations like the Maldives are the obvious destinations that spring to mind.
However, there’s a place in the UK that has some cabins that stand over “crystal clear” teal waters, less than an hour away from London.
While no one is likely to confuse the lodges at St Andrews Lakes in Rochester, Kent, with those seen standing over the Indian Ocean – they do still look incredibly inviting.
They’re among the accommodation on offer at St Andrews, with a number of different stays available at the site that stands next to the bright blue stretch of water that’s perfect for family activities.
Point Lodge is one of those that sits on the water, with a small balcony, a wood-fired hot tub and its own kitchen available.
A seven-night stay can be booked from £549 for two people, making it just under £40 per night per person.
Once at the lake, there’s plenty more to do than lounge by the water with, including Kent’s largest aquapark.
It features inflatable equipment 25 metres out with obstacles to be climbed and jumped over, all under the watchful eye of the lake’s lifeguards.
A smaller inflatable course is on site for younger kids to play on too.
The aquapark is set to reopen to the public from Easter weekend (March 30-31).
There’s plenty of water-based activities for everyone to get involved with as well, with kayaks, paddleboards and pedalos available for hire, while swimming and dinghy sailing are other options.
Meanwhile, on land, archery and climbing are also on offer.
For those less interested in being active, the lake side beaches are found “sitting right alongside our beautifully clean turquoise waters,” according to the St Andrews Lakes website.
It promises “soft sand for you to wiggle your toes in” and invites visitors to “sit back, relax and watch lake life go by”.
For anyone dealing with a bout of hunger during their visit, there’s a lakeside barbecue cabin available for hire.
For three hours, ten visitors can hire out the grillkota cabin to sit around the central grill and cook as much as they would like to bring with them.
The benches around the grill are furnished with cosy rugs and cushions, while all coals, cutlery and plates are included.
Comfort and relaxation can also be found in the spa and wellness centre, with hot tubs and saunas alongside day treatments, like full body massages and hot stone therapy.
The site impressed people on social media with a video they shared.
They accompanied footage of the blue lake with the caption: “This crystal clear blue lake is less than an hour from Central London with easy access by car or by train on the Southeastern Railway network.
“You can hire pedalos, kayaks, paddleboards or even go on Kent’s biggest aquapark from Easter weekend onwards!”
One previous guest commented: “Been there done the aqua park great fun, well run and reasonable prices.”
Another said: “It’s so amazing and the water is beautiful.”
A third added: “This is my happy place.”
St Andrews Lakes isn’t the only place where an inland beach can be found near London.
Ruislip Lido Beach is found in Hillingdon, West London and has stretches of both sand and even palm trees.
Those looking for a day out at the beach will need to take a Metropolitan Line tube from central London to Ruislip before hopping on a bus to Ruislip Lido.
It’s also home to the Ruislip Lido Railway that takes visitors around the lake and through nearby woodland.
The UK’s largest sandy inland beach is found in a quaint village in the Cotswolds.
Shorncote, near Cirencester, in Gloucestershire, has stretches of sand, swimming lagoons, and an inflatable aqua park, in the Cotswold Country Park and Beach.
The easiest way to reach the beach is by car, but the beach can also be accessed by train from Swindon or Cheltenham.
Meanwhile, London also has its own hidden beach with views of the Shard and Tower Bridge.
And this pub in London has its own secret beach found just behind it.
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]]>Pop didn’t peak with the Beatles. It didn’t peak with Aretha Franklin or George Michael or Janelle Monáe. In fact, it never peaked. Instead it has sustained epic heights from Sam Cooke ’50s to Lake Street Dive today — something made clear in the last few weeks with reissues of Cooke’s “SAR Records Story 1959-1965” […]
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Pop didn’t peak with the Beatles. It didn’t peak with Aretha Franklin or George Michael or Janelle Monáe. In fact, it never peaked. Instead it has sustained epic heights from Sam Cooke ’50s to Lake Street Dive today — something made clear in the last few weeks with reissues of Cooke’s “SAR Records Story 1959-1965” and Lake Street Dive’s minor masterpiece, 2014’s “Bad Self Portraits.”
Cooke is an icon and underrated. Beyond his voice (gold!) and his songwriting chops (think of how tight but different “Cupid,” “Bring It On Home to Me,” and “A Change Is Gonna Come” are), he had an amazing ear. Available on vinyl for the first time, “SAR Records Story” gathers the best songs from Sam Cooke’s record label.
Based on what’s collected here, SAR Records was on track to be another Motown before Cooke’s death in 1964. For the most part, Cooke recruited the acts on his label and wrote and produced for them.
Cooke’s vision led him to discover a series of future greats.
Here we get Bobby Womack’s group The Valentines stomping to “It’s All Over Now” before the Rolling Stones made it a hit. And rising star Johnnie Taylor doing his best to be the next Cooke on “Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day” And teenage prodigy Billy Preston doing soul-jazz instrumental “Greazee Part I & II” six years before the Beatles drafted him for session work.
After absorbing the old school pop craft on “SAR Records Story,” take “Bad Self Portraits” out for a spin (just reissued for its tenth anniversary in limited-edition and two bonus tracks, “Wedding Band” and “What I’m Doing Here”). Back in 2014, the then-quartet was stacked with songwriting aces — each of whom could have built a career as a staff writer at Tin Pan Alley, the Brill Building, or Motown. So while singer Rachel Price has a singular voice that unites the album, she gets to sing radically different tunes (well, radically different but all still fitting the “perfect pop” label).
Guitarist/trumpet player Mike Olson’s “You Go Down Smooth” could have come out of a Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, and Freddie Mercury writing session — it’s those tight-but-dynamic arrangements, those bold soul moments juxtaposed by catchy cooing, those big breakdowns, and towering vocal harmonies (note, Olson has since left and is missed). Drummer Mike Calabrese’s “Stop Your Crying” could have come out of a, well, Robinson, Franklin, and Mercury writing session. But bassist Bridget Kearney’s exceptional compositions come up nearly every other track.
Kearney can pen slow-burn soul that doubles as dark introspection (“Better Than”). She can pair wounded and witty lyrics with something that is both a blustery ballad and swinging pop romp (title track “Bad Self Portraits”). She can write like Robinson, Franklin, Mercury, Adele and Bruce Springsteen all at once (“Seventeen”).
Since Cooke and his contemporaries laid down the modern pop template, the idea of a catchy, complete world captured in three and half minutes, the formula has never gone out of style. Sometimes you just need to know where to look for fresh stuff. Let me suggest this SAR Records package and “Bad Self Portraits” (and every other Lake Street Dive album!).
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]]>HOT tub staycations bring a touch of luxury without the hassle of flying to another country or the hefty price tags. Parkdean Resorts has plenty of availability for hot tub stays this spring and early summer, with prices starting from £24pp a night. 2 Parkdean Resorts has plenty of availability for hot tub stays this […]
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HOT tub staycations bring a touch of luxury without the hassle of flying to another country or the hefty price tags.
Parkdean Resorts has plenty of availability for hot tub stays this spring and early summer, with prices starting from £24pp a night.
Hot tubs are available in many of the Parkdean Resorts’ lodges, which are spread across the Lake District, Isle of Wight, Dorset, Devon, Lincolnshire, Wales, Essex, Yorkshire, and Scotland.
There is accommodation for larger parties and couples since the lodges can sleep anywhere between two to eight people.
On top of your own private hot tub, you’ll also get access to all the facilities at the holiday parks.
So, you should find restaurants, swimming pools and communal areas to relax in.
The parks offer a range of kid-friendly entertainment options, both during the day and at night, such as high ropes courses, bungee trampolining, laser tag, crazy golf, and kids’ clubs.
Here are some of the best deals we’ve spotted in spring:
April
May
3 nights at Carmarthen Bay in South Wales – from £389 per stay
During the summer, prices get significantly higher, with the cheapest stays costing from £798.
However, autumn is also a great time to visit – and prices start from £389 per stay.
That said, we’ve found that prices get lower as your preferred date gets closer, so you might want to keep an eye on the price and book later on.
With deposits starting at just £25 and a monthly payment schedule, you could even secure your holidays without paying it upfront.
However, your departure date must be at least 16 weeks away for the booking to qualify.
For more UK holiday deals, we rounded up five top-rated UK holiday parks on TripAdvisor – with lazy river pools, adventure villages and nearby beaches.
We’ve also revealed how to find the cheapest Travelodge hotel room deals, with prices from £7pp a night.
Alternatively, for a holiday without the kids, we found adults-only beach holidays with beach parties, DJ sets, and infinity pools in Spain, Portugal and Greece.
Prices correct at the time of publication.
The UK is full of great train journeys, including some with scenic views.
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]]>Efforts are underway to get a temporary nursing station built in Cat Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario, but as spring quickly approaches, it’s a race against time to get supplies to the remote community using the winter road. The Margaret Gray Nursing Station “appears to be a total loss” from the Saturday night fire, according to the […]
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Efforts are underway to get a temporary nursing station built in Cat Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario, but as spring quickly approaches, it’s a race against time to get supplies to the remote community using the winter road.
The Margaret Gray Nursing Station “appears to be a total loss” from the Saturday night fire, according to the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.
About 650 people live in the Ojibway community about 440 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay along the Albany River.
With Cat Lake already under a boil-water advisory since Feb. 26, efforts to save the health-care building caused the water reservoir to dry out. On Sunday, Chief Russell Wesley declared a state of emergency that remains in place.
Wesley said a task force has been created to ensure Cat Lake’s immediate needs are met during the crisis.
“There’s a lot of effort to resolve this situation very quickly,” said Wesley, speaking at a news conference, on mining, that was unrelated to the fire.
This is the third significant fire affecting First Nations in northwestern Ontario. The others were:
The provincial and federal governments have committed to helping Cat Lake.
“The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs is working with the community of Cat Lake First Nation, provincial and federal government partners to better understand the immediate needs as a result of the nursing station fire,” said spokesperson Curtis Lindsay in an email to CBC News on Monday.
A fire investigation led by the Nishnawbe Aski police’s crime unit and Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal is ongoing.
Federal Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said Ottawa will help in three phases:
The modular buildings are being transported along the winter road before the ice disappears, though that could come suddenly with shifting temperatures. In January, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Chiefs declared a state of emergency over winter road conditions due to the unusually warm weather.
At Tuesday’s news conference, Wesley commented on the increasingly hazardous conditions of the winter roads amid climate change, but said his community has had to delay planned repairs to its bridges for another year.
“We just couldn’t meet the timelines and the requirements of the provincial government in terms of the permitting,” he said. “Hopefully over the course of this summer, we will be able to get over the permitting issue and get those bridges repaired.”
On Monday night, he said some people were transported out of Cat Lake for specialized medical services, including cancer care, diabetes treatment and addiction services.
Nurses from Sachigo Lake have come to Cat Lake to help its nurses, Wesley said. There are also plans to provide more virtual care to community members.
Last week, Cat Lake signed a memorandum of understanding with two Finnish companies, including 73-Health. The Finnish telemedicine company will provide Cat Lake members with long-distance diagnoses.
Hajdu said she recognizes the fire services challenges facing remote communities like Cat Lake.
“It could be anything from having the right equipment to having a place to store the equipment, to having a trained and renewed volunteer firefighter service,” she said in an interview with CBC News.
She pointed to the federal government’s First Nations Fire Protection Strategy, developed last year, as a key way the government can work with partners to build First Nations’ capacity to prevent and respond to fires.
People living in First Nations are 10 times more likely to die in a fire than those living elsewhere in the country.
“With statistics like that, we’re compelled to do something differently because obviously what we’ve been doing has not been as effective as we want,” said Arnold Lazare, director of operations for the Indigenous Fire Marshal Service, which is part of the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council.
He said several systemic issues put First Nations at greater risk of fatal fires:
“That’s one of the reasons that we are focusing on fire prevention and trying to ensure that each household has at least one working smoke alarm,” Lazare said.
The council has several programs designed to achieve this, including tools to assess fire risks within communities and individual households, and assessments of First Nations’ fire departments and their capacity to respond to emergencies.
In his home of Kahnawà:ke, Que., Lazare said the community has taken a proactive approach to fire safety, and it’s made a big difference.
“We’re very fortunate and our attempt would be to replicate that in other communities.”
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]]>It appears Lake Elmo will keep an elementary school within city limits. The Lake Elmo City Council on Wednesday night approved several key measures needed for Stillwater Area Public Schools’ proposed new elementary school in Lake Elmo to proceed. The district plans to build a new 148,000-square-foot elementary school on a 47-acre parcel on the northwest […]
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It appears Lake Elmo will keep an elementary school within city limits.
The Lake Elmo City Council on Wednesday night approved several key measures needed for Stillwater Area Public Schools’ proposed new elementary school in Lake Elmo to proceed. The district plans to build a new 148,000-square-foot elementary school on a 47-acre parcel on the northwest corner of Lake Elmo Avenue and 10th Street North — kitty-corner from the Cimarron Park mobile-home community.
The council voted 4-1 to approve a zoning change — from agriculture to public facilities — and a change to the regional sewage treatment system boundaries to include the proposed property, among other measures. Council Member Katrina Beckstrom voted against the proposed changes.
“The school district has had an elementary school in Lake Elmo for 100 years, and we’d like to keep one for another 100 years,” Superintendent Mike Funk told the council before the vote.
The population center of the district has been moving “further and further south,” he said. “The center used to be (Minnesota Highway) 36. Now it’s just north of (Interstate) 94.”
The current elementary school, built in 1920 and located in the city’s Old Village area, is already near capacity and enrollment is expected to grow by more than 200 students in the next 10 years; Lake Elmo is one of the fastest growing cities in Minnesota.
District officials last summer entered into a $4.5 million purchase agreement for the land at Lake Elmo Avenue and 10th Street North contingent on the passage of the district’s $175 million bond referendum in November; the land is owned by Tom Kindler. The referendum passed in November with 57% support districtwide and 70% support in Lake Elmo precincts.
Lake Elmo resident Hannah Reyes, who teaches first-grade Spanish immersion at Lake Elmo Elementary, said the proposed site is ideal for a new school because it is at the “heart of where the biggest growth of population is happening in our district” and provides access from several directions because of the main roadways that connect there.
“A school is more than academics,” Reyes told the council. “It’s a community. … The students, families and community of Lake Elmo deserve to have their elementary school located in Lake Elmo. To vote ‘yes’ means to provide a school for our community for another 100 years.”
Lake Elmo resident Ryan Knudson also encouraged the council members to vote “yes” on the measures.
“What we are voting on is whether to keep the school in Lake Elmo or not. That’s it,” he said. “If we don’t approve this, the school district will probably go somewhere else.”
His wife, Cassondra Knudson, told council members to consider the “legacy of Lake Elmo” while voting. “We should keep the school in Lake Elmo where it has been for 100 years,” she said.
Lake Elmo Elementary Principal Stephen Gorde said the new school would be a “a world-class facility that will serve generations of children to come in Lake Elmo.”
People who spoke against the site expressed concerns about the loss of trees, an increase in traffic on 10th Street and the site’s proximity to the Oakdale Gun Club. City officials said those concerns will be addressed during the conditional-use permit process for the property.
Former Lake Elmo City Council Member Susan Dunn said the council should deny the amendment to the city’s comprehensive plan — a document she said took years to develop and is meant to guide development in the city until 2040.
“The question is not if we need a school or how fancy it should be?” she said. “The question is, ‘Is our comp plan a moving target?’ There have been over 10 amendments to the comp plan already. Is it a moving target or are you going to hold fast?”
Dunn said the school district should consider sites within the existing metropolitan sewer service area.
“The school should be in our city center,” she said. “I was not aware our city center was moving south. There are 4,000 acres in the MUSA. We couldn’t find 15 to 20 acres around the Old Village? It’s about education and environment and where the heart of our city really is. The school is the center of the city.”
The city’s Planning Commission voted 3-2 last month to recommend that the City Council deny the zoning change — from agriculture to public facilities — and not approve the change to the regional sewage treatment system boundaries to include the proposed property.
Beckstrom, the council member who voted against the measures, questioned how the school district’s plan was consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.
“This parcel is not within the MUSA,” she said. “It’s an island upon itself. How is this consistent with (the city’s land-use) goals?”
But Mayor Charles Cadenhead said plans are “living, breathing” documents that sometimes change. “They don’t have to change, but they can change — if there is a will. It’s a guide. We have to put a lot of thought into this process. This was not something that was knee-jerk. We’ve had lots of discussion with the school district. I think that this is for the public good. It’s not that the city center is moving south; it’s that the population is moving south. Building a school (at the new site) means more kids in Lake Elmo can attend school in Lake Elmo.”
Funk said after the meeting that he was pleased with the outcome of the vote.
“We look forward to continuing to partner with the community of Lake Elmo as we work together to meet the needs of our students,” he said.
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]]>BRIT holidaymakers heading to the Lake District are likely to visit places like Keswick and Ambleside – but there are plenty of other lesser-known towns and villages that certainly deserve some attention. One of those places is Hawkshead, a quaint village tucked inside the Lake District National Park. 5 Hawkshead is a quaint village tucked […]
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BRIT holidaymakers heading to the Lake District are likely to visit places like Keswick and Ambleside – but there are plenty of other lesser-known towns and villages that certainly deserve some attention.
One of those places is Hawkshead, a quaint village tucked inside the Lake District National Park.
Home to cobbled streets, historic buildings and independent shops, the small village was originally part of the Furness Abbey estate, which was once one of the largest monasteries in the north-west of England.
The abbey was destroyed during the English Reformation in 1536, with Hawkshead transforming itself into a market town in the 17th and 18th centuries.
At present, Hawkshead is home to around 500 residents, many of whom live or work in buildings that were built between the 17th and 18th centuries.
The tiny village also has strong links to William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter – two of England’s most famous literary figures.
During the 18th century, William Wordsworth attended Hawkshead Grammar School.
Brit holidaymakers who want to learn more about the poet’s education can visit the Hawkshead Grammar School Museum, which showcases what school life would’ve been like between 1585 and 1909.
The ground-floor classroom still contains desks that school boys, including William Wordsworth, carved messages in.
Fans of the poet should also head to Wordsworth Street, which has been named after the literary figure, and is lined with white buildings and colourful hanging baskets.
There are plenty of other attractions in the town, including the Hawkshead Relish shop, which makes a range of homemade jams, marmalades and chutneys, including a black garlic ketchup.
In addition to the savoury sauces, there’s also The Chocolate Factory, which sells around 100 different varieties of chocolate.
Families can also book themselves onto an interactive masterclass at The Chocolate Factory too.
The tiny village is also a great base for exploring Beatrix Potter related attractions too, including Hill Top House, where the English writer once lived.
Located just a few minutes away from the Cumbrian village, Hill Top House is home to Beatrix Potter’s favourite belongings.
There’s also a small garden with flower beds and vegetable patches that are reminiscent of scenes from Peter Rabbit.
Entry tickets to Hill Top House cost £15 for a full-paying adult and £7.50 for children.
Other Beatrix Potter attractions include Yew Tree Farm, which was once owned by the English writer.
The three-bedroom farmhouse is a Grade II listed building, where holidaymakers can book to stay overnight.
The Lake District farm also runs the Herdwick Experience, which gives holidaymakers the chance to learn more about Herdwick Sheep.
Because of its location in the Lake District National Park, Hawkshead is also a great base for outdoor enthusiasts, with hiking trails, cycling routes and water activities all nearby.
Holidaymakers who’ve worked up an appetite should head to The Queen‘s Head – a cosy country pub set in the tiny village.
There are plenty of accommodation options in the village too, including the Old School House.
Sun Online Travel have found overnight stays at the Old School House for £64.50 per night, based on two people sharing a room.
Hawkshead is a 20-minute drive from Lake Windermere, and it’s just a 15-minute drive from Ambleside.
There are plenty of other quirky villages to visit in the UK too, including Bournville in Birmingham.
Located in southwest Birmingham, Bournville is a tiny village that was built by the Cadbury family.
While the model village may sound fairly idyllic, it isn’t without its quirks.
Because of its Quaker heritage, there are no pubs in Bournville, so those residents, and tourists, who fancy a swift drink need to visit boozers in other parts of Birmingham, like Selly Oak and Stirchley.
Often dubbed the “Queen of the Cotswolds” by travel experts and tour operators, Painswick has also been called the “most magical” town in the UK by holidaymakers on TikTok.
Even though Painswick is fairly small, there are several sites for day trippers to explore including St Mary’s Church.
The church lies in the heart of the town and is surrounded by a churchyard dotted with graves, tombs, and 99 Yew trees.
Another tiny village in the UK has been compared to a retro 1940s film set.
And an abandoned village in England only opens to tourists once a year.
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]]>Bay Area residents hoping to dig out of a Sierra blizzard and return home to jobs and school instead faced heavy, wind-whipped snow that kept shut I-80 through the mountains on Sunday. Caltrans said a break in the weather might provide a fresh opportunity to clear and open the highway on Monday. “We did think […]
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Bay Area residents hoping to dig out of a Sierra blizzard and return home to jobs and school instead faced heavy, wind-whipped snow that kept shut I-80 through the mountains on Sunday. Caltrans said a break in the weather might provide a fresh opportunity to clear and open the highway on Monday.
“We did think we were going home today but we’re stuck here,” said Lexi Esquivel, 15, a sophomore at Dublin High School who was in Truckee with her family for a snowboarding and winter-recreation getaway. “I like the snow, so I’m not really mad, but I do kind of want to go home — I don’t like missing school.”
Her father, Michael Esquivel, a real estate agent, said the family knew the snowstorm could persist, and brought their laptops for jobs and schoolwork. “As long as the power doesn’t go down, we’ll be fine,” he said Sunday.
The blizzard warning had originally been set to expire at Sunday morning, but the National Weather Service extended it to 4 a.m. Monday as mountain communities in the Sierra Nevada attempted to dig out from the biggest snowstorm of the year even as it kept going — and going.
Conditions around Lake Tahoe on Sunday were at times more severe than on Saturday, with brief periods of sunshine giving way to thick snowfall, and winds sweeping built-up snow into roiling clouds and white-out conditions that made driving a life-threatening proposition.
“Even where roads aren’t closed, traffic can still be hazardous with all this snow and wind,” said Sarah Purdue, a meteorologist with NWS Sacramento.
An alternative route home for Bay Area residents who might brave the drive to the south end of Lake Tahoe became a dicey option after a snow slide early Sunday buried the highway at Meyers Road under a few feet of snow, trapping several vehicles. Although the route was quickly cleared, the slide underscored officials’ travel warnings and the risk of additional closures.
Caltrans said at 4 p.m. Sunday that if a predicted break in the weather Monday materialized, I-80 could be reopened at some point.
City of South Lake Tahoe officials warned Sunday afternoon that anyone trying to drive westward from the lake on US 50 should expect “significant” delays from backed-up traffic.
On I-80, where eastbound motorists were being turned back 50 miles past Sacramento and westbound lanes closed at the Nevada state line, Caltrans crews were struggling to prepare for a reopening. “Severe conditions” caused overworked snow-blowing trucks to break down, the agency said.
“We have been down to 2 of 10 blowers at our central hub in Kingvale and 6 out of 20 from Auburn to the Nevada state line,” Caltrans tweeted Sunday afternoon, adding that it could provide no estimate for when the route would open again.
An additional 1 to 2 feet of snow were expected to fall on the western slopes of the Sierra above 4,000 feet until midnight Sunday, with fierce gusts of wind, especially across the peaks.
Up at 6,700 feet of elevation near the Tahoe Donner ski resort on Sunday, Dimitris Sweeney and his brother-in-law Cole Heer, both of San Jose, were toiling with shovels to free their SUV from 5 feet of snow so they could get some runs in at Northstar ski resort, which had but three runs open by noon and six by later in the day. For Sweeney and Heer, the lingering Lake Tahoe blizzard made timing for their returns home uncertain.
“Fingers crossed I’ll be able to leave Wednesday,” said Sweeney, 25, a web designer scheduled to return to work Thursday.
Heer, a U.S. Air Force pilot, 29, said he had originally planned to drive back to San Jose next Thursday. With more snow in the forecast for the coming week, he’s now considering hitting the road “whenever there’s a gap to get home,” he said.
In the Bay Area, impacts of the winter storm have been less severe but still notable. San Francisco saw about 1.6 inches of rain over the last 72 hours, compared with less than an inch in San Jose. Over 2 inches of rain fell on Mt. Tamalpais and the coastal ranges. According to PG&E, over 600 customers were without power as of 1 p.m. Sunday.
Snow totals across the mountains have so far met or exceeded expectations, and mountain communities that were just a month ago at a serious snow deficit are now all but buried. Meteorologists say colder air from a system off the Gulf of Alaska brought in more moisture from the Pacific, which contributed to the especially high snow totals.
The Soda Springs Caltrans station on Sunday morning was reporting 76 inches of snow over a 72-hour period. Yuba Pass was at 72 inches, Tahoe/Donner hit 62, and Mount Rose topped 80 inches.
Bay Area friends Frank McGorman and Michael Shields came up to the Lake Tahoe region Wednesday night because they knew the blizzard was coming and would deliver plentiful snow to ski. But too much of a good thing meant nearly all resort skiing was shut down, so on Sunday they broke out their backcountry ski gear to try a trail near Truckee.
“We’re not going to go where it’s steep, for sure, because of avalanche risk,” said Shields, 64, a Los Gatos commercial real estate broker. McGorman, a retired FBI forensic accountant, intended to drive home to San Carlos on Tuesday to help friends with taxes. But the blizzard was forcing McGorman, like Heer, to be flexible on his departure — and be prepared to help his friends remotely. “If there’s a window I’ll take advantage of it,” said McGorman, 70. “If there isn’t, I’ll just stay up and keep skiing.”
Meteorologists said that after a brief break in the weather expected late Monday morning, another storm may bring yet another foot or two of snow by Monday afternoon.
Near whiteout conditions right now on Donner Pass Road up along the shores of Donner Lake. See our latest dispatch from snow country! https://t.co/4NDv6olt8V #blizzard #tahoe #CAwx pic.twitter.com/xMy3NwB58S
— Tyska (@Tyska) March 3, 2024
By no means is there a lot going on in downtown Truckee this Sunday morning, as the Lake Tahoe blizzard keeps dumping snow pic.twitter.com/t5SNztxQNB
— EthanBaron (@ethanbaron) March 3, 2024
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]]>THE Lake District is home to some of the UK’s most amazing scenery. However, there’s one lesser-known beauty spot in the area that people have described as looking like a natural cathedral due to how impressive it looks. 5 The cave has been described as a natural cathedral insideCredit: Alamy 5 Its roof stands at […]
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THE Lake District is home to some of the UK’s most amazing scenery.
However, there’s one lesser-known beauty spot in the area that people have described as looking like a natural cathedral due to how impressive it looks.
Cathedral Quarry, also known as Cathedral Cave, is a series of interlinked caverns and quarries found near the valley and hamlet of Little Langdale.
The main feature of the network of tunnels is one huge cavern standing at the end of a really long tunnel, known as “The Cathedral”.
Its 40ft high walls have two natural windows letting in the light from outside, creating a unique atmosphere within the cave.
Blogger Walking Englishman described the cave as a “work of art” left over from mining work being conducted in the hills.
He wrote: “Much mining activity leaves scars on the landscape. Not so here, a work of art has been created.
“Within the natural cathedral the acoustics are fine enough to host a small concert. And the hole in the roof. WOW.”
He isn’t the only person to have been amazed by the cavern either, with Lake District Hidden Gems sharing video of it on their Instagram.
They described it as “a true hidden gem and family friendly walk that’s well worth visiting if you love an adventure”.
Their followers were amazed by the cavern, with one writing: “Great place to visit and the views outside are beautiful too.”
Another said: “Place is so pretty. Better in real life.”
A third added: “Been here a few times, what an amazing place.”
Elsewhere, the cave has an overall score of 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor, with one person describing it as “a monument to the Lake District’s beauty”.
They added: “This cave was an incredible example of how small nature can make you feel. Spectacular is an understatement.”
Another reviewer wrote: “Wonder at the raw beauty of Langdale, Lake District country at its best.”
Walkers are able to visit the cavern, which is now managed by the National Trust, according to Visit Cumbria.
WITH decades of experience and hundreds of countries under their belt, the Sun Travel team have shared some of the essential items they always pack on a trip.
Here are some of the game-changing items we always pack – and some will barely cost you a thing.
They recommend bringing lighting for anyone wanting to explore the quarries.
They wrote: “There are various tunnels to explore, which will require lighting, as one is about 400 feet long.”
The quarry is far from the only natural hidden gem found in the Lake District.
There’s a naturally occurring infinity pool overlooking Thirlmere, in the middle of a tiered waterfall.
It’s found just a 10-minute drive south of the town of Keswick.
Visitors have been promised that they will have “the whole place to yourself” because of how unknown the spot is.
The Wasdale Emerald Pool has been described online as a “wild swimming paradise” set among stunning scenery in the Lake District.
The striking blue waters stand out among their green backdrop, with the summit of England’s tallest mountain Scafell Pike in full view on clear days.
Small waterfalls constantly pour fresh water into the pool, providing a gentle peaceful sound for anyone taking a dip.
Meanwhile, Sun Online Travel’s writers listed their favourite hidden gems in the UK.
And these UK beaches are among the best in Europe.
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]]>Fashion content creator and model Mirian Njoh is championing the novel Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune on Canada Reads 2024! Njoh is a passionate reader who loves romance novels — and she’s thrilled to bring the first of the genre to Canada Reads. The great Canadian book debate will take place on March 4-7. This […]
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Fashion content creator and model Mirian Njoh is championing the novel Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune on Canada Reads 2024!
Njoh is a passionate reader who loves romance novels — and she’s thrilled to bring the first of the genre to Canada Reads.
The great Canadian book debate will take place on March 4-7. This year, we are looking for one book to carry us forward.
The debates will be hosted by Ali Hassan and will be broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Listen and on CBC Books. The debates will take place live at 10:05 a.m. ET. You can tune in live or catch a replay on the platform of your choice. Check out all the broadcast details here.
Njoh is a self-described creative multi-hyphenate and an avid reader. She combines her love of photography, fashion, storytelling and modelling in her everyday life as a content creator and model. Working with labels like Valentino, Uniqlo, Nordstrom, Fenty Beauty, Njoh cultivated a following online of over 235,000 followers who look to her for inspiration.
Njoh’s also been featured in Paper magazine, Elle Canada and the Globe and Mail’s best dressed list for her eclectic style. A West African immigrant, she currently lives in Toronto.
As a child, Njoh dreamed of being an author, she told Ali Hassan in a column on The Next Chapter. Because the best writers are voracious readers, this dream had Njoh reading from a young age, she said.
Though she’s championing the only romance book to ever appear on Canada Reads, her first love when it comes to genre was actually horror, but these days she’s got an appetite for all sorts of reading, including both fiction and nonfiction.
“It really just depends on the mood I’m in and what I want the book to do for me,” she told CBC Books in an interview.
Here and Now Toronto5:23Canada Reads, Mirian Njoh is championing the book, “Meet Me at the Lake” by Toronto author Carley Fortune
Despite her varied taste, Njoh was adamant about bringing a romance to the Canada Reads debates.
“There’s such an opportunity to either introduce people to it or change people’s perspective on it,” she said. “Meet Me at the Lake is an amazing gateway to the romance genre.”
While known for tropes and their signature happily ever after, Njoh argues that romance novels have much more to offer than they are often given credit for, Meet Me at the Lake being a prime example.
“It features a full cast of richly developed characters as they navigate their way through romantic love, familial love, and the self love that comes from aligning with your passions and purpose,” Njoh said in her 30-second pitch on CBC Radio’s Commotion.
It inspires and empowers us to reflect on our own lives and values, to see how the choices we make bring us closer to our own happily ever after.– Mirian Njoh on why Meet Me at the Lake should win Canada Reads 2024
“The characters’ experiences provide a road map for what it means to have compassion, show grace, be selfless and find your way home. It inspires and empowers us to reflect on our own lives and values, to see how the choices we make bring us closer to our own happily ever after.”
25:00Book lovers, rejoice — it’s time for Canada Reads!
Meet Me at the Lake finds 32-year-old Fern Brookbanks stuck — she can’t quite stop thinking about one perfect day she spent in her 20s. By chance, she met a man named Will Baxter and the two spent a romantic 24 hours in Toronto, after which they promised to meet up one year later. But Will never showed up.
Now, instead of living in the city like she thought she would, Fern manages her mother’s Muskoka resort by the lake, a role she promised herself she’d never take on.
Disillusioned with her life, Fern is shocked when Will shows up at her door, suitcase in hand, asking to help. Why is he here after all this time and more importantly, can she trust him to stay? It’s clear Will has a secret but Fern isn’t sure if she’s ready to hear it all these years later.
Fortune is a Toronto-based journalist who has worked as an editor for Refinery29, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine and Toronto Life. Meet Me at the Lake is her second novel. Her debut was Every Summer After, a romance about childhood summer friends who reunite years later.
“What I love as a romance reader is watching two people who can feel very real going through real problems and trying to figure themselves out, trying to figure another person out and ultimately there is this happy ending,” Fortune said in an interview on The Next Chapter.
I want people to feel like they’ve snooped on a real relationship and I want to give people an escape.– Carley Fortune
“So you go on this very emotional journey but you feel safe. I needed that when I was reading in 2020 and I needed that as a writer.”
“I think my books do look at tough subjects. Meet Me at the Lake deals with mental health, with grief and loss. But ultimately, I want to give people hope. I want people to feel like they’ve snooped on a real relationship and I want to give people an escape.”
The Next Chapter18:20Blockbuster Canadian romance writer Carley Fortune dives into summer love at the lake.
Meet Me at the Lake also resonated with Njoh because it captures Fern at two moments in her life where she has major decisions to make.
“I think it’s because I’m in that place in my life too, where things can go in so many different directions,” she said. “And ultimately I’m trying to find my path.”
“We see the protagonist through really fundamental years in her life that will ultimately start and keep her on the path for the rest of her life. And we see how she navigates that and we see the choices she makes and we see how she is so imperfectly human. It’s inspiring, it’s freeing, it’s so many things. There’s an opportunity to relate and I think that’s something that I need for me in my life.”
“Carley has such a way with words that she captures the reader whether you are experiencing it now, you haven’t experienced it yet or coming of age is a distant memory for you, at whatever walk of life, it’s going to bring you there with the character.”
The Next Chapter17:47Canada Reads panellist Mirian Njoh and Meet Me At The Lake author Carley Fortune meet for the first time
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]]>Ricki Lake is giving fans a firsthand look into her health journey. Lake shared on Instagram on Feb. 24 that she and her husband, Ross Burningham, had both lost over 30 pounds in the last four months after committing to getting “healthier” toward the end of 2023. In the post, Lake shared several photos documenting their journey, […]
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Ricki Lake is giving fans a firsthand look into her health journey.
Lake shared on Instagram on Feb. 24 that she and her husband, Ross Burningham, had both lost over 30 pounds in the last four months after committing to getting “healthier” toward the end of 2023.
In the post, Lake shared several photos documenting their journey, starting with a snap of the couple taking their daily hike. She also shared two photos of herself taken at the start of their journey, followed by a photo posing in the mirror in workout attire to show off her weight loss.
Lake shared more about her journey in the caption, writing to her followers, “I’ve been wanting to share with you what I’ve been up to these last 4 months.”
“On October 26th, 2023 I made a commitment to myself to get healthier,” she added. “My husband, Ross joined me in this effort. Together we have each lost 30+ lbs.”
Lake wrote that she and Burningham “did this without relying on a pharmaceutical,” likely referring to the rise in celebrities using medications including Ozempic to aid in weight-loss.
“Not that there is anything wrong with that,” she noted. “But neither of us were pre diabetic and both of us felt like we wanted to at least try and do it on our own.”
She said that she was “a bit worried” that she wouldn’t be able to lose weight like she had in the past. She cited her age, 55, as a factor as well as experiencing perimenopause, which is the time before a person enters into menopause.
“I am so so proud of us. I feel amazing. I feel strong,” she wrote. “I will go in depth in another post of what I did exactly, but suffice to say this is the healthiest way I’ve lost weight in all of my years.”
Lake has been on a “self-love and self-acceptance” journey since New Year’s Eve in 2019 when she shaved her head after revealing she suffered from hair loss. She shared the “raw video footage” of the moment for the first time three years later on Instagram.
“In this video, you can see me come to a place of peace, liberation, and most importantly, self-love and self-acceptance,” she wrote in part. “May all of you struggling with whatever also come to a place of peace and acceptance. Life is too damn short.”
She celebrated the four year anniversary of shaving her head at the end of 2023, writing on Instagram, “My transformation was so much more than physical.”
“I faced one of my greatest fears that day,” she added. “I will always acknowledge this anniversary and reflect on the growth and self love that came from my taking this huge leap of faith.”
Prior to the start of her health journey, Lake celebrated herself au naturale in an Instagram post shared in June 2023. In the post, in which she poses nude in an outdoor tub, the former talk show host said she was feeling “grateful.”
“Hands down, these days are the best of my life,” she wrote at the time. “Grateful for all that had to happen for me to get to here. A place of complete self-acceptance and self love.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
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