Glenshee Seeks to Boost Summer Tourism

Perhaps an undervisited area in Scotland can be found in the "glen of the fairies" or Glenshee, to give the area its proper name.

Glenshee is a fascinating place with a rich history. Indeed for over a thousand years it has marked Scotland's hidden route north to the highlands.

Glenshee is found in the North-East corner of Perthshire and is perhaps most famous in Scotland for being one of the main snowsports centres in Scotland during the winter months.

Indeed, Glenshee can claim to be the largest snow resort in Scotland (and the UK) with no less than 38 runs on offer to ski and snowboard enthusiasts.

 With the last couple of winters in Scotland being colder than average, snow fall has been good and Glenshee has welcomed thousands of visitors to the slopes.

Yet the unpredictability of the Scottish winter season has meant that Glenshee has not been able to invest in uplift as much as it would have liked.

 As such over the last couple of decades the facilities on offer have perhaps been in need of a little face lift.
The authorities have decided that the time has come to boost summer tourism for this beautiful part of Scotland, in the manner that Cairngorm Mountain has successfully done with the completion of the Cairngorm Mountain Railway.

Walkers and Cyclists can now enjoy the mountains around Aviemore with ease.

 This has boosted revenue and allowed investment to take place for snowsport facilities.

As such, the Glenshee Heather Festival has been established and now takes place from August until September every year.

This festival incorportes a range of activities including arts and crafts, food markets, guided walks and cycle rides, a real ale festival and numerous Highland Games.

All these activities contribute to a real buzz in the area and visitors can now enjoy various activities as well as the astonishingly beautiful landscape around the "glen of the fairies".

There is something on offer for all the family if you visit the area during the festival.

As well as the various markets, stalls and festivals, guided walks and cycles are on offer in abundance - get out in to the hills in one of the UK's highest regions.

Plenty of climbing to be done here!

 If you prefer travelling on wheels, pedal power can also be of use here, either on road, where cyclists can enjoy quiet country roads with limited motor traffic, or on trails, where mountain bikers will be in their element.

The increased economic activity in Glenshee will be fantastic for the area and will perhaps help in the eventual updating of the winter uplift network, which will undoubtedly be greeted with delight by the snow sports crowd.

Marius Bezuidenhout enjoyed a recent visit to the Glenshee Heather Festival and stayed in an East Perthshire Guest House.

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Could Steam Travel's Return Boost Tourism in South West Scotland?

On Saturday 10th April, Stranraer, in South West Scotland, witnessed the historic event of a steam locomotive returning to the town - the first time a steam-powered train has run on the Stranraer to Ayr section of line since 1967.

The double-headed steam train was powered by two Stanier Black Fives, as part of the Railway Touring Company's 9 day tour of the UK, under the name of "Great Britain III." It is hoped that this could become a regular event in this largely forgotten part of Dumfries and Galloway, boosting tourism in the area.

Because of the tourism potential, the Stranraer to Ayr Line Support Association (SAYLSA) organised a welcoming party of Wigtownshire based businesses, including the Whithorn Trust, Stena Line and Cream o' Galloway.

There were also two pipers on hand to greet tourists.

 Whilst the train was stationary, SAYLSA distributed leaflets on local attractions such as Castle Kennedy Gardens, the Dark Skies Park, Wigtown Book Festival, Bladnoch Distillery and the Whithorn Story to passengers on the train carriages.

Also supporting this initiative are the Wigtownshire Chambers of Commerce, who have plans to lay on coach trips from the station in Stranraer to visitor attractions and scenic areas of the region if railway tourism proved to be a success in the area.

A similar scheme in Yorkshire attracts thousands of people to the area each year.
Steam returning to Stranraer was only a dream for SAYLSA 3 years ago, when Managing Director of the Railway Touring Company (RTC), Nigel Dobbing said he would consider the option.

Fast forward to 2010 and that dream became a reality with the RTC extending the tour by a day in order to include the Stranraer to Ayr section of line.

On this glorious sunny day, around a thousand people gathered at Stranraer station to watch Stanier Black Fives 44871 and 45407 pull in 11 carriages.

The atmosphere was buzzing. Every bridge, level crossing and station in the area was crowded with hundreds more spectators.

A significant number gathered at Dunragit where the staff of West Coast Railways had to perform a shunting manoeuvre to move one the engines to the back.

 From Ayr onwards, the train was pulled by both Stanier Blacks in order to tackle two steep climbs between Girvan and Barrhill. Whilst in Stranraer, the engines took on water and carried out some more shunting, to move both engines to the front again for the steep climb on the return journey.

 It is hoped that the success of this event will be replicated when steam trains return to the Stranraer line on October 2nd - this time using engines 70013 (Oliver Cromwell) and 45305 (Black Five).

This new boost in tourism may be short lived though if plans by D&G Council and SWSTRANS go ahead.

 As part of Stranraer's regeneration, the existing station is due to be demolished and rebuilt as a modern interchange a few hundred yards away, unable to accommodate steam trains.

 By proving that the tourist trains can provide a boost the local economy, local businesses hope to be able to stop this action and continue enjoying the benefits of steam railway tourism for many years to come.

Mike Harrison is a web professional and photographer, who also happens to be webmaster for Visit Stranraer and the Rhins [http://www.visittherhins.co.uk/] - a tourist information site for this largely forgotten but very beautiful part of South West Scotland.

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The Golden Years of Minnesota Tourism

From the 1860's through the 1930's, Minnesota was a travel Mecca for sportsmen and woodswomen from the east coast and the deep south.

It was touted as "America's Favorite Fun-spot," "The Ideal Destination for Out-of-door Vacations," and America's Vacation Wonderland," among other fanciful titles. People from New York to Alabama climbed aboard James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway to get a glimpse of the new frontier, rumored to have more than 10,000 lakes.

In the early days, the rustic areas surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul were teeming with visitors searching for pristine, natural settings.

 The Twin City Trolley Line ran tracks from the cities to rural communities, such as Stillwater, the birthplace of Minnesota, and Lake Minnetonka, a sprawling irregular body of water with many islands and over 100 miles of shoreline.


Steamboat companies sprang up to accommodate the many travelers hoping for tours of the breathtaking St. Croix River Valley and the many bays of Lake Minnetonka.

The tour boats were followed by grand Victorian hotels with expansive views, electric lights and running water.

The trolley car company built three spectacular amusement parks within 15 miles of Minneapolis and St.

Paul - the most scenic of which was Big Island Park, built on an island in the middle of Lake Minnetonka.

This park featured a dance hall, a network of charming promenades and a towering electric light house that was visible from all points of the lake.

Massive steamships, including the "City of St. Louis" which could carry 1,000 passengers, ferried visitors to and from the island.

As the railroads pushed further north, tourists ventured into the central regions of Minnesota, including Alexandria, the Chain of Lakes north of Brainerd, and Lake of the Woods at Warroad on the Canadian border. Rustic log resorts sprang up on popular lakes, offering hunting, fishing, sailing, hiking, golf and tennis, among other outdoor pass-times.

One of the most enduring resorts is the Naniboujou Lodge, which is still located on the shores of Lake Superior.

 This fabulous get-away was built in the 1920's. It's cavernous great room was decorated from floor to ceiling with magnificent Cree Indian hieroglyphs.

A huge river rock fireplace anchors one end of the room, which is filled with rustic, but cozy furniture.

Regular visitors included Babe Ruth and Ring Lardner, the New York newspaperman.

Another famous get-away, still in-tact, is Breezy Point Resort, a wonderful assortment of cabins surrounding a classic log lodge on a point in Pelican Lake.

This was the quintessential 1920's rustic Minnesota vacation spot, with a fleet of boats for rent, fishing guides and long, sandy beaches surrounded by tall pine and birch trees.

It was built by "Captain" Billy Fawcett, publisher of the popular "Whiz Bang" magazine. Captain Billy was well-known in Hollywood and Breezy Point soon became a favorite fun-spot for the likes of Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, western star Tom Mix and boxer Jack Dempsey.

 As Minnesota's travel industry grew, the newly founded Minnesota Department of Tourism began publishing promotional posters and travel guides.

Minnesota had already become a favorite destination for graphic artists, and the quality of these promotional materials was among the best in the nation.

Pamphlets and prints featured marvelous pastoral scenes of bathing beauties, rugged sportsmen and unspoiled vacation spots, accompanied by charmingly romantic advertising text.

Many examples of these promotional materials, representing the golden years of Minnesota tourism, can be seen at http://www.MinnesotaPosters.com.

Chris Foote is a resident of Deephaven, a sleepy village on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. He is a painter and graphic artist who restores vintage travel materials in his spare time, reproducing them as fine art prints. To see examples of vintage Minnesota travel posters, please visit:
www.MinnesotaPosters.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Foote

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