A snapshot of English summer – on the beach

The coast of England, and many of its towns, popularly known as ‘seaside resorts’ are undergoing something of a renaissance; and I saw more evidence for myself on a vist to Dorset earlier this week.

Background briefing
I bet you didn’t know that Scarborough in Yorkshire was established as the first English seaside resort as early as 1626, when a Mrs Elizabeth Farrow discovered a stream of acidic water running from one of the cliffs south of the town, giving birth to Scarborough Spa, which soon began attracting many visitors to take the waters there. In addition  medical experts including Richard Russell  in 1750 cottoned on to the idea of recommending the health benefits of bathing in Brighton salt water.

Ironically  the health benefits of bathing in salt and mineral rich water in places like Thermae Bath Spa (which I wrote about in September last year) is once again being recognised today -  illustrated by the successful marketing, and efficacy of  natural salt and mineral products sourced from places like the Dead Sea, years after consumers began to sneer at luridly coloured bath salts and bath cubes (remember them!) marketed in  1960s and 70s Britain, and poor sales plummeted the concept into temporary oblivion.

People were only able to travel long distances from urban and industrial concentrations of population to English seaside resorts in large numbers following the arrival of the railways, (which first came to Scarborough in 1845); although a few other easily accessible southern coastal towns such as Bognor Regis, Margate, and Brighton and other more northerly centres such as Morecambe and Skegness had begun to develop an initially local following amongst gentry and royalty. Only the wealthy could afford the expense of travelto the coast by stage coach or carriage, and later, paddle steamer, to escape the stifling and stinking summers suffered in great conurbations like Manchester and London, during the industrial revolution.

Bournemouth, where I found myself last week, is 200 years old this year. The heyday of English seaside resorts, when people came in their droves to enjoy the beaches, amusements and nightlife, ran roughly from the coming of the railway in the mid Victorian era, to the advent of package holidays in the 1970s. Then even the most well established and up market English resorts, including places like Bournemouth, and Torquay in Devon, began to notice the family market for long summer holiday breaks suffering a noticeable decline. The   visitor economy of coastal towns was forced to become more reliant on income from day visitors and people travelling on short breaks  by car as well as train, as the masses increasingly started jetting off to roast on the beach under virtually guaranteed Mediterranean sun.

From the early 1970s, holiday packages at affordable prices were provided by operators such as Thomson, Horizon and Clarksons, and the market for them literally took off, to the detriment of English seaside resorts. It soon necessitated the most seriously affected local authorities in English resorts trying to identify ways and means of regenerating themselves and appealing to new markets. The consequence was a process of re-invention which continues to this day.

The inside track on the rejuvenation of Bournemouth

I saw first hand what happened in Bournemouth in the 1970s, as I was living there as a student at the time. Undoubtedly it was one of the luckier English coastal towns, being blessed with a superb location, on a sweeping bay of golden sand sheltered by low cliffs, punctuated by narrow pathways called ‘chines’. These features allow direct pedestrian access to the beach from the town, which is dotted attractively with pine trees and public gardens.

It also helps that the coast around here enjoys spectacular views, with the protective chalk downlands of Purbeck along the western horizon, the Isle of Wight to the south east, and the New Forest National Park on its eastern fringe, which come together to make Bournemouth a great touring base.

The problem has always been that in England it can rain, even in summer. In the 1970s people who’d grown up used to wet weeks in the English west country, wanted a summer holiday with uninterrupted sunshine, something that seems to have far less importance nowadays. In fact what we now appreciate is that occasional rain has the benefit of keeping the surrounding English countryside relatively green in summer, compared to Mediterranean countries!

For a while, in 1970s Bournemouth, as in other coastal towns, misfits, substance abusers and social outcasts started to move in to vacant accommodation in the more run down area around the Lansdowne and Boscombe. In Bournemouth it was initially the success of English language schools, such as Anglo Continental in Wimborne Road; and later the new University campus at Wallisdown, that helped to turn things around, bringing in large numbers of  students, many coming initially to learn the language; and incidentally taking advantage of the inexpensive accommodation on offer (then). Many enjoyed their time in the town so much that they stayed on after their studies to work in the area, adding to the cosmopolitan atmosphere, and helping to secure Bournemouth’s  future success.

The Bournemouth International Centre then opened in 1984 to replace the ageing  Winter Gardens on the West Cliff, and The Pavilion (which has now been restored) in the centre of town, as a conference venue. This helped bring in more year-round business, and prevented the defection of valuable regular business from political party conferences and other organised groups, as well as providing a new venue for concerts by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, contemporary musicians and other events and productions.

It’s undoubtedly helped that Bournemouth has had a lot of great PR for high profile seafront housing development, especially in Branksome and the Sandbanks Peninsula; but also for the regenerated Boscombe area and its controversial surf beach, which I wrote about in November last year. Although coverage received by this latter project has been more mixed, from the evidence of my recent visits I still think it’s likely to be destined for long term success, assuming that the surf reef’s remaining teething problems can be successfully ironed out. The town has also helped put itself on the map with regular open air continental markets held in The central Square, and The Bournemouth Balloon, a tethered installation which ascends to a height of over 150 metres, and allows spectacular views up to 20 miles distant from its base in the Lower Gardens.

Similar spectacular coastal view experiences are also available at Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays and Brighton is planning a new tower, i360 at West Pier.

Summer 2010 highlights

If you’re looking to hire a surf pod at Boscombe surf beach or a beach hut on your visit to Bournemouth this summer you can book online subject to availability on the Visit Bournemouth website.

You’ll also find some great beachfront cafes strung out along Bournemouth Bay. When I visited the excellent Bistro on the Beach at Southbourne for lunch on a cloudy Wednesday last week, there were no window tables left by 12.45, so if you want one make sure you get there early! They also open for breakfast and for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, and a new takeaway kiosk has opened for the first time there this year. There’s another well located beachfront cafe at Branksome, and the exclusive Cafe Shore at Sandbanks looks great, but I haven’t actually tried either personally, as yet.

If you want an adrenaline rush and a ‘guaranteed bad hair day’ during your visit, it’s on offer on high speed powerboat trips around Bournemouth Bay and further afield, at Adventure cruises of Christchurch, based at nearby Mudeford Quay. Bournemouth Air Festival, an annual event in August offers a more exciting land based spectacle.

I understand that day trips to Bournemouth, and Weymouth, location of the sailing events for the London 2012 games, by steam train from London are available on limited dates this summer. More information. I have no experience of this operator, so my mention of this service cannot constitute a recommendation.

If you like what I write
If you’re part of an organisation looking to outsource PR or marketing services, or want help with your digital content strategy, my company Manifold Associates could provide the solution you’re looking for.  We’re happy to work with existing suppliers in a collaborative environment, and can work with your team to identify and brief new types of specialist service providers you might need, such as professional photographers. Contact us for more information.

Until next time…

Antifreeze! Floating towards a less stressful existence

Are you enjoying yourself working hard, or have you taken a day off today? And are you fed up with another week of freezing weather? On my regular dog walk yesterday, the frost crystals crunching underfoot looked more like encrustations of coral. Today, more snow has covered up all the pretty ice formations and restricted transport on the roads of Kent once again. It’s easy to get tensed up with a feelings of enforced inactivity…  so let’s get positive, and think about relaxation, and how to achieve it. After all, it’s still the aim of many a holiday to escape the daily grind and recharge your mental batteries.

Did you hear what happened to Hannibal Helmurto?

The London circus performer accidentally hypnotised himself, using a mirror, while trying to learn how to relax in preparation for his sword swallowing routine; and had to be roused by his wife after spending 5 hours in a self induced trance.

Interviewed following the incident, he was reported by the Daily Mail to have enjoyed an experience so pleasant that his body was absolutely relaxed and floating, to the extent that he literally forgot the things around him.

I’m envious; but rather than going to down the  more extreme path chosen by Hannibal to help himself achieve a state of utter blissful relaxation, what can we do to help ourselves relax away from the office? And, if you’re involved in a tourism or hospitality business, what activities are likely to be the most effective, or indeed popular, to induce the desired effect for your guests.

Is hypnotism the answer?

Personally speaking, I’m very wary of getting involved in anything too alternative like hypnotism, let alone self hypnosis.  Like most people I guess I do like to retain control of my own mind and body, except when I’m asleep of course.

I’ve seen a live performance of hypnotism (on a summer holiday at the Coral Beach Hotel in Paphos, Cyprus). It looked pretty convincing; but no way would I have joined the volonteers and go up on stage to be hypnotised. Actually I think you have to believe that hypnotism is going to work on you in order for it to work on you.

Fun with safety

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind having a bit of fun, or even occasionally making a fool of myself while I’m away, as long as I stay safe. Indeed, many  years back I rushed up on stage at Universal Studios in California and successfully volonteered to be an extra in a reconstruction of a scene in one of those airport disaster movies. This involved being filmed jumping into a large tank of water fully clothed (luckily they did provide a change of clothes). Somehow I think those type of films would be seen as being in poor taste nowadays; and no doubt health and safety would ban the idea of jumping into a water tank as well anyway.

There are plenty of people who relax by enjoying themselves playing sport, or who welcome the adrenaline rush they get from the more extreme sports like kite surfing, zorbing, white water rafting,  canyoning, or bungee jumping.  Here incidentally, it’s absolutely vital that you entrust your life to a professional operator and check that you’re satisfied with their credentials.

Actually I’ve enjoyed the feeling of safe exhilaration you get from the less extreme roller coasters like Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World; (as long as they don’t go backwards or upside down).  Overall though, I’m not much of a risk taker, and I’m not good at sport. If you’re someone like me who tends to be competitive as well, none of this really adds up to a recipe for relaxation.

What I really dream of is achieving a state of mental relaxation when I’m away from home; so this week, I got thinking about activities that can help people like me, and probably other people too, to relax mentally.

Relaxing spa treatments

I’m extremely fortunate to live quite close to a great day spa, and I’m an avid fan of spa treatments in general, as an aid to mental relaxation following a hectic period at work. I’ve almost been through the menu of treatments at Kalmora Spa, and always come away feeling renewed and relaxed.

My particular favourites are twofold. One is a rejuvenating Aquablitz facial, which includes a mineral mud based face mask. In my experience this never fails to  calm down any sensitive skin breakouts. My other favourite is a full body hot stone massage. This latter treatment is available in many spas nowadays, and is well worth the investment of an hour and a half of your precious time. The stones used at Kalmora are ultra smooth rounded pebbles of Hawaiian basalt lava, heated to aid the relaxation process. They don’t feel in the least bit scratchy on the skin, and the masseuse uses them with slight pressure, and the moisture from a blend of essential oils, to knead away the knots in tense muscles.

I find massage more effective in inducing a feeling of relaxation if it’s preceded by a short session in a floatation tank beforehand.  Actually non competitive swimming is great for general relaxation, because of the way water supports the weight of your body. Take care that you’re not suffering from any minor custs and scratches if you try a floatation tank, since they’ll get irritated by the high strength saltwater solution used (or seal them up with a liberal slather of  mosturising lotion beforehand). There’s no need to worry about claustrophobia. The tank I’ve used is like a shallow swimming pool within an airy wet room environment. If you have any doubts ask to see the treatment room before you commit to go ahead with a booking.

Some more ways to relax

Take time out to lie flat on the floor and bend your legs, keeping them and your knees and feet hip distance apart, with the soles of your feet also flat on the floor. This is great for your spine after a day of hectic sightseeing or shopping.

Here are a few other ideas:

• Take up Pilates  and learn how to pull up your pelvic floor and improve posture.
• Join a yoga class. Hotels and places like Club Med often run them outdoors.
• Enjoy the view from the top of a hill or mountain. Breathe deeply.
• Go on a boat trip. Salty sea air and breezes are particularly relaxing. For me being a passenger on a sailing boat in a gentle breeze offers the ultimate in relaxation
• Learn how to fish. I once had a driving instructor who swore that this was the best way to relax after a stressful day.
• Try committing to regular meditation. To see if  it might work for you, start by staring towards a naked candle flame for a couple of minutes.
• Visit an art gallery and decide for yourself your favourites amongst the works on display
• Enjoy the natural fragrance of flowers in a garden.

Until next time…

In pursuit of hedonism

The Romans would have appreciated Chelsea Physic Garden, which I visited for the first time this week. I whiled away a glorious late summer afternoon in this fragrant four acre oasis, hidden away from bustling London streets. At the end of a fascinating guided tour my companions and I sipped tea in the dappled shade of the restaurant terrace, splitting lavender scones and spreading them with clotted cream and golden mirabelle conserve. It was a veritable feast for the senses.

A Roman favourite

The Romans were great fans of hedonistic pursuits as an antidote to the stresses of urban life. I’m certain they were particularly delighted when they discovered a place in Britain, one of the chillier outposts of their empire, that had natural hot springs, heated to almost 45 degrees Centigrade/113 Fahrenheit,  similar to those found back where they came from in Italy.

The Romans took over and expanded a local settlement which had already grown up around the springs, naming it Aquae Sulis after the Celtic water goddess Sul, for whom they cunningly claimed an honorary association with Minerva, their goddess of wisdom and healing. They were the first in a long line of people to exploit the springs commercially, when they built public baths on the site, which was presided over by an impressive bronze staue of Minerva, unearthed by excavations in 1727.

Today we simply call the city  Bath. The entire city was declared a World Heritage site in 1987. Of course people still visit the Roman Baths; but they are not allowed to bathe, although you can drink the hot thermal water from a fountain in the Pump Room. It contains 43 minerals and has a rather unusual taste.

To enjoy an authentic Roman spa and bathing experience in Bath today, you simply must visit the city’s Thermae Bath Spa. It’s unique in Britain, being the country’s  only natural thermal water spa. Although the city’s larger hotels  offer spa facilities, they cannot replicate the thermal mineral water experience on offer at Thermae.

The Thermae experience

Spa sessions in the New Royal Bath at Thermae can’t be pre-booked unless you come in a group of 8 or more. Prices start at £22 for a two hour session, which we found perfectly adequate. The cost of a towel, robe and slippers are not included in the price, so you can save money by bringing your own; but you definitely can’t manage without – you wouldn’t want to miss the rooftop pool which enjoys a fabulous panorama of the city! If you want to enjoy any treatments in addition to bathing,  you must pre-book them, at additional cost. The time taken up by treatments is added on to your spa session.

When you arrive at Thermae you’re given a wrist band which records your entry time. There are clocks that enable you to keep an eye on the time, but beware if you overstay, you’ll be charged extra when you exit. All the pools are 1.35 metres deep and children under 16 are not permitted.

Over 1 million litres of mineral rich water flow from the Hetling and Cross thermal springs that feed the Thermae complex each day. The pleasantly warm water, heated naturally at a depth of around 2km below the city, is pumped around the modern multistorey spa building in the centre of town, and is served up under varying degrees of pressure and aeration. The water from the springs is believed to have originally fallen as rain 10,000 years ago, which gradually percolated down to be heated by the hot rocks deep below, which forced it back to the surface!

I recommend starting with a soak in Thermae’s panoramic rooftop  pool, which has fountains and underwater jets. One floor down is a suite of 3 steam rooms (where you can steam relax amid scents of either lavender, frankinsense or  euclyptus/mint respectively), a huge central shower  pre programmed with varying pressure phases, and a set of foot spas into which you dangle your feet from a marble relaxation area.

There’s a restaurant floor (which gets busy at lunchtime), but if you patronise it, you get an extra 45 minutes loaded onto on your wristband. Finally there’s a large indoor  pool with a maelstrom style whirlpool to one side, and some poolside fountains that offer a great shoulder massage if you get your timing right.

My conclusion? Even if you don’t book any extra treatments it’s a world class relaxation experience that shouldn’t be missed. I noticed that my skin felt really soft for a couple of days afterwards. For more information visit the website

Staying, shopping and dining in Bath

It was a good choice for us to stay at the McDonald Bath Spa Hotel. We were able to park our car there free of charge, and we found it a pleasant 10 minute walk into the city across Pulteney Bridge. We booked half board and dined nightly in the hotel’s elegant Vellore restaurant, so didn’t try anywhere else; although I heard that Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall has recently opened up in the city. If you want to push the boat out even more try the Relais and Chateaux Royal Crescent Hotel. For self catering accommodation, an increasingly popular option in cities, especially for families, try Saco Bath apartments or Fountain House .

There’s a shop at both Thermae Bath Spa and the Roman Baths; but for more hedonistic retail therapy dont miss Culpeper, a Bath based herbalist which sells their own brand of essential oils, potions and fragrances. You’ll find them at 28 Milsom Street.

You’ll probably be interested to learn that there’s a free daily walking tour of Bath available for visitors.  Jane Austen fans might enjoy the tour by a costumed guide that operates at weekends and bank holidays. Alternatively   you might like to go on a treasure hunt in Bath: in which all the clues can be solved by observation.  More information about Bath

Further background reading

Much of Jane Austen’s novel ‘Northanger Abbey’ is set in Bath; and it’s a location visited by Mr Pickwick in Charles Dickens’s novel ‘The Pick wick Papers’. Read ‘The Apothecaries Garden’ by Sue Minter for more information about the history of The Chelsea Physic Garden, or visit their website

Until next time…