When it comes to Peak District walks, they don’t come much more iconic than Kinder Scout – but if you absolutely cannot be bothered to walk to the highest point in the national park, have you tried its gentler little sister before?
Way further down at the head of the Kinder Valley you’ll find Kinder Reservoir, which allows for a much easier walk that still has some of the best views in the Peak District.
On even the most simple of loops of the beautiful body of water you’ll go through woodland, over little wooden bridges and stepping stones, along footpaths by the water and across fields full of sheep.
It’s one of the most diverse walks you can do in the Peak District and packs a lot into just a few kilometres.
Kinder Reservoir is also a beautiful walk in all seasons, going from bright green fields in spring and summer, through to the pretty purple heather later in summer, shades of orange and red in autumn and dramatic frost-covered landscapes in winter.
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You’ll pass within sight of the impressive Kinder Downfall waterfall too, and the dramatic crags of High Peak.
If you start your walk from the car parks nearest Kinder Reservoir (but be warned, they can get full quickly), you’ll be looking at a circular route that’s just sky of 7km and should take you two hours.
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Views on a walk around Kinder Reservoir in the Peak DistrictHead to the Pack Horse Hayfield after your walk
But you can also factor in a trip to the closest village of Hayfield, a classic Peak District village with stone cottages and cosy pubs.
The best pub here is, of course, the award-winning The Pack Horse, which is in the Michelin Guide and also the Top 50 Gastropubs.
It’s a pub where you can have a world-class meal that shows off the best of British produce, while sipping an ale, with muddy boots on your feet.
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The Pack Horse also serves an amazing roast and a fantastic pre-hike breakfast.
If you fancy taking on this Kinder Reservoir walk in the Peak District, you can view routes either HERE with All Trails, or HERE with the National Trust.
As always when you’re walking in winter, make sure you have suitable clothing and footwear, good maps, and factor in daylight hours.
A popular staycation company is recruiting for a hot tub holiday tester
Daisy Jackson
The UK’s leading self-catering holiday brand is currently on the look-out for someone to test its hot tub holidays.
Look, it’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it…
Hoseasons, which operates more than 29,000 places to stay in coastal and countryside settings throughout Britain, is now on the hunt for a Chief Relaxation Officer.
The new ‘CRO’ will be responsible for testing out some of the many Hoseasons hot tub holidays on offer around the UK.
The successful candidate will be tasked with going on five two-night hot tub breaks, with a plus one, and with all travel and food expenses covered.
And in return, they’ll just need to document their local holiday with ‘inspiring and engaging’ content that can be shared on the Hoseasons social media channels.
So no, it’s not a salaried role, but you will get to sample some of the best hot tub breaks around the UK, with a friend, in exchange for showing off your trip.
Hoseasons says you’ll ‘need to be serious about creating great content, passionate about UK holidays and – most importantly – love hot tub breaks!’
Hoseasons is recruiting a hot tub holiday tester. Credit: The Manc Group
Gemma Brown, general manager at Hoseasons, said: “Hoseasons has long been at the forefront of providing unforgettable hot tub experiences, and we’re now taking that legacy a step further by offering one lucky winner the chance to enjoy the ultimate series of hot tub getaways.
“As our Chief Relaxation Officer, they’ll explore some of the UK’s finest hot tub breaks, gaining insight into why we’re considered the leaders in crafting moments of true relaxation.
“With guests’ preferences evolving and the demand for indulgent getaways rising, we’re redefining what it means to unwind in style.”
Hoseasons says it’s seen a five percent increase in total bookings year-on-year in January.
The Chief Relaxation Officer will receive:
Five 2-night hot tub breaks at stunning Hoseasons locations
Travel expenses covered (up to £300)
Food expenses covered (up to £200)
An exclusive CRO title
To apply, you can submit an entry form and short video HERE.
Manchester has been named one of the UK’s top car theft ‘hotspots’
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has unfortunately been named one of the UK’s top car theft ‘hotspots’, according to a new analysis.
In recent months, Greater Manchester has been earning itself some rather impressive new titles, with wins across areas such as property prices, arts and culture, and so much more… but when you win some, it seems like you also lose some.
That’s because a data analysis of car theft statistics across the UK in 2024 has sadly seen Manchester named in the top 10 ‘hotspots’.
Although motor thefts were found to have decreased by 6% in the previous year, there was still a whopping 61,343 cars reported stolen to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in 2024, which marked the third-highest annual total in the past decade.
The number of car thefts in 2024 was actually more than twice the number recorded in 2015.
Manchester has been named one of the UK’s top car theft ‘hotspots’ / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Analysis of the data from This is Money and MailOnline, as shared by the RAC, highlighted that East London was the worst affected area in the UK, but Manchester wasn’t too far behind.
Manchester took the third spot on the top 10 list, with a total of 912 cars reported stolen in 2024 alone, while some of the other northern cities on the ranking include Leeds and Sheffield.
It comes as no surprise, however, that at the top of the list is the capital of London, with a shockingly-high 8,145 cars stolen last year.
Top 10 UK car theft ‘hotspots’ 2024
London – 8,145
Birmingham – 3,220
Manchester – 912
Leeds – 901
Sheffield – 899
Coventry – 862
Wolverhampton – 616
Leicester – 533
Walsall – 521
Bristol – 506
According to the analysis, there are several ways that criminals are choosing to steal cars nationwide, with one of the most popular being key cloning, where a thief creates a copy of a car’s key fob or key to gain access to the vehicle.
This technique is particularly common with modern cars that use keyless entry and push-to-start systems, which communicate with the car through radio signals.
Daisy Jackson -
28th December 2024 
