With thousands of reviews left by the Great British public each day, TripAdvisor truly is the gift that keeps on giving.
Whether it’s an opinion on a restaurant, hotel, or popular tourist attraction you’re after, or just a general review of a place you’ve never been to before, people tend to refer to TripAdvisor if they’re looking for a genuine account of the user experience.
Of course though, we also know it’s the place to go if you fancy a laugh from time to time.
Given that the tourism platform is open to everyone to have their say, it also attracts its fair share of comical reviews, with some so ridiculous and down-right unbelievable that they’ll have you questioning if they’re actually serious or not.
And now, the Lake District has proved to be the punching bag once again – this time for one of its most notorious roads.
A recent review of Hardknott Pass in Broughton-in-Furness – which is known is one of the UK’s most challenging roads to drive on, given that it has a gradient of one in three, and several sharp and steep bends with an unpredictable surface – has seen one tourist brand it “hell on earth”.
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Tourist calls notorious Lake District road ‘hell on earth’ in hilarious TripAdvisor review / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The lengthy – and pretty hilarious – review left in December 2022 reads: “Gorgeous views, but this road is HELL ON EARTH.
“Daddy thought it would be fun to set off on a little ‘drive through the hills’ on this soggy Lake District Day. Decided to head up this road so we could take the children to visit the Roman Ruins. Had a nice little look around and then thought it would be clever to crack on even further up the road, but holy cr*p.
“Hairpin turns so steep and tight I thought we were all going to die.
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“My 10-year-old son to the rear right of me asking for his inhaler due to a full blown panic attack. Eight-year-old daughter directly behind me pulling my hair yelling ‘yaaaaaaaaaaas’ and ‘yeeeehaaaaawwwww’ round every bend like she is riding a horse. 26-week-old foetus in my stomach punching the living daylights out of me from inside me due to severe dislike of possible G-Forces.
“Husband to my right with white knuckles on the steering wheel and a toothy, nervous grin that made him look like Wallace from Wallace and Gromit for a good twenty minutes.”
She ended the brilliantly-detailed review urging other tourists to “do yourself a favour and walk it instead.”
Can’t really argue with that.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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You can now stay at Shrek’s Swamp on Airbnb — yes, really
Danny Jones
Are you a Dreamworks fan or perhaps an onion/ogre enthusiast? Well, you can now book to stay at Shrek’s Swamp in a land far, far away… and it’s completely free!
‘What are you doing in my swamp?!’ is something that Shrek may roar at you as you lay your weary head in his humble abode this autumn but now, thanks to Airbnb, you’re actually welcome to stay there.
So, if you’re thinking of treating yourself to a getaway, forget the romantic vistas of Rome, say nay to the breathtaking views of the Amalfi Coast and revel in the mud-laden, moss-covered surroundings of Shrek’s very own swamp instead.
For those looking to live out their swampiest childhood fairytale dreams, Airbnb is giving you the opportunity to escape to the Scottish Highlands and embrace your ogre-like tendencies.
Credit: Airbnb
Bookings for this special stay open on Friday, 13 October at 6pm and, if you’re lucky, up to three of you will be picked to enjoy a two-night swamp stay at absolutely no cost to yourselves from 27-29 October. A nice pre-Halloween treat.
You’ll need to make sure you have a good rating on Airbnb to stand a chance of being chosen and, if you are, you can expect the following:
To relax in the ambience of ‘earwax candlelight’
Kick your feet up with a parfait (everybody likes a parfait!)
Swap stories around the fire until late in the night
Enjoy a stack of freshly made waffles in the morning
And, of course, enjoy the ultimate privacy of Shrek’s trusted outhouse (you know the one)
The Airbnb website also states: “To honour good childhood memories that last a lifetime, Airbnb will make a one-time donation to HopScotch Children’s Charity, which provides some of Scotland’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children with respite breaks through nurturing and dynamic holiday trips.”
Guests must also note that the shower and toilet facilities are located 20 metres away from the swamp and that those chosen to stay must make their own travel arrangements to and from Scotland.
Might we suggest a fairytale-style horse and carriage shaped like an onion? No reason…
To find out more and to place your booking on 13 October, visit the Shrek Swamp listing on Airbnb.
A radio station playing only Christmas tunes 24/7 is back on air in the UK
Emily Sergeant
It’s that time of year again… a radio station playing only Christmas tunes 24/7 is now back on the airwaves in the UK.
Too early to say the ‘C word’? Never mind, you’ve already clicked on this article.
Autumn may have only just started, and we may still have all the fun of Halloween and Bonfire Night to get stuck into first, but for some people, the festive feels are already in the air – but whether or not you’re in the camp of it being too early to talk about Christmas at this point, it’ll soon be pretty tricky to escape from.
Especially not when a radio station that’s dedicated to playing non-stop Christmas bangers has just relaunched in the UK.
You heard that right – Christmas songs, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
For that person in your life who just LOVES Christmas… Heart Xmas is back! 🎄
With only 94 days to go until the big day, we’ve pressed play on our favourite festive station ☃️
If you’re the type that’s got Mariah blasting in September, and like to start the day with Slade baring out loud, then you should be absolutely made up to hear that Heart Radio has revealed its much-loved festive station, Heart Xmas, is now back up and running.
With just over three months to go until the big day, Heart Xmas has switched-on earlier than ever before this year, and is now live to listen to on DAB digital radio and online via Global Player.
Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, The Pogues, Wham!, Wizzard, Slade, and Shakin Stevens are just some of the artists with those classic Christmas hits you can expect to hear in the run-up to December, as Heart says its dedicated Christmas station promises to bring listeners “the ultimate festive soundtrack at all hours of the day”.
A radio station playing only Christmas tunes 24/7 is back on air in the UK / Credit: Vevo
Done denying the festive season’s just round the corner?
If you’re on board and fancy getting into the Christmas spirit, then you can now tune into the Heart Xmas radio on your DAB digital radio, Global Player, or via the Heart website.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd March 2023 
