Golf & Cycling in the South of France

March 5, 2010February 16, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The best way to spend an afternoon and get some exercise…cycling from Gallician to Aigues-Mortes! While onboard Le Phenicien on a trip to the South of France, I discovered that the 18-passenger luxury barge has a selection of bikes on board; whenever the barge is docked, you can take a bike and tour round the various towns and, of course, stop for a rose wine en route! During the trip I was able to cycle ahead of the barge, leaving from Gallician and arriving in front of the Le Phenicien at Aigues-Mortes. The cycle – with a stop for lunch – took me just around 1 hour and 45 minutes; such a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. I travelled along the canal path, which was very easy to follow and the scenery was so picturesque. On arrival at Aigues-Mortes, I could watch the arrival of Le Phenicien as I had left earlier than the barge and arrived in advance of its mooring.

One late afternoon on the trip I also cycled and explored the town of Arles; a fantastic small town with many exciting places to visit and delicious food to sample. Arles has some impressive Roman monuments, of which the earliest – the arena, the Roman theatre and the cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) – date back to the 1st century B.C. I visited The Thermae of Constantine, the remains are part of a vast group of buildings dating from the 4th century. Simply spectacular to visit and using the bikes onboard is the easiest way to see everything in these small historic towns – and allows you to burn off some of the calories consumed during your trip!

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our team members who handles our South Pacific programs.

The Birthplace of Guinness

February 28, 2010February 1, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

A trip to Dublin is a must when visiting the Emerald Isle. Whilst there, I recommend you take in all that the city has to offer; whether it be the history, local sights, the amazing cuisine or the local liquor. On a recent trip there, I decided to do some sightseeing associated with the latter. Everyone is familiar with Ireland’s number one export “Guinness” and the associated side effects. I therefore decided to educate myself on the origins of this beer and the brewing process.

The Galaxy Bar in the Guiness Storehouse

The museum is shaped to resemble a pint glass and is set over 7 floors, enclosed in one of the original brewing storehouses in Dublin. The tour educates you about every single aspect of the brewing process and the history/origins of this national drink. If, like me, the idea of climbing seven floors makes your knees shake, please do not let this put you off, as at the end of every rainbow is a pot of gold…and this is no exception. Upon scaling the dizzy heights you are rewarded with a free pint of Guinness in The Gravity Bar, where you can relax and take in the best view the city has to offer.

Click here to read all about the Guinness Storehouse.

By Jonny Ferguson. Jonny has been with PerryGolf for over 2 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

Le Phenicien ~ French Barge Trip

February 24, 2010February 6, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Having never been to the south of France, I was delighted that I was able to travel on our Provence River Cruise program onboard the 18-passenger luxury barge Le Phenicien. It is certainly THE way to travel; the food is outstanding and the service is second to none…a real home from home.

One of the highlights on the program was a trip to a local manade; a typical ranch, where the gardians à cheval (the local authentic cowboys) showed us how they tend the herds of bulls on their white horses. The ranch is located in Camargue, a short distance from when Le Phenicien was docked. On arrival we were greeted by the family who owned the range and the tour began with a display of bull herding out in the open – the weather was perfect and the display was not disappointing. On returning to the ranch, it was of great interest to learn of the history of the horses, bulls and the ranch.

Tasty snacks and excellent wine (amongst other delights) were supplied during the tour. It was fascinating to discover that the family spend every day in the traditional gardians à cheval clothing – an excellent part of the program – and the family could not have been more welcoming to their visitors. It was certainly a memorable and special experience.

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our team members responsible for the South Pacific programs.

Pollock House and The Burrell Collection

February 20, 2010January 12, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

For an insight into elegant family life in Glasgow, spanning over seven centuries, regular visits to Pollock House on the outskirts of the city is a must for me. The house and surrounding park cover a lot of my interests. I love the hunting scene paintings in the Billiard Room and always include a viewing in my visits. The park is full of unusual trees and shrubs and includes a huge collection of rhododendrons and azaleas. There is always something in flower, but if you visit in May or June the colours are breathtaking and I rarely have to share the woodland walk with anyone but the dog!

The Burrell Collection is housed within the park; a purpose-built building about ten minutes walk from the main house – or you can use the shuttle service. There is something for everyone in this vast art collection, but it’s the reconstruction of some of the Burrell family’s rooms, from their castle home in the Scottish Borders, that is particularly appealing to me.

A trip I would recommend to anyone staying in (or passing through) Glasgow.

By Yvonne Shaw. Yvonne has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is part of our Admin team.

Whisky Tasting in Scotland

February 12, 2010January 10, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Scotland, as well as being the Home of Golf, is also the home of the single malt whisky, and no trip here is complete without sampling a selection of these or visiting a distillery. Combining a golf trip with a visit to a distillery can be tricky though, as most distilleries are located in the Highlands; hidden away in glens where the taxmen could not find them in the past. The links courses are located by definition in coastal areas. Trips to golf in the Highlands and play courses like Royal Dornoch, Nairn and Castle Stuart, offer the opportunity to stop by the famous Glenmorangie Distillery…but visiting distilleries from St. Andrews is less convenient. Instead, an option to consider is a whisky tasting session in your hotel. Various hotels can arrange this for you and the experience allows you to sample a range of different blends from all over Scotland. Alternatively you may have more fun experimenting yourselves!

Like wine, Malt Whisky is shaped by the environment it is made in and typically Scotland’s whisky regions would be the Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside and Islands. Malts from the lowlands are usually light and delicate in character; good examples are Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan. The Highland whiskies are more full-bodied and sweeter with a touch of smokiness. And those from Speyside are again usually sweeter with a fruity character which comes from the sherry barrels the spirit is matured inside. Great Highland malts are Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Edradour and Dalwhinnie.

Speyside is the area in Scotland with the largest concentration of distilleries and is the home to Glenfiddich and Glen Livet – not to mention other excellent malts from that area such as Balvenie (the 12 year old is a personal favourite), Strathisla and of course, Macallan. The island malts vary in style but typically they are much smokier and peatier then the mainland malts, especially those from the island of Islay where the malts pack a real punch. Amongst the best would be Highland Park, Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Of course this is personal opinion but the fun is in tasting them and finding your own favourite (this may take years of careful sampling though) – enjoy!

By Alastair Niven. Alastair has been with PerryGolf for over 9 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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