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Gulliver’s Travels is bad. And I mean, really bad. That salient point is the only way I can quickly get across my thoughts and feelings on this utter train-wreck of a motion picture. It is without wit, without irony, without innovation and without thought or feeling for anyone silly enough to pay cash money to see it. More notably however, it’s without laughs. The kids in the screening I caught will testify to that. I’m not making this up- many of them laughed at the trailers before the film, for coming attractions like Gnomeo and Juliet and Yogi Bear, and at the Ice Age short that played before the main feature. For the entire duration of the main attraction, the whole cinema was deathly silent. You’ll have more fun reading about Jonathan Swift’s descent into madness on Wikipedia is than watching this film.

But what’s wrong with it specifically? Well, simply put, it’s Gulliver’s Travels a la Dreamworks. I have been harsh on Dreamworks in the past, but I am speaking literally here- one of the screenwriters worked on the first two Shrek films and the director is Rob Letterman, who made a decent job of last year’s Monsters vs. Aliens. But think of everything that comes with a bad Dreamworks film. Inane pop culture references, repurposed but no less blatant product placement, unfunny jokes that aim no higher than the shins of the lowest common denominator, and most annoyingly in this case, Jack Black.

As a rule, I generally like Jack Black, no matter how much of a pounding he took in my estimation after A Clockwork Orange style consumption of that Orange advert for this film before each and every one of the 40 films I’ve seen in the cinema since August. The trouble is, his repetitive schtick can get sort of irksome, especially when you cast him as a character as flagrantly abominable as this film’s rendition of Gulliver. People say he plays himself, but I can’t quite believe the image of Jack Black in films is anything close to the man himself. Because otherwise no one would be able to stand working with him.

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Towering over the cast of Liliputians as he does, there’s a fair argument to be made that Black is acting in a different film to them, added in afterwards through the magic of green screens. Supporting players like Billy Connolly and Jason Segel and Emily Blunt and Catherine Tate and… well, most of the little people are better than films like this. Only James Corden seems on the same wavelength as Black, with the consequence that you actually root for Chris O’Dowd as the film’s villain as he calls out Gulliver’s every action for the bullshit that it really is.

It’s even more of a wasted opportunity when you consider that there are no prominent grown-up adaptations of Swift’s novel, which contains more invention and intelligence than anyone bothered with on this version. Nothing about it shows an understanding of the potential of the source material. Too often, themes of corruption and war are glossed over by the need for apparently box-ticking sequences involving Jack Black playing Guitar Hero with little people, or pretending that Star Wars is the story of his life (and even that idea has been done elsewhere), or fighting a Transformer, or having a fucking song and dance number.

And so its lack of irony actually becomes something quite interesting. Look at that supporting cast again- they’re all English, except for Jason Segel who makes a good stab at an English accent. Along with his rambunctious nature and ego issues, Black’s Gulliver brings with him the worst parts of American culture. To get political for a moment in a vain effort to reclaim the original text’s perspective, is it possible that with David Cameron installed in government with the aid of News International, Murdoch subsidiary 20th Century Fox sees Britain as an island of little people who gratefully take what we’re spoon-fed via cultural imperialism? As a commentary on hegemony, it could be quite fascinating. However, it’s supposed to be Night At The Museum, and it’s actually a big pile of shite.

If this version of Gulliver’s Travels hadn’t been made, someone would have made it up as a joke. Indeed, I know many people who were initially confused by the Orange adverts for this film, believing it to be a joke trailer in the vein of the company’s previous campaigns about Danny Glover’s Dial Hard or Sean Astin’s Lord of the Ringtones. The trouble is, it does exist, and it’s hard to find anything funny about this film’s existence. Gulliver’s Travels is rotten- plain and simple. It is assembly line fodder of the most outright stupid kind, and nothing brings me more cheer at the end of 2010 than to see this film failing to make bank. Keep up the good work by staying at home, away from its awfulness, and 2011 will look a lot brighter.

Review in a very Hurry: Gulliver’s Travels http://gulliverstravel.info/, the unique novel, is about a whole great deal a lot more than just an island of tiny people today, but you’d never ever realize that from watching this. At first much more agreeable than expected, the Jack Black-starring update of the 1st quarter or so of Jonathan Swift’s classic satire falls totally apart with the conclusion.

Among many other tourist detonations Europe is the best as there you will get just a plenty of options to visit and to do. A tour to the Europe will really come out to be colorful and an unforgettable memory. Here you will get lots of countries like Germany, France, England, Greece, Italy etc to visit and as it is the second largest continent in the world, you will never get to be discontent while on your journey. For the best and memorable tour you can opt to go for the Europe travel guide.

The travel guides for several places are easily available in the online services. Some of such packages prove to be quite helpful. They use to be budget friendly and also you will feel like guided and secured in the journey. Going to an unknown place for the first time will obviously be risky and in that context you can adopt such a travel guide.

Based on your choices you can select the countries that you want to visit and according to that you can get a travel package. There are lots varieties of packages that offer tours to several places and they may differ from each other. However, the money to be spent in the complete journey also matter. So, plan everything and go for the right guided tour.

Another advantage of traveling and sightseeing with a guide is that you will get to know what is worth knowing in a particular place. The famous places can thus be visited without wasting much time. However, you will not be deceived by anyone for having a guide with you. So, in each and everything you will be guided and thus, you will be able to save money and enjoy traveling altogether. Europe travel guide thus, can be a good option for you.

Ghana has emerged and evolved on the map of the world as a prominent and largely visited African Country during the past decade. Like any other country in Africa, Ghana is also known for its rich tradition, prominent culture and colorful festivals. “Homowa Festival” is one such festival that attracts the attentions of tourists and media around the world.

The unique and most impressive thing about Ghanaian’s or any African nation is that the people are so strong, so bold, so confident and so strong willed that nothing could ever stand in their way. If you go through pages of history and have a look at the wounded endeavors, from Hunger, famine to salvation, there has been a series of hardships that the people of Africa have stood before and raised above. Keeping in mind this history , “Homowo Festival” is trail and secret of the strength still visible in all young and old alike. As the name of this festival indicates “hooting on hunger”.

The word Homowo is derived from two different words “Homo” meaning “Hunger” and “wo” meaning “sleep”. The word “Homowo” means to hoot and jeer at hunger. It tells the story of the people who were not scared of the deadliest of natural disasters and fieriest of enemies. The tradition of Homowo started with a period of hunger leading to famine due to failure of the seasonal rains needed by crops in the Greater Accra Region, where the Ghana people predominately dwell. When the rains returned to normal, the Ghanaians celebrated by creating the Homowo festival hence it name and meanings are the traces of the event that gave birth to this colorful festival.

This colorful festival is celebrated every year with full enthusiasm and spreads a sheer cheerfulness through out the country. By celebrating this event Ghanian people keep alive their traditions and values of true people of early Ghana. The young and old are entwined with the rich drumming and dance traditions that were once a part of every day of life. The festival is characterized by rituals such as the sprinkling of “Kpokpoi” (the festival dish) to the gods and ancestors for spiritual protection, procession of twins through the principal streets, traditional drumming and dancing and general merry-making. A month before the celebration, there is a ban of noise making. A climax of the festival is that from 12 noon to 6:00pm any woman, no matter the status, should accept a hug from a man on the festival street. And this makes it a very interesting, open hearted and joyful event.

The festival starts every year with the month of May with the planting of crops just before the rainy season starts. The musicians and dancers of Homowo are living examples of the strength of African performing arts. The repertoire, featuring the yesterday, today and tomorrow of Ghanaian cultural arts, creates an acoustic and visual history of Ghana and brings the spirit alive in every Ghaian. If you are planning to visit Ghana during Homowa Festival, many European and African airlines offer cheap flights to Ghana at a very low rate. However, the best deals are still with only a handful of airline like Egypt, Ghana International or KLM. For more details visit: Cheap Flights

From 1 April 2009 statutory holiday entitlement has increased from 5.2 weeks to 5.6 weeks (28 days for those who work a 5 day week). From this date the minimum entitlement will be capped at 28 days.

If you are an employer, you will need to notify your staff in writing of any increase in holiday entitlement. You could do this through a letter to staff or by a statement on pay slips, for example.

Paid time off does not legally have to be given for public holidays, and if it is it can be included in your workers’ minimum leave entitlement.

If you already offer your employees at least 28 days of annual leave, you already comply. For part-time employees, holiday entitlement is calculated on a pro rata basis and cannot be replaced by a payment in lieu. Any unused holiday above four weeks (the first four weeks cannot be carried over) may only be carried over into the following leave year.

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If you already meet the requirements, you need take no further action at this time.

For those working part time, regardless of what days they work, the increase should be calculated pro rata. So, if a member of staff works four days a week in a leave year beginning on or after 1 April 2009, s/he will be entitled to (4 x 5.6) 22.4 days. If s/he works three days a week, s/he will be entitled to (3 x 5.6) 16.8 days.

Employees on maternity/adoption leave continue to accrue statutory and any contractual holiday entitlement during both ordinary and additional maternity/adoption leave.

Statutory paid holiday cannot be taken at the same time as maternity/adoption leave. You may wish to discuss taking any outstanding holiday and perhaps delay the start of their maternity/adoption leave. Alternatively, it may be possible for them to take holiday in the period between their maternity/adoption leave finishing and the end of the leave year.

You may offer payment in lieu of taking any remaining holiday at the end of a leave year. Currently, this is only allowed for contractual entitlement above the statutory four-week minimum. As a temporary measure, payment can be given in lieu of the additional days introduced on 1 October 2007 (four days for those working a five-day week).

From 1 April 2009, payment in lieu cannot be provided for anything less than 5.6 weeks (28 days for those working full time).

Hawaii is one of the newest states amongst the 50 new U.S. states. This is the only state made entirely of islands. It is located on a chain of islands which is known as archipelago in the center of Pacific Ocean. The capital of Hawaii is Honolulu on the island of O’ahu. According to the records, the state’s population is currently at 1,283,388. The environment is so vibrant and full of life. Every day is a fresh day in Hawaii with beautiful beaches and seas.

Hawaii is one of the beautiful states to travel and also comes under world’s best tourist places. The tourism service of Hawaii is very good too. One can easily find about Hawaii tourism online also. Hawaii travel guide provides you best places to travel in Hawaii at best rates. The tourist will feel satisfactory and will encounter no problem if they refer to travel guide in Hawaii.

Numerous numbers of islands makes the state more beautiful and hence it becomes very evitable and vital to have a travel guide for a place like Hawaii. Online Hawaii travel guides, provides such information and deals that one can’t ignore and it’s better to leave for a place full of islands with ample knowledge and guidelines. These travel guides will give the tourist a home like atmosphere while going and travelling an unknown place.

Hawaii is one of the beautiful places to travel in the world. Its temperature always remains moderate and mostly hot. Hawaii has four federal highways, all part of Interstate Highway System. Because of narrow winding roads on the coastlines, travel can be slow. Aviation is a vital part of Hawaii’s transport network. The main culture of Hawaii is Polynesian. One can never get tired of spending time in Hawaii as each island is beautiful and specific. People with handsome budget, if planning to travel, then must go Hawaii and should refer to Hawaii travel guides online for better and happy travel.

article: Das Golfspiel gilt auch heute noch bei vielen als elitärer Sport den nur eine kleine Gruppe von Personen ausüben können. Und es gibt nicht wenige innerhalb dieser kleinen Gruppe, die auch lieber unter sich bleiben möchten. Doch ganz so schlimm wie es noch vor einigen Jahren war, ist es heute zum Glück nicht mehr. Mittlerweile gibt es verschiedene Glolfclubs, die sich einem breiteren Publikum und damit einer breiteren Masse an Spielern öffnen. Doch die Regel ist dies nicht. Vereinzelt gibt es öffentliche Golfanlagen, die für jedermann gedacht sind und die auch die notwendige Ausstattung verleihen, da die meisten Menschen über keine eigene Golfausrüstung verfügen. Aber immerhin der Zugang zum Equipment ist in den letzten Jahren vielerorts leichter geworden und in so manchem Sportgeschäft sind Golfschläger, Trolleys, Bälle und natürlich die entsprechende Kleidung erhältlich. Doch wem nützt die schönste und beste Ausrüstung und womöglich sogar noch das Talent zu golfen, wenn er keine Möglichkeit hat, dieses zu nutzen? Also bleibt in vielen Fällen nur die Golfmitgliedschaft, wenn man nicht einfach nur auf einem der öffentlichen Anlagen seinen Abschlag üben möchte. Denn darauf läuft es vielerorts hinaus, dass entweder nur der Abschlag oder das Einputten trainiert werden kann oder der Golfplatz nur über 9 oder bestenfalls 11 Löcher verfügt. Die Erlaubnis auf einem deutschen Golfplatz den Ball schlagen zu dürfen hängt von mehreren Faktoren ab. Zum einen wäre da die so genannte Platzreife bzw. Platzerlaubnis. Diese erhält man bei einer Golfrunde mit einem Trainer, der durch die Vereinigung der Berufsgolfer (PGA = Professional Golfers Association) anerkannt ist. Dabei darf man selbstverständlich nur eine bestimmte Anzahl von Schlägen anwenden, um den Ball einzulochen. Hinzu kommt noch eine Prüfung des Regelwerks für das Golfspiel, die theoretisch abgelegt wird. Ziel dieser Prüfung ist natürlich die Erlernung der Grundlagen im Golf sport sowie der Etikette, die man beim Golfspiel an den Tag zu legen hat. Immerhin darf man nicht vergessen, dass Golf auch ein gefährlicher Sport ist. So erreicht der harte Golfball beim Abschlag eine Geschwindigkeit von bis zu 300 km/h. Wer dann daneben steht und vom ausholenden Schläger getroffen wird, der muss sich längere Zeit keine Gedanken mehr zu einer Golfmitgliedschaft machen. Mit dieser Etikette achtet und respektiert man somit andere Spieler oder auch einfach nur den Rasen. Kein professioneller Spieler wird es lustig finden, wenn jemand vor ihm den Rasen zerstückelt hat und ihn nicht wieder in den Ursprungszustand versetzt. Nachteilig an dieser Sache ist jedoch die Tatsache, dass die erworbene Platzerlaubnis in der Regel fast immer nur für den ausstellenden Golfclub Gültigkeit besitzt und für andere Plätze wertlos ist. Hier kommt dann das Handicap ins Spiel. Diese beschreibt die Spielstärke eines jeden Spielers und wird in einem nicht ganz unkomplizierten Verfahren errechnet. Mit diesem Handicap, welches man aber erst einmal erlangen muss, gibt es Möglichkeiten auf anderen Plätzen zu spielen. Doch auch hier existieren Hürden, da die Golfclubs zu bestimmten bzw. beliebten Zeiten nur Spieler mit einem gewissen Handicap an den Start lassen. Wenn es also voll ist, hat man auch mit einer Platzerlaubnis und einem nur mitteldürftigen Handicap möglicherweise das Pech nicht spielen zu dürfen. Wer nun aber also alle Voraussetzungen erfüllt, der kann sich in den Caddy setzten und zu seinem ersten Loch fahren, wenn’ ja, wenn er auch die Gebühr bezahlt hat. Die so genannte Greenfee wird von jedem Betreiber einer Golfanlage erhoben, weil dem Besitzer natürlich ebenfalls Kosten entstehen. Und eine Mitgliedschaft in einem Golfclub ersetzt nicht die Gebühr für die Greenfee, wie meistens angenommen wird. Dies ist aber selbstverständlich vom jeweiligen Club abhängig, manche geben einen Rabatt, andere wiederum lassen den Golfer eine gewisse Anzahl von Runden im Jahr kostenfrei spielen. Somit ist der Zugang zum Golfshop ohne eine Golfmitgliedschaft erschwert aber nicht unmöglich. Wer nun deshalb auf eine Golfmitgliedschaft nicht verzichten möchte, aber nicht die ausreichenden Mittel zur Verfügung hat, um den Jahresbeitrag zu bezahlen, der wird möglicherweise über einen Umweg über andere Staaten versuchen, seinen Ball einlochen zu können. Alleine der Suchbegriff Golfmitgliedschaft im Internet bringt reihenweise Anbieter, die eine Mitgliedschaft als Fernmitglied anbieten. So würde man beispielsweise im thailändischen Golfverband Mitglied, ohne jemals dort gewesen zu sein und erwirbt sich das Recht weltweit auf fremden Plätzen spielen zu können. Diese Mitgliedschaften haben neben dem Vorteil, dass man überhaupt spielen darf, auch eine Attraktivität, da sie günstig sind. Die Frage ist hierbei jedoch, ob auch alle Anbieter seriös sind oder ob die dann ausgestellte Mitgliedskarte wirklich auf jedem Golfplatz anerkannt wird. Dies sollte im Vorfeld geprüft werden, bevor man eine Mitgliedschaft unterschreibt und Geld überweist. Ebenso sollte vorher geklärt werden, ob der ausstellende Golfclub die Mitgliedskarte besonders kennzeichnet, so dass diese Karte nicht speziell für Fernmitglieder oder Gastmitglieder erkenntlich ist und unter Umständen nur eine eingeschränkte Spielberechtigung erlaubt. Mit solch einer Markierung wäre dem Spieler nicht geholfen und er steht wieder wie zu Beginn mit seiner neu erworbenen Golfausrüstung am Golfclub und erhält keinen Einlass. Hier heißt es also: Augen auf ‘ nicht erst beim Abschlag.   

Flashbooking is a growing cheap hostel Prague and hotels directory specializing in budget accommodation for independent travellers, students, adventurous backpackers, international volunteers, families and all the ones that travel on a budget.

Those who love travelling light, those with a sense for adventure, those who love flexibility in their trips, those who like meeting locals and travelling slow and low… those are Flashbooking happy travellers!

Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about youth hostel and hotel location and map, description, services, hostel contacts, customer ratings, six pictures and updated prices inclusive of taxes and services together with instant real availability.

Having the reservation final price is also convenient as it does give the transparency our users pretend while booking. Having the final total amount of your booking means you do not have to worry about other extra surprises! Flashbooking cheap lodging solutions are all available for online bookings and divided by Countries.

Travellers have free access to the updated list of Europe hostels and budget hotels, North and South America hostels, Caribbean and Central America hostels as well as for Asia cheap accommodations, Oceania youth hostels and Africa hostels. Flashbooking’s happy travellers can book their rooms and beds not only in cheap hotels or youth hostels but also consider other budget accommodations in Bed and Breakfast, Guesthouses, Campsites, apartments, farm houses and much more.

Flashbooking chose to provide backpackers, students and families with a list of budget selected and independent accommodations worldwide, mostly run by locals, in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

For this and other reasons Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online. In fact, thanks to a secure server certified SSL provided by Thawte (the global certificate authority) www.flashbooking.com is able to guarantee instantly confirmed and secure online reservations.

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Thawte is a system which encrypts all the processed data and guarantees that this will not be read, used or modified by other parties. Confirmed online bookings mean that your holiday is just a click away, that you can get all the information needed to book online, that you can save time and money!

Recently added a new free customer service online at travellers disposal to suggest the perfect accommodation for their trip and voyages. The Skype account ‘Flashbooking Customercare’ gives more assistance also in the booking process for all our travellers and backpackers needs.

Other reasons to chose Flashbooking? Flashbooking helps you saving money with a special promotion that allows travellers to earn money and credits of 1,5 euros by inviting other friends to subscribe and receive the monthly newsletter, rich of information about hostel and hotel deals. For each friend that sings up, our travellers get 1,50 euros: it is possible to earn up to 40 euros! These credits are immediately registered in the user’s personal online account ‘My Booking’ and at the reach of 40 euros they are automatically deducted to pay your online hostel reservations !

With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers’ and partner hostels’ free disposal some useful information tools as pocket travel guides of the top world cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Barcelona City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued Prague City guide!

In general, these guides have been written for giving the essential information about the most visited cities in the world and in particular for any traveller or first-time visitor. For a short visit, a week-end, a city break, these free pocket guides are useful printable and downloadable tools available online.

The free City pocket guide of the Czech Capital contains, in just 9 printable pages, all the essential information and very good suggestions divided by areas: Prague New City and Prague Old city, the Jewish quarter (Josephov), the Malastrana district and the Castle. Prague is renown for wooden toys, crystal products, flea markets and Christmas markets, Wenceslas Square and museums, Art Galleries, breweries and beers and cheap lodgings, classic itineraries in the Boemian countryside and a lot more to make a visit worth wise. Free for anyone who wish to book and go and rich of colour pictures, the Prague Travel Pocket Guide is at backpackers disposal in Flashbooking.com! For Flashbooking users and travellers that might have a personal website or a travel blog, or even manage a youth hostel or a hotel accommodation, and are interested in the travel city guides, the pocket guides can be collected and put at your visitors’ disposal.

In the Prague City guide students, families and backpackers can get a large selection of cheap or low cost accommodation with plenty of low cost solutions in budget youth hostels, Prague bed and breakfast, guesthouses, cheap hotel deals.

Our travellers are also our good partners as they help us either giving their ratings of some accommodations, lodgings, BandB, youth hostels and budget small hotels where they personally stayed, either enlarging the hostel offer by reporting some new contacts.

Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

So mates, we are looking forward to finding you THE budget accommodation that meets your needs and pocket for your next trip!

Spain, does it mean Barcelona or vice versa? Capital city of Cataluña area in the northwest of Spain. It’s Ideal Holiday Travel destination. In this unique city, traveler can enjoy in nice hotels and restaurants, as it is underlined in every Holiday Travel Guide online.

Most visitors don’t realize that Catalans do not see themselves as Spanish. Catalonia is an autonomous region of Spain, with Barcelona as the capital. Catalans make up about 50 per cent of the population, they speak their own language and have their own customs and traditions that do not include bullfighting and flamenco.

All in one, visiting Barcelona mean visit Spain, and naturally what is the best time to visit this nice city?

Depend less what you want to fill, at the end the filling will be the same, unique and unforgettable Holiday Travel.

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Summer is the hottest period but most crowded time in the year. Beaches are filled, air is humid and if you want to be wet all over the time. If you want to see naked young bodies on the beaches and street go to Barcelona at summer. For that kind of filling July and August are the best. Summer is not good for site seeing, you are wet all of the time.

Despite summer time being in Barcelona for the Christmas period is totally different. For this period your Holiday Travel Guide should lead you to the museums, specific architecture and Spanish people. Catalans (people that live and are born in Barcelona) are known for their independent spirit and their sense of humor. But unfortunately if you don’t speak Spanish you’ll have big problems understanding, Holiday Travel Guide should be there to assist you. That is different filling and big challenge. There are no signboards in English and if you do not speak Spanish (or preferably Catalan), you are better off with a phrase book to guide you around. Knowing Catalan, you will be the master in Barcelona.

One of the most important reason who inspire to reach Barcelona is fact that “Barca” was home of Gaudi, Dali, Joan Miro and Picasso. 10 years before his death, he donated a large amount of art to an institution dedicated to his work – the Picasso Museum. Your holiday travel guide should point you that Barcelona is the city of football, as well. Football’s stadium “Camp Nou” with official name “Nou Estadi del Futbol Club Barcelona”, inaugurated 24 Sep 1956, is the Football epicenter of Europe and the world.  The visit of this magnificent facility should be part of your holiday travel trip and its mandatory part of every holiday travel guide plan. There are special guided tours for visiting this facilities, everything what have to do from you is to book on line on Holiday Travel Guide sites. Do not miss this fantastic opportunity! Visit the stadium of one of the most important teams in the world.

Despite laying claim to part of a World Heritage Site, the real attractions of Derby can be found outside the city with numerous historical sites to visit, not to mention the famous Peak District to enjoy.

The World Heritage Site in Derby is the Derwent Valley Mills which starts in the city centre and carries on up to Matlock Bath in the north of Derbyshire County. The site follows the river downstream and shows the importance of the River Derwent in the industrial revolution and the development of factories. It includes, the first water-powered cotton spinning mill built by Sir Richard Arkwright in the 1770s at Cromford. Also at Cromford, you can see the village he built to house the workers in the factory. The site starts at Masson Mills in Matlock Baths and ends at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery, in the city centre some 25 kilometres later.

The Derby Museum and Art Gallery, on the Strand in the city centre, itself has several galleries with a variety of art work, archaeological and historical artefacts as well as natural history displays. Providing a slightly more different experience is Derby’s Museum of Industry and History. Occupying the site of one of the world’s oldest factories, the Silk Mill which was built in 1702, it tells the story of the various industries most closely associated with Derby. Off Full Street on Silk Mill Lane, exhibitions include those taking the visitor through the history of the Railway industry and Rolls Royce in Derby, as well as even older industries such as mining, pottery and foundry work. The museum also incorporates the Midland Railway Study Centre, which is an archive of the railways in Derby from 1844 to 1922. Derby has had a cathedral since 1924, although the site of the cathedral has been one with a church on it since 943. The church of All Saints became Derby Cathedral following the formation of the Diocese of Derby in 1927. At this point Derby was not a city and would not gain city status for another 50 years, making Derby quite unique in being a town with a cathedral. The present building was erected in the 1730s and features an iron screen made by local ironsmith, Robert Bakewell. The cathedral is on Iron Gate and has the second highest cathedral tower in the country. Also in the city is the Derby Arboretum, which was the first purposely designed park in the country. The land was donated to the citizens of Derby in 1840 by Joseph Strutt, for “a botanical tree garden for instruction and pleasure”. The garden was designed and planted by John Claudius Loudon.

Moving away from the city centre and out in the county there is a wealth of attractions and sights to see. During a trip to Derbyshire it would be almost impossible to not also visit the Peak District, Britain’s first national park. Here you can enjoy the local tradition of Well-Dressing or enjoy in its many hills and valleys like Dovedale or the Amber Valley. One of the country’s most famous stately homes is Chatsworth House. The first house on this site was built in the 1550s by ‘Besse of Hardwick’ and her husband. By 1618 her son, Wiliam, became the first Earl of Devonshire. Then in 1686 the 4th Earl was made the Duke of Devonshire for the support he gave to bringing William of Orange to the English throne. The present Duke is the twelfth, Peregrine Cavendish, having succeeded his late father in 2004. Along with exquisite gardens the house also has an extensive collection of jewellery, art, furniture and various mechanical devices. Another famous stately house in Derbyshire is Haddon Hall. The family home of the Manvers family, who have owned it since 1567, it occupies a site on which a manor house was built in the 12th century and still retains some of those original features. Haddon hall is acknowledged as being one of the finest examples of a Tudor building in England; it is set in the Peak District of Derbyshire not far from Bakewell.  The ruins of the old Hardwick Hall are alongside the newer buildings at Doe Lea, not far from Chesterfield. The ruins were another house built for Besse of Hardwick in the 1500s and are surrounded by parkland, orchards and a herb garden. At Crich is the home of the National Tramway Museum, the Tramway Village. If you feel the need to move into some more modern history then a visit to Crich is recommended. Here you can see a range of 19th and 20th century trams, as well as undertaking short journeys on them. Quite simply a ‘must see’ for anyone interested in transport history. Finally if you think you need a break from all of this culture, then head for the Gulliver’s theme park at Matlock Bath. Big dippers and Log Flumes, Carousels and Chair Lifts, there’s sure to be something here to entertain and amuse you.