Custodians of the spaces and places that people love.

A Swiss locomotive made a historic journey to North Wales in early September, offering visitors to Snowdon Mountain Railway free rides and a taste of the Alps.

For the first time, a train from the Brienz Rothorn Bahn (BRB) mountain railway in Switzerland travelled 900 miles from its Alpine home to meet up with its sister locomotives on Snowdon.

During September, visitors to the Welsh mountain railway enjoyed a 20-minute round trip powered by BRB’s No 2 steam engine, from Llanberis to Waterfall Halt.

Between departures, the train and carriage sat at the Llanberis arrivals platform where visitors could meet the loco, talk to experts from the Swiss railway and take photographs with the historic engine.

BRB’s engine was operated by a fully Swiss crew and undertook four return trips, part-way up the mountain, every day throughout September except Fridays, with carriage spaces allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Vince Hughes, Commercial Manager at Snowdon Mountain Railway, said:

“We carefully planned this event with our Swiss friends for some time, so it was great to unveil the BRB loco and see it steaming up Snowdon for the first time.”

Nick Robb, Project Manager at Switzerland Travel Centre said:

“It’s fantastic to have brought Loco No 2 across Europe to spend a month visiting our twin railway in Snowdonia.

“The BRB and Snowdon Mountain Railway use the same rack-and-pinion rail system and their steam engines were built in the same Swiss factory over 125 years ago.

“It felt right to reunite these historic steam engines after more than a century apart and we hope the public and rail enthusiasts alike enjoyed sampling a taste of the Swiss Alps in the foothills of Snowdonia.”

For more information about Snowdon Mountain Railway please visit their website or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

A new interactive family attraction is being unveiled at the westernmost point of Cornwall this half-term, starring much-loved characters from Oscar-winning animation studio Aardman.

The ‘Aardman Presents: A Grand Experience’, attraction is based at Land’s End and replaces the landmark destination’s successful Shaun the Sheep Experience.

Iconic Aardman characters Wallace & Gromit and Morph join Shaun’s farmyard friends within the attraction, which offers an entertaining experience for all ages, themed around some of the studio’s biggest TV and film successes.

Improving and expanding upon the Shaun the Sheep Experience, the new site gives visitors the chance to step into Wallace & Gromit’s living room, explore Wallace’s workshop and help build one of his Cracking Contraptions, before climbing on board a rocket to the moon.

Aardman Presents: A Grand Experience is part of a £200,000 investment in Land’s End this winter which will also see a new 4D film arrive at the venue’s 100-seat cinema, titled ‘Return To The Lost World’.

David Bryans, general manager at Land’s End, said:

“After a winter of redevelopment at Land’s End, I’m thrilled to be able to announce the opening of a new and expanded Aardman attraction in time for the half-term holidays.

“It’s great to be able to bring world-famous characters like Wallace & Gromit to Land’s End, along with old-favourites like Morph who will be as familiar to mums and dads as he is to younger children.

“Visitors will be able to enjoy a series of interactive games and experiences while exploring the venue, including drawing boards where guests can design their own inventions and video walls where they can take a selfie and then watch as their faces are ‘Morphed’.

“We’re also bringing a new movie to our 4D cinema for 2018 with ‘Return To The Lost World’, a sequel to our popular feature ‘The Lost World’ promising bigger and more exciting adventures on an island filled with dinosaurs.”

Aardman Presents: A Grand Experience opens at Land’s End Landmark Attraction on Saturday, February 10 and will remain open throughout half-term week until Sunday, February 18.

Find out more at landsend-landmark.co.uk or follow on twitter @VisitLandsEnd.

Jean-Christophe Novelli has praised Taste North 2019 as “absolutely fantastic”.

Article and photo credit: johnogroat-journal.co.uk and Alan Hendry.

The acclaimed French chef was the star attraction at the Scottish mainland’s most northerly food festival, held at John O’Groats.

Despite very blustery conditions there was a huge turnout by the public to see cooking demonstrations and workshops as well as the packed exhibitors’ market featuring food and drink producers and artisan crafts from across the Highlands and Islands.

Jean-Christophe, who came to Britain in 1983 and has accumulated no fewer than four Michelin stars, conducted three demonstrations in the Taste North Cookery Theatre, making use of high-quality local produce.

Speaking after the first of these sessions, he said: “It’s absolutely fantastic. It’s really worth the trip and the time it takes to come as far as this wonderful part of the world.

“I’m not bothered by the wind or the rain – it’s the same everywhere. The thing is you’ve got good air, good oxygen, great produce and wonderful people.

“So far I’ve done just one demonstration and it has been hilarious. There is an amazing spirit.

“I had a few little issues with my hobs and pans and whatever, but who cares? The most important thing is to have a great time.

“What makes things happen is not just one person – it’s everyone, the whole surroundings.”

Jean-Christophe was full of praise for the array of local produce in the exhibitors’ market, accommodated in an adjacent marquee.

“I have been absolutely impressed with next door – the cheese, the meat, the fudge, the whisky, the gin. The quality is just unbelievable,” he said.

“So far so good, and I haven’t even used the fish yet – and it is going to be a guaranteed ten out of ten.

“Even if there are technical issues, people want to have great time and they are fabulous supporters.”

Now in its fifth year, Taste North is event-managed by tourism cooperative Venture North, with funding from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. It also features the annual baking contest, the Taste North Challenge.

For more information on visiting and staying at John O’Groats, please visit the Together Travel website.

To read the full article on the John O’Groat Journal website, please click here.