DESTINATIONS LAKE BREAKS | LAKES & MOUNTAINS 3


LOCH LOMOND, SCOTLAND Lakeside breaks needn’t mean trekking too far, of course, with Scotland alone boasting more than 30,000 lochs among its rolling hills. For one of the most impressive, look to Loch Lomond – 44 square miles of water bordered by verdant peaks, ancient castles and whisky distilleries, where kayaking, waterskiing, paddleboarding and other adventures take visitors out onto its rippling waters. For a private stay away from it all, Oliver’s Travels points to Cameron North Lodge, a luxury, glass-fronted retreat sleeping up to eight and backing right onto the loch, with a hot tub, play area and private beach


among its facilities, plus three golf courses in the area. Book it: A week in August costs from £4,555 in total, based on six sharing. oliverstravels.com


LAKE SAIMAA, FINLAND For a lakeside break with a difference, suggest Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland, home to more than 13,000 islands and surrounded by forests where elk, wolves, bears and foxes roam between the trees. It’s a popular swimming hole in summer, but it’s at its most striking in winter, when the water freezes over and turns into a giant ice rink, bringing locals flocking to explore its trails. Best Served Scandinavia offers a tailor-made holiday here with guided skating excursions and accommodation at the atmospheric Hotel & Spa Resort Jarvisydan, which comes with a huge Finnish sauna area as well as new wooden


‘Kota’ huts straddling the shore. Book it: A four-day break costs from £1,050 per person including three nights’ half-board, flights, transfers and skate hire. best-served.co.uk


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LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA Shimmering mirror-like amid the greenery of the Julian Alps, Lake Bled is the stuff of picture books, and it’s not hard to see why visitor numbers here have been increasing in recent years (albeit before the Covid downturn). Presiding over the lake is the medieval Bled Castle, set high on a hilltop, but it’s not the only attraction, with hiking trails, canyoning adventures and natural attractions such as Vintgar Gorge – an ethereal, aqua stream of water carving its way through the forest – drawing active types. For an especially peaceful base right on the lake, Balkan Holidays recommends the Astoria Hotel, recently renovated and set


in a quiet location beneath the turreted castle. Book it: Seven nights’ B&B starts at £535 per person, including flights from Gatwick on October 8. balkanholidays.co.uk


² travelweekly.co.uk 28 JANUARY 2021 33


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