THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge often favour staycations with their family over foreign holidays – much like Kate Middleton enjoyed with her family as a child.

She and her siblings would spend every summer visiting a particularly quaint corner of the Lake District – next to Lake Coniston and the charming village of Coniston.

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In an interview with the Evening Standard, Kate’s brother James Middleton described his childhood summers in the Lake District.

He said: “The Lake District. It stems from my childhood, reading Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit, and as I got older, Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons.

“As my family and I spent time on Coniston Water and Lake Windermere, it was almost like we were living the stories in real life.

“I’d have visions of having my own ‘Timmy’ — the dog in the Famous Five — and imagined that we could go on adventures together.

“Every school holiday we would stay anywhere from a weekend to a week there, in sun or snow or rain, and because there was no electricity in the family cottage it was a real adventure — hiking in the mountains and playing in the Lakes.”

The Princess’s brother claims to have first visited the Lake District when he was just six months old, and the family’s ties to the area go back generations, with their paternal great-great-grandfather living in Yorkshire.

Their connection was even immortalised in a family coat of arms, which was given to Kate Middleton shortly before her marriage to Prince William.

A set of chevrons symbolises mountain landscapes like the Lake District, reflecting Princess Kate’s love of the outdoors.

More recently, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have visited the National Park in a royal capacity, making appearances at the Air Cadet‘s Windermere adventure training centre and turning their hands to sheep shearing.

As England‘s largest lake, Lake Windermere is a popular holiday destination in its own right.

But holidaymakers looking to visit the Lake District might want to head to Coniston Water, a slightly lesser-known body of water in the area.

In a review on TripAdvisor one person described their trip to Coniston, writing: “Close to the overrated Lake Windermere, Coniston is close, as the crow flies, but following a long winding road journey. It is a bit prettier than Windermere.”

Located in the southern area of the Lake District, Coniston is a quaint village at the mouth of the Coppermines Valley.

Historically, the village was known for its copper and slate mining.

However, in recent years, Coniston Water, a nearby lake has garnered tourist attention.

Roughly five miles long and half a mile wide, Coniston Water is located just a mile away from the village.

On Coniston Water, visitors can hire boats from Coniston Boating Centre, with dark sky canoeing taking place at night.

Coniston village is popular with hikers and ramblers because of its proximity to the Old Man of Coniston, one of Cumbria‘s most popular fells.

In the village, there are a range of shops, pubs and places to eat, including the Crown Inn.

Coniston also has its own local brewery – Coniston Brewery.

other nearby attractions include Lowther Castle & Gardens and Tarn Hows, an accessible walking route in the Lake District.

Coniston is a five-and-a-half-hour drive from London, and it’s a two-hour drive from Manchester.

Meanwhile, this often-ridiculed UK seaside town has been compared to Miami.

And this Victorian beach town is set to become big again this summer.

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MANCHESTER Airport is launching its first direct flights to one of Europe’s least visited countries, that’s been dubbed a “hidden gem”.

FlyOne will be operating twice-weekly direct flights to Moldova – the home of an award-winning wine scene, picturesque landscapes, and some of the world’s most friendly hospitality.

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From Tuesday 17th December, the flights will depart on Tuesdays and Saturdays to the capital Chisinau.

Flight prices will start from £19 per person for one way.

Moldova, officially known as the Republic of Moldova, has remained a hidden gem destination in Eastern Europe, despite having many reasons for people to visit.

It’s known for its wine, with a history of wine-growing that dates back thousands of years. 

The country has over 120 wineries, and the Codru region is home to some of the oldest. 

Cricova is the country’s largest wine cellar, and was the first to produce traditional method sparkling wines in the 1950s.

Moldova also has a rich history and many historic landmarks can still be visited today.

Căpriana Monastery is known for being one of the oldest monasteries in the country and for being a centre of Moldavian music, architecture, and written language.

There’s also Old Orhei, a natural and historical complex located on a bend of the Răut River, which is popular with nature lovers and people looking to enjoy a quiet spot.

Chisinau itself is ideal for a city break as it is packed with museums, galleries, bars and restaurants, and it’s also known for its Soviet-era architecture.

Ruslan Bolbocean, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the UK, said: “The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova is pleased to welcome the launch of the direct flight between Chisinau and Manchester.

“This new connection is an important development for the Moldovan diaspora in the North West of England and enhances cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and the UK.

“This is the result of productive meetings with Manchester Airport earlier this year, and we are grateful for the strong partnership established. We encourage all airlines to explore similar opportunities to boost connectivity and look forward to the positive impact this will have on both business and tourism.”

Stephen Turner, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airport added: “We are proud to connect the North to the world through our route network of more than 200 destinations, more than any UK airport outside London. A key part of that is connecting people to friends and family in other countries.

“The North is home to lots of people from Moldova and we’re really pleased to be able to help them visit their homeland from an airport right on their doorstep.

“This new route also gives people from the North the opportunity to take the road less travelled and visit one of Europe’s last real hidden gems, with fantastic wine and beautiful scenery.”

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FlyOne was launched in 2016 and has become the largest airline in Moldova.

The company currently operates flights to 60 destinations.

ALL flights to Florida from the UK have been cancelled after the majority of airports confirmed they would be ceasing operations this morning.

A state of emergency has been declared ahead of category 5 Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall today.

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The storm is set to be one of the worst in 100 years, President Joe Biden warned, to hit the Tampa area, with more than six million people warned to evacuate.

Disney World has closed its park until at least tomorrow, along with Universal Orlando.

And airlines including TUI, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have been forced to cancel more flights.

Most airports in the state have already closed.

Orlando Airport have stopped all operations, effective from 8am today.

The airport is yet to confirm when they will reopen.

Tampa Airport said on social media: “We will suspend flight operations at 9 a.m. Tuesday and reopen when safe to do so.”

Melbourne Orlando Airport, which TUI currently flies to, has also closed.

They said in a statement: “MLB will close to commercial flight operations at 2PM on Wednesday and will reopen at 9AM on Friday.”

This has resulted in a number of cancellations from UK airlines.

This includes the following Virgin Atlantic flights:

Wednesday 9 October

• VS129 – London Heathrow to Tampa
• VS130 – Tampa to London Heathrow
• VS074 – Orlando to Manchester
• VS075 – Manchester to Orlando
• VS076 – Orlando to Manchester
• VS091 – London Heathrow to Orlando
• VS092 – Orlando to London Heathrow
• VS135 – London Heathrow to Orlando
• VS136 – Orlando to London Heathrow
• VS225 – Edinburgh to Orlando has been delayed by 23 hours and is expected to operate on October 10

Thursday 10 October

• VS091 – London Heathrow to Orlando
• VS129 – London Heathrow to Tampa
• VS130 – Tampa to London Heathrow 
• VS073 – Manchester to Orlando
• VS074 – Orlando to Manchester
• VS075 – Manchester to Orlando 
• VS076 – Orlando to Manchester
• VS091 – London Heathrow to Orlando 
• VS092 – Orlando to London Heathrow
• VS135 – London Heathrow to Orlando 
• VS136 – Orlando to London Heathrow
• VS225 – Edinburgh – Orlando has been delayed by a further 23 hours and will now operate on Friday 11 October.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson asked passengers to “check the status of their flights” before travelling.

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British Airways has cancelled the following flights.

Wednesday 9 October

• BA 2167 from London Gatwick to Tampa
• BA 2037 from London Gatwick to Orlando
• BA 2039 from London Gatwick to Orlando

Thursday 10 October

• BA 2167 from London Gatwick to Tampa
• BA 2037 from London Gatwick to Orlando
• BA 2039 from London Gatwick to Orlando

A British Airways spokesperson said they were “adjusting flight schedules” and offering flight rebooking options or full refunds.

TUI has already cancelled a flight today, with more being ‘watched’ although are also likely to be cancelled, including:

A spokesperson said they were contacting customers directly who are affected.

Wednesday 9 October

• TOM070 from London Gatwick Airport

Thursday 10 October

• TOM742 from Glasgow Airport
• TOM 664 from Birmingham Airport

Other airlines that operate flights from the UK to Florida include American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Norse Airways and Finnair, who have also cancelled flights.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall just south of the city on Wednesday night.

Storm surges of 15ft are expected, with winds up to 165mph.

The storm was upgraded back to a Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday, hours after being downgraded to a Category 4 earlier in the day.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said: “It will be an extremely dangerous hurricane when it reaches shore”.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

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You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

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The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

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If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

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