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Telegraph
6 days ago
- Telegraph
Following in my grandparents' footsteps on a 130-year-old cruise
'To the people in the north of Norway, Hurtigruten has been everything. Transporting medicine, clothes, fresh fish, local people going to hospital' Gunnar, the captain of the Kong Harald, explained as we pass the Arctic Circle. I was on board the Coastal Express, the historic postal ship that has operated in Norway since 1893 – 132 years ago. Hurtigruten translates as 'fast route' in English, and the ship connects various coastal communities, with the voyage becoming more popular with tourists in recent decades. I asked him if he still considers it a ferry or a cruise, and he replied with a smile. 'Somewhere in-between. Years ago it would have been mainly local people taking short trips as they didn't have any other options, but now with cars and airports we need the tourists to keep the route running.' The ships still deliver cargo, and I was told that the most photographed thing on board was the forklift, which shifted the crates on and off the ship each time we stopped – 34 times, between Bergen to Kirkenes – although given the ethereal landscapes we passed, I took this fact with a pinch of salt. But I was aboard for more than just beautiful views. My grandparents chose to take the same journey in 1968 for their first overseas holiday, so this sailing was, for me, also a voyage into the past. My grandfather, a farmer and captain of the Home Guard, and my grandmother, a racehorse trainer and member of the Constantine shipping family, were both passionate lovers of the outdoors. They honeymooned on the Isle of Skye and took regular trips to Scotland, where my Grandad, a keen falconer, would spot birds of prey. They were drawn, inevitably, to Norway's wildlife and natural beauty – changing from the snowy scenes of the north to the green pastures on the approach to Bergen. I've always felt a sadness that I never had the opportunity to know my grandparents – as they had both passed by the time I turned five – and had clung to titbits of information about their interests and personalities in order to forge a connection with them. Despite having travelled to more than 90 countries, I'd not yet made it to Scandinavia, so discovering that I could take the very journey they once did felt like a way to bridge time, and build a sense of shared experience through our travels. Stops in port varied from 10 minutes to a couple of hours, and at Stokmarknes I disembarked at the Hurtigruten museum to see the fully preserved MS Finnmarken from 1956, very similar to the ship my grandparents would have sailed on. The main difference, I noted, was that the old ships had first- and second- class dining rooms and cabins, as well as a large post office and lounges for games. I saw old menus on display showing salted cod and salmon, and recalled my mother saying that my grandma had talked passionately about 'the fish platters' after their trip. The food on board the Kong Harald was a stand out for me, too, with meals including aqua-vit herring, piles of smoked salmon, and crab topped with trout roe. Head chef Roy has worked with Hurtigruten for 42 years and has seen the change over the decades from silver service to a more relaxed dining experience, without formal dress codes. Long careers with Hurtigruten seem commonplace, and the team are like family to one another, spending Christmases together and decorating cabins for passengers on board, many of whom travel the route regularly. Until the early 2000s, the majority of passengers were still Norwegians, though the 1960s saw an increase in foreign tourists, particularly from the UK and Germany. The uptick must have been sizable, as my grandparents coincidentally saw another couple from the same small village in North Yorkshire on their ship. The husband, presuming he wouldn't see anybody he knew, had chosen the opportunity to debut a new faux hairstyle. So the story goes, he was so embarrassed when he spotted my Grandad, that he threw the toupee overboard. He might have avoided the humiliation had he been on my sailing, as there was none of the enforced socialising you see on most cruises – just announcements as we passed significant places, which drew people away from the lounge and onto the top decks to mingle. The arctic circle crossing was celebrated with shots of cod liver oil and a toast with Havets Bobler – a sparkling wine aged under Norwegian waters – and as we sailed under the bridge over the Risøy channel, Norwegian flags were handed out for us to wave at passing traffic. I spent a lot of my time on the top deck, where passengers sit in a glass-windowed viewing area, where the only important decision to be made is which side to watch from. There's a Norwegian word – kos – which means sharing simple pleasures, and this lounge is the epitome of that. Passengers knitted, read books and simply watched the fjords roll by, their banks dotted with rust-red houses. With the exception of the digital cameras, you could imagine passengers 50 years ago enjoying the same simplicity. Even the excursions I joined – which, as I found out from a historic poster on the ship's bridge, have been running in some form for decades – are focused on timelessly Norwegian elements. A walk around Hammerfest – the self proclaimed 'northernmost city in the world', or a sea eagle-spotting boat trip near picturesque Trollfjord, are both experiences unlikely to have changed much at all in the past decades. As we headed back to the Kong Harald from Trollfjord – the sea eagles swooping down around us – the captain showed me his clicker had hit 75 sightings in just one day. Given my grandparents' interest in wildlife, I could easily picture them, half a century before, as awed by their surroundings as I was. Throughout the week, I'd been questioning Hurtigruten veterans about how the route had evolved since the 1960s, hoping to piece together what my grandparents might have seen and felt. But in doing so, I came to realise that it was the enduring similarities, not the changes, that left the deepest impression. Even in my lifetime, I've revisited places only to be disappointed by how time had reshaped them, but here it felt as though little might have changed at all. I'll be forever grateful to the Norwegian coastline, and to this little voyage, for giving me a moment of connection with the family members I never got to know, decades in the making. Essentials The Coastal Express has multiple sailings throughout the week, with northbound, southbound and return journeys from £1,354 per person. Tickets can be booked together with flights from London or Manchester.
The Herald Scotland
14-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Son of Scottish butcher who became visionary boss of British Rail
Died: May 28, 2025 Sir Bob Reid, who has died aged 91, had a serious accident when he was nine years old that completely changed his life. He was in his father's butcher's shop in Cupar when the mincing machine stopped and he tried to restart it. 'It restarted with a jolt, gripped and bit into my fingers and pulled me down, the blades chewing upward towards me,' he recalled. He was taken to Dundee Royal Infirmary where a surgeon operated on him. Reid had to face life without the use of his right arm. Resilience, courage and an ability to adapt governed the rest of his life. After learning to write left-handed in ten days - 'not beautifully, but adequately' - he faced his major challenge and became a single-figure handicap one-armed golfer. Robert Paul Reid was born in Cupar, the younger son of a butcher. During the Second World War his father was in the Home Guard while his mother worked in the local military command office. He attended Bell-Baxter Academy, now Bell Baxter High School, where he was head boy, played rugby and was an excellent student. But his love of golf played a significant part of his youth. By his mid-teens he was winning junior championships and wrote, 'Passion is too weak a word. Golf is not a relaxation, golf is everything, golf is a philosophy, it's a religion, I mean really absolutely.' He studied political economy at St Andrews University, won a golf blue and continued his studies at the European Business School in London. At university he met and married Joan Oram in 1958. His first posting in the oil industry was to Borneo then Australia but in 1985 he returned to London and was appointed chief executive of Shell UK coping in 1989 with a fracture in a Shell oil refinery underwater pipeline in the Mersey. The spill of 150 tons caused a public outcry but Reid dealt with the matter with a canny understanding. When Reid was made chairman he was responsible for all Shell UK's production, refineries and was much involved with the company's North Sea oil explorations. Read more In 1990 he was offered the chair of BR – it is thought the job had been offered to many other businessmen – but he believed he could bring his business experience to an industry which had been unsuccessfully restructured by successive governments. He saw the creation of the Channel Tunnel connection with France as a positive change for the entire rail industry in the UK. But he had to combat constant battles with the Blair and Major governments over money. There were fraught discussions about industrial disputes and the savage increase in fares which made for an unhappy first few months. The winter was also harsh and commuters, staff and politicians were grumbling about the service. Reid argued that the trains should run on time, be safe and give a good service. But he soon had to negotiate with the government for more money. 'As long as we get the money,' he said, 'we can make it better. The government has got to give us more money.' In 1992 the return of the Conservatives under John Major put the rail industry in a totally fresh position as the government planned to privatise the industry. Their scheme – with Railtrack in charge of the tracks and signalling, and the train services divided between operating companies – was never ideal in Reid's opinion. Sir Bob Reid (Image: PA) His time at BR was not altogether happy and it was no surprise that in 1995 he resigned when he was sidelined by a new rail regulator. But Reid left BR in a better state than he found it. The finances were stabilised and almost healthy, industrial relations were much improved and there was a far greater efficiency throughout the industry. The BR staff who affectionately nicknamed him 'the one-armed bandit' had achieved much. On leaving BR he became chairman of Sears Holdings, and deputy governor of the Bank of Scotland. In 1999 he was instrumental in revitalising the International Petroleum Exchange and helping it some years later to be handsomely floated on the New York stock exchange. Reid was a man of much charisma, drive and energy. His business acumen was sharp and he preserved an informal presence in even the most tense situation. He was the first chancellor of Robert Gordon University and was awarded honorary degrees from Aberdeen, Heriot Watt and St Andrews. He remained a passionate golfer all his life and amongst other clubs was a member of the R&A. He was also a keen opera lover and served on the boards of several musical institutions such as the London Mozart Players. His wife Joan died in 2017 and he is survived by their sons, Douglas, Paul and Michael. ALASDAIR STEVEN At The Herald, we carry obituaries of notable people from the worlds of business, politics, arts and sport but sometimes we miss people who have led extraordinary lives. That's where you come in. If you know someone who deserves an obituary, please consider telling us about their lives. Contact
Agriland
11-06-2025
- Climate
- Agriland
Tillage: Potato canopies now meeting between the drills
Most main crop potato canopies are now 'meeting between the drills', according to Teagasc agronomists, with the recent rains having boosted growth rates across the country. Meanwhile, the threat of blight remains a very real one. Teagasc has updated its proposed blight spraying schedule, taking crops through to their later growth stages. This is particularly relevant this year as growers are expecting a much slower die-back of canopies, given the restriction on chemicals now available to them. The updated Teagasc fungicide spraying programme now contains a 15th and 16th application recommendation, covering the late season period. The 15th applications features Infinito at a rate of 1.6L/ha, with the final fungicide application comprising a mix of Ranman and Shirlan. Teagasc agronomists are stressing the absolute need to apply all fungicides at their recommended rates, whether they are used individually or in combinations. Only in this way can the use of existing blight fungicide chemistries can be retained for the long-term. New season potato crops Meanwhile first earlies grown in Co. Wexford are now in the shops. The quality of this year's crops is reported to be excellent. And it is the same story in Northern Ireland, where Comber earlies are in the shops now. Wilson's County sales and marketing manager, Joanne Weir said: 'We are delighted to have local new season crops in the shops so early. 'Last year crops were not harvested until the last week of June. 'New season Comber potatoes remain a firm favourite with consumers of all ages across Northern Ireland.' Meanwhile, weather extremes are not new phenomena for local potato farmers. Newtownards Co. Down-based grower William Gilmore said: 'Normally the issue is a combination of too much rain and cooler than normal temperatures. 'But this year the polar opposite has been the case. The new season crops have been coping with almost drought-like conditions for the past six weeks and more. 'Thankfully the rains have returned. But, as of a few weeks ago, it was fast becoming a 'touch and go' situation. All the crops were crying out for rain.' Making the difference for Gilmore were the excellent planting conditions that were the order of the day between the end of January and the middle of March. This year he is growing a range of new season potato varieties, including: Home Guard; Accord; Queen's Navan; and Sagitta.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cumbria's Museum of Military Life hosts fourth annual military festival
Cumbria's Museum of Military Life hosted its annual multi-period encampment last weekend. The Carlisle Castle event, on May 31 and June 1, showcased military history, from Norman knights to the modern army. Visitors explored tents, equipment, and demonstrations, with medieval combat displays and Home Guard rifle drills bringing history to life. Home Guard re-enactors from the Victory in Europe Re-enactment Group (VERA) (Image: Cumbria's Museum of Military Life) Rachel Brodie, learning and events co-ordinator at the museum, said: "The re-enactors certainly bring the castle to life and provide visitors with a real insight into army life through the ages. "The range of activities and demonstrations on offer provides something for everyone. "It is great to see people having a good day out." Re-enactors cooking, Norman style (Image: Cumbria's Museum of Military Life) The Parade Square featured military vehicles, including the museum's Armoured Scout Car, while children enjoyed activities in the popular KidsZone. Ryan Aitken, a re-enactor, said: "This is the 80th anniversary year of Victory over Japan Day. "Our display with a Far East theme enables us to discuss the Border Regiment's part in Burma and people are really interested in the soldier's kit and equipment. "We love being part of this event." Members of the Second World War Combined Forces Living History Group (Image: Cumbria's Museum of Military Life) The event was supported by the Solway Aviation Museum and the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, with veterans from the Regimental Association and Royal British Legion also in attendance. As part of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VE and VJ Day, the museum is currently displaying items from its Second World War collections. A new temporary exhibition, Gretna 110: The Quintinshill Rail Disaster of 1915, opened on Saturday morning, and is currently on loan from the Royal Scots Museum in Edinburgh. Plans are now underway for the fifth Military Festival in 2026.
Spectator
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Portrait of the week: More defence spending, more migrant arrivals and more Jenrick stunts
Home The government said that the armed forces had to move to 'warfighting readiness' and accepted the 62 recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review headed by the former defence secretary and head of Nato, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. But the funding of the plans remained in doubt as the government insisted that a rise in defence spending to3 per cent by 2034 remained an 'aspiration'; yet Nato was expected at this month's summit to insist on a level of 3.5 per cent. The government committed £15 billion to its nuclear warhead programme; £1.5 billion to build six new munitions factories; an extra £1.5 billion for repairs to military housing; and the building of up to 12 conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines. Power stations and airports would be defended by Home Guard volunteers. The Treasury sold its final shares in the NatWest Group, bought in the financial crisis of 2008. The US private equity company KKR pulled out of a£4 billion rescue deal for Thames Water. Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, declared that he regretted a 'clumsy' comparison of advocates of withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights to members of the Nazi party. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, visited Scotland for the first time in six years. The electors of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse voted for a new Member of the Scottish parliament. On one day 1,195 migrants arrived in England in small boats. John Healey, the Defence Secretary, pointed to the French police policy of not intervening with migrants in the water: 'We saw the smugglers launching elsewhere and coming around like a taxi to pick them up.' Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, released a video of himself challenging fare-dodgers on the London Underground to pay up.
