Simon Calder's Holiday Helpdesk: I want a UK Christmas holiday without the Christmas celebrations

Every day our travel guru answers your travel questions

Simon Calder Author Biography

Simon Calder

Simon Calder is Travel Editor at Large for The Independent, writing a weekly column, various articles and features as well as filming a weekly video diary. Every Sunday afternoon, Simon presents the UK's only radio travel phone-in programme called The LBC Travel Show with Simon Calder (97.3 FM). He is a regular guest on national TV, often seen on BBC Breakfast, Daybreak, ITV News and Sky News. He is often interviewed on BBC Radio, particularly for BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours programme and BBC Five Live.

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Friday 30 November 2012

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Q My sister has asked me to try and find her a Christmas holiday in the UK where Christmas is not celebrated.

Barry Bray

A Go north. Of the nations that make up the UK, Scotland is least afflicted by the Christmas closedown; there is even a Sunday service of trains running on Boxing Day in the Glasgow area, and the Willow Tea Rooms on Buchanan Street is open on 26 December.

If your sister aims for a distant island such as Rona or Carna, she should find hardly a soul. But the best compromise between escapism and comfort is probably to be found on the Knoydart Peninsula, a wilderness accessible from Mallaig by ferry and with a range of places to stay: ideal for a few days' peace and serenity. See the story I wrote - at bit.ly/KnoyX - for information and, I hope, inspiration.

Additional research by Emma Munbodh

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