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It’s less than a year until the Lonodn 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are here ! A selection of sustainable accommodation surrounding the London 2012 Olympic venues 1. London’s iconic Savoy hotel blends Edwardian and Art Deco interiors with bang-up-to-date green technology. Its innovative energy-saving measures are too numerous to list here, but you’ll sleep soundly between your luxury sheets as the hotel’s kitchen appliances reclaim heat to warm domestic water and your smart room thermostat regulates the temperature using natural ventilation. for the ultimate eco stay, book an Elements package and ask your Green Butler the greenest way to reach London’s Olympic venues and Eton Dorney. http://www.fairmont.com/Savoy/ 2. An hour north of Manchester is Clough bottom, a working organic farm. Hire one of the three lovingly converted stone cottages and flit between Olympic football in Old Trafford, fly fishing, horse riding and walks through the glorious countryside lining the Ribble Way. The friendly owners recycle cardboard, paper, glass, tin, metals, plastics and printer cartridges, and your compostable waste may well end up on the veg patch just outside. http://www.cloughbottom.co.uk/3. Bournemouth’s colourful Victorian gardens, seven miles of golden coastline and some of the warmest sea temperatures in the UK make it the perfect base for the Olympic sailing in nearby Weymouth. Take a little bit of the English seaside into your bedroom with a stay at the eco-friendly Menzies East Cliff Court. This four-star hotel perches high on Bournemouth’s East Cliff giving many of the rooms uninterrupted views over the bay. www.menzieshotels.co.uk/hotels/hotels-in-bournemouth/east-cliff-court-bournemouthFor the other sustainable places to stay near Olympic venues click hereLondonEven though the Kiwi dollar is riding high and going further than ever, there are always lots of great things to do in London which cost you nothing at all ! Top 12 Free things to do in London 1. Changing of the Guard, Buckingham PalaceOne of Britain’s greatest traditions and attractions is the heritage of the British Monarchy. From May to July the Changing of the Guard happens daily at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. on Sundays) and lasts approximately 1 hour. The process is the changing of the old guard from Buckingham Palace with a new guard from St. James’s Palace. The guards are from one of five regiments: the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards, the Welsh Guards, the Grenadier Guards and the Coldstream Guards.www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/ChangingtheGuard/Overview.aspx2. Art Galleries, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, National GalleryLondon has some great art galleries and what’s even better is they are free! Tate Britain, situated in Millbank, and Tate Modern, situated in Bankside, are home to artwork from 1500 to the present day. Along with these two museums, the famous National Gallery, situated to the north of Trafalgar Square, boasts an impressive collection of Western European artwork from the early 20th century to present day.www.tate.org.uk/britain / www.tate.org.uk/modern / www.nationalgallery.org.uk3. Primrose HillPrimrose Hill, situated on the north side of Regent’s Park, offers remarkable views over London’s skyline, especially at sunset. The park, which is 410 acres, was designed in 1811 by John Nash, a renowned architect. The park has its own football, softball, rugby and cricket pitches in addition to a boating lake, bandstand, and a beautiful rose garden. The region is full of pubs, cafes, restaurants and celebrities. Primrose Hill is the ideal location for visitors to take a picnic and do some celebrity spotting.www.royalparks.gov.uk/The-Regents-Park.aspxFor more on London click hereScotlandCameron House Launches ‘Manly’ Glengoyne Whisky Afternoon Tea Cameron House on Loch Lomond has partnered with nearby Glengoyne Distillery to offer a new Whisky Afternoon Tea.Created by new Head Chef Ryan Neill, the afternoon tea is designed to appeal to men, with a selection of savoury, carnivorous Scottish favourites served with Glengoyne whisky and a mug of tea on a slate spread. This is a more masculine alternative to the traditional Champagne afternoon tea, which typically includes light, dainty sandwiches and sweeter treats arranged on a tiered stand with tea served in delicate bone china. Dating back to 1840, afternoon tea has long been considered the preserve of women. now men too can enjoy this tradition with a fine menu of Rare Roast Beef and Arran Mustard Sandwiches, Haggis Sausage Roll, John Ross Smoked Salmon roll, Mini Aberdeen Angus Burger, Black Pudding Scotch Egg, Glengoyne Whisky Fruit Cake and a 10 Years Old Glengoyne Whisky Miniature. Served in the refined setting of the hotel’s Whisky Bar, the Glengoyne Whisky Afternoon Tea is available daily from 2-5pm for £26 per person. Glengoyne is one of the world’s leading malt whiskies, distilled more slowly than any other Scotch and matured in sherry-seasoned oak casks. Cameron House is an ideal base for a visit to Glengoyne Distillery, which opened in 1833 – the same decade that afternoon tea was made fashionable by the Duchess of Bedford, and offers a wide range of tasting tours and masterclasses. The distillery is situated in a wooded valley with a picturesque waterfall that flows into Loch LomondFor more on Glengoyne Whicky Afternoon Teas click hereEnglandThe Egremont Crab Fair One of the oldest fairs in the world – takes place on the third Saturday in September on the Cumbrian coast in north-west England. The fair was first held in 1267, to celebrate the generosity of the Lord of Egremont, who gave crab-apples to the poor. These are small and often sour-tasting wild apples. so the fair always starts with the Parade of the Apple Cart, and apples are thrown to the crowds.There are various sporting events during the day, including Cumberland wrestling, an ancient and traditional local sport. Each wrestler locks his hands behind his opponent’s back and tries to lift him up and throw him to the ground to land face-up.The events end with the World Gurning Championships where contestants compete to make the most grotesque and silliest facial expressions possible. ‘Gurning’ is the name for such face-pulling. it is thought the sport comes from the faces the locals made when they tried to eat the sour crab apples. Contestants frame their face with a horse collar known as a braffin.This year’s Egremont Crab Fair takes place on 17 September. The World Gurning Championships start at 6pm.Baybarrow Sports Field, Orgill, Egremont, Cumbria Website: www.egremontcrabfair.comWalesThe Valleys Walking Festival 3rd – 18th SeptemberA firmly established event in the calendar is The Valleys Walking Festival taking place between the 3rd and the 18th of September 2011. This will be the 7th annual festival as offers a greater number of walks spread over a larger geographical area with five new walks including a long distance one. There is plenty on offer to tempt walkers of all abilities – from walks for the serious enthusiast looking to stretch themselves whilst basking in the breathtaking beauty of The Valleys scenery to shorter walks suitable for the less experienced and for all the family.all walks are led by experienced walk leaders whose local knowledge is guaranteed to add to the experience. This is your opportunity to see just how spectacular The Valleys of today are and enjoy a unique roller-coaster landscape of hills and vales dotted with friendly towns and villages.For more on The Valleys Walking Festival click hereHotels & RestaurantsCelebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is to open a new restaurant in the City of London in September.Bread Street Kitchen will open in the newly built One new Change development next to St Paul’s Cathedral. The restaurant is planned to offer an informal, relaxed dining experience in a large warehouse-style room with an open kitchen. it will be open from early morning to late at night.a wine balcony holding 2,000 bottles of wine will stretch along the wall above the kitchen. The restaurant will offer an extensive wine and cocktail list alongside a seasonal menu which will include a cider-braised pork collar and a king crab cocktail. The Raw Bar will serve dishes like ceviche of sea bass with grapefruit, chilli and lime. a ground floor bar will serve cocktails, wine and a selection of small plates.Reservations for the new restaurant open in August.Bread Street Kitchen, One new Change, 10 Bread Street, London EC4M 9AFTel: +44 20 7592 1616Website: www.gordonramsay.com/breadstreetkitchen