Highland fling
Autumn brings mists and midge-free mellowness to Scotland - and lots of bargains for travellers. The Scottish Tourist Board's Autumn Gold 2000 brochure carries special offers on transport, accommodation, and attractions from 25 September to 30 November. Among the deals are £64 flights with British Midland from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh and £89 return fares on Scotrail's Caledonian Sleeper. Caledonian MacBrayne offers savings of up to 45 per cent on sailings to the islands. Accommodation can cost as little as £5 per person per night at the Cologin Chalets and the Barn Country Pub in Lerags Glen, near Oban. The Bosville Hotel and Chandlery Seafood Restaurant, which overlooks Portree Harbour in Skye, has a three-night dinner, bed and breakfast break for £99 per person, Ardanaiseig Hotel, which overlooks Loch Awe in Argyll, has three nights for the price of two from £99 dinner, bed and breakfast per night, while the five-star Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire has an autumn rate of £165 per room per night. Brochures from 08705 511 511.
Kiwi adventure
Trekking specialist High Places has opened an office in Nelson, the northern-most town in New Zealand's South island. Founding directors Bob and Mary Lancaster have migrated to New Zealand with their family and will oversee the development of holidays for the outdoor enthusiast in the North and South Islands for the Sheffield-based company. The High Places brochure, which was the overall winner of this year's Observer and Guardian Best Brochure Awards, features treks all over the world. Phone 0114 275 7500 for a copy or e-mail highpl@globalnet.co.uk.
Weekend in the jungle
Tickets are scarce for Disney's The Lion King, the most sought-after family show in London's West End. But Crystal Days and Nights has pre-reserved seats from September until the end of the year. These are packaged into a jungle-themed weekend break with a Saturday night stay at the Berjaya Eden Park Hotel, close to the theatre, a two-course pre-show meal at the Rainforest Café, seats at the show and a free trip on the London Eye, Britain's most popular attraction. This costs £119 per person including continental breakfast (£60 for up to two children under 12 sharing their parents' room). Details from 0870 888 0030.
Santa beckons
As the nights begin to draw in, it's time to think about visiting Father Christmas in Lapland. Eclipse Holidays (08705 010203) has three-night breaks in December from £485 per adult (£310 per child) at the Crazy Reindeer Hotel in Levi, Finland's leading sports resort. This includes flights from Gatwick or Manchester between 6 and 17 December, full board, and a variety of excursions including husky dog safaris, toy-making and a visit to Santa's workshop.
On your bike
Cyclists can choose from two late-summer holidays in Ireland with Bike Events (01225 480130). A week exploring the south-west from Cork to Kerry departs on 11 September and a more challenging ride through the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula departs on 17 September. Both cost £299 for ferry crossings, campsite fees and breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meals. The rides benefit the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust and Whizz-Kidz.
Shop till you drop
Stay abreast of fashion with a shopping break to Milan, whose range of designer stores will satisfy the most demanding shopper. Kirker Holidays (020 7231 3333) offers three-nights at the four-star Excelsior Gallia for £480. This includes flights, car transfer on arrival, accommodation and breakfast with an upgrade to a deluxe room for weekend stays, and Kirker's city guide.
Heritage warning
Families following our guide to Britain's pre-Christian heritage in Kids' Escape last week should stay clear of Silbury Hill in Wiltshire after the collapse of an eighteenth-century excavation shaft. The 10-metre hole has been capped, but English Heritage warns against approaching the site until it is filled.
