Latest news with #HagridHut
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
I spent the night in the UK's biggest National Park with both stargazing and Northern Light spotting
AS I gaze upwards, my eyes are greeted by dozens of brilliant white stars glittering across the deep blue midnight sky. Welcome to Cairngorms National Park, the largest in the UK and one of the best places in the world to stargaze. 4 4 My mum and I had escaped to the Highlands for a weekend break to immerse ourselves in nature — and with a sky like this on our doorstep, it wasn't hard to do. That's the real standout of a holiday home at Cairngorm Bothies, its location. And a luxury self-catering bothy — a Scottish hut — was my home for the next few days. As well as a cosy interior, it featured a large decking area so we could soak up the sky at all hours. When I checked in, staff member Sarah told me to look north if I wanted to see the Northern Lights. Sadly they didn't make an appearance that night, but during the winter months, you're more likely to see them than not in these parts. Luckily, any disappointment was eased by the roaring log burner and plump sofa, which were beckoning from within our cosy retreat. While a bothy is typically a very basic shelter used by outdoor enthusiasts, the bothies here are a little fancier. From the outside, our two-person bothy looked a little like Hagrid's Hut in the Harry Potter films. Inside, however, it was kitted out with tartan furnishings and a snug bedroom, which had just enough space for a double bed. Martin Lewis warns about strict passport rule that could see you board your flight - only to get sent home on arrival When you're not getting cosy by the fire or soaking up the endless stars, there's plenty else to get stuck into in the surrounding area. Hiking is hugely popular, with the Cairngorms home to hundreds of trails suitable for all abilities. If you're not much of a rambler, head to the Victorian village of Ballater, a short drive away, which is filled with boutique shops. Ballater is also home to the Old Royal Station, once used by visitors to Balmoral Castle, as it was the closest station to the Royal Family's summer residence. Queen Victoria While the station closed to passengers in 1966, it has acted as a hub for tourism in the years since. Inside you'll find a tourist information centre, a tea room that would not look out of place in an Agatha Christie novel, and a replica of a rail carriage used by Queen Victoria. After glimpsing royal life, we drove the ten minutes to Balmoral Castle where we could soak up even more of the royals. The castle wasn't open to the public when we were there, so Mum and I enjoyed a leisurely walk around the majestic lawns. With no sign of any royals, we felt like we had the whole grounds to ourselves. When it comes to filling your belly, this region isn't short of pubs serving slap-up Scottish food. 4 4 Farquharsons Bar and Kitchen in nearby Braemar was one of our favourite evening spots, with a roaring fire at its centre and quaint garden out the back. Expect hearty plates of bangers and mash, which we washed down with a pint of Tennent's, a local lager made with Scottish barley and water from Loch Katrine. For something a little lighter, The Bothy tea room back in the village of Ballater serves proper sarnies crammed with meat as well as jacket spuds and some of the most delicate homebaked cakes I've ever seen. Or you can pick up something from the supermarket to cook back at your bothy. We definitely came home with stars in our eyes.
CNET
29-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Amazon Deals of the Day: Don't Miss a Record Low on the Latest M4 Mac Mini
Amazon sells tons of products, with new ones arriving daily. The retail giant carries everything from home essentials to tech gear and wellness items. As much as it loves adding new products, Amazon also loves cutting prices. Deciding which deals are worth grabbing (and which aren't) is a full-time job -- our job, specifically. That's why we scope out the top deals for you. Today, we spotted the Apple M4 Mac Mini down to a record-low price, saving you over $100. We also found the Baseus laptop power bank for more than half off, plus you'll get a cool freebie too. And finally for the Harry Potter fans, the Hagrid's Hut Lego set is down to a new low price, saving you $15. The M4 Mac Mini is a tiny yet powerful desktop. It's made with an ultracompact design but doesn't compromise on the strong performance. It is also equipped with an ample amount of ports and even supports up to three displays. It's great for everyone, from those looking for a simple home office computer to those who are using high-powered creative tools. It comes with Apple's coveted M4 chip along with 10‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU. You get 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD. It also uses Apple's AI features, too. And for the environmentally conscious, this M4 Mac Mini is the first carbon neutral Mac. It normally retails for $599 but right now you can score one for $489, saving you $110 off the sticker price. This is also a new record low. Oftentimes when we're away from home, we use portable power banks to keep our devices powered up. This usually works for small devices like cell phones, headphones and some tablets. But to keep a laptop powered, you'll need something with a little more juice than your average power bank. The Baseus laptop power bank has a 20,000mAh capacity. This means it can charge even a MacBook Pro 16. It has an LED display that shows you the remaining battery level, charging power and charging/recharging time. It's compatible with MacBooks, Dells, iPads, AirPods and more. And with multiple ports, you can charge up to four devices at once. Right now, you can score $70 off the normal price of $130, bringing your cost down to $60. But that's not all. When you purchase this laptop power bank, you can score the Baseus Picogo ultra slim power bank for free. This is a $35 value which bumps your savings up to $105. Simply add both items to your cart and the discount will automatically apply. Calling all Harry Potter fans. The Hagrid's Hut Lego set comes with seven Lego Harry Potter characters. This includes Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Rubeus Hagrid mini figures, and Lego figures of Norbert the dragon and Hagrid's dog, Fang. It also comes with two of the 14 random Hogwarts collectible portraits. It's made for ages eight and up, meaning the whole family can enjoy building the hut. It has 896 pieces. Plus, the hut can open up and the roof can lift up, creating space for open play. Normally, $75, this Lego set is down to $60 right now, a record-low price. With so many deals on Amazon, deciding which ones are worth your money can be difficult. But CNET combs through what the world's largest online retailer has to offer and gathers the best deals for you.
