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'I get bored very quickly': Lorraine Kelly on overrated beaches and unsung Scotland

Places like Greenland and Iceland are on Lorraine Kelly's travel wishlist - getty
Places like Greenland and Iceland are on Lorraine Kelly's travel wishlist - getty

The presenter on Scotland, zero-gravity and Sir Ernest Shackleton...

I used to go to the Far East

...regularly because my brother and my daughter, Rosie, lived in Singapore for a number of years. We’d use Singapore as a hub for travelling to countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia.

If I had a superpower

...it would be to speak every single language in the world. Can you imagine how much better that would be? The most frustrating thing about travelling for me is not being able to speak the language.

We had a great time in India

...last year. The plan was to go to Kerala, but there was flooding there, so we ended up spending a lot of time in Rajasthan, which was a joy. We stayed in some fantastic places: Raas in Jodhpur; a homestay in Shahpura Bagh; the Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur; and the Imperial in Delhi.

For our silver wedding

...three years ago, we followed in the footsteps of my hero, Sir Ernest Shackleton. We went from the Falkland Islands to the Antarctic Peninsula and then on to South Georgia. I paid my respects at his grave, the custom there being to toast “the boss” with a glass of whisky.

The Falklands are full of wonders - getty
The Falklands are full of wonders - getty

I'm no good at lying on the beach

...because I get bored very quickly, as does my husband. I need to go and explore places where there’s a lot of culture and good food; where you can meet people, hear their stories and see as much as you can. That’s my idea of a perfect holiday.

I had curry for breakfast, lunch and tea

...in India. Street food is something I love. You have to be careful, but I think I have a cast iron constitution as I never get ill. I’d have curry every day if I could.

I was lucky enough to travel

...all over Scotland when I was Scottish correspondent for TV-am back in the 1980s. We went to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and the most remote place in Britain, St Kilda.

A trip to Greenland and Iceland

...is on my wish list for when things get back to normal. Realistically, though, we will probably end up driving to see my parents in East Kilbride and hopefully get to go to Orkney, too.

I did a zero-gravity flight

...in San Francisco last year to celebrate my 60th birthday. It was amazing, the nearest thing you can get to being in space. My husband, Steve, is a cameraman, so he filmed it. Before that, I got a private tour of Nasa in Florida, which was incredible.

The Solway Firth is seriously underrate - getty
The Solway Firth is seriously underrate - getty

Two underrated places

...are the Borders area around Cumbria, and the Solway Firth around Dumfries. People visiting Scotland fly to Glasgow or Edinburgh and, if they are driving, tend to bypass the Borders area. But it is a beautiful part of the world.

I love Africa

...and in particular Botswana and Namibia. I am very anti-hunting; the only thing that you should shoot on safari is film and the only thing you should kill is time. I feel privileged to have seen lions, rhinos and hippos in the wild.

My early holiday memories

...are mostly of Scotland, the coast in particular, where we stayed in resorts such as Ayr and Troon. We would usually stay in a bed and breakfast for a week. I always remember it being sunny and warm – but I’m sure it wasn’t!

We have a border terrier

...called Angus who normally gets left behind when we go abroad. We have taken him to Spain, however, and the last time we were there he ate his passport – so we had to get him a Spanish passport to get him home.

One big frustration

...is how big the world is, as there is just so much to see. Even if I lived in India for 40 years, I’d only scratch the surface. Every part of it is different. You get one kind of experience from the south, another from going north.

'Even if I lived in India for 40 years, I’d only scratch the surface' - getty
'Even if I lived in India for 40 years, I’d only scratch the surface' - getty

Anywhere that is just a beach

...is overrated. I can understand the allure of perfect white sands that are quiet or remote, or in a country like the Maldives or the Seychelles. That is fine. But a really, really crowded beach? No, thank you.

My perfect read at this time

...is South: The Endurance Expedition by Ernest Shackleton. It brings back memories of that magical trip I did. Anything about the Falklands appeals for the same reason. I’ve been reading a lot of books about Singapore as well, which take me right back to when I visited my daughter and brother.

I'm dreaming of going to Orkney

...right now. It has lovely walks, great scenery and a fantastic history, so going there is one of the highlights of my year. Normally, I go there every May and we stay in a gorgeous hotel, the Foveran. It has great food and spectacular views.

Interview by Roz Lewis

  • Lorraine Kelly is an ambassador for tails.com, the subscription dog food company that delivers tailored nutrition to your door. She is also a regular customer.