Like Gordon Brown, I’ve taken my summer break in the UK. Why put up with the hassle of airport queues and the guilt of that ever-growing carbon footprint when you can don your hat, scarf and woolly jumper and enjoy the vast swathes of deserted beaches in Northumberland? Not only does Northumberland have excellent beaches, but – and I know is a bit anoraky – I was rather impressed with the local recycling facilities. What’s surprising is that it’s still a surprise to find recycling facilities this good. And even the site I visited had its drawbacks, being only accessible by car.