Nainital

Nainital is India's answer to the lake district.

It's another town founded by homesick brits of the empire - it clings to the steep sides of an alpine valley with a lake on the top of a mountain. It's inaccessible, cooler and cleaner than the plains, and from the town you can't see outside the valley - so there's no unpleasant reminder that you're in India. There's a lot of old architecture left: boarding houses, churches bungalows and boating clubs. They must have thought it was perfect.

Apparently my grandfather was stationed here during the war. I hope he was here for some time - I'd have thought that this was the most pleasant place possible to be stuck.

The town is very popular with Indian tourists now, who enjoy promenading along the mall around the lake; eating well in the good restaurants and tearooms; having a few drinks; and boating on the lake.

Funnily enough, that's what we did too. Most tourists hire a boatman to take them out for a row on the lake. But not us. We chose a pedalo instead, and pootled around the lake for an hour in a giant plastic swan.

Nainital