Hours spent in confinement playing games with family members this Christmas has no doubt brought out your competitive streak. Those of you who haven't been left with an urge to take up paint-balling, stock car racing or bull-fighting could do worse than take a look at www.thisisthelakedistrict.co.uk for some of our online competition opportunities.

Each Tuesday, Prizetime from the South Lakes Citizen goes online at www.thisisthelakedistrict.co.uk. Last year some of the stand out prizes on offer included a DVD player, a luxury weekend break at Storrs Hall and countless CDs, videos and DVDs. Coming up in January there's the chance to win a microwave courtesy of Iceland and computer software from E-promotion that lets you make cards on your computer - perfect for you creative types out there! See it in the South Lakes Citizen and online on the Prizetime page of Competitions section.

Our own Lakes Quiz is gaining momentum. We started by asking how many lakes there are in the Lake District. Following an avalanche of feedback we set up a second competition where we asked how many mountains over 3000 feet there are in the Lake District. Now we've made the competition bigger and better by teaming up with the YHA to offer you free family membership and a weekend break at Ambleside Youth Hostel.

All you have to do is tell us how many Youth Hostels are located within the Lake District National Park boundary. Unless you're a diehard YHA member you're unlikely to have the answer to hand, so take a trip to the Lake District section of the YHA (England & Wales) website (www.yha.org.uk). It could help you work out the answer but remember: Only those hostels that are within the National Park boundary qualify, so don't count Carlisle, Kendal and Arnside!

Finally, we are looking for a writer, artist and musician in residence for www.thisisthelakedistrict.co.uk. We will be developing a section on the site that will feature our in residence' representatives giving advice, interacting with the public and more. If you want to be considered, please send a 1500 word profile and proposal as to why you should be chosen to represent your field and include one sample of your work on A4 (photo copy accepted) or tape/CD if you're a musician. Send it to: Digital Media, The Westmorland Gazette, 22 Stricklandgate, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4NE.

Thisis site of the week...

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/campsites/lakedistrict/ - The National Trust has created a new website to show off its three Lake District campsites at Low Wray on the shores of Windermere, Wasdale Head - close to Wastwater - and Great Langdale. Whether you're planning a camping trip or not it's worth visiting for the breathtaking landscape photography alone. Plus, there's a full lowdown on the facilities and prices at each site, location maps and some other useful information.

January 2, 2003 15:00