Theresa May and her husband Philip took the mountain air in Switzerland today at the start of their summer holiday.
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The Prime Minister said she and her husband “discovered the joys” of walking in the country “quite by chance”.
May in 2007 told The Telegraph she first visited Switzerland 25 years earlier and found it “a wonderful summer destination” for walking.
‘On a return trip, we chose to go walking, enjoyed it and gradually began doing more adventurous hikes.
Its agreements go furthest in replicating EU benefits for a country outside the bloc, but it must also accept the free movement of people, pay into the union’s budget and comply with single market regulations.
The pair are expected to go walking in various alpine resorts, including the exclusive area of Zermatt.
Mrs May, who has been working very long hours since becoming Prime Minister just weeks ago, has previously told how she loves holidaying in Switzerland to find “peace and quiet”.
Premiers are usually accompanied on holidays by No10 staff with high-tech communications equipment so they can keep in touch with what is happening at home.
“Mrs May and the late Baroness Thatcher’s choice of holiday destination is in stark contrast to that of former Prime Ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair, who preferred warmer climates”, the newspaper wrote.
She carried out a sweeping clear-out of the Cabinet upon her appointment, getting rid of Mr Cameron’s closest allies, including George Osborne, Michael Gove, Oliver Letwin and Nicky Morgan.
She then handed prominent jobs to key Leave figures including Boris Johnson, Liam Fox and David Davis.
Mrs May has also sought to extend the hand of diplomacy across Europe and beyond following her appointment, moving to reassure the UK’s neighbours after the Brexit vote on June 23.
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The PM travelled to Scotland soon after moving into Number 10 for talks with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and has also undertaken numerous foreign visits to speak with European leaders.
