Monthly Archives: May 2014

Five great gardens to visit this summer

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If there is one thing us Brits love, it’s our gardens. When our gardens aren’t enough, we like to visit other people’s. With that in mind, we have put together this quick list of the top gardens to visit within the UK while you’re staying in one of our luxurious holiday cottages.

Wrest Park

Wrest Park is Silsoe, Bedfordshire is one of the loveliest locations anywhere in the UK. Not only does it have 10 acres of pristine gardens, it has played host to some of Britain’s most notable names in history.

Highlights include the long water to the Archer Pavilion, The Dairy Sculpture Gallery, Queen Mother's Garden and The Kitchen Garden.

Kenilworth Castle

Kenilworth Castle on its own is well worth a visit, but combine with the fantastic gardens is a must-see. Built for Elizabeth I in 1575 by Robert Dudley her only love, the romance and beauty of the location is unrivalled. Located in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, it’s surrounded by lovely countryside too.

We have a range of holiday cottages in Warwickshire, so this should definitely be on your “to-do” list if you’re staying nearby.

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens in Northumberland is dramatic to say the least. Designed to mimic the rocks and quarries of Sicily, these gardens are as surprising as they are astounding. There are wild flowers and native species as well as carefully cultivated displays.

Near Morpeth, Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens is another garden surrounded by amazing countryside. Perfect for a weekend away or summer break in a holiday cottage.

Brodsworth Hall

Brodsworth Hall, near Doncaster is a 15 acre garden that has recently been completely revitalised and renovated. The Victorian hall has been restored to its original condition and now serves as a display of Victorian life.

The gardens are fantastic, with a wide range of displays covering the entire spectrum of British gardening.

Witley Court

Witley Court in Worcestershire is another fantastic British seat with some amazing gardens. Now fully restored after a fire in 1937 and a long period of decline, Witley Court has some amazing gardens whose highlight has to be the Perseus and Andromeda fountain.

Those are just five of the hundreds of gardens worth a visit this summer. Each has an allure of its own and will have a number of our equally alluring holiday cottages nearby. If gardens or gardening is your thing, these are the ones to visit!

Top UK music festivals this summer

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What better way to spend a summer weekend than listening to music with thousands of like-minded people? Even better, you don’t have to brave mud, camping or pouring rain at night either. Rent one of our fabulous holiday cottages nearby and get the best of both worlds!

Here are five of the top music festivals you can enjoy during summer 2014. Each has a range of our quality holiday cottages within easy reach.

Isle of Wight Festival – June 12th to 15th

The Isle of Wight Festival is what kicks off the summer of music every year and 2014 is no different. With headliners such as Calvin Harris, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kings of Leon, there’s a lot to love about this weekend.

The Isle of Wight is lovely too, so if you can combine the festival with a longer holiday, it’s even better.

Download Festival – June 13th to 15th

The Download Festival at Donington Park near Derby is another amazing music festival. If you like your music live and loud, this is the one for you. With Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park and Aerosmith headlining, it’s set to be a good one this year!

We have dozens of holiday cottages within easy reach of Donington, so accommodation is sorted too!

Glastonbury Festival – June 25th to 29th

Glastonbury Festival is the daddy of all music festivals in Britain and this year is no different.  Headliners are Arcade Fire on Friday, Metallica on the Saturday, and Kasabian on Sunday. Other acts include Blondie, Disclosure, Dolly Parton, Elbow, Jack White, James Blake, Lana Del Rey and Lily Allen.

The Glastonbury Festival is set in lovely Somerset surroundings making it an ideal spot for a longer holiday before or after the festival too. Check out our holiday cottage listings to find a property nearby.

Wireless Festival – July 4th to 6th

Wireless Festival is held in Finsbury Park in central London and Birmingham. Each usually has a great lineup, with 2014 being no different. Headliners include Kanye West, Drake and Bruno Mars. Support acts include Basement Jaxx, Ellie Goulding, J Cole, John Newman, Iggy Azalea, Outkast and Pharrell Williams.

Needless to say, we have plenty of holiday cottages around London and Birmingham!

T in the Park – July 11th to 13th

T in the Park is being held in Balado, Kinross-shire, Scotland, which is a fantastic part of the world. Headlining here is Biffy Clyro, Calvin Harris, Arctic Monkeys with Ed Sheeran, Elbow, Franz Ferdinand, James, Kaiser Chiefs, Paolo Nutini, Pixies and Pharrell Williams in support.

Scotland is a fantastic place to visit for any reason and a music festival is one of the best reasons.

Wherever you go this summer and whatever you do, holidaycottages.net has a cottage for you. Check them out!

Bank holiday getaways for two in a lovely holiday cottage

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What better way to say “I love you” than by sweeping your other half off their feet and taking them away for a romantic break for two this spring bank holiday weekend? We have some lovely holiday cottages here that would be the perfect location for a romantic getaway.

It doesn’t need to be a special occasion to want to get away from it all. While Valentine’s Day or an anniversary make a perfect excuse, you don’t really need one to benefit from a little alone time with the one you love.

Imagine their reaction when you whisk them away somewhere having packed their things. You pull up in front of a quaint little holiday cottage somewhere nice and welcome them to their new home for a while. Who wouldn’t love that? To make it even better, this kind of break doesn’t have to cost very much either!

Amazing holiday cottages

Our idyllic holiday cottages come in all shapes and sizes so there’s bound to be one that’s perfect for you. We have thatched cottages, small cottages, period cottages, modern cottages, rustic cottages, seaside cottages, secluded cottages. We have cottages set in lovely countryside, set next to towns and cities or by rivers, mountains or forests.

In fact, we have some great holiday cottages pretty much everywhere. There are over 15,000 of them right now and each offers a little something different.

Self-catering seclusion

One of the key advantages of our holiday cottages is that you’re completely on your own. It’s yours to use and yours alone. It’s the perfect setting for a getaway where two people can connect in peace and quiet and go where the mood takes you.

You can sit in front of a log fire, cook a meal together to eat on the patio, sip a nice bottle of red while listening to music or watching the sunset. Whatever you want, you can have. Just select a holiday cottage with the features you’re looking for and book it. It couldn’t be easier than that!

We work hard, spend longer than ever away from home and have to cope with myriad distractions in any average day. That makes it important to take time out from the world and reconnect with that person who is most important to you. What better way to do that than with a lovely romantic holiday cottage?

Check out our range of amazing self-catering properties today. The perfect getaway is in there somewhere!

The top ten mountain bike routes in the UK Part 3

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In the final part of our top ten mountain bike routes in the UK series, we round off the best places to take your bike off road. What better way to enjoy a holiday cottage somewhere rugged than by taking your mountain bike with you?

So far, we have covered Swinley Forest in Berkshire, Fort William in Scotland and Coed y Brenin in Wales, Afan Forest Park in Wales, Coed Llandegla in Wales, Glentress in Scotland and Grizedale Forest in Cumbria.

Each has some immense riding and a range of ideal holiday cottages nearby. Perfect for a weekend away with your bike. So without further ado, let’s complete our list!

Calderdale

Calderdale in Yorkshire has the Mary Towneley Loop which forms part of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail. It begins near Waterfoot and stretches for 75km over the Pennines.

It’s not only a great trail to ride, it’s also an amazing opportunity to see parts of the Pennines that you simply wouldn’t be able to see by car. The trail isn’t technical but demands your complete attention and a decent level of fitness. Combined with the other trails in and around the area, it’s well worth a visit. Calderdale.

Kirroughtree

Kirroughtree in Scotland is another of the seven stanes like Glentress and is a great location for some dedicated mountain biking. The area has routes for all skill levels from blue to red and a range of trails that will really punish. If you’re fit and can handle your bike, this is the place for you.

Located near Newton Steward in Scotland, Kirroughtree has a range of trails with lots of technical rocky sections. The singletrack sections stand out the most, with some punishing but rewarding trails, as well as gentler ones. Kirroughtree.

Bike Park Wales

Bike Park Wales is a purpose-built trail centre that offers everything you need for a mountain biking holiday. It offers bike hire, a café, shop, repair service and even an uplift service, a mountain bike version of a ski lift. If you don’t fancy testing your legs with the ascents, let the minibus take the strain!

The riding is varied, with everything from beginner to professional. The trails can be fast, technical, rocky and challenging, making this park near Merthyr Tydfil a must-see for anyone serious about their biking! Bike Park Wales.

So there you have it. The top ten mountain bike routes in the UK. Each offers amazing facilities, challenging and rewarding routes and all are within easy reach of a premium holiday cottage. What more could you need?

The top ten mountain bike routes in the UK Part 2

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We’re continuing on from our last post listing the top ten mountain bike routes in the UK. Last time, we covered Swinley Forest in Berkshire, Fort William in Scotland and Coed y Brenin in Wales. Today we’re going to cover more fantastic routes.

Each of our top mountain biking locations has been specially selected as it not only offers fantastic biking, but also has one or more holiday cottages located nearby. You, your bike, your kit and one of our great little cottages is all you need to make a mountain biking experience to remember!

Afan Forest Park

Afan Forest Park in Wales is the next mountain biking trail to hit our list. It is another sensational place to ride with purpose-built trails, a visitors centre, café, spares shop and supporting infrastructure to make mountain biking a big part of local life.

The trails very from easy to hard, with a new 25km red route opening this year. There are over 130km of trails around the area, all within the park that offer amazing scenery, technical sections, fast descents and some jaw dropping forest. Afan Forest Park.

Coed Llandegla

Staying in Wales, next we’re visiting Coed Llandegla near Wrexham. This is another purpose built outdoor centre with many mountain biking trails as part of the activity mix. There are a number of trails, from blue to red stretching over the thousands of acres of forest.

Unlike the others, this is private land but it makes no difference to the experience. The routes are well thought-out, the descents are suitably fast and the technical sections are challenging to say the least! Coed Llandegla.

We have some great holiday cottages near Afan Forest Park and Coed Llandegla too!

Glentress

Glentress in Scotland is widely regarded as one of the best mountain biking destinations in the UK. It’s part of the famous seven stanes and really is somewhere you have to try if you like your biking.

Located near Peebles, south of Edinburgh, Glentress offers trails for all experience levels, as well as walking, tree-top activities and some amazing trails and scenery in the Tweed Valley. It’s a top place for mountain biking! Glentress.

Grizedale Forest

Grizedale Forest in Cumbria offers one of the best single trail experiences in the UK. The 14km North Face Trail within the forest offers a challenge, which is what we love! It has ascents, descents, technical sections, a few jumps and some amazing scenery.

Being set in the Lake District, there are hundreds of other trails within easy reach as well as a few dozen fantastic holiday cottages! Grizedale Forest.

That’s it for part two of our top ten mountain bike routes. Join us again for the final part of our list of top ten mountain bike routes in the UK!

Top ten mountain bike routes in the UK Part 1

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With the good weather finally here, it’s time to get your mountain bike out of the garage, do some maintenance and get out there. We have some excellent holiday cottages near some of the best mountain biking routes in the UK, so there really is no excuse not to hit the trails!

In this three-part series, we’re going to list the top ten mountain biking routes in the UK. We are spoilt for choice and selecting these top routes has been more difficult than you might think. Each has a challenging or fun biking route and each as one of our holiday cottages within easy reach. Everything you need for the ultimate mountain biking experience!

There’s nothing like whizzing through forests, down hills, over jumps and experiencing the adrenalin rush of navigating a tight, twisting track at speed. That’s the experience mountain biking provides, which is why it is so popular across the world.

So without further ado, here are our top ten mountain bike routes in the UK.

Swinley Forest

Swinley Forest in Berkshire is widely regarded as one of the best mountain biking areas in the south of England. It has numerous trails for all experience levels, has a convenient café called The Lookout and is convenient for the M4 motorway.

Located near Bracknell, this 2,600 acre forest has purpose-built trails, natural routes and even a jump area. It is well supported by local riders and clubs as well as the local council. It’s also close to some decent bike shops too should you need spares or repairs. Swinley Forest.

Fort William

Fort William in Scotland is another fantastic mountain biking area and plays host to the Mountain Bike World Cup. Located near Ben Nevis, this multi-use area includes dedicated mountain biking trails covering all disciplines, downhill, jumping, trail, cross country and beginners.

Located in Lochaber in Scotland, the region is in the Scottish Highlands and offers some fantastic scenery as well as local shops and areas of interest. We have a number of holiday cottages within a short drive of Fort William too! Fort William.

Coed y Brenin

Coed y Brenin in Wales is one of the best regions in the world for mountain biking. It also has one of the best purpose built areas with a café, spares shop, bike hire, changing facilities and everything you need to make the most of your time here.

Coed y Brenin sits inside Snowdonia National Park, which in itself is a fantastic place to visit. Add purpose built biking trails, jumps and challenges and come of the best forest riding anywhere in the world, it’s no wonder it’s on our list! Coed y Brenin.

Holidaycottages.net has self-catering cottages within easy reach of all of these locations. Check them out now!

Join us next time for more of our list of top ten mountain bike routes in the UK!

Spring family breaks in a luxury holiday cottage

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Family holidays are about spending quality time together, reconnecting outside of busy schedules and for having fun and enjoying yourselves. Having somewhere nice to do all that is at the centre of what a spring family break is all about. That’s where a holiday cottage comes in.

With accommodation taken care of, you can concentrate on enjoying each other’s company, finding things to do, learning new skills, trying new activities and growing together.

A luxury holiday cottage from holidaycottages.net is just the ticket!

Base of operations

Using one of our high quality holiday cottages as a base of operations is the ideal way to begin a spring break with the family. We have thousands of self-catering properties, in almost every part of the UK and Ireland. So no matter where you want to go or what you want to do, we can help.

Here are some ideas of the kind of spring break your family could be enjoying in just a couple of weeks.

Family seaside breaks – What better way to enjoy the spring sunshine than with a holiday cottage by the sea? As an island we have more coast than many countries so we should really make the most of it.

Have a short break in a seaside resort, or somewhere quieter among the sand dunes. It’s your break, have it your way.

Family fishing breaks – Fishing is one of the most relaxing pastimes we can think of. You get fresh air, sunshine and get to spend time next to the water. With thousands of miles of rivers and hundreds of lakes, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to locations.

With thousands of holiday cottages near some of the best fishing spots in the country, we can help you find that perfect place for a spring fishing break.

Family cycling breaks – With cycling more popular than ever, what better time to spend time on two wheels than the Spring bank holiday? Get your kids into the habit of exercising while enjoying themselves, explore new roads, new forests and new trails, or get some miles in on some of the most challenging ascents and descents in the UK.

However you like your cycling, a family cycling break this spring bank holiday could be just what the doctor ordered.

Those are just three of the many holiday ideas you could enjoy this Spring bank holiday. Whatever you want to do and wherever you want to go, holidaycottages.net has the perfect cottage for you!

Golf weekends and holiday cottages

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Golf is one of our favourite pastimes, with thousands of people tramping the greens every weekend. If golf is your thing and you want to spend more time playing than travelling, a golf weekend in one of our holiday cottages is for you.

With hundreds of golf courses across the UK and Ireland, choice is something you’re never short of. Add over 15,000 holiday cottages in every town and city in the country and you have a marriage made in heaven!

Now you can combine a golf weekend with a luxury holiday cottage anywhere in the country. Whether you’re travelling alone, as a couple or with a group, we have some amazing holiday cottages in some truly idyllic locations.

Think of some of the most famous golf courses in the country. Think Royal Birkdale, Sunningdale Old, Woodhill Spa Hotckin, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal St George's, Saunton East, Wentworth West, Ganton, Swinley Forest, Alwoodley, Hillside White or Royal Cinque Ports. There are hundreds of top quality golf courses in the UK and we have a holiday cottage within easy reach of all of them.

The best of all possible worlds

Want a round or two of golf without leaving a golf widow or bored family? Our holiday cottages may be near golf courses, but they are also within easy reach of some other exceptional attractions too. You don’t need to go far in the UK to find something to do.

Whether it’s wandering around historic monuments, quaint market towns, busy cities, walking along the beach, exploring forests or walking along the thousands of miles of canals. While you’re off playing golf, your family can also be amusing themselves in numerous ways.

It isn’t often everyone is a winner, but this is one of them!

For many of us, spending a morning on the green and an hour or two in the 19th before going home is our idea of heaven. If you go home to a happy family who have also had a great day, that’s the icing on the cake!

If you’re planning a golf weekend this May bank holiday, choose a holiday cottage with holidaycottages.net. with thousands of high quality self-catering accommodation near to some of the best golf courses in the country. With enough around to entertain the entire family, it’s one time you really can please everyone.

Book your bank holiday break with a holiday cottage from holidaycottages.net today and make the most of the long bank holiday weekend!

Let your holiday cottage with holidaycottages.net!

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With hundreds of websites out there offering to feature your holiday cottage for the world to see, why should you choose holidaycottages.net?

There are many reasons and we’re going to highlight just a few.

Personal service

Here at holidaycottages.net, we believe in the personal touch. You may have noticed there is no automated holiday cottage submission page or online payment system. That’s deliberate.

We want to introduce ourselves to you, talk to you and get a feel for what you’re offering. We can then create a completely tailored holiday cottage listing for you that makes the best of what you have.

It also reduces the number of scammers on this site, making it a better place for visitors and for you!

Growing fast

Holidaycottages.net is a relatively new venture, having been online only a short while. In that time, our personal approach and insistence on quality has brought many new clients into our business. Many holiday cottage owners appreciate the way the site looks, how easy it is to navigate and the positive user experience it generates.

Many also like the fact that we’re trying to offer something more personal than many other holiday lettings websites.

Sustainability

We may be growing fast but we’re also ensuring we can sustain the rate of growth and traffic coming through the site. We’re not resting on our laurels, we are constantly refining our offering, streamlining the website and doing everything we can to make the listing and letting process as fast and as easy as possible.

Visibility

As part of holidaycottages.net’s vision for growth, we are undertaking a digital marketing campaign that will elevate this website across the search engines and generate positive press. While this benefits us as a business, it also benefits you.

The more visible our website is, the more enquiries your holiday cottages are likely to receive!

Diversity

You may have noticed, but we don’t just do holiday cottages, we do boats too. This is a niche market with a very avid following. That following is larger than you think and we do everything we can to attract and maintain contact with this market.

If you have a narrowboat or cabin cruiser you want to let for holidays, we can help you too!

Those are just five of the many reasons why holidaycottages.net is the place to be if you own or manage holiday cottages or boats. If you’re looking to list your holiday lets or your boat, you now know where to come. Contact us today to learn more!