The National Trails of Scotland part two

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

Welcome to the second part of our series highlighting some of the many walking trails that make up the National Trails of Scotland. Last time we covered Annandale Way, The Ayrshire Coastal Path, Kintyre Way, Borders Abbeys Way and Great Glen Way. This time we're going to cover five more places to enjoy walking in this beautiful country.

Holidaycottages.net has quite a selection of holiday cottages in Scotland. All would make a great base camp for tackling many of these trails. Check them out and book yours today!

The Southern Upland Way

The Southern Upland Way is 212 miles from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath. It includes some of the best hidden scenery in Scotland and is one of the quieter trails thanks to being relatively unknown except for enthusiasts. Enjoy hills, fields, woodland and coast along this way, with plenty of wildlife to spot along the way.

It takes around 12 days to complete this trail from end to end so using one of our holiday cottages as a base camp would be ideal.

Clyde Walkway

Clyde Walkway takes you from Glasgow city centre to New Lanark across 40 miles of city and countryside. Walk along the riverside out of the city into Strathclyde Country Park and then along the banks of Strathclyde Loch to the River Clyde. From here you explore woodland, fields and hillsides and take in all four Falls of Clyde.

Speyside Way

The Speyside Way runs from Buckie on the shore of the Moray Firth southwest to Aviemore on the edge of the Cairngorm Mountains. It is 65 miles long and includes a huge variety of countryside to enjoy. The trails are well maintained and take in some of the best views in the area. Buckie offers a lovely coastline, while you head inland to Aviemore where the mountains dominate the skyline. It's a lovely walk.

Berwickshire Coastal Path

Berwickshire Coastal Path takes you 28.5 miles from Cockburnspath to Berwick across some of the most picturesque coastline anywhere in the world. With dramatic cliffs, energetic sea and some lovely countryside landward, this is an excellent walk for anyone who loves the coast or seabirds as you get plenty of both. It's not the longest trail, but it is one of the prettiest.

The Moray Coast Trail

The Moray Coast Trail runs 50 miles from Findhorn to Cullen and is another excellent coastal trail. It takes in some amazing coves, cliffs and dramatic coastal scenes. Look inland for busy farms, lush woodland and some lovely scenes of Scottish lowland life.

Holidaycottages.net has a selection of high quality holiday lets within a short drive of any of these trails. If you're looking to explore, we have the perfect holiday cottage for you. Check out the interactive map to find yours!

The National Trails of Scotland

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

So we have covered the national trails of England and Wales, now it's time for Scotland. There are hundreds of miles of walking and cycling throughout the country with thousands of paths, bridleways and features to explore. It's just one of the many reasons to take a holiday cottage here.

There are too many trails to list in a single post, so both posts this week will feature some of Scotland's best walking trails. Enjoy!

Annandale Way

The Annandale Way is a new trail that runs for 55 miles between Moffat and Annan. There is a bit of rough ground, some loose sections and some climbing so good walking boots are essential. In return, you will get to see an old Roman watch tower, the Devil's Beef Tub and down into the Solway Coast. It's a great walk with plenty of open land, woods and valleys.

The Ayrshire Coastal Path

The Ayrshire Coastal Path runs from Glenapp to Skelmorlie and is 100 miles of some of the best coastal views in Scotland. From the path you can view the mountains of Arran, the Firth of Clyde. The going is steady, with good ground, plenty of hills but nothing too challenging. Pick the right day and those coastal views are simply stunning!

Kintyre Way

The Kintyre Way takes in the best of the Kintyre peninsula that opens up hidden coves, sheer cliffs, dramatic rock formations and some of the best coastal walking in Scotland. The Kintyre Way stretches from Tabert to Machrihanish over 98 miles or so of trail. It is broken down into sections so you can walk as much or as little of it as you please.

Borders Abbeys Way

Borders Abbeys Way is 68 miles long and links four Scottish abbeys, Kelso, Jedburgh, Melrose and Dryburgh. The track is a mix of coastal path, riverside, woodland, farm track and old railways lines. It's a fascinating glimpse into rural Scotland and offers the opportunity to see some of the country's best wildlife as well as some amazing scenery.

Great Glen Way

Great Glen Way is 79 miles of Scottish scenery stretching between Fort William and Inverness. It takes in some of the best of the highlands and makes it accessible to walkers of all levels. The trails are well maintained and there are a number of holiday cottages within easy reach. There are also opportunities to kayak or canoe across some of the glens, adding to the experience.

Those are just five of the many trails in Scotland. Join us on Thursday when we highlight five more. If you have gained an appetite for exploring Scotland, check out our Scottish holiday cottages. There really is something there for everyone!

Holiday cottages in the beautiful Channel Islands

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

The Channel Islands are an often forgotten part of the United Kingdom that doesn't get its share of publicity. For such a beautiful place with so much on offer, it deserves more. That's what this post is all about. We have a few holiday cottages in the Channel Islands and we want them all to get the attention they deserve.

The islands are made up of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Herm and Sark. Each has its own charm and character and each has something different to offer. Considering they are only an hour away by plane or helicopter, we really should visit them more. You can get there by ferry too.

Jersey is a mix of modern town and lovely countryside and is a real taste of cosmopolitan life. Guernsey is almost Mediterranean in character and has sparkling emerald waters and lots of history. Alderney is quieter, with less tourism but just as much to see and experience. Herm is smaller, with a tropical feel in its white sandy beaches and clear sea. Finally, Sark is car free, and a step back in time.

If you fancy a Mediterranean holiday without the hours of travel and language barriers, you should try the Channel Islands. Each has a very European flavour but with a British twist. The larger islands have plenty to offer families and couples alike. The smaller islands are well, smaller and quieter, perfect for taking time away from it all and enjoying yourself.

The Channel Islands sit close to the Normandy coast and have a unique mixture of French and British culture about them. The islands also bear the scars of being the only part of the United Kingdom to be occupied during the Second World War.

This year, the Channel Islands are holding the Channel Islands Heritage Festival, celebrating 70 years of freedom after that occupation. So if you were thinking of visiting the Channel Islands one day, this might be the best time!

Running from the 11^th of May, the festival will include living history re-enactments of life during the 1940s at Castle Cornet to guided tours with historians, fetes and more. Visit the Channel Islands Heritage Festival website to learn more. Each island is holding its own events and there really is something for everyone.

Check out the Channel Island section of our website to book a quality holiday cottage on one of the islands. We bet you'll love it!

The National Trails of Wales

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

Last week we covered the National Trails of England and mentioned than Wales had its own set of trails. So this week we're going to discuss those, the National Trails of Wales. Despite there being an abundance of amazing countryside in Wales, there are only four trails in Wales. So it's just as well all four are actually very good!

There is no shortage of place to walk when in Wales. Many of our holiday cottage customers stay there to do that very thing. With national parks, forests and some lovely towns and cities, you're never short of things to do. However, if you're working your way across the country using the national trails, here are the four you need for Wales.

Offa's Dyke Path

Offa's Dyke Path is a 285km trail that stretches almost the entire length of Wales along the England/Welsh border. You begin in either Chepstow or Prestatyn and can walk the entire length in 12 days. Fortunately, the trail is broken up into more manageable sections with places to stay close to each.

Offa's Dyke was created by King Offa of Mercia during the 8^th century as a rampart between England and Wales. Much of the original rampart remains and has been made safe for walking, which is now Offa's Dyke Path.

Glyndwrs Way

Glyndwrs Way is named after the last Welsh Prince of Wales, Owain Glyndwr. It is a 217km loop that begins and ends at different points along Offa's Dyke Path. It would take nine days to do all this trail, but in return you get to see some of Wales that most visitors would never get to see.

You walk through open moorland, isolated hills, small towns, farms, forests and the best of Welsh wildlife. You also get to see the Cadair Idris and Plynlimon mountains. Like Offa's Dyke Path, the trail is broken up into smaller sections with accommodation within easy reach of each. We have a number of holiday cottages within the area only a short drive from many sections of Glyndwrs Way.

Pembrokeshire Coast Path

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is 300km of coastal loveliness and is one of the best walks in the country. It takes in over 50 beaches, 14 harbours, lots of caves, coves, towns and villages and is well worth the effort.

Like the other trails here, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is broken up into manageable sections. Buses link many of them, while towns and villages make excellent stopping off points.

Wales Coast Path

The Wales Coast Path is the newest trail here, opened in 2012. It is 1,400km long and stretches for the majority of the Welsh coastline. It begins in Chepstow at one end and ends at Queensferry at the other. It includes the Pembrokeshire Coast Path the North Wales Path, the Anglesey Coastal Path and the Llŷn Coastal Path so you get to see the very best of what Wales has to offer.

Given the length of this trail, it will take a couple of weeks at the very least to cover most of it. Fortunately, like the other trails, there are a wide variety of accommodation available along the walk in the many towns and villages you'll come across while walking. We also have a number of Welsh holiday cottages near the route so you can recover at the end of the day!

Tour Game of Thrones Locations

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

If you're planning a spring or summer break in one of our holiday cottages, what better way to spend a day than following in the footsteps of your favourite Game of Thrones character?

With series five of Game of Thrones having just started back on TV, the country is going mad for fantasy drama once more. Few fantasy TV series have ever caught on as much as this one. That's partly down to great storytelling, great acting and a very believable cast. It's also partly down to great locations.

It's that latter that we're going to explore today. Many Game of Thrones locations are spread across Europe, including Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Morocco and others. Many are also located within Northern Ireland. It's those we're most interested in today. Here are just some of the many Game of Thrones locations within our borders.

Castle Ward

Castle Ward is an 18^th century stately home in Northern Ireland. It's one of the region's most visited landmarks and also the set of parts of Winterfell. The castle has a huge mansion house and 820 acres of grounds, courtyard and garden. Areas of the courtyard and interior of Castle Ward feature as Winterfell throughout the series.

Ballintoy Harbour

Ballintoy Harbour appears within the series as Pyke and the Iron Islands. The "raised beach" area is a lovely piece of coastline that looks very Mediterranean, yet is in the heart of Northern Ireland. It's no wonder it caught the location scout's eye.

The Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges near Stanocum in County Antrim, are another one of the area's most visited landmarks. Literally thousands of people visit here each year to see the tree-lined road that is immortalised as the Kingsroad in Game of Thrones.

Binevenagh Mountain

Binevenagh Mountain in County Londonderry is the setting for a number of outdoor scenes in series five. It's an amazing part of the country that affords fantastic views over the ocean from the top. It's also hull of interest, curious geological features and no small amount of archaeological mystery.

Stangford

Stangford is famous for dramatic coastline, rugged cliffs, rocks and for being a signature part of Ireland's geological heritage. It also plays Westeros in many of the series. Other scenes for Winterfell were also filmed in the area.

Tollymore Forest

Tollymore Forest in County Down appeared in the first ever episode of Game of Thrones all those years ago. Since then it has been used regularly for forest and hunting scenes for the series.

If you're staying in Northern Ireland in one of our holiday cottages, not only are these areas sets of Game of Thrones, they are also great places to visit in their own right!

The National Trails of England

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

The National Trails of England are a series of outdoor trails that cross large swathes of England. You can walk them, cycle some of them, ride some of them on a horse and generally enjoy them as you see fit as long as you're responsible. There are also national trails in Wales, Scotland and Ireland which we will cover in future posts.

They are a great way to explore our green and pleasant land. They are also a fantastic way to see parts of the country you wouldn't normally see. Especially if you're staying in one of our many holiday cottages spread throughout England.

Spending a day or two exploring our lovely landscape is probably the best way to spend time on holiday that we can think of. You can keep your beaches, your clubs, your city breaks, give us miles of countryside and a few nice country pubs and we're happy!

There are 15 National Trails of England that stretch to around 2,500 miles. All of them are open to walkers and hikers. Many of them are open to cyclists and horse riders. A further trail is currently being built which will become the England Coast Path. This will add another few hundred miles of walking around some of the many beaches of England. The full path will open in 2020.

Who, what and why are the National Trails of England

The National Trails of England came about after World War Two to preserve areas of land from redevelopment and expansion. There was a need to control how and where we rebuilt, so National Parks, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty and Long Distance Routes were created to protect certain areas of land. These all became National Trails in England and Wales.

National Trails are looked after by local managers and funded by local government. Other social enterprises also contribute to the maintenance and improvement of the trails.

Where are the National Trails in England

As mentioned, there are 15 National Trails in England and we have holiday cottages close to all of them. If you visit this National Trails website page, it shows you where the trails are. There is also a printable leaflet here that shows you where each trail is.

The trails are continually evolving as new permissions and trail expansions are secured. Thanks to legislation passed a few years ago that allows new rights of way just about anywhere for responsible walkers, new trails are opening up across the country. While it's best to stick to established trails, there are many ways to explore the countryside that we didn't have before.

If you're planning a spring or summer break in one of our holiday cottages, you could do worse than spending a day or two exploring the National Trails of England.

Top places to go beach riding in the UK

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

If you're renting a holiday cottage for spring or summer and feel like blowing the cobwebs out with a ride along golden sands, this is the post for you!

With better weather across most of the country this week, now is the natural time to want to spend by the beach. Now we have all heard of dog friendly beaches, but have you heard of horse friendly beaches? They are real and we have five of the best of them here.

If you don't have your own horse, each of them also has stables close by that offer everything you need.

Holkham Bay, Norfolk

We have dozens of holiday cottages spread around Norfolk with a few not far from Holkham Bay. The beach is part of the Holkham estate one of the most impressive country piles in the world. The beach is covered in firm golden sands that stretch almost forever. Perfect for letting your horse have its head.

Studland Beach, Dorset

Dorset has some of the best beaches in the country, including this one. Studland Beach is three miles of golden sand, dunes and shallows that are completely horse friendly. There are also cliff walks and coastal rides for miles in either direction.

Kennack Sands, Cornwall

Kennack Sands on the Lizard Peninsula is one of the best beaches anywhere. With some dramatic scenery, lovely golden sand, clear turquoise water and fine weather, there are few better beaches to ride a horse.

Holy Island, Northumberland

Holy Island is in Lindisfarne in Northumberland. Up here the beach is white, but still long, wide and firm enough for a horse. Holy Island beach takes you up to Lindisfarne Castle, offering a lovely backdrop for your ride. Get the weather right and the North Sea can be warm enough for a canter along the shallows too!

Druidston Haven, Pembrokeshire

Druidston Haven really does live up to its name. It's a little-known beach tucked away from the tourist trail. It's a clean, sandy beach with beautiful water and lots of space to run and let yourself go. It's a lovely place to spend a day on horseback.

We have holiday cottages close to each of these beaches and their accompanying stables. If you're after a horse riding experience or just want to spend a day on horseback, we have the perfect cottage for you. Check out the map to find yours!

Dinorwic Slate Quarry

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Jamie Kavanagh

Wales is a beautiful and fascinating country. So much so that it is often used as a backdrop for movies and TV series. If you're staying in one of our many Welsh holiday cottages, there are plenty of places across the region that you have seen on screen but would never know.

Here are just a few.

Clash of the Titans

The reimagining of the classic movie Clash of the Titans was partly filmed in Harriet Hole in Dinorwic Slate Quarry. The quarry is quite famous, having also featured in Willow and Street Fighter. It is also home to the National Slate Museum, so is worth a day out if you're staying near Snowdonia.

Die Another Day

Wales features prominently in this James Bond film that stars Pierce Brosnan. Penbryn Beach in Ceredigion is turned into North Korea for this film. Not only has it been immortalised in film, it's also a beautiful beach. It's popular with stargazers as it receives almost no light pollution.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows is one of the most popular of the iconic movie series and was filmed partly in Wales. The main protagonists hide in a recreation of Shell Cottage which is in Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire. The real cottage is made entirely from seashells.

Freshwater West is also featured in Robin Hood, Snow White and the Huntsman and the Lion in Winter. During the filming of Robin Hood, Russell Crowe liked the beach so much he camped there for a few nights instead of going back to his hotel.

Merlin

The BBC TV series Merlin did a lot of shooting in Wales. Many of the scenes were shot across the country, including Cosmeston Medieval Village, the Brecon Beacons National Park, Castell Coch and Caerphilly, Chepstow castle and Raglan castle. We have holiday cottages near all of those!

Doctor Who

No discussion about Wales on film would be complete without mentioning Doctor Who. Being based in Cardiff, the show shot many scenes within the Roath Lock studios. You can't get inside the studios but you can visit the nearby Doctor Who experience. It's a worthwhile visit if you're a fan of the show.

Gavin and Stacey

Another Welsh classic is Gavin and Stacey, a comedy that put Barry firmly on the map. So much so that the locals have seen a multiplying of tourists since the show was first shown. They even run coach tours to show visitors where the scenes were shot.