Tag Archives: bank holidays

Top places to go beach riding in the UK

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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!

Explore Wales on film

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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.

How to keep the children occupied during a wet half term

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It's half term for many this week and it leads into Easter which means there are a lot of children with not a lot to do. This is prime time for getting away from it all and our holiday cottages are busier than ever. Given the weather so far hasn't been great, there are probably a few families out there looking for things to keep children occupied indoors.

Here are just a few. All are simple but effective ways of keeping kids entertained whether you're in a holiday cottage or at home. They go to show that it isn't all about games consoles and expensive computers. Old school games can still be fun too.

We hope they help!

Reading together

Parents reading to and with their children is something we should all do more of. It sparks their imagination, gets them interested in books and makes learning interesting. It's also a great bonding experience. Considering it's a very simple pastime that can keep children occupied for hours, everyone should try it.

Let's pretend

If your children are still of an age where they can build a den or have a tea party with their invisible friends, why not encourage it? It's a healthy way to let children explore their imagination and have a little fun without making a fuss, a mess or causing mayhem.

Make stuff

Making things will be easier at home than in a holiday cottage, but it is possible anywhere. Make cakes, paper hats, marshmallow and cocktail stick molecules or whatever, but get your hands dirty with the children, teach them something and play.

Take pictures

If you have a digital camera, why not let your children loose with it? As long as it comes back in one piece, taking pictures is a fascinating insight to how their mind works. It's also very creative and very "grown up" which adds to its attraction for the child. If they take anything particularly good you can promise to have it printed when you get home.

Sink or float

Sink or float is a simple game that can be quite fun if you turn it into a friendly competition. Take a bowl of water and some random objects and bet with your kids whether each object will float or not.

Those are just five of hundreds of indoor activities you can try while the weather is bad this half term and over Easter. Whether you're staying in one of our holiday cottages or at home, they will work wonders!

More holiday cottage locations for lovers of horse riding

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In the second of our horse-related posts, we are going to explore more areas of the UK that welcomes horses. In the previous post, we explored the Cheviots, The Coleridge Way in Somerset, the Brecon Beacons and the North York Moors. This time we're trying another range of great rides.

Each of these locations has a holiday cottage nearby. We have hundreds of high quality holiday lets designed to help you make the most of your time away from home. Check out the interactive map if you want to know more!

New Forest

The New Forest is a fascinating natural resource that provides activities for all people of all ages. Horses feature quite highly there too. Not only are there hundreds of miles of trails, there are also wild horses and ponies roaming free. You can bring your own horse or hire one there. The supporting infrastructure is excellent, the pubs are horse friendly and the entire region is geared around enjoying the outdoors.

You can't get much better than that!

Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight may not be the first place you think of when you're looking for horse riding trails, but there are miles of them on the island. Horse riding is a big part of the tourist industry here, so if you like your riding, this is a great place to visit. There are riding schools and stables, organised rides or trails and beaches for you to explore. It's an unexpected gem!

The Lake District

The Lake District is not only a firm favourite of hikers, it's also very popular with riders too. With hundreds of miles of trails and bridleways to explore, plus open fields to let loose, there's a lot to like about this part of the country. With a wide range of businesses built around horses, you won't go short of support either.

Wild Atlantic Way

The Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland is another amazing location to explore on horseback. It takes in mountains, valleys, forests and beaches and is one of the most fascinating trails on the island. With hundreds of miles of trail available along the Wild Atlantic Way, you can explore as much, or as little, as you like.

Cairngorms National Park

The Cairngorms National Park is the claimed home of pony trekking so it's right that we visit here on horseback. There are lots of stables and a few trekking centres in the area, as well as miles and miles of trails and bridleways that take in some of the best of this part of the country. If you like your scenery desolate and beautiful, this is the place to come!

Holidaycottages.net has a selection of high quality holiday lets within a short drive of each of these locations. Book yours today!

Holiday cottage locations for lovers of horse riding

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Exploring the countryside on horseback is not only an amazing way to travel it's also one of the oldest forms of transport known to man. A horse is a fascinating creature, skittish yet brave, easily frightened yet with a stout heart and a friend for life once you get close enough. Combining a holiday cottage with time in the saddle is our idea of heaven!

Being able to explore our fabulous countryside from the comfort of a saddle at a relaxed pace is one of our favourite ways to spend time. In the hope that you might try it too, we thought we would put together a couple of posts around horse riding. The next few posts will have horses in mind as well as your family. These first two will be a list of parts of the country that you can explore on horseback.

Cheviots

Our first ride begins in the Cheviots and does a loop though Northumberland National Park. It begins in Cliftoncote and takes you round the park along a range of trails from a few miles long to over a week of riding. The routes are being developed by the Northumberland National Park and the British Horse Society. Visit their websites to learn more.

We have a range of holiday cottages within range of Northumberland National Park, so check out the map to find yours!

The Coleridge Way

Named in honour of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, this is a 51 mile trail that runs through Somerset, across the Quantock Hills and into Exmoor. It's a fascinating landscape that will challenge horse and rider but is well worth the effort. From expansive moorland to dramatic coastal views, there is something for everyone here.

Brecon Beacons

The Brecon Beacons is a firm favourite of anyone who loves the outdoors. The variations in countryside, terrain, weather and scenery all combine to make an amazing place to spend time. There are over 600 miles of trails within the Brecon Beacons and most of them will be passable to horses. The website has a list of specific trails and the area has a range of stables and supporting business to help you enjoy your time there.

North York Moors

The North York Moors are another firm favourite of horse riders and lovers of the outdoors. With over 500 miles of trails to explore that take in moors, forest, fields, quaint villages and towns, there is little to dislike about this area. Add in the friendly people, outdoor infrastructure and support for all outdoors activities, it's a prime holiday destination.

We have holiday cottages near all of these destinations. Many will be within easy reach of stables if you bring your own horse or equine centres if you don't. Either way, they are perfectly placed to explore the countryside on horseback!

The Best Spring Walks in the UK 2015 part 2

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Continuing on from our blog post on Tuesday, we're continuing our series on the Best Spring Walks in the UK 2015. Last time we covered the Pennine Way, Pembrokeshire Coast Path, Millennium Coastal Path, Cotswold Way and the South West Coast Path. This time we're exploring more fantastic spring walks across the country.

Thames Path, Berkshire

The Thames Path crosses Wiltshire, Berkshire and London from the source of the Thames river in Cirencester into the capital. It takes in some of the best parts of the centre of England such as Henley, Windsor and Oxford and ends up in the centre of London. It's an interesting path that takes in the calm and serenity of the countryside before depositing you in the hustle and bustle of the city.

Hadrian's Wall Path, Cumbria

Hadrian's Wall is one of our most famous historical landmarks. Designed and built by the Romans to keep the Picts out of England, the remains of the wall still remains. Stretching from Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria to Wallsend in Tyne and Wear, this is an excellent walk that traverses the width of the country.

Farndale, North Yorkshire

Farndale is another very popular walk that sees thousands of visitors each year. Famous for its daffodils and in the centre of the North York Moors, there's nothing not to like about this walk. Spring is a particularly good time for this walk as all those daffodils are in full bloom.

Wyre Forest, Shropshire

The Wyre Forest isn't as long as the Penine Way or as picturesque as the South West Coast Path but in spring it is amazing. This ancient woodland comes to life in an awesome way with thousands of daffodils, bluebells and celandines all coming into bloom while the rest of this forest begins turning green. It's a great place to spend time on a shorter walk.

Norfolk Coast Path, Norfolk

We have mentioned the Norfolk Coast Path before as it is one of the few truly great walks in East Anglia. The walk takes in come of the best eastern beaches we have, some lovely sandy cliffs and even a nature reserve. If you like your walking calm and tranquil, this is one to try.

Like those walks in Tuesday's post, we have holiday cottages within easy reach of all of these locations. What better way to spend Easter or a spring day than exploring one of these walks and then coming home to a warm, comfortable holiday cottage and putting your feet up?

Use the map on the site to choose your location. There's a whole country to explore and holidaycottages.net can help!

Top 10 dog friendly beaches in the UK part 2

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Welcome to part two of our top 10 dog friendly beaches in the UK. Last time we covered Perranporth and Seaton in Cornwall, Hengistbury West Beach in Bournemouth, Lepe Country Park, Hampshire and Snettisham Beach, Kings Lynn.

We have holiday cottages within easy reach of all of these so your dog is well served if you’re staying close by. Those aren’t the only dog friendly beaches around though. There are hundreds dotted around England and Ireland. Here are five more.

  1.        Balmedie Beach, Aberdeen

Heading north now to Aberdeen and to Balmedie Beach. It offers five miles of lovely coastline with sandy beaches, dunes, gentle seas and lovely scenery. There are literally miles of beach to explore and to run and play and is one of the friendliest beaches in Scotland.

  2.        Gairloch Beach, Highlands

Gairloch Beach is set inside the lovely Scottish Highlands. It’s a secluded bay beach set amongst the dramatic scenery of mountains, islands and highlands. It offers a large beach that is somewhat sheltered from the wind, plenty of space to run and play and everything you and your dog needs for a day at the seaside.

  3.        Blundellsands, Sefton

Blundellsands not only has miles of golden sands and lots of dunes to explore, it also features that statue of Antony Gormley looking out to see. It takes a while to get used to, but it’s a point of interest in a beach full of them. A great place to run and play for all the family.

  4.        Rhossili Bay, Gower

Rhossili Bay has often been voted the Best Beach in Britain and for good reason. It’s a lovely stretch of Welsh coastline that goes on for three miles. There are lots of green spaces bordering the beach ripe for exploration too. Located at the end of the Gower Peninsula, this is a great day out for everyone.

  5.        Burnham Beach, Burnham on sea

Last but certainly not least is Burnham Beach by Burnham on sea. Another year round dog friendly beach where our four legged friends can run and play to their hearts content. Six miles of lovely sand, dunes, sea and lots of space to stretch your legs make this one of our top ten dog friendly beaches in the UK!

Holidaycottages.net has a wide range of dog friendly cottages spread across the UK and Ireland. Now there’s no need to keep your faithful friend in a kennel when you have a holiday, they can come too. It’s a fantastic way to spend family time and we regard time away with our dogs as time well spent!

Top 10 dog friendly beaches in the UK

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This week’s posts are going to feature ten of the best beaches in the UK to take your dog. With the weather slowly warming up, the beach is returning as one of the most alluring destinations either for a day out or an explore with our four legged friends. So this post and the post on Thursday will feature what are considered excellent beaches for both you and your dog.

If your dog is anything like mine, they will smell the sea a mile away and begin running towards it before they can even see it. Whenever we take him with us to a holiday cottage, we have to be near the sea. We love it, but he loves it more. So with that in mind, here are what we think are some of the best dog friendly beaches in the country.

  1.        Perranporth, Cornwall

Perranporth is in north Cornwall and offers miles of golden sand and is dog friendly all year round. There’s plenty for humans here too, with plenty of space, lots of sea and sand and some facilities dotted along the coast. Much of Cornwall is dog friendly, but this is one of the best.

  2.        Seaton, Cornwall

Staying in Cornwall, Seaton beach is another dog friendly beach with a lot to offer. It has miles of coastline where you can walk to Looe in one direction and Downderry in another. Dog walkers also meet up on weekend mornings to let their dogs run and play together in the sand and the sea. There’s also a café, parking and fresh water for the dogs.

  3.        Hengistbury West Beach, Bournemouth

Hengistbury West Beach is another dog friendly beach that allows year-round access off lead. There’s miles of sand for humans and dogs, there are usually other dogs to play with and it’s a great spot for all the family. Being near Bournemouth, we have a few holiday cottages within easy reach too.

  4.        Lepe Country Park, Hampshire

Lepe Country Park is a dogs paradise. Miles of beach, acres of woodland, cliffs and all sorts of new smells. The park also has a café, play area and some fantastic views of the Isle of Wight. Dogs can play all year round but are restricted to a large section of the beach during summer.

  5.        Snettisham Beach, Kings Lynn

Heading away from the south coast up to Norfolk to Snettisham Beach. This is uniquely a west facing beach on the East coast. It’s miles of lovely beach, the sea goes out a long way and dogs have unrestricted access at all times of the year. Spring and summer runs along Snettisham Beach are a real highlight of the year!

So that’s the first five dog friendly beaches. Join us Thursday for the other five!

Top five reasons why a holiday cottage is better than a hotel

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Anyone who has already stayed in a holiday cottage with holidaycottages.net will know why their experience was so much better than a hotel break. For those of you who have yet to try it or are on the fence, here are five great reasons why a holiday cottage is better than a hotel.

Fantastic value

It’s hard to beat value as a reason for choosing a holiday cottage over a hotel. While headline prices may look very similar, the pricing structure is very different. For example, a hotel room costing £120 per night will usually be for two people. A holiday cottage costing £120 per night could be for anything up to eight or ten.

Add to that the fact that you have an entire property at your disposal with multiple rooms and often a garden or some kind of outdoor space, it’s really hard to compare the two.

Privacy

Hotels can be fantastic to stay in but you’re always conscious you’re one of potentially hundreds of people all within a small space sharing many facilities. Walls are thin, you can hear what next door are talking about, or worse and people walk up and down the corridor at all hours.

A holiday cottage can offer the privacy of your own property, your own garden and are often detached too. That counts for a lot if you value your privacy.

Locations

If you love city life, a hotel is hard to beat. However, if you love the countryside and some exclusive locations, a holiday cottage is king. There aren’t many affordable hotels next to rivers, inside or next to National Parks, on the beach, in a forest or beside a lake. Yet we have hundreds of holiday cottages that offer just that.

We also have holiday cottages in towns, cities, quaint villages and just about everywhere you’re likely to want to visit.

Home away from home

Some people are happy leaving everything at home and experiencing a completely new environment without any reference to the old. Many people are not. For those, a holiday cottage is a perfect opportunity to have a holiday and explore somewhere new while also having familiar surroundings.

You can bring what you like to make you feel comfortable. There’s usually room for everything.

Bring the dog

There are a few hotels in the UK and Ireland that allow dogs but there are usually strict rules about where they can go and when. There are no such rules in your own holiday cottage. As long as you leave the cottage the same way you found it, your well-behaved dog is welcome at hundreds of locations across the country.

Our dogs are part of the family and deserve a holiday as much as we do. After all, they will love exploring their new surroundings, running through woods or along the beach so it would be a shame to leave them behind!

What to do with the kids this Easter

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Easter 2015 runs from 3rd April until 6th April and that’s really not far away. Taking a family break in a holiday cottage over Easter is a great way to enjoy time away from home and quality time with the family. There’s no better way to reconnect than getting away from it all.

If you’re staying in one of our lovely holiday cottages this Easter, you might be interested in these family activities running across the country. They are just five of hundreds of activities, but we like the look of them a lot.

National Trust Easter Egg Trails

National Trust Easter Egg Trails are an annual thing jointly organised by the National Trust and Cadbury. Held at a variety of locations, these Easter egg trails are great fun while also offering exercise and a challenging trail to follow using clues and puzzles they have to solve.

These are great fun and are happening at 300 National Trust locations across the UK. Check out the website here to find a location near your holiday cottage.

The John Muir Way and festival

The John Muir Way and festival in Scotland is going to be a good way to spend Easter this year. If you’re in one of our many Scottish holiday cottages, you should try it. John Muir was a famous naturalist who was responsible for creating many national parks in the US, including Yosemite. To celebrate his life, a 134 mile trail has been created from his birthplace in Dunbar to Helensburg.

During 17th and 26th April, a festival will be held with a range of events from fireworks, readings, music, theatre and a range of outdoor events.

Easter hatchings at the Bristol Science Centre

Easter eggs aren’t always made of chocolate as the Bristol Science Centre would like to demonstrate. To that end, they are running Easter hatchings at the At-Bristol Live Lab hatchery. Kids will be able to watch new chicks hatch, dissect daffodils and other plants, design their own mini garden and all the usual things that are going on at the centre.

The Bristol Science Centre is one of an increasing number of venues that aim to make science fun. We can imagine watching new life enter the world has to be something nobody wants to miss!

Chester food festival

The Chester food festival is an annual event that runs from 19th to 21st April and offers a little more variety for the taste buds after all that chocolate. With over 150 exhibitors offering talks, demonstrations, classes and chances to taste, there’s no reason we can think of not to go.

There is also a culinary school especially for children which makes this a fun and education way to entertain the little ones this Easter.

Willy Wonka at Kew Gardens

Finally, we think Willy Wonka at Kew Gardens will be a big draw for families this Easter. To celebrate 50 years of the character, Kew Gardens and the Roald Dhal Museum and Story Centre have partnered up to hold this special event. Kids will get to design their own eggs, taste different chocolates from through the ages and lots of other activities.

We think this will be a sure fire hit!