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7 Fun Things to do in Norfolk

Dec 7

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Articles, Christmas, Coast, Cottages Search, family days out, Food and Drink, Fun, Group holidays, Holiday advice, Norfolk, shopping and culture | No Comments

Below is a guest post from Kett Country Cottages in Norfolk. Let us know what you think — it’s always interesting to get a different point of view, and we’re hoping to do more of these in future. Looking for more ideas? You can read our Norfolk holiday guide on the main Holiday Cottages site.

We all enjoy the traditional Christmas feast with our family, but what else is there to do if you decide to go on holiday in Norfolk this festive season? Going on holiday to this part of England can add some extra excitement to your family Christmas, so go out and have an adventure this year!

Going for a Christmas swim. In Norfolk, the glory of the North Sea is there for all to enjoy, with a number of hardy folk jumping into the sea over Christmas time. There are 3 on consecutive days, so you can go to one or all of them, depending on your tolerance for cold.
- Hunstanton Round Table Christmas Day Swim (Hunstanton, 25^th December at 11am)
- Cromer Boxing Day Swim (Cromer, 26^th December at 10am)
- Overstrand Boxing Day Swim (Overstrand, 26^th December at 11am)
Enjoy a Christmas Spectacular. In Thursford, you have the opportunity to enjoy one of the most popular Christmas shows, which features carols, dancers, beautiful costumes and wonderful music. It’s an event the whole family can enjoy. (Shows every day at 2pm and 7pm until the 23^rd December)
Take a trip on a heritage railway. A number of different lines throughout Norfolk, including the Poppy Line, are running festive services where you can enjoy a train journey to see Santa, travelling through the countryside while munching on mince pies.
Visit a Norwich Christmas Market. There are a large number of special Christmas Markets happening throughout Norwich, which each offer a unique range of little gifts and treats for the whole family to enjoy when you return to your Christmas holiday cottage. In the Mall, you can find the Norwich Christmas Craft Fair (From 9am every day until 24^th December)
Attend the Pantomime. This year Sleeping Beauty is playing at the Norwich Theatre Royal until the 14^th of January, so you can take the whole family to enjoy the fun and laughter of a panto featuring well-known actors, and songs that everyone can sing along to.
Take a guided walk or tour. Some of the most interesting sights in Norfolk can only seen if you know where to look and a guide can help you find them. There are a number of different guided tours happening, including:
- Victorian Ghosts, a walk hosted by the Man in Black, who will tell you the unusual stories that aren’t told on most ghost walks. You can also finish off in the festive spirit with some mulled wine (Adam & Eve Pub, Norwich, 22^nd December at 7pm)
- The Boxing Day walk at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, will allow you to get a guided tour around this beautiful garden from its head gardener, ending with mince pies and mulled wines (South Walsham, 26^th December at 11am)
Watch Morris Dancing. This traditional English dancing is being performed by the Kemps Men of Norwich, including their Mummers Dance. This is a fun event that the whole family can watch and enjoy. (Banningham Crown Pub, 26^th December at 12 noon)

Durham Lumiere

Nov 23

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, art, Articles, Availability, Coast, Cottages Search, Durham, Events, Exhibitions, family days out, Festivals, Fun, Group holidays, Holiday advice, shopping and culture, Tips, Uncategorized, Walking | No Comments

Cedric Le Borgne 'Les Voyageurs'

Deadgood Studio 'Rainbow'

Jaques Rival 'I Love Durham'

This weekend I went to the Lumiere festival in Durham. It was a wonderful event which showed off this beautiful city to its best advantage. Light art illuminated prominent parts of this historic place, such as Kingsgate bridge transformed into a huge illuminated waterfall entitled ‘Splash’ by artist Peter Lewis and engineered by Water Sculptures. Martin Warren lit up three more of Durham’s bridges, Cedric Le Borgne suspended brightly illuminated sculptures of men above a particularly narrow cobbled street giving a magical essence to the walk. These, along with many more made for a really enjoyable experience and would also encourage me to visit again, even without the festival.

A small drive away in Northallerton are these 4 cottages which sleep 2-4. These former farm buildings have been imaginatively converted into 4 well equipped and attractive holiday cottages. Original beams have been retained and there is central heating for year round appeal. All the cottages have TV with Freeview, video and radio cassette/CD player, fully equipped kitchens with washer/dryer, fridge/freezer, dishwasher and microwave, cots and highchairs. The cottages are set in peaceful countryside and have magnificent views. They are perfect if you want to combine a visit to Durham, with great walks and even a drive over to the seaside with Whitby within easy reach.

Sight of fish in harbour provokes complaint

Sep 5

Posted by elisa in Articles, Devon, News | No Comments

$Ilfracombe Harbour picture by Flickr user Sue Hasker - Slowly but Surely!$

Ilfracombe is a beautiful town in Devon. It also has a working harbour which is popular with tourists, however, one tourist felt differently when faced with the sight of some dead fish and crabs by the harbour side.

According to a report in the Telegraph, the holidaymaker was so disgusted by the sight and smell that he and his children, aged seven and nine, had to endure on their trip out, that he not only complained to the harbourmaster, but also the North Devon Journal! Apparently the ordeal left them all “quite distressed” and the holidaymaker demanded to know why the harbourmaster was not more considerate to the needs of tourists.

The harbourmaster, Rob Lawson, tried to explain that fishermen depended on the daily catch for their livelihoods and that it was a common site on a working quayside.

“He was very upset that he had come across the boxes of fish and thought it was entirely inappropriate and not a good sight or smell,” he said.

“I explained the workings of the harbour and that it was a working quay and that while it was not ideal, sometimes this happened.

“But he didn’t calm down, he went to the local newspaper and then when they printed his complaints, he came back to me to see what I had to say.”

The locals were pretty gobsmacked by the complaint, one said: “Ridiculous. Does he think all his food comes in packets? What did he expect to see at a working harbour?”

Have you been to the Ilfracombe harbour? Has the smell put you off visiting or is it interesting to see how a real harbour works, (excuse the terrible pun) guts and all?

Devon’s big day out!

May 9

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Articles, Availability, Cottages Search, Devon, Events, Exhibitions, Festivals, Food and Drink, Somerset, Tips, Walking, West Country, wildlife | No Comments

From the 19th – 21st May is the Devon County Show in Exeter. Enjoy three full days of West Country food and drink, the very best horses, goats, sheep, bunnies and cows, including the famous Devon cattle known as Red Rubies. Kids can plant seeds, bake bread, milk Daisy the model cow, weave willow wands, see chicks hatch and pet gentle farm animals. For those of you interested in craft there are lace-makers, quilters, weavers, spinners and dyers. Look out for demonstrations and take the chance to talk to these skilled crafts’ people to get practical advice on anything you may be working on at home. For a nibble, check out the BIG Devon cream tea marquee, with scones made by Richard Hunt, Executive Chef of the Grand Hotel, thick clotted cream and lashings of jam. There is such a huge list of things to do, it’s probably best to go to the website for full details. If that’s not tempting enough, then kids go free on Saturday!

After all this excitement, why not go back to nearby Ottery St Mary (of flaming barrel running fame) to this gorgeous little cottage from Helpful Holidays that sleeps 4. A long, elegant hall leads to L-shaped living/dining/kitchen with TV/DVD and beautifully fitted kitchen area (dishwasher, washer-drier, microwave, fridge-freezer, gas hob) with small breakfast table (larger table/chairs kept folded in hall for more formal dining). French windows open to small patio area (table/chairs) immediately to the front of the house.. Oak stairs to first floor and two bedrooms – a double, and a single; very luxurious bathroom. On the second floor, a double bedroom under the eaves with smart en suite shower-room (suite) and 2 steps up to French windows to a small and very private roof terrace (table/chairs) with fine views over the town.

Tags: Cottages, Devon County Show, Helpful Holidays

Exeter Food and Drink Festival

Apr 13

Posted by elisa in Articles, Coast, Cottages Search, Devon, Events, family days out, Festivals, Food and Drink, Fun, West Country | 1 Comment

29th April – 1st May is the Exeter Food and Drink Festival, and with the weather the way that it is at the moment, what better time to go and sample a wide variety of foods and drinks and also to watch 4 Michelin star chefs in the cookery theatre. Rob Dawe of Ashburton Cookery School will also be there – I visited the School last year and can testify that the instruction was brilliant and the food tasty! Check out the full blog here.

Mama Stone’s House Band will headline the musical entertainment on the 29th, and feature soul and R&B artist Leigh Coleman and Adam Isaac. Adam’s songs have a bouncy funk/rock edge and his music is full of energy with outstanding vocals, a perfect way to celebrate the big day. Peachy Farmer, a six piece band playing a mix of ska, reggae and dub will headline on Saturday 30th, supported by Jabbrock, to keep the crowds bouncing as the sun goes down.

The Royal Wedding day will be a particular time for celebration, so expect a big party!

Why not try this Helpful Holidays cottage (G28) in nearby Exmouth for a bit of fun on the beach before catching the train or bus to Exeter’s centre – it’s only a short trip away and very scenic (this is a route I know well from my University days). The property sleeps 6 and is ½ mile from the seafront/beach, quietly tucked away close to the heart of town (station, 500 yards), a neat, end of terrace cottage, on four levels, with a fresh, modern seaside feel, it has a pretty suntrap courtyard at the back, and, from the top floor bedroom, great panoramic views over town to the Exe estuary and Lympstone beyond.

Review of 2010

Jan 5

Posted by elisa in art, Articles, Coast, Cottages Search, Devon, Events, Exhibitions, family days out, Festivals, Food and Drink, Fun, Group holidays, Holiday advice, News, North West, Rail, shopping and culture, Surveys, Tips, Tourist Board, Transport, Wales, Walking, Weather, West Country, Yorkshire | 1 Comment

2010 was a year jam-packed with travel related news stories, festivals and events. I’ve taken the liberty of collating some of Holiday Cottages’ best blog posts over the year to give an overall review so you don’t have to go searching for them yourself!

January started with testing out my culinary skills at the Ashburton Cookery School in Devon.

A survey in February showed high speed rail was more important to people than airport expansions.

The Shambles in York was voted most picturesque street in March. There was also trouble on the railways with a Network Rail threatened strike.

Easter was a staycation preference in April.

There were many family fun festivals between May and August.

Even before the Royal wedding announcement we found out how the Royals are key to UK tourism.

27 West Country beaches were awarded blue flags in August, showing that the West Country is a great place to visit!

We were given tips on how to give tourists a better welcome during the Olympics.

Taxing times for holiday rental businesses.

The famous Exmoor Food Festival was in October, tickling visitor’s taste buds!

Bonfire Night had many events to travel to, including the flaming barrel run in Ottery St. Mary’s!

It got very cold in November and December as part of the big freeze.

The year ended with a little early Christmas cheer for the travel industry!

So there’s a pick of the Holiday Cottages blog coverage of events and news over the year. For travel news pertaining to outbound travel don’t forget to check out our sister site’s blog, Villaseek. There will be a run down of the year’s news on there very soon also!

Putting the baths back in Bath

Oct 26

Posted by jason in Articles, Cottages Search, Fun, News, Somerset | No Comments

A major renovation of the Roman Baths in Bath has been completed at a cost of £5.5 million, with improvements designed to help visitors imagine what life was like there 2,000 years ago. Roman and Victorian stonework has been cleaned, in some cases with lasers, while the Great Bath has been de-cluttered by the removal of random items of masonry that had accumulated over the years.

The aim of the five-year redevelopment was to transform the baths into an attraction for the 21st century, creating a fun and interactive day out and at the same time improving accessibility for disabled visitors. Audio guides are provided in a number of languages, including an English alternative by Bill Bryson and one in Mandarin.

“We had to up our game to retain our position as a leading visitor attraction,” said Stephen Bird, Head of Heritage Services at Bath and North East Somerset Council.

“We needed to bring the baths into the 21st century but without changing it into a fairground ride,” added Mr Bird. “We want people to be sure that the time they have spent here has been worth it. We have great comments from people, saying that this is the best museum they have ever been to.”

Some of the measures taken to bring the baths to life may startle traditionalists. Projected images of Romans flicker in the background, while actors in character mingle with visitors, telling their stories and engaging in conversation about their lives.

Tags: Heritage Services, North East Somerset Council, Roman, Roman baths

Tourism Industry urged to take notice of travellers with disabilities

Jun 16

Posted by elisa in Articles, Surveys, Tourist Board | 1 Comment

A recent report by VisitEngland has revealed that over £2bn was generated for the English domestic visitor economy in 2009 by overnight trips made by people who either have or are accompanied by someone with a health condition or impairment. VisitEngland are using this report to highlight to the tourism industry that catering for travellers with disabilities or health conditions is essential.

Over 11 million of these overnight trips were made last year, equating to 11% of the total volume of domestic overnight tourism in England.

VisitEngland said trips by this group tend to be longer than average and as a result their spend per trip is higher.

“Tourism businesses should view accessibility in its broadest sense, as fundamentally it is about understanding and catering for the individual needs of all visitors and in doing so providing a high quality and memorable experience which in turn will generate repeat bookings and visitor loyalty,” said James Berresford, VisitEngland chief executive.

‘The Chill Factore’ in Manchester scoops tourism awards

Jun 8

Posted by elisa in Articles, News, North West, shopping and culture | No Comments

VisitManchester organised the Manchester Tourism Awards at the Manchester Hilton last month.

The indoor real snow centre, ‘The Chill Factore’ won the ‘Access for All’ category award at the ceremony. Judges praised the efforts made to cater for the needs of guests with disabilities, including the close association with Disability Snowsports UK (DSUK)and also recognised the positive relationship The Chill Factore has with the local community.

Guest Services Manager, Jodie Finnegan, was also recognised in the ceremony, coming in the top three in the ‘Outstanding Customer Service’ category. She’s greatly improved guest satisfaction with a 5,000% reduction of complaints over the past 18 months and the complaint ratio now standing at less than 1 per 25,000 visitors – not bad going for such a popular and large attraction!

The Chill Factore also won the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) accreditation by VisitEngland, for their commitment to guests’ needs after being assessed on all areas that impact on the quality of the guest experience.

The Real Snow Attraction can now display the VisitEngland Tudor Rose Quality Marque which is generally known as a reassurance of a quality attraction.

Chief Executive, Stephen Evans said: “We’re delighted to have our hard work and commitment recognised by these prestigious organisations. At Chill Factore the enjoyment of our guests is of paramount importance to us all and we do all we can to ensure their needs are met. As the northern headquarters of snow sports charity Disability Snowsport UK, it is a particular honour to be awarded for the quality of care we give to everyone who visits us and the efforts our adaptive ski instructors go to to get those with disabilities skiing using specialist equipment.”

There are many things you can do at The Chill Factore, you can take lessons in learning to ski, or go to improve your skiing, snowboard and you can take the children to learn at the kids snow sports academy.

Relaunch of rail journey between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope

May 27

Posted by elisa in Articles, News, Rail, Transport | No Comments

The first scheduled passenger train journey from Bishop Auckland to Stanhope for 60 years set off on Saturday. It’s one of the shortest stretches of independently owned rail tracks in the UK at 16 miles long in County Durham.

Thousands of people turned out for the launch as it’s first journey was blessed by the Dean of Durham, the Rt Rev Michael Sadgrove at 11.40am.

The project was made possible by a government job scheme of a group of young people who even returned to work in their own time to make sure that the completion deadline was met.

The “competitive fares” of £5.50 return will hopefully encourage passengers near Weardale Railway to use the train into Bishop Auckland instead of their cars as a more environmentally friendly way to travel and to save on parking fees.

Five trains a day will run between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope. From Bishop Auckland passengers can catch a train on to Darlington, and the East Coast Main Line.

To read the full story in Journal Live, click here.

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