Archive for category Events

Have a cheesy time in Somerset on Saturday!

Sep 7

Posted by elisa in Events, Festivals, Food and Drink, Somerset | No Comments

Why not taste a range of cheeses at the Frome Agricultural and Cheese Show this Saturday (11th September). Not only is there a cheese pavilion, there is a country sports enthusiasts area devoted to such pursuitsas fly fishing, laser clay shooting and archery. New for 2010 is the FMX Freestyle show with motor bike tricks and back flips galore.

This family friendly day out attracts many visitors each year and organisers are expecting around 17,000 this year. Early bird tickets are only just still available (until Weds) but normal prices are £25 for a family ticket or £12 per adult and £3 per child. A senior citizen pass is discounted to £10 and children under 3 go free. Order tickets online here.

The show opens at a bright and early 8.30am and run throughout the day until 6pm.

The West Woodlands Showground is situated on the B3092, West Woodlands, Near Frome, Somerset, BA11 5ES. To help you to find the Showground there will be various signs to direct you to the Show.

The Showground offers FREE car parking and FREE buses which are available from various points in Frome.

Fringe Festivities

Aug 10

Posted by elisa in Events, Festivals, Fun, Scotland, films, shopping and culture | No Comments

Until 30th August the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010 will be spreading art, comedy, performance and dining experiences across the city.

One thing that particularly caught my eye if any readers are lucky enough to try it out is a unique dining experience whereby guests eat at a height of 100ft above the city, hanging from a crane in special seats at a large table! Skyscanner.net at running the Festival in the Skyin the beautiful Princess Street Gardens.

Other events throughout the festival are:

The Demise of Christopher Marlowe theatre production at the C Central.

Creatures Comedy Show for some dark comedy sketch show at the Jury’s Inn.

UK beatbox champion, Beardymanfrom 16th-17th August at the Udderbelly Tent.

For a free children’s event, go to the music, story-telling and puppetry of the Hamwehads from the 11th – 19th August at The Three Sisters.

Flow-pattern- John Reiach photography exhibition from 13th August at the Faculty of the Advocates.

Run to the Sun this weekend plus festivals summary

May 26

Posted by elisa in Events, Festivals | No Comments

For those of you heading down to Newquay this weekend, check out the Run to the Sun festival, a festival for VW lovers also combined with the beach and music. You can still buy weekend tickets (check out their booking page for the choices) or if you fancy a day trip there are day tickets for £25 and allow entry from 2pm until 4am the following day.

There are 5 arenas of entertainment, mainly music but also some comedy anda silent disco for those who can stay up until 4am. On the Sunday there is the Show N’ Shine where up to 25,000 visitors descend to view a whole array of VW’s.

For more details go to the website.

I thought it’d be helpful to do a quick update of up and coming festivals that I’ve already posted blogs about to have them all in one list to choose from:

First up is the Salisbury International Arts Festival which is going on at the moment and finishes on the 5th June, so get there quick to enjoy some artsy fun!

From the 29th – 31st May is the Westward Ho! Potwalloping Festival, a festival of music and arts and family fun.

There’s the Tavistock Garden Festival on the 30th May.

The Royal Bath and West Showin Shepton Mallet offers National Cheese Awards and Cider competition from 2nd – 5th June.

And last (in this list) but by no means least, is the Salcombe Festivalfrom 11th – 13th June, where there will be an eclectic mix of arts, music and street theatre.

If any readers go to any of these festivals, we’d be delighted to hear from you about your experiences, just post a reply!

Salcombe Festival 11th – 13th June

May 20

Posted by elisa in Coast, Events, Festivals, Fun, Uncategorized | No Comments

Beautiful Salcombe, picture by Flickr User j lord

A celebration of ‘music and sail’ this annual festival is in it’s 14th year, growing in popularity and success each year.

The festival is held throughout the town and the estuary and uses a variety of entertainment and hospitality in its broadest sense, to help showcase this beautiful coastal resort, certainly a contender for any family summer holiday.

There will be jazz, rock n’ roll, blues, folk, gospel, close harmony, steel, brass band and classical music on offer. There is also the infamous and crazy ‘Bang and Go Back Race’ whereby a bizarre collection of old Stuart Turner, Brit engine and Diesel class boats race backwards and forwards across the start line with their engines locked at a constant speed. Boats have to change their speed using passengers moving from the bow to the stern of the boat, changing direction every time the hooter goes and first one back to the start line when the final hooter sounds is the winner.

On Island Street, known as the ‘Festival Fringe’ you can listen to steel bands while peering into boat sheds to view craftsmen using traditional techniques to look after their various boats.

If you wander around the streets there will be entertainment aplenty with street performers, singers and buskers as well as jugglers, Punch and Judy, storytelling, face painting , a barber shop quartet, sea shanty singing and the ‘Stiltskin’ walkabout theatre who bring a new creation every year.

The festival is free to attend, although there will be fundraising going on through the weekend for charity. To get more information, go to their website here.

If the sound of this festival tickles your fancy and you’re considering getting a holiday cottage in the area then you’re in luck as our main website, HolidayCottages.cc has a large array of beautiful cottages in and around Salcombe.

Royal Bath & West Show 2nd-5th June

May 17

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Events, Festivals, Fun, Somerset | No Comments

June in Shepton Mallet in Somerset starts with a fragrant bang with it’s National Cheese Awards and Cider competition amongst many other family friendly activities at the Royal Bath & West Show.

New to the show this year is Ladies Day on Thursday 3rd June, when visitors stand a chance of being crowned winner of the best hat competition or best dressed lady and walking away with a mystery prize. Other activities are the terrier races, falcon displays, canoeing, milking cows and feeding chickens amongst many other things!

If you book early and online, you get a 15% discount, plus up to 3 children get free entry!

For prices and opening times and more detailed information click here.

For somewhere to stay, why not try this large detached house in Sampford Brett through Helpful Holidays. It sleeps 13 with 2 doubles, 3 twins and 1 family room. This lovely country house has a neat fenced garden at the front and, at the back, a courtyard (table/chairs, barbecue) filled with flower tubs, leading to a garden with a lawn, and, beyond that, a pony paddock for romping.

Main Photo

It has two front-facing living rooms, one with woodburner, TV, one with open fire, TV/DVD and CD player, both with big sash windows, books and board games; farmhouse-style kitchen (cherry red Rayburn plus electric oven and hob, dishwasher, microwave) with dining table and chairs in the middle and a big dresser; large utility room with tumble drier, washing machine, freezer and shower cubicle. Downstairs twin bedroom and WC next to it.

Stairs from the hall lead up to four more bedrooms – a double plus single with washbasin, a double, a zip-linkable twin with en suite bathroom (suite plus bath-shower), and a twin (low doorway) with washbasin. Smart new bathroom (suite plus bath-shower). A few more stairs up to the attic and a sixth bedroom with 5’ double bed, washbasin, Velux window and exposed ancient roof timbers.

Prices start from £475 that are currently available. Find out more details here.

Westward Ho! Potwalloping Festival 29th-31st May

May 15

Posted by elisa in Devon, Events, Festivals, Fun | No Comments

The old Devonshire custom of potwalloping was to painstakingly restore the historic pebble ridge to protect their land from the sea, nowadays it’s a three-day family friendly festival with music, arts and crafts stalls, inflatable table-top football, tug o’war plus many other fun things to do!

The ethos of the not-fot-profit organisers is that it’s a festival by the community and for the community as well as attracting many visitors each year which is a welcome annual revenue boost for local businesses. Many of the events are put on for free because of the generosity of those who donate services to the festival. It’s also a wonderful fundraising event which benefits local charities and good causes through donations received over the weekend.

Westward Ho! can be reached by leaving the A39 at Bideford and following signposts along the A386 and the B3236. Bus number 1 from Barnstaple via Bideford offers frequent services to Westward Ho!

To find out more information go to their website.

Tavistock Garden Festival 30th May

May 12

Posted by elisa in Cottages Search, Devon, Events, Festivals | No Comments

Over the coming weeks I’ll be updating the blog with up and coming festivals over the summer period which may be happening in an area you’re visiting or will give you some ideas of places to visit if you’re stuck for inspiration of where to go for your summer holiday.

Today’s featured festival is the Tavistock Garden Festival which will be held on the 30th May from 10am-4pm and is free to visit!

In its 6th year, the Pannier Market will be playing host to a variety of South West plantsmen, all offering the best range of quality plants to buy for your gardens, not only that, but they also hold a whole host of wisdom with regards to horticultural advice.

If you’re looking for a cottage near the area, then how about Moor’s Edge Cottage in Horrabridge in Dartmoor National Park within easy distance of Tavistock. This charming cottage built in the 1880s, sleeps 4, the accommodation comprises two bedrooms (1 double, 1 twin – not bunk beds); lounge with flagstone floor, TV, DVD and VCR player, feature fireplace with multi-burner coal and wood stove; kitchen with modern units (electric cooker, microwave; refrigerator, washing machine) and quarry-tiled floor; tiled bathroom with bath and shower unit. Brilliantly situated for transport links but also for wonderful scenery and walking holidays.

Short Breaks – £60 per night for the Cottage (not per person). Non-peak holiday periods only.

Plus £10 per dog per week/per short break

Low £230

Mid £340

High £390

To view details and make a booking, go to the property page on our website here.

Devon County Show 20th-22nd May

May 11

Posted by elisa in Devon, Events, Festivals, Fun | No Comments

Devon County Show flower show picture by Flickr User me'nthedogs

The Devon County Show in Exeter is one of the season’s first festivals running from the 20th-22nd May this year. Enjoy delicious and wholesome Westcountry food and drink as local producers bring the great taste of the countryside to the table with affordable and tempting produce.

For farmers and smallholders there’s livestock to see, machinery to lust after, suppliers to chat to and old faces to bump into for those who never miss a year!

There are also equine competitions, a dog show, inspiring flower and garden displays, marvellous crafts and a variety of stalls.

New to this year is the children’s feature FunForKidz, full of hands-on activity for lively youngsters; everything from planting seeds to baking bread, milking Daisy, weaving willow wands, seeing chicks hatch, watching Tractor Ted DVDs and petting Crealy’s tame animals.

Another new addition is ’Indulgence, fashion & lifestyle’, a pavilion offering demonstrations and fashion shows as well as lots of trade stands.

Search for properties in and around the area at our main site here and buy cheaper advance tickets for the show here.

Time to visit England as awards for excellence 2010 announced

Apr 27

Posted by elisa in Events, Exhibitions, Food and Drink, Fun, Last minute breaks, News, Tourist Board | No Comments

As flight costs abroad are set to soar in order to claw back the billions of pounds lost in the ash cloud fiasco (see Villaseek Blog for full story), it’s nice to know that there are some wonderful places to visit here as the cream of English tourism was marked by the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2010 in Brighton on St George’s Day.

A total of 46 gold and silver winners were selected from more than 100 regional winners submitted by the nine regions in England. These were assessed by independent assessors and a team of judges to make it through to the national final.

The National Trust won the VisitEngland’s Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award for its role as the bastion of some of England’s most beautiful and outstanding attractions.

VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford said: “The fantastic diversity and quality of tourism product across the length and breadth of England means we can compete confidently on the international stage, making this country a must visit destination for Brits and overseas visitors.”

Brian Richardson, executive secretary of The Caravan Club, headline sponsor of the awards, said: “We know these award winners will be beacons of inspiration for many other tourism companies to follow.”

The gold winners were:

Access for All Tourism Award – imago at Burleigh Court, Loughborough, Leicestershire (East Midlands)

Bed and Breakfast/Guest Accommodation – The Old School, Alnwick, Northumberland (North East)

Best Tourism Experience – Livingstone Lodge Overnight Safari, near Hythe, Kent (South East)

Business Tourism Award – ExCeL London (London)

Caravan Holiday Park – Trethem Mill Touring Park, Truro, Cornwall (South West)

Large Hotel (Over 35 bedrooms) – Thurlestone Hotel, Kingsbridge, Devon (South West)

Large Visitor Attraction (Over 100,000 visitors) – RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey (South East)

Outstanding Customer Service – Christina Dixon, Jurys Inn Hotel, Liverpool (North West)

Self Catering Holiday of the Year – Blakelow Farm Holiday Cottages, Winster, Derbyshire (East Midlands)

Small Hotel of the Year (Under 50 Bedrooms) – Gilpin Lodge Country House, Windermere, The Lake District (North West)

Small Visitor Attraction (Under 50,000) – Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham (The Heart of England)

Sustainable Tourism Award – Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough (Yorkshire)

Taste of England Award – The Bildeston Crown, Bildeston, Suffolk (East of England)

Tourism Event – Blackpool Illuminations, Blackpool (North West)

Tourist Information Service – Nottingham Tourism Centre, Nottingham (East Midlands)

Also voted for were the quirkiest events in England, a selection of those that are coming soon are below:

Worcestershire Asparagus Festival – between April 23 – May 31 in Evesham, Worcestershire

World Egg Throwing Championships – 27 June at Swaton Vintage Day near Sleaford in Lincolnshire

Annual World Nettle Eating Contest – 12 June in Marshwood in Dorset

Bottle kicking and pie scrambling in Leicestershire!

Mar 31

Posted by elisa in Events, Fun, Holiday advice, Last minute breaks | No Comments

Hallaton - bottles held high by wobbler101.

Opening parade picture by Flickr User wobbler101

Stuck for something to do this Easter weekend? Do you live near or are visiting Leicestershire? Well, Easter Monday’s contest of bottle kicking and hare pie scambling between the villages of Hallaton and Medbourne.

This age old tradition is believed to have started in the 1700’s and starts with both ‘teams’ parading through each village where a hare pie (actually made of beef nowadays) is thrown into the crowd and there’s an almighty scramble to claim it. Once this is done both teams wrestle a ‘bottle’ (small keg) over a rather challenging terrain of streams, barbed wire, ditches and hedges and this is done as best of three competition to ascertain the winner! Tough going and can get rather competitive and can last several hours. Perhaps you might not want to join in if you’re not up for the rough and tumble aspect, but watching it go on will be a rather entertaining spectacle!

The festivities will begin at 11am in the sports field on Hallaton Road, Medbourne. Refreshments will be available and there is free parking for spectators, so if you’re near by it sounds like it’ll be a great family day out.

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