Archive for category Events

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

Du Maurier Festival 12th – 21st May

May 6

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, art, Availability, Cottages Search, Events, Exhibitions, films, Food and Drink, Fun, West Country | No Comments

The Cornish town of Fowey is to host the Daphne Du Maurier Festival this May. There is a great line up of national and international writers and performers including Robert Hanbury-Tenison, Ann Widdecombe, Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends and Rory McGrath.

There are a selection of ticketed and free events. Of the free events you can get ‘Lost in Flowers’ with the Lostwithiel and District Floral Art Group at St Bartholomew’s; or watch Truro’s Amateur Operatic Society, go to a Book Sale and Coffee Morning or watch the Gallowglass traditional folk music, amongst many other activities!

Of ticketed events ranging from around 50p to £29 you could have a Gallery Meal, watch Hitchcock film ‘The Birds’, go for a Du Maurier ‘Rebecca’ guided coastline walk or watch ‘Waiting for Godot’, again, amongst many other events and activities, so check out the website for more details.

If you didn’t want to stay in Fowey for a full holiday, why not go to the festival as a day trip and chill out at this Helpful Holidays cottage in Polperro.This 16th century, detached stone farmhouse sleeps up to 6, it has a comfortable living room (woodburner, TV/DVD, CD player); kitchen/dining room (microwave, fridge-freezer) with huge ornamental fireplace with bread oven, leading to ‘snug’ (armchair, oil-fired Aga – switched off during June, July and August, pine dresser with pretty plates); from kitchen/dining room, door to utility room (washing machine), shower-room (suite), conservatory, and garden. Steepish stairs up to three bedrooms – two double (one with pine four-poster bed), one twin room; bathroom (suite); and door to patio and garden.

Tags: cottage search, Festival, literature

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.

Kelly House Banquet

Mar 8

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Cottages Search, Devon, Events, Food and Drink, West Country | No Comments

Many of you may have watched the restoration programme Country House Rescue on Channel 4, well now is the chance to dine in a banquet at one of them, Kelly House, in the Tamar Valley in Devon.

Since the restoration, the house has opened up its doors to host wonderful banquets by candlelight in the 15th century hall. The next banquet is vegetarian and is on 12th March, the forthcoming months will also host gluten-free and spring feast banquets and at £40 a head for this special night I think it’s worth it.

If you’d like to stay nearby, why not try this Helpful Holidays cottage code J24 that sleeps 6 in Roadford. To the front there is a patio and an enclosed, mainly lawned garden with great views over the surrounding countryside. Inside, there are nicely fitted oak floors and some local photos – all done to a high standard. Good-sized living/dining room (woodburner, TV/DVD) with leather sofas; smart fitted kitchen (dishwasher, washing-machine, microwave, fridge-freezer) with a door to the patio. Upstairs, there are three bedrooms: a large double with en suite shower-room, another double, and a twin room with one bed under the eaves (best for children).

No Passport Required!

Mar 2

Posted by elisa in Events, Fun, News, Tourist Board | No Comments

London 2012 sculpture by Flickr user fatedsnowfox

VisitEngland is heading a campaign with an online travel company to give domestic tourism a push as the country prepares for the royal wedding, the queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics.

28th February is the launch of the “no passport required” campaign which will showcase all that England has to offer, encouraging Brits to holiday at home with weekend breaks, trips to London and country retreats.

UK managing director of Lastminute.com Mark Maddock said: “2011 is set to be a really exciting year for Britain. Indeed our recent Holidays Unpacked travel report found that almost a third (29%) of Britons plan to holiday in the UK this year, proving that the staycation trend is here to stay.”

VisitEngland’s chief executive James Berresford added: “There’s nowhere finer for a short break than England. Together we are creating an offer that will be difficult to refuse. Exciting attractions, quality accommodation, and fantastic summertime events and festivals coupled with a great deal – there’s really no excuse to leave the country.”

Save Hastings Pier

Feb 17

Posted by elisa in Coast, Events, family days out, Festivals, Tourist Board | No Comments

The pier in its glory, photo by Flickr user drew_anywhere Hastings Pier was devastated by fire last year and British Tourism Week has teamed up with Coast magazine to launch a campaign to raise funds to restore it.

The new campaign is calling for people to take part in a sponsored Great Pier Promenade to help return the Pier to its former state. The aim is for people to walk along as many British piers as possible over spring and summer to raise money towards restoration work.

The Great Pier Promenade starts on Saturday 12th March by Hastings Pier, during a Party on the Prom, including a market and performances by local poets, musicians and comedians. This campaign is also to coincide with VisitBritain’s Party on the Pier, a celebration of British piers during British Tourism Week..

Comic Jo Brand, who is in support of the campaign said: “Every seaside should have its pier, that symbol of fun, frivolity and, for me, many nights spent drunkenly dancing at its far end to the popular bands of the time. When I got chucked out of home at 17, I rented a bedsit overlooking Hastings Pier, so it featured in my landscape for a number of years. I’d hate to see it disappear forever.”

Daffodil Festival!

Feb 8

Posted by elisa in Events, family days out, Festivals, Fun, Holiday advice, Uncategorized, West Country | 1 Comment

Picture by Flickr User dullhunk

As things begin to thaw, the daffodils are beginning to bloom to signal the arrival of Spring. In honour of these yellow beauties there will be the Daffodil Festival at the 12th century listed church of St Mawgan in Meneage on the 19th and 20th February. The church will be open from 10.30am until 4.30pm both days and is free to enter. Light refreshments will be available including pasties and home made soup at lunchtime and tea and cakes all day.

Perfect for a couple, is this cottage in Mawnan Smith from Helpful Holidays. It’s in a brilliant position for visiting many fine gardens (four within a 3 mile radius) and Helford Passage. Use of owners’ large, extremely well kept garden (table/chairs) full of interesting shrubs, flowers, lily pond and productive kitchen garden carries on the garden/floral theme.

photo of Holiday cottage in Mawnan Smith, Cornwall's Med with 3 stars, sleeps 2

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!

The Olympics are coming home – to Shropshire

Dec 28

Posted by jason in Events, Festivals | No Comments

Picturesque Wenlock by Michael Maggs, Wikimedia

While gold will be handed out in London in 2012 for being ‘swifter, higher, stronger’, there is a need to look to the history books – and to the picturesque Shropshire market town of Much Wenlock, 150-miles away – to see who won the very first modern Olympian medals.

Shropshire may appear an unlikely place to find the origins of the modern international Olympic Games, yet it was here, in 1850, that Dr William Penny Brookes first thought of reviving the ancient games and founded the Wenlock Olympian Society. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the acknowledged founder of the modern Olympic Games, later wrote “and of the Olympic Games, which modern Greece has not yet revived, it is not a Greek to whom one is indebted, but rather Dr W. P. Brookes”.

The town’s role in the Olympic revival has been recognised in the choice of ‘Wenlock’ as the official London 2012 Olympic Games mascot, to the surprise of townspeople.

The Wenlock Olympian Games are still held in July each year, attracting athletes from all across the UK.

Tags: Baron Pierre de Coubertin, London 2012, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, Wenlock Olympian Games, Wenlock Olympian Society, William Penny Brookes

The Dutch love the royal wedding!

Dec 8

Posted by elisa in Events, Flights, Fun, Surveys | No Comments

Skyscanner has been monitoring interest in flights to Britain around 29th April, the day of Prince William and Kate’s wedding, and has compiled a top ten of nationalities wanting to come to the UK to join in the spirit of the occasion.

Possibly unsurprisingly the French don’t even feature, not bothered by the fuss at all. The Dutch, however, are at the top of the list, not able to get enough of it! Skyscanner noted a 708% increase in London searches by people from the Netherlands since the wedding date was announced.

The Americans are also frantically searching for flights to this fair isle, and as the only long-haul destination in the count down, came second. Skyscanner reported a 650% increase in searches to the UK in the same time period.

Next up was Germany, (295% increase) followed by Croatia (260%), Denmark (253%), Cyprus (250%), Austria (143%), Italy (133%), Switzerland (100%) and Spain (91%).

The chief executive officer of Skyscanner Gareth Williams said: “We have witnessed a significant increase in searches following the announcement of the royal wedding holiday. Funnily enough it seems that Brits aren’t as loyal to the royals as some of our neighbouring nations as we have also seen a 275% increase in searches from Brits looking to make the most of the extra holiday and escape the UK and the wedding hype.”

So, will you be staying or going?

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