Archive for category West Country

New Year group holiday offer

Nov 21

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Availability, Devon, Group holidays, West Country | 1 Comment

Wondering what to do this New Year? How about a break away with friends or family? This Helpful Holidays house is a beautiful break away that sleeps up to 30. Near the pretty village of Porlock, it’s set in over 12 acres of grounds full of mature trees, huge lawns, small stream and rhododendrons. There’s a pebbly beach (great for surfers) only 250 yards away across two fields.

The property is set at the top of a curving drive, the inner hall opens up to a heavily beamed living room with snuggly leather chairs, and an open fire with impressive mantelpiece. Off the living room is a bar to one side, bathroom and two more sitting rooms, one brilliant for children as it has TV/DVD, games and half-sized snooker table. The other is French windows to the terrace with beautiful views, perfect for evening drinks. There is a dining room and large kitchen with commercial gas cooker, domestic gas cooker, two dishwashers, microwave, washer-drier, freezer, commercial fridge, and access to large terrace. There is also access to professional catering if you didn’t want to assign the cooking to just one of you!

A lovely curving staircase leads up to the first floor and eight bedrooms – four double (two with 5’ beds, one with 6’ bed), four twin, all with either en suite shower-room (suite) or bathroom (suite). More stairs to the second floor and seven more bedrooms, all with either en suite bathroom (suite) or shower-room (suite), many with terrific views – five double (four with 5’ beds), a single, and a room with twin beds (zip-linkable) and a single.

All of this can be booked for a New Year special stay with a saving of £1000 off the usual price for a 6 night stay!

photo of Holiday cottage in Porlock Vale, Exmoor with 4 stars, sleeps 30

Half Term holidays in the West Country

Oct 12

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, art, Cornwall, Cottages Search, Devon, family days out, Festivals, Food and Drink, Fun, Group holidays, Walking, West Country | No Comments

With half term fast approaching you may still be scratching your head about what to do and where to go. Well, ponder no more with our list of things going on in the West Country!

24th – 28th October is spooky time at Pecorama in Beer. There are shows such as Ben the Juggler, A Wizard Called Ozz and Dan the Hat. Alongside these are face painting, special dishes in the Garden Room Restaurant and free spooky treats for children as part of the fancy dress party!

27th October sees a return to nature with the Mortonhampstead Family Bush Craft Day with Dan Thompson-Mills. Learn the skills of wild fire-making, making shelters in the woods, collecting and eating wild foods, and other outdoor skills. Also, learn how to read the language of the birds and develop a deeper connection to nature. The best thing is that children under 15yrs go free with a paying adult.

22nd – 30th October allows visitors of Lanhydrock in Bodmin to join a spooky garden trail for just £1.50 a ticket. Or you could learn how to make a lantern with local artist Liz Tyrell for £5 a ticket.

22nd – 30th October Celebrate Halloween at the Eden Project on their beautiful and unique wintry rink, which has a new design for 2011. Halloween activities and events include: ice skating, pumpkin carving demonstrations, wand making and potion mixing.

If any of these take your fancy, look at Helpful Holidays for accommodation down in the beautiful West Country.

Reach for the sun lotion!

Sep 26

Posted by elisa in Cottages Search, Cycling, Events, family days out, Food and Drink, Fun, Walking, Weather, West Country, wildlife | No Comments

Quick, take a few days off work this week if you can to enjoy the Indian summer we’re having! It looks as if this sunny weather, with temperatures reaching 27C (80F) in some parts of the UK, is only set to last one week as the country is bathed in warm weather blowing in from the continent. After one of the worst summers for 20 years, we will be able to appreciate a little of what it could have been, if only for this week.

So, this has inspired me to write a top ten list of things that you can easily do on a whim while the sun is shining!

1. Have a picnic in your local park

2. Play tennis

3. Visit an outdoor pool

4. Make your own mini kite (very easy with some tissue paper and string) and fly it in the park or your garden

5. Go for a bike ride

6. Gather your friends for a water fight

7. Have a BBQ

8. Head to a theme park, such as Alton Towers

9. Laze in your garden with a good book and a cool drink.

10. Book a last minute holiday cottage with Holiday Cottages!

There are many other things you could do of course, so if you have any other ideas, please leave them as a comment below as we’d love to hear them!

Vote for Helpful Holidays!

Sep 17

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Cornwall, Cottages Search, Devon, News, Tips, West Country | No Comments

We’ve been working with Helpful Holidays for quite some time and we think that they are a brilliant company with some outstanding cottages! Their standing as a great company has now been officially recognised as they are nominated for the first time in the British Travel Awards!

They’ve been nominated for the ‘Best UK Cottage/Self Catering Booking Company (UK Properties)’ and are in the running with 12 other companies in this category. Most of the other companies are big national players, so Helpful Holidays will need your help to be in with a chance of winning!

Please support them by clicking here or going to https://britishtravelawards.com/vote_form_secure.php before the closing date of 30th September.

Shaldon Water Festival

Aug 4

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Cottages Search, West Country | No Comments

Fancy a family splash-tastic day out? Well look no further than the Shaldon Water Festival this 6th August! There is a parade of decorated boats, crab collecting, beach cooking demonstrations and children’s fancy dress among many other activities!

If you don’t have a place to stay then there is a brilliant deal (20% off) on this small bungalow from Helpful Holidays (sleeps 3) in the pretty village of Landscove, only 4 1/2 miles from Totnes, so it’s easy to get to by train and a short taxi ride if you don’t drive. This South-facing bungalow is in the well kept ½ acre garden of the owners’ Georgian house on the edge of the green. It has it’s own patio and a part of the garden is sheltered by apple trees. Inside, there is a small porch and hall; living room (with a folding bed) with French windows to the garden, fitted kitchen/diner and a utility room, and a double bedroom with window to garden. There is a shower-room and a useful store for bicycles/waterproofs/boots.

Many lovely comments have been made by visitors to this cottage, a Mr & Mrs Waterman who stayed in June said: ”We found the property that we had booked to be more than expected in a wonderful location ideal for visiting many place in Devon. Quiet peaceful with only the sound of bird song night and day “HEAVEN”. We would return again and again. The owners were in the category of the nicest people you could meet.”

Sunshine on your doorstep

Jul 27

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Coast, Cornwall, Cottages Search, West Country | No Comments

Summer has arrived and there are some brilliant offers for August bookings from Helpful Holidays if you get in quick. With the weather as it is at the moment, and beautiful coastlines and countryside on your doorstep in the UK, I can’t imagine why you would feel the need to go abroad!

You could stay in this converted fort in Plymouth for a quirky style of accommodation with beautiful sea views. This Helpful Holidays apartment has stunning 180 degree sea views from Plymouth Sound to Cawsand and Looe beyond. Inside comprises of a hall, living/dining room (TV/DVD), smart fitted kitchen area (washer-drier, microwave) full of interesting pictures and pieces of china, glazed doors to balcony (table/chairs). At the back, overlooking the gardens, two bedrooms – one twin (TV), and one with single and pull-out truckle; bathroom (suite plus bath-shower). Sleeps maximum of 4, including babies.

If you book now for the remaining weeks in July and August you’ll get 30% off!

Helpful Holidays late luxury cottage offer

Jun 28

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Availability, Cottages Search, West Country | No Comments

Fancy a last minute bargain on a holiday in the South West? Helpful Holidays are giving 20% off the price of this luxury cottage in the remaining weeks of July.

A mile from Aveton Gifford, South Hams, two very special places sit: a well converted barn and a remarkable Grade II listed former music room (L249). Walk down 300 yards of a tree-lined lane to a sunny courtyard with fountain and flowers shared with the friendly owners, then walk through to the walled garden with a beautiful lawn and fig and walnut trees then through to yet another garden with 6 grassy acres with a pond and large trees and spring water.

The Music Room is magnificent: detached, huge and incredibly romantic, once home to concerts and recitals, brilliantly converted. Three steps up to entrance into open-plan living/dining/kitchen with vaulted stucco ceiling, four massive arched windows with stained glass border running the length of the room (46′ x 19′) generating light and colour, polished wooden floor (rugs), woodburner, comfy sofa, TV/DVD, piano, CD player, MP3/iPod; smart, discreet, fitted kitchen area (dishwasher, microwave); step up to the door to the bathroom (suite with 5’ bath plus bath-shower). The bedroom is the stage (up 3 steps), with 5′ four-poster bed, all stunningly presented and lit.

This is an amazing luxurious place to stay and for a great deal at minus 20% of the price in July you really can’t go wrong.

Teddy Bear Festival!

Jun 16

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Cornwall, Cottages Search, Events, family days out, Fun, West Country | No Comments

Now I love teddy bears. It’s not something that you might expect as I don’t have a big collection sitting in my flat or anything, but I have a select few which sit back at my parents house from when I was younger that I still love dearly. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in my teddy nostalgia, so thought I’d write about the Cornwall Summer Bear Fair on 26th June at Lostwithiel Community Centre.

There are over 45 stands and hundreds of teddies, new and old, designer and antique. You can even take your teddy for free valuations and restoration advice. There’s also a teddy bear hospital and bear-making demonstrations, kits, patterns, materials and accessories. Enter the Champagne Competition for ‛Best Own Bear Creation’ with a ‛summer/beach’ theme – dressed or undressed!

It’s a shame I can’t get down to Cornwall that weekend, but links to pictures from anyone who does go would be appreciated!

If you fancy tying in your visit with a holiday, why not try this recently built, ‘upside down’ detached house with stunning long rural views in Pensilva. It and the owners’ house stand in 24 acres of private woods and paddocks, full of birdsong and wildlife and over which you are welcome to walk. There are ponies, sheep and a very friendly spaniel. A paradise for those who appreciate the natural environment and a lovely setting for your newly acquired teddy.

This Helpful Holidays property has a neat, enclosed patio with table/chairs, door to large hall/utility room with slate floor, washing machine, freezer, drying rack (for coats/boots); two bedrooms – a double (5’ bed), and a twin, both with lovely views; bathroom (suite plus bath-shower). Stairs up to open-plan living/dining/fitted kitchen (dishwasher, microwave) with TV/DVD, electric ‘living flame’ fire, lots of sunlight through two French windows (both with closed balconies) and those fantastic views. A very romantic spot and an excellent base for walking. Good equestrian centre (trekking, cross-country), 10 minutes away.

Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival!

Jun 9

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Cornwall, Events, family days out, Festivals, Fun, West Country | No Comments

Fancy singing some sea shanties? Well the Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival sounds like the festival for you! This 17th, 18th and 19th June brings the best sea shanty singers around to Falmouth for this delightful festival.

The Opening Ceremony will be at 6.30pm on Custom House Quay and the singing programme will begin at 7pm on two of the three main stages (Custom House Quay and Events Square) until 10pm, and at several other venues in town until late!

Saturday’s main programme will begin at 11.00am, with the Moor Piazza main stage opening its programme alongside the other two main stages and again several venues in town. This year, there are special events starting at 10.30am with singing on board the historic replica, the Matthew and Trelissick Gardens (both of these events will carry a charge).

Check out more details at the main website.

And as a base, try the East Wing of this fine neo-classical Georgian house with extensive views over the Fal Estuary. Private gardens (patio, table/chairs) to enjoy, as well as the National Trust parkland and gardens of Trelissick Estate which stretch down to the sea and along woodland, riverside and coastal walks. Trelissick East is private from visitors to the gardens, although the National Trust restaurant and shop are within easy walking distance. Tours of the Copeland China collection are available (by arrangement), and the owner’s family live in the main house and are on hand if needed.

Trelissick East (Ref: S231), from Helpful Holidays is self-contained with large, light, beautifully furnished rooms and south-facing views over parkland and out to sea from most windows. On the first floor there is a large living room with TV/DVD, CD player and wonderful views; 5 steps up to an elegant dining room, well-equipped kitchen and large double bedroom with four-poster bed and garden views; bathroom (suite plus bath-shower). Separate stairs lead to two more bedrooms: a double (6’ bed) with sea views from two big windows and en suite bathroom (suite), and a twin, also with sea views. On the top floor, another twin bedroom. Beautiful!

photo of Holiday cottage in Feock, Cornwall's Med with 5 stars, sleeps 8

Go for a walk on Exmoor

Jun 8

Posted by elisa in Advertisers, Cottages Search, Devon, Events, Group holidays, Walking, West Country | No Comments

For all the keen walkers out there, this 25th June is the annual Exmoor Perambulation, the longest circular one day walk in the busy Exmoor calendar taking participants around 31 miles of wonderful countryside. The walk dates back over 725 year and its route covers areas of the National Park not normally open to the public, so it’s a great opportunity for exercise and beautiful scenery.

The Perambulation of Exmoor Forest is organised annually by the Exmoor Tourist Association and the Exmoor National Park Authority. The walk is rather arduous and would require a bit of training for the inexperienced, but if 31 miles isn’t quite your bag then there is also a half distance option. It starts at the same time and place as the main event but terminates at Check Point 5 (Picked Stones Lane) where you can enjoy a BBQ while waiting for the free mini bus service to the finish at the Pinkery Centre.

After such a long walk it would be lovely to collapse down in one of these two beautiful adjacent cottages in Barbrook, Exmoor from Helpful Holidays.

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