Monthly Archives: August 2009

The kids are all Wight!

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ipod beach

According to a recent teletext survey, children between the ages of six and sixteen voted an Isle of Wight Holiday one of the top 3 holidays in the World. 2,000 children were asked what their favourite hotspots were and the Isle of Wight came third behind the Caribbean in second place and Florida in first place.

While the first two come as no surprise as they have always traditionally popular with children and adults alike. But the Isle of Wight coming third shows that the island is shaking off its image as destination for older holiday makers.

It’s also good news for the rest of the UK as Weymouth, Lake District and Blackpool all made it into the top 10. The rest of the list was made up of holiday favourites such as Greece, France, Majorca and Sydney.

With the recession being in full swing, it will be a relief to parents, to know that their children will be happy staying in the UK and taking a Holiday on the Isle of Wight or Weymouth.

Other question on the survey dealt with other holiday related topics that are important to children. The group were asked what gadgets they would take with them on a holiday. Mp3 players and iPods were voted the top gadget, handheld games consoles such as the Nintendo DS came second, mobile phones third, portable DVD players fourth and laptops came fifth. The days of top trumps and buckets and spades seem to have been long forgotten with technology playing a huge part in any youngster’s trip.

The children were also asked about things they would like to learn on holiday and the results show that not all of them will spend the whole holiday sat on a laptop with their headphones on. Popular things to learn are surfing, swimming, horse riding, extreme sports and a new language.

So if you have children and are looking for a new holiday destination to try a bit nearer to home, then why not look into Isle of Wight Holidays.

Things to do in Bedfordshire

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Bedfordshire is a great location for a day out and the ideal place to spend some time as a family. Finding the right activity for a family that will be enough to entertain everyone can be difficult at the best of times. There is usually someone from each generation who has different ideas of how their free time should be spent. Museums, theme parks, zoos and shopping centers are just a few of the possible activities that you can do as a family.  So with a great range of things to see and do what should you look at or even narrow the list down to? This article looks at two possible activities that you might want to consider when looking to plan a day out for the whole family.

Wild Britain is first on our list and is a great way to spend the day (especially for those who love animals).  This attraction has ‘met the keeper’ encounters where you can talk to the people responsible for the welfare of the animals and the park offers a nature trail. The main building houses the animals, bugs and beasties of the tropical house. There is also disabled access to main buildings and onsite has a café that provides homemade goodies, a gift shop, Baby changing facilities as well as onsite parking. Wild Britain also offers a who host of activities happening through out the year like the summertime puppet shows, pond dipping the Halloween Hullabaloo and a few other summer fun attractions. So why not contact them today and see what you could be missing out on.

Choice number two is that of the Bedford Museum. This is always a favorite for older people and children with a thirst for learning. The museum offers a range of opportunities for all to get involved in like the pARTicipate exhibition which looks at and celebrates the diverse talent and skills involved in producing artwork that contributes towards the local community. ‘Winds of Change’ looks to be another popular attraction for the future of the museum as they explore the links between Bedfordshire and Japan. There is also a whole host of activities that will be set up for the duration of the half term.

So why not try some of these attractions when on a Bedfordshire holiday and when looking for things to do Bedfordshire.

Holiday Parks around the World

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We all know that holiday parks and camp sites are popular in the UK, but what about the rest of the world. Does everyone love this great versatile form of accommodation that is fun for all the family. In this blog I will look at some Holiday parks and campsites from around the world and see if we all do love the same great Holiday park breaks.

Koningshof, Rijnsburg Holland

This great family run park is around half an hour away from Rotterdam and Amsterdam and is a great base for a sightseeing holiday. The park offers everything you would expect from a UK holiday park like swimming pools, children’s play areas, restaurants, shops and even a lake for fishing. One of the main advantage points of this holiday park is its location as you can combine a traditional camping family holiday with a more city break style sight seeing trip. There are plenty of cycle tracks around making it a good base for active holiday makers.

Koningshof, Rijnsburg Holland

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Le Belledonne, Bourg d’Oisans, The Alps

Stunning views from this park’s beautiful setting awaits visitors to the park. Clean mountain air and the ability to explore the Alps are the main reasons visitors chose this park for their stay. But as with most holiday parks, Le Belledonne caters for the needs of everyone with facilities such as swimming pool, gym, sauna, volleyball and boules.

The nearest town is Bourg d’Oisans that has many shops and restaurants for days out from the park.

Le Belledonne, Bourg d’Oisans, The Alps

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Ljubljana Resort, Slovenia

This holiday park resort is perfect for families who want to explore Slovenia and sits alongside the River Sava. Facilities include a pool and leisure complex which comprises of three heated pools, whirlpools, Jacuzzis and pool bars.

Children will love staying at the park as on of the largest water parks, Atlantis is 15 mins away from the park.

Hiring a car is recommended if you haven’t brought your own as there is so much to do in the area, including the stunning lake Bled and castle.

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Grand Canyon/Williams

Obviously holiday parks and campsites are great bases to explore America and the Grand Canyon/Williams campsite is no exception. Staying here will allow you to visit the Grand Canyon and Sedona Oak Creek Canyon. There is a great selection of outdoor activities and ways to travel round the area including jeeps, rafting, helicopters and trains. When you have tired yourself out seeing the stunning sights, you can come back to your pine shaded tranquil campsite.

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Stag do on the Isle of Wight

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A stag do is an important part in the lives of any bachelor that has chosen to get married. It becomes his last chance to celebrate with his closest friends his last days of freedom as a single man. There as many ways that people choose to celebrate this age old tradition and each is individual to the taste and requirements of the groom to be. Long gone are the days where a few drinks down the pub on the night before the wedding would suffice. Today a stag do can last one evening of even a week and don’t think that a quiet night at the pub will keep everyone happy. Although the occasion is all about the stag people expectations are high and won’t want to be disappointed. So if you are the stag or the best man then read on for a few ideas that will make the stag night a time to remember.

4x4 on the Isle of Wight

4×4 Driving

This isn’t getting in a 4×4 and driving around a small country town, this is proper off road (the reason this vehicles where built). Two purpose built courses designed to text the limits of even the best and most experienced of drivers. The experience can also be done blind folded if you like the ultimate experience. You will need a full UK driving license to participate in these events and nerves of steel.

Mountain Biking on the Isle of Wight

Mountain Biking
Fancy something that s a little more energetic then why not try mountain biking? Explore the Isle of Wight on a bike a really see what area of the Isle of Wight you couldn’t access in the car. There are a few things better than cycling around the Isle of Wight with your best friends in tow and what a great way to explore the Island and really embrace the views and scenery that the Isle if Wight is famous for.

clay pigeon shooting on the isle of wight

Shooting

Perhaps mountain biking and 4×4 driving is too tame for you then why not try shooting something, in particular clay pigeons? This is a great way to let off a little steam and use a gun. Carry out some target practice on a range of targets that are shot in to your eye line from a range of angles. Try and outshine your friends and prove to them that you are the best shot of the group.

There we have it, 3 great activities to consider when looking for a stag do on the Isle of Wight making it a time to remember for everyone involved. This really is a great place for an Isle of Wight Holiday and Short Breaks Isle of Wight based adventures.

The Hidden Gems of UK National Parks

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lake district national park

If the coverage of the recent National Park week has inspired you to take a trip out into the countryside to find out what makes these places just so special, you may be wondering where to start. Below are a few suggestions of what to see in our Northern National Parks.

Northumberland National Park

Most famous as the home of Hadrian’s Wall, and rightly so. The landscape that the wall crosses is still as wild as it was during the Roman Empire. Perhaps the best place to appreciate the drama of the landscape is at the Roman Army Museum, Carvoran. Here you can see the wall in it’s modern context with an excellent film showing you how it would have looked from a Roman soldier’s point of view. With a healthy dose of history fresh in your mind head to Wall Town Crags. Views don’t get more dramatic than this and you can’t help but empathise with the roman soldiers sent out to the edge of the world to defend the empire from the Barbarian hordes.

Whilst most people concentrate their visit on the wall it is well worth making a detour to Vindolande. This is the only ongoing archaeological dig in the area that is constantly revealing fascinating new information on Roman life at the border. The discovery in recent weeks of a large stone alter has brought Roman religion to the fore and further finds are hotly anticipated. So if you are planning a Northumberland Short Break or are thinking of renting a Northumberland Coastal Cottage, why not pay the county’s national park a visit.

Lake District National Park

Most people are drawn to the Lake District for the hiking and often the Lakes are relegated to just another pretty view. But perhaps it is time to re-engage with the H2O that has shaped this landscape over the millennia. For some, there is nothing like getting up close and personal and Outdoor Swimming is enjoying a renaissance.

Why not take advantage of the opportunities that the Lake District has for the hardy swimmer and enjoy a bracing dip. Rydal Lake offers a good introduction to the novice. A shallow lake it is relatively warm for the UK, offering a gentle introduction to the sport. For the more adventurous head to Blackmoss Pot. This river pool is considered one of the best by a leading expert, and is a must for any swimming enthusiast.

It’s all Wight for us: Couple return to the Isle of Wight year after year

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sandown

In yesterday’s copy of The Times newspaper there was a small article on a couple who have visited their favourite holiday destination for 56 years in a row. Ron and Alma Sweetland from Derbyshire love their Isle of Wight Holidays so much that ever since they visit the Island in 1953 they have kept going back.

Mr Sweetland, 79 Said: “We still get the same sense of anticipation, when we go back. There have been a lot of changes but the essence of what makes it special still remains”.

When the couple first started visiting the island, it was home to some of the biggest stars at Sandown Pier and Rationing was still around.

Ron Sweetland had finished his National Service when he brought his wife to the island for their first holiday. Their island holidays started in Ryde, but the majority of trips were spent in Sandown.

The tradition is not only to come back to the same place, but for the last 15 years they have stayed in the same holiday cottage and for the same two weeks every year, which shows that once you find the perfect Isle of Wight Accommodation it’s hard not to come back again and again.

Some people have asked the couple that if they love the island so much, why don’t they make a permanent move their. But their answer is that this would ruin the magic of returning to the island every year and the anticipation that they feel before each holiday.

This couple’s devotion to the island shows that the Isle of Wight really is one of the UK’s best holiday destination and for anyone who wants to stay in the UK instead of travelling abroad in 2009, then the island should be a top contender.