Monthly Archives: February 2010

The Devil’s Arse

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Nestled in the Derbyshire Peak District, near the honey pot village of Castleton, there lies the Devil’s Arse. Emerging from it is the Peakhole Water, which flows down through the village and into the River Noe. Because of the attraction of the Devil’s Arse and other nearby caves, as well as the appeal of the beautiful village of Castleton, the Peak District cottages available in and near the village are in high demand.

The Devil’s Arse itself gets its name due to the fart-like noises that the cave produces from within. As water splashes inside the cave, the echoes are transformed by the bizarre acoustics of the rock structure to make it sound to those on the outside like the cave has a problem with flatulence.

There are plenty of stories about the cave, and it has an interesting history too. It’s said to be the place where thieves’ cant, a secret language used by thieves to communicate in public without raising the suspicions of guards, was invented during a meeting between Cock Lorel, the leader of rogues and thieves, and the King of the Gypsies. This story probably comes from the fact that the deepest, darkest, dankest depths of the cave were used by bandits for hiding.

The cave was also the last place in Britain where troglodytes, people who lived in caves, existed. Up until 1915 they lived in houses built inside the mouth of the cave and made a living of making rope.

The cave was officially known as the Devil’s Arse right up until 1880, when Queen Victoria paid a visit to a concert. It was renamed “Peak Cavern” in order to stop her from being offended, but recently, people staying at holiday cottages in the Peak District have been able to enjoy the Devil’s Arse under its older, far ruder name.

Things to Do in Burnham-on-Sea

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Burnham-on-Sea is well known for being a seaside resort which families travel to year after year, and there are plenty of good reasons why. It’s mainly because of the wealth of accommodation and activities in the area which make for great family holidays, meaning that kids and adults alike never run out of things to do.

The first and most popular attraction is quite easily the beach. It’s miles long, and great for walks to get you hungry for a lunch or supper of tasty fish and chips. Beach holidays are popular all over the UK, but beach resorts like Burnham-on-Sea epitomise the British seaside experience.

The next attraction still involves the beach, and is geared much more towards children. It is, of course, sand castles. Building up massive, towering castles on the beach can keep kids occupied for hours, leaving parents free to relax in the sun. Once they’ve finally finished building, a donkey ride along the beach will finish up a day full of popular seaside activities.

Seaside resorts inevitably mean amusement arcades along the seafront, and Burnham-on-Sea is no exception in this regard. Try your hand at various games, competing against or co-operating with your family. Just be careful not to spend too long in these places, or you’ll quickly find you’re out of change and the sun is already setting.

Burnham-on-Sea has its own unique attraction too, found nowhere else in Britain. There’s a lighthouse there which stands on nine wooden legs. It’s a very strange sight when you compare it to the traditional stone lighthouses that people are familiar with, and plenty of people visit it every day throughout summer.

When looking for somewhere to stay in Burnham-on-Sea, most people might think of hotels or self-catering apartments, but holiday parks add even more things to do to your trip, and so prove popular with loads of families, who won’t just return to Burnham-on-Sea year after year, but will return to the same park year after year as well.

Isle of Skye Towers High

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One of the most famous features on the Isle of Sky, the largest and most northern island in the Hebrides, is the Storr, a huge and rocky hill that looms over the Sound of Raasay. The island, and especially the Storr, has long been an attraction for people enjoying self catering in Scotland.

The Storr itself is a massive outcrop of rock that emerges suddenly from the smooth grassland that surrounds it. It’s a popular attraction for walkers, climbers, and people who enjoy looking at large outcrops of rocks.

Easily the most popular, dramatic and famous sights of the whole region though, are the strange, upright pinnacles of rocks which jut out of the ground in an area just in front of the Storr known as the Sanctuary. These attract most visitors, and people are happy to spend an entire day of one of their cottage holidays in Scotland wandering around, looking at these large, natural wonders. It’s unsurprising, given how impressive they are in person.

The largest and best known of these is Old Man Storr, a huge pinnacle that stands head and shoulders above the others.

The whole of the Storr has also been turned into a massive art display at one point by NVA, a Scottish natural arts company, in collaboration with various artists and musicians. Photos of the area have won awards, unsurprising given the beauty of the landscape. In the hands of a skilled photographer, the area can be presented in fantastic ways, as many visitors to the island find.

Top 10 essentials for any UK family holiday part 2

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hurt child

In the first part of our top 10 essentials for any UK Family holiday we talked about picking your accommodation, preparing for both good and bad weather, researching the area you are visiting, taking a camera with you and finally keeping the children busy.

In the article we will talk about the next 5 things we consider essential for your UK family holiday.

6. Plenty of clothes

Unless you are an expert planner then you will never be completely sure about how you will spend your holiday. One of the benefits of having a holiday in the UK is that you do not have to conform to airline budget allowances, so you can theoretically take your whole family’s wardrobe if your transport allows it.

Kids are notorious for getting clothes dirty, so make sure you pack enough outfits and back up outfits to ensure your children don’t end up walking around with dirty clothes.

7. Your Dog

For real animal lovers, one of the hardest parts about going on holiday is leaving your beloved pet behind. The beauty of taking your holiday in the UK is the ability to take your pet with you providing the accommodation allows it. Many holiday parks and campsites offer pet friendly holidays and it will save you some money on cattery and kennel bills.

8. Emergency Pack

If you have active children then you will know the probability of one of them falling over and hurting themselves is quite high. So taking a small first aid kit with you is always a good idea so you can patch them up and send them on their way with relatively little fuss.

9. Suitable footwear

Most UK Holidays will involve some form of walking during your stay. People have a tendency to just pack flip flips and sandals for summer holidays and these are notorious for causing problems with extended periods of walking. If there is any possibility you will be partaking in walking during your stay, make sure you pack some comfortable footwear for both the adults and children.

10. A sense of adventure

When travelling with children it is important to create a fun and exciting atmosphere to make sure that they have a holiday of a lifetime, and a sense of adventure will be a great help. If it’s raining and you have your waterproofs, why not go exploring in some nearby woodland. Caravan Holidays in Devon can provide great adventurous holidays for the whole family.

The Longships and the Lighthouse

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Just one and a quarter miles away from Land’s End, the westernmost point of England, there is a rocky outcrop that spells danger and death to ships and sailors. It’s called the Longships, and the number of shipwrecks there has made it into an excellent diving location, as there’s plenty to see, but that’s of little comfort to the people on board the boats. The lighthouse has become a popular sight amongst those on cottage holidays in Cornwall.

In 1795 a lighthouse was built on the island, its purpose, as with all lighthouses, to warn ships away from the rocky outcrop. It was an excellent plan, and saved many lives. The only problem with it was that the highest point of the rocks, where the lighthouse was built, was only forty feet above sea level. The lighthouse itself was another forty feet, and because the Atlantic isn’t the calmest of waters, eighty foot waves weren’t such a rare occurrence that this didn’t cause problems. In high seas, the lighthouse wasn’t visible, and its light didn’t shine out to warn ships of the danger nearby. This was hardly ideal.

Because of the dangers of high seas to both this light house and the ships that couldn’t see it, Trinity House ordered another built in 1869. Trinity House are the public, non-departmental body that oversees the building and maintenance of lighthouses, lightvessels and buoys. They also, since their use become standard, ensure that maritime radio and satellite communication systems are operating. They do all of this in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, but not Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man.

This new tower was first lit in 1873, but that didn’t stop the S.S. Bluejacket being wrecked on the rocks right by the light house on a clear night, nearly taking the light house with it. Luckily, the lighthouse remained, and has so up until the present day, though it became unmanned in 1988.

As was mentioned above, the Longships are a very interesting place for diving. This is partly because the number of shipwrecks there, from both before and after the building of the lighthouse, has made it a historically interesting place. It’s also because the rocks themselves are filled with gullies and canyons, and absolutely teem with marine life.

Many places, especially houses or cottages on the nearby Cornish coast, use Longships in their name, recognising the fact that looking out to see the rocks has become something of an attraction for tourists. It’s not uncommon to see Cornish Holiday Cottages like “Longships View” around the coastline.

Pie Wars: Wales Vs Cornwall

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pasty

Cornwall’s reigning supremacy of the legendary Cornish Pasty is set to be challenged as a Pie War will begin over the next few weeks in West Wales. A new company ‘Pasty and Pie Co’ is opening its first store in Tenby on the 1st March and will then open a flagship store in Cardiff this summer before it rolls out across England, in an attempt to monopolize the world of consumer pasty buying, historically dominated by the Cornish.

The Pembrokeshire pasties, which have all their ingredients locally sourced in Pembrokeshire and include lamb, red current jelly and currants, are claiming to be unique by the company and the stores will sell six different pies and pasties to rival Cornish firms. If you are due stay in a Wales Holiday Cottage, make sure you get to sample the competing Pasty. The company director is really ‘banging the drum’ for Pembrokeshire and the farming community and hopes to open stores in towns and cities across the UK which will compete with the existing Cornish pasty run firms.

For anyone who may not possibly know what a pasty is, let me fill you in. A pasty is a filled pastry case which differs from a pie in that it is filled on a flat circle pastry shape and folded into wrap the filling with the edges crimped to form a seal. Traditional Cornish pasties are filled with beef, swede, potato and onions, they are then baked. Over the years pasties have begun to have an array of different fillings from pork and apple to cheese and onion to name but a few. Anyone that has been to Cornwall should have experienced the taste of a traditional Cornish pasty, anyone on a short break Wales will now not only experience a traditional Pembrokeshire pasty but will be able to compare against the Cornish pasty and judge for themselves.

Top 10 essentials for any UK family holiday

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suncream

So you have decided that a family holiday in the UK is for you this year, maybe even a family holiday in Devon. You might be a seasoned veteran in taking time off in your own country, but for many tourists who usually travel abroad; having a holiday in the UK will be a change. In this article we will look at some handy tips to make sure you get the most from your experience.

1. Picking the right accommodation

The first step to having a great holiday in the UK is choosing the right accommodation for you and your family. Some people will prefer staying in a hotel or bed and breakfast for their stay, but perhaps the most cost effective accommodation comes in the form of holiday parks and campsites. Try and strike a balance between what the adults want from a holiday and what the children want. Many find that a family holiday park is an ideal compromise.

2. Suncream /umbrella

Everyone realises that even in the summer the weather in the UK can be a bit unpredictable. So it is best to take solutions for both outcomes; suncream and hats for when the weather is good and umbrellas and waterproofs for rainy weather.

3. Researching the area

Depending on what type of people you are depends on this next tip. Some families like to be spontaneous and see what each day will bring. But if you want to make the most of your time in your holiday destination, then some basic research of what’s in the area will give you an idea of what you can do during your stay.

4. Camera

It seems like an obvious essential to take, but you would kick yourself if you forgot it. With the modern low cost digital cameras with large amounts of memory, there is no excuse for not taking lots of pictures. Why not buy a cheaper camera for your children to make a photo album of their stay with.

5. Something to keep kids busy

It is inevitable that all children will get a bit bored at some point on any holiday. You may have booked a holiday at a holiday park where they have kids clubs but even then, there will be times when the children may not have much to do. Taking a portable DVD player, board game or hand held consoles will be invaluable if you want to get some peace in the slower parts of your holiday.

Due to size constraints we will split this blog into two parts, be sure to check back for the second half of our “Top 10 Essentials for a UK family holiday”

Why Campsites are Great for Group Holidays

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campsite

Planning a group holiday offers its own particular challenge to coordinators of all kinds and levels of experience. Travelling with your own built in group of friends and acquaintances can be a truly enjoyable experience, but the logistics of managing food, entertainment, and lodgings for so many people can be mind boggling, especially for amateurs. If you are planning a group holiday, or merely part of one, then you need to begin by choosing a destination site. For group trips, which are as much about the company as the location, a campsite or holiday park in Devon may be the answer.

The Benefits:

  • A campground or holiday park is often the most cost effective method of accommodating a large group. Hotels offer group rates, but the costs of the hospitality industry as well as food and travel for the group may simply prove to be too much. It is much easier to share costs and labour in a camp setting.
  • Campsites are almost endlessly expandable. No matter the size of your group, you will not run into caps on room capacity or worse, a booked hotel. In a campground, the more people you bring, the merrier your vacation.
  • Feeding your group mates and planning activities for them is also easier in an outdoor setting. One good outdoor barbeque, for example, will keep you entertained for hours. You won’t find that your group is too big for the restaurant and you can make as much noise as you want. Not to mention that you get to plan the menu.

In the end, campsites in Devon are simply more fun for group travel. The lack of rules and structures coupled with the people you enjoy most and the opportunity to get away from it all means that you get to have the vacation you want rather than the one that the hotel personnel dictate to you.

Have it Your Way

Your trip is ultimately supposed to be something you want. With a little research you can find a campsite that is not only available for your entire group when you want it, but one that offers access to all the facilities and activities you want. When you choose the right campground, there is no need to forgo your pool access or your group hike, let alone the after party. A campground will have rules and regulations that you need to obey while staying there, but ultimately you will be free to have your own fun, your own way.

Hotels Vs. Campsites

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couple on holiday

When you plan a family holiday or a trip away from home, the first consideration that you must take into account is where you will be staying. Every trip needs a base of operations, a place you can come back to and recharge at between adventures, as well as a staging ground for new experiences. Though there are many different types of places and ways to fit this particular need for shelter and habitation, most boil down to a rough division between two categories. There’s camping and there are hotels. Each option offers a very different type of experience, but which one is best when you are travelling with the whole family? For example campsites in Woolacombe, North Devon would be very different to a hotel in the middle of London.

Campgrounds: Where Wild Children Run Free and Free Children Run Wild

The advantages that a campground offers for any traveller are based upon its lack of structure. Depending on your level of commitment and experience, you can find sites with a range of infrastructures from the campsite with running water, toilets, and entertainment facilities for the family to the campsite you make yourself. It all depends on what you and your family want. This makes camping ideal for all types of families and age ranges. If you pick your site carefully, you can feel free to make all the noise and fun that you want without ever disturbing anyone else. Furthermore, camping allows you and your kids to get a little closer to the beauties of nature, offering a slight touch of the profound to your vacation experience.

Hotels: Where Comfort Reigns and Rules Hold Sway

Like campgrounds, hotels come in all shapes and sizes, offering a range of accommodation experiences, but unlike campgrounds, most hotels offer a certain base level of infrastructure. There will always be a bed, a bathroom, and electricity. This means that you can always expect to have neighbours who will demand their own consideration and that your accommodations will take on a certain level of expense. The structure that defines the hotel experience can be comforting, but it may infringe on your ability to determine the structure of your vacation. You will be forced to consider costs, check in and check out times, and how to deal with children who may rebel at being cooped up together at night.

Hotels V.S. Camping: Who Wins?

In the end, where you stay depends on what you want and need for your holiday, but when you travel with children and families, campsites offer a much more flexible experience. Camping and Caravan Holidays in Devon and other UK destinations provide will provide great memories for you and your family.

Why Take Your Pet on Holiday This Summer

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dog on holiday

It’s that time of year again. Now that winter is over and the New Year has begun, it’s time for a change of season and setting. You may have noticed that cabin fever is already setting in at your home. One of the easiest and best ways to combat this is to begin planning your next holiday. Even thinking about getting away and having new experiences is likely to help perk you up. And this year, when you are thinking and planning that perfect summer holiday, consider bringing an oft forgotten family member along: your dog or cat. Pet Friendly holiday parks are great accommodation for taking your pet on holiday.

Why Bring Your Pets?

Well, animals appreciate holidays for much the same reasons that you do: they provide opportunities for stimulation, bonding, and relaxation.

  • Holidays are fun. Pets enjoy the stimulation of a new setting with new people, animals, and territories to explore and get to know.
  • Your pets are happiest when you are together. They are bonded to you and though boarding or pet sitting may not actively hurt them it can still cause a certain amount of distress.
  • It’s good to get away. Pets often live and die by their routine. A holiday can help to vary that routine, improving your pet’s overall quality of life and reducing its daily stress.

Finally, bringing a pet along can actually help to enhance your experiences on vacation. Having someone you love to share your leisure time with, even if that someone is a pet, will make your trip that much more enjoyable. It can even help you get out of a holiday rut. Your dog or cat’s presence will force you to make different choices than the ones you might make alone. This will result in a completely different type of vacation experience for you both. You will see and do new things even in a setting you may have already visited.

Planning a Pet Friendly Holiday

Bringing your faithful companion, canine or feline, along for the ride can be very rewarding to you both, but just remember that it is important to consider their needs when you do so. If you’ve never travelled with your pet before, a camping trip, for example Camping in Woolacombe, may be the best way to test the waters. Make sure that you pack the necessary gear for your pet’s comfort and safety and do your research before you leave.