Monthly Archives: June 2010

What’s on in Bath July 2010

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In a city like Bath there is always something on. From music to literature and entertainment to art events, Bath is a city that has a wealth of culture and activity for all those people that enjoy a Bath Weekend Break. In July there’s a unique experience to see Romans Bath by torch light, get to walk on 2000 year old pavements and experience the magical feeling that the Roman Bath buildings offer at night. Steaming waters, ancient buildings all seen by the soft light cannot be beaten. Take advantage of this experience as it runs from the 1st July right up until the end of August.

A new event is hitting Bath on the 3rd and 4th of July. The Bath Food and Drink Festival has a line up of the most tantalising food and beverages from top producers around the country. 130 local and regional producers will be there showing off their culinary delights offering tasters and sharing their knowledge of this growing industry.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Womad festival is being held on the beautiful grounds of Charlton Park on the 23rd July for two days. The Womad Festival, which stands for World of Music and Dance, celebrates music from around the world and different cultures. A typical festival will have a varied mix of live music performances, workshops, stalls and other events that are inclusive for children and adults alike.

If you are on a Bed and Breakfast Holiday in Bath this July make sure you put these top events in your itinerary.

Take a Trip Down the Wey and Arun Canal

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The Wey and Arun Canal runs through some of the most rural and beautiful areas of Sussex, and joins up the two rivers of the Wey and the Arun, giving a direct path from the Wey, which can be easily accessed from London, to the sea. Unfortunately, for all that this canal offers, and despite it running through the lovely countryside of Sussex, the canal was abandoned in 1871, and people staying in a Rye hotel could no longer travel on boats up and down its length.

The reasons for its abandonment were purely commercial. The canal had originally been set up to provide an inland route from London to Portsmouth, and from there to the entire south coast of England. This was seen as an advantage because of the ongoing war with France, which made transporting goods by ship along the coast a risky business. However, by the time the canal was finished in 1816, the war with France was over. Despite this, the canal still did fairly well for itself up until a railway opened along the exact same route in 1865.

The railway was the death of the canal, and closure was authorised by parliament in 1868. The canal was finally abandoned in 1871 after the owners failed to sell it.

That wasn’t the end of the story for the Wey and Arun Canal though. In 1970 a group of like-minded people came together and started a project to restore the canal. Forty years on and the group is still going strong, and they’ve done plenty of work, so those staying in an East Sussex hotel can once again take advantage of the wonderful waterway.

A tour of Bath

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If you have been thinking about having a Holiday in Bath then this film may just help you make your decision. It features Bath’s beautiful architecture and shows some snapshots of this beautiful city. Many people choose to stay in a Peaceful Bath Bed and Breakfast, from there they get to leisurely see the sights of the city and venture out to the surrounding areas in what is a beautiful part of the country.

What You Might Not Know About Bath

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When we think of Bath, the city that is, not the tub, we all immediately think about the Roman Baths, have a picture of the beautiful Georgian buildings in our minds and consider the culture and arts the place has to offer. Well, let me tell you a few things you didn’t know about this City, so next time you Holiday in Bath you’ll know.

Bath has five theatres, including the Theatre Royal; the others are Ustinov Studio, the egg, the Rondo Theatre, and the Mission Theatre.

Bath became one of the centres of fashionable life in the 1800′s and continues to be so now.

The average age is 39.9. The national average is 38.6.

The area is populated greatly by white ethnic backgrounds, 97.2% in total which is significantly higher than the national average.

Bath has a great many foods associated with it. The Sally Lunn Buns, which are a type of tea cake have long been baked in Bath and are a must try when visiting the area.

Another distinctive recipe from the area is Bath Olivers, a dry baked biscuit developed by Dr. William Oliver.

The word Bathonian is given to anyone who resides in Bath.

Two famous Bathonian’s were the artists Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Thomas Lawrence. Other famous people from the area are Bill Bailey, Hyacinth Bucket actress Patricia Routledge, Andrew Lincoln and Jane Austin to name but a very few.

Queen Ann visited the area of Bath to be treated for Gout.

I know most of these are perhaps useless facts about Bath, but they may come in handy on one of your Spa Breaks in Bath or just next time you are at your local doing the pub quiz, maybe.

Visit Sussex, Learn about the Romans

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After the Roman Conquest of Britain, Sussex became an important area, partly due to the wealth of iron ore that could be found there. There was also a ready supply of people willing to help the Romans, believing that it would be in their best interests. These people were often granted Roman citizenship, which meant that they could expect a much better life than those who weren’t. There were plenty of advantages to being a Roman citizen, or even just having somebody in your family be a citizen.

The consequences of this relationship between the Romans and the natives of Sussex were numerous, and the area profited greatly under Roman rule. If you want to learn about how the Romans integrated with the native Britons, then staying in an East Sussex hotel and visiting some of the sites or visitor centres in the county will give you plenty of insight.

Citizens were able to rise through the ranks of the Roman Empire, and the higher your rank the more privileges you were given. You could then use your position to get your children into good ranks, meaning that over the generations a family could gradually become more and more powerful.

The story for slaves was very different. The Roman conquest had little effect on them, other than some of them being transferred to different owners. They still filled roles as cooks, cleaners, farmers and iron workers. Occasionally, a slave could be freed, granting them many of the benefits of being a citizen and allowing them to rise through civilian ranks.

If this has interested you, then you really should look into booking a Rye hotel and discovering more of the area’s fascinating history for yourself.

Horse Riding in Pembrokeshire

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horse riding in pembrokeshire

There are a number of great ways to explore the beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside with one of the most exciting being on horse back. Fear not if you have absolutely no experience of riding previously, as experienced stables will find a noble steed to suite everyone. The countryside in Pembrokeshire is teeming with bridleways, old dovers trails and even smugglers paths which will take you along the coast, through woodlands and across open countryside.

If you are thinking of tackling a horse back ride during your holiday then you don’t have to worry about clothing and equipment. A stable will provide you with the riding hats and footwear as you should never ride with trainers or wellies on, all you have to do is turn up in trousers or jeans as skirts and dresses will leave you with sore legs come the end of the day.

Be honest with the stables when you speak to them as they will need to know your level to find you the right horse, the last thing you want is to exaggerate your skills and find yourself with a horse galloping across the Welsh countryside with no earthly way of stopping it. Book your rides well in advance as good stables will be busy, especially during the school holidays.

There are plenty of approved riding and trekking centres throughout Pembrokeshire that cater to both individuals and groups, and provide rides to all levels of rider. They offer a number of different trekking options that take in a variety off different landscapes including an amazing gallop across one of Pembrokeshire’s many wide and open sandy beaches.

So the next time you are staying in a Pembrokeshire cottage why not feel the wind in your hair and the sea spray in your face with a truly memorable gallop across the sands.

North Devon Festival

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LyntonThe North Devon Festival is in full swing and proving to be just as exciting as the previous eleven incarnations. The Festival is known for its entertainment and activities that are open to North Devon residents and tourists alike, from ones staying in Campsites in North Devon to those travelling down for the day.

The month long festival help locals celebrate the diverse landscape and beauty of North Devon. This year’s festival is especially poignant as the region’s coastline is also celebrating its 50th year of being an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The festival kicked off on the 27th of May with a school tag rugby competition that was held at the Barnstaple Rugby Club and will have hundreds of events until the finale on the 30th of June in the form of a poetry reading from Sir Andrew Motion.

The North Devon Festival is proud of the fact that it offers something for everyone from music, comedy, art, fairs, exhibitions and dancing. Top musical act The Magic Numbers and comedy star Paul Merton will perform alongside local and international acts.

As the name of the festival suggests, the events are being held all around the county. Barnstaple is host to the Barnstaple fringe, where musicians will perform around various pubs and venues in the town and performances will be conducted at the Fringe Theatrefest.

A bit further away is the Lynton and Lynmouth Music Festival which celebrates all genres of music against the stunning backdrop of both Lynton and Lynmouth. Other events to look out for are the Goldcoast Oceanfest in Croyde and the Visual Arts Festival in Appledore.

Anyone on a family holiday in Devon during June should definitely try to attend at least on event. For more information about the dates and times of the activities and events, please visit http://www.northdevontheatres.org.uk

Hadrian’s Wall: Why So Small?

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Plenty of people, when confronted with Hadrian’s Wall, begin to question its size. “What possible good could this wall do?” they ask, “How is this supposed to keep anybody out?” These people should take a trip to self catering Scotland and stay in one of the holiday cottages in Scotland and then visit one of the visitor sites that are available for Hadrian’s Wall.

The wall was actually meant to stop small bands of raiders being able to quickly and easily get away. Whereas it was easy to cross the wall when not carrying anything, if you had a cart, a lot of bags full of raided goods, or a herd of animals that you had stolen, getting over the wall would take a lot longer and leave you in serious risk of being found by one of the regular patrols that walked along the length of the wall.

Because raiding was a real concern, and was damaging the economy and livelihoods of those living on the Roman side, it was definitely worth it. Building the wall put a large dent in the amount of raiding that was taking place, and the presence of a physical boundary between Roman land and Scottish land reassured people that they were safe and that things were being done. A similar method had been employed earlier along the German border of the Roman Empire, where a continuous timber palisade was constructed with forts behind it. Both walls wouldn’t have stood up to a full attack by those on the other side, but that wasn’t a concern, and each wall did manage to stop the raiding bands that were the real threat.

Visit the Hills or Cliffs of Cornwall

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If you’re interested in views, then you could do worse than paying a trip to some Cornwall cottages and visiting one of the hills or cliffs. Since the Victorian period there have been lots of holiday makers going to Cornwall and climbing up high things. The hills are already a great place to visit as the top of them can contain caves and old mines, and the view from them of the surrounding areas are truly marvellous. The greenery covering all of them is also lush and wild, giving a real feel of tracking through nature if you choose to scale them.

If you’d rather have a more relaxing trip up then a car might be a better idea to get up to the top of any cliffs or hills you like the look of.

Once you’re at the top, you really should take a look at the view. It’s not the first time in this post that the views from the top of high places have been mentioned and there’s a good reason for that, they really are great.

There are other things to do as well though. Since the hills have been around a long time, you might find tours of the caves and mines are available and are the best way to get a really good look at them.

After you’re finished with the hills, a trip down into a nearby Cornish town or village where you can enjoy all the atmosphere of this beautiful county will be a great end to the day, before you travel back to you Sennen Cove cottages.

North Devon Coastline Celebrates Golden Jubilee

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The North Devon CoastlineOver the past 10 months North Devon has been celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its coastline being an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Visitors to the area and locals alike will be well aware the reasons this area has been given the title. Its stunning coastline, rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, quaint villages and ancient rural farmland are some of the reasons that the area was designated in 1959 and confirmed in 1960.

The area that has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty stretches from Combe Martin to the edge of the Cornwall border at Marsland Mouth and covers 66 square miles of land.  Some areas within the coastline are in need of extra protection and have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, which means they will be monitored a lot more closely than the rest. To add further protection, it is also been awarded as a Heritage Coast and is located within the country’s only UNESCO Biosphere reserve.

To celebrate the 50 years of the regions coastline being an AONB, a wide range of events are being held that highlight all aspects of North Devon life including the culture, wildlife and the region’s history. Workshops, talks, walks, music performances, exhibitions, and activities will all help raise public awareness within the region and nationally. Some of the events including the Appledore Visual Arts Festival are being held in conjunction with the North Devon Festival which also runs throughout June.

The celebrations will culminate on June 27th with full and half marathons taking place in Woolacombe, with parts of the race being run on the award winning beach. Proceeds from this event are in aid of the North Devon Hospice.

So if you are on holiday and staying in Woolacombe Accommodation why not come along to some of the events or come and watch the marathons on the beach. For more information please visit www.northdevoncoast.org.uk.