Brighton is a costal city and seaside resort located on the South coast of the UK. Its location within the glorious county of East Sussex and only 47 miles due south of London has made the city very attractive to visitors.
On a first visit to Brighton it can be quite daunting to find accommodation but you can be rest assured there are plenty of East Sussex Hotels and guesthouses around the city. You can find many resources both in print and online that can help you to find the best available option. For example, Rye accommodation is within visiting distance of the resort but without the city’s hustle and bustle.
Brighton was once a very sleepy fishing town called Brighthelmstone and only started to grow when a Doctor called Richard Russell began to recommend the use of seawater to his patients. In 1753 he went on to build a house on the beach for himself and his patients. Another factor in the growth of Brighton from small village to city was the building of the Royal Pavilion. This regency style building was built by John Nash in the 19th century and together with the introduction of railways in the 1840s carried Brighton further in its size boom.
The Royal Pavilion in Brighton was designed as an extravagant seaside retreat for George Prince of Wales back in 1811 in an Indo-Saracenic style similar to buildings of its time in India. The pavilion hosts over 400,000 visitors per year and is Brighton’s largest attraction.
Brighton Pier has been a huge feature of the resort since it was built in 1899 and continues to attract thousands of visitors every year. The pier has many fun fair rides and rollercoasters and plenty of seaside spirit for all of the family.
With train journeys lasting only one hour from the capitol city Brighton has fast become a quick getaway from the restraints of the city. Brighton is also on direct rail route to Gatwick airport and far along the coast as Portsmouth making it attractive to a much wider audience.
If you are travelling by car it is recommended to use one of the many park and ride systems due to the cities very congested roads. Parking is available within the city but not recommended due to limited availability.
Every year thousands of people choose the Isle of Wight as their holiday destination. With its glorious views and picturesque surroundings the Island has become more and more popular each year with holiday makers of all ages.
During any holiday eating out and fine dining is one of the greatest pleasures for you and your family to explore. The Isle of Wight has plenty of restaurants and cafes situated throughout the islands many stunning towns and villages.
The Isle of Wight has a wealth of food styles ranging from traditional food fare to oriental cuisine. All of the restaurants use fresh local ingredients and seafood to enhance dining experiences and try their hardest to make them as special as possible. Top class food is available throughout the Island in the form of anything from cottage restaurants to the exquisite dining halls of many of the Isle of Wight Hotels.
One such location on the island that not only boasts wonderful sandy beaches and magnificent views is the resort of Shanklin. This picturesque seaside resort has plenty of restaurants and other dining establishments dotted throughout its charming landscape. One such venue is the Crab Inn who serves a wonderful and broad selection of dishes ranging from traditional bar snacks to succulent steaks. All of which are possible to enjoy in one the most photographed public houses in Britain.
Should you be visiting the area you can be assured that any pubs and Hotels in Shanklin will be serving the very best in food cuisine using fresh local produce.
Baths connection to Royalty stretches back right throughout the history of the city. The city’s very founding was made by an ancient king of Britain. Legend says that around 500BC Prince Bladud found the healing waters of Bath after being exiled for having Leprosy. The waters cured the young prince’s disease and he was able to return to his family. Later when the prince became King he founded the city of Bath in gratitude to these special waters. Today a statue of King Bladud stands in the Royal Baths at the Roman Baths and many fantastic paintings and illustrations telling the story can be found in the Pump Room
Many hundreds of years later King Edgar, regarded as the first King of England, held his coronation at Bath Abbey in 973AD. This service forms the basis for the current coronation ceremony. You can see a depiction of this ceremony in the Edgar Window at the east end of Bath Abbey. Also in the Abbey you will find a commemorative stone which celebrates Queen Elizabeth II visit in 1973 to mark 1000 years since the crowning of Edgar and the formation of the English Monarchy.
In 1688 Queen Anne visited the city to bathe in the thermal waters in order to cure her gout. After her visit the city became hugely popular with high society and helped transform Bath in to the grand World Heritage Site it is today.
In 1830 a young Princess Victoria, who would later become Queen Victoria, visited the city with her mother to attend the opening of the park named after her. Today you can stay in the very same Bath Hotel as they did, The Royal Hotel, which has a special plaque commemorating her visit.
Even in the 21st century royals are still flocking to Bath. Recently the Prince of Wales visited the city to open his Highgrove Shop, which sells products grown and made on his estate of Highgrove in the Cotswolds.
Situated on the river Goyt the charming town of Whaley Bridge sits nestled between Macclesfield and Sheffield. The town is located within the high peak district of Derbyshire and enjoys the same scenic landscapes and views that the area is renowned for.
Whaley Bridge is often referred to as the gateway to the Goyt valley, the valley being a large area of natural beauty that is visited by cyclists and walkers every year.
A large feature of Whaley Bridge is the Peak forest canal and basin. The town sits at the end of the canal and enjoys a great history of boating throughout the ages. Many visitors travel via the canal down to the town for their Peak District holiday. A wonderful barge restaurant now sits at the canal head serving delicious and mouth watering food.
Owing to the town’s rich heritage with water it hosts a festival dedicated to its roots. The Whaley Water Weekend is hosted annually in June by the townsfolk and features activities on water and land. Bands, carnivals and a mini armada are among the attractions that thrill visitors year after year. If staying aboard canal boats is not for you then fear not, there are plenty of Holiday Cottages in the Peak District for you to stay in without getting yourself wet!
The town has a selection of shops and amenities which include something for everyone’s shopping tastes. In recent years the town has expanded with everything from supermarkets to alternative shops to satisfy the needs and virtues of visitors.
The town has a rail link on the Manchester-Buxton line and operates an almost hourly service making the town a great place to visit with ease. The town’s station is very quaint and is maintained and looked after by the local community group known as the Friends of Whaley Bridge Station showing the communities dedication to its town’s history and heritage.
The local council has produced a booklet detailing local parish walks for visitors so they won’t miss out on anything the town and surrounding areas have to offer.
With so many attractions and sights to see your Peak District Holiday simply wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Whaley Bridge.
Stirling castle is one of the most important and historically rich castles in the whole of Scotland. The castle sits atop the geological formation known as the Stirling sil and is surrounded on three sides by rock faces which give the castle a very strong defensive position. The very first record of Stirling castle dates back to 1110 when Alex I the then king of Scotland dedicated a chapel within the castle.
The castle features several important and culturally rich features within its grounds.
The Chapel Royal.
Many features have been built within the castle by request of royalty; the chapel royal was the last such feature. Built in 1594 the chapel took 10 years to complete and rests on the remains of the older chapel where Mary queen of Scots was crowned. The chapel has taken many different forms and uses over the year such as dining room, school room and storeroom. Restored to its previous glory after the First World War the chapel is once again in a glorious condition complete with a magnificent historical frieze that was discovered during its renovation.
The Great Hall.
The great hall was built in 1503 by James IV to impress his new queen Margaret Tudor. The hall is one of the largest banqueting halls within Scotland. The Castle was turned into an army depot in the nineteenth century which resulted in the removal of the roof and the space divided up. Restoration started in 1964 on the great hall and lasted 35 years in which time the hall was returned to its regal splendour and decadence.
The Palace.
The Stirling palace was built for King James V and his second queen Mary of Guise in or around 1540. The palace was intended as a celebration for his forthcoming marriage and built to be grander then any palace that his French bride would have seen before.
At one point the palace was the central hub of the government and was a showcase for George V and his thoroughly modern government.
Stirling Castle with its countless attractions and unique beauty is guaranteed to enhance and take your Self Catering Scotland holiday to new highs. With local accommodation such as Argyll Cottages, guesthouses and hotels nearby you have no excuse not to visit Stirling Castle!
Hartland Point is renowned for many things but its lighthouse is by far its main attraction. The Trinity Lighthouse was built in 1874 by Mr Yerward of Wales under the keen eye of Sir James Douglass. The lighthouse is 59 feet high and its lamp is situated 37 feet above sea level. Hartland’s lighthouse lamp can be seen from over 25 miles away. The lighthouse’s glow has been a nightly sight through the windows of Bude Cottages to the coastline towns of the welsh coast.
The lighthouse was built on a very large rock at the tip of the point and such was the constant battering of the sea that stone had to be broken from the cliff head behind the lighthouse and used as a natural barrier. This procedure was carried out frequently and as a way to try to remedy the problem a 30 metre long and 6 metre high seawall was built in 1925 to try to protect the buildings from erosion.
The Trinity lighthouse for many years hosted lighthouse keepers and their families but in 1984 it was decided to fully automate the site. The lighthouse was attached to a large accommodation wing with enough room to host up to 4 keepers and their families. The living quarters were demolished after automation had taken place and a helipad built in its place. The Lighthouse is currently monitored from the Trinity House operations centre in Essex.
The lighthouse is currently not open to the public as its access road is liable to rock falls and land slides.
A review this year has put doubt on the Trinity lighthouse’s future. Trinity House, the lighthouse authority for England and Wales are looking into replacing the 136 year old lighthouse and use technologies such as satellite navigation as a means to protect users of the sea.
As such, the organisation is conducting a review of the lighthouse and hopes to work together with current users of the Bristol Channel to ensure that the best and most efficient mode of safety operation is chosen. Hartland lighthouse is one of six Lighthouses that are facing significant changes due to its authority’s evaluations this year.
With times being so unpredictable for Hartland’s Lighthouse its supporters recommend to visit sooner rather then later and with so many places to stay locally like Luxury Bude Cottages now has never been a better time.
The English Riviera which comprises of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham offers something for everyone all year round, whatever their age or taste so it’s little wonder people flock there year after year to have a Torbay Holiday.
August of course, will not let you down on the events front. First up, there’s a chance to go onboard a vintage 1940’s bus which will take you on a nostalgic trip from Devon to Agatha Christies Greenway House and Banks on the River Dart. This takes place on various dates across the whole of August and buses leave from Belgrave Road and Cary Place at 10am and 2pm.
For all you bike enthusiasts there is a Bike Festival which you can come and visit. Bikes of all shapes, sizes, speeds and ages will take over Paignton Green along with live entertainment and other things to keep you occupied. This is great fun for all the family, especially those who happen to be having their South Devon Breaks. The BMAD Bike Nights take place on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th August. Money is raised for various charities so dig deep into your pockets.
In Brixham, there’s the Brixham Pirate Days where the Brixham Buccaneers invite you to experience their swashbuckling antics. There will be face painting, puppets, crafts, stocks, balloon modelling and storytelling to name just a few. This event takes place on the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th August.
If you are lucky enough to get out for the evening and you happen to be an Elvis fan, then make sure you don’t miss the Elvis Rocks night being held at the Babbacombe Theatre on 7th August. The show encompasses Elvis’s fantastic journey from the beginning to the end.
Here’s just a taster of things to do and see, there are many more events taking place so make sure you check online before you go so you can make the most of your holiday.
People camping in Woolacombe this summer can look forward to some every special entertainment on offer. The British singer-songwriter, Peter Bruntnell, is to head back to North Devon to play a residency at the Old Mill at Golden Coast from 25th July. Peter who spent many years living in Mortehoe is said to be looking forward to being able to perform locally again.
Peter has a very loyal following and is a firm favourite with the critics; the Sun Newspaper described his voice as “a delicate instrument worthy of cherishing”. Peter released his latest album, Peter and the Murder of Crows, just last year and has recently toured in America with the Peter Bruntnell Trio.
Peter is to perform his first show on the 25th starting at 8pm, he will then perform every Wednesday through till the end of September. Guests of Gold Coast Holiday parks in Devon are certainly in for a treat this summer.
When most people start to consider taking a holiday to Cornwall they’ll think about the beaches, the numerous attractions that they can visit, and of course they’ll think about relaxing in their Sennen Cove cottages. What many people don’t realise is that there are plenty of other things to do in Cornwall as well, in particular visiting interesting historical sites.
It’s this last forgotten element of staying in a self catering cottage in Cornwall that a group near Tintagel are trying to improve. Recently, a discovery has been made in the beautifully named Slaughterbridge, close to Camelford, that will apparently put the area “on the archaeological map” according to Dr Niall Finneran of the University of Winchester.
What they’ve found is the site of a thirteenth century village, and they hope that it can help to reveal what everyday life was like for people living at this point, especially in this area.
What does this mean for tourists though? Not very much at the moment. The groups that own and operate the site, however, are keen to set up a visitor’s centre there and have submitted a business plan to secure funding for it. If this goes ahead then not only will archaeologists from around the world be able to come and examine the site, but the information will be made openly available for tourists as well, and within a relatively short time there could be another area as interesting and involving as the castle at Tintagel for people to visit and explore.
This July will see thousands of cyclists descend on the World Heritage City of Bath in a mass five-mile cycle ride. The event has been organised by British Cycling and Sky and is one of 12 taking place across the country on 25th July 2010.
It is hoped this fantastic event will increase the number of visitors for short break in Bath, allowing them to take part in the bike ride and then be able to enjoy all the attractions the city has to offer. The council, who are helping to organise the event, are hoping that this cycle ride will put the city on the map and will attract many more cyclist to the city. They also hope it will have a knock on affect to the people of Bath and encourage them to cycle more as not only does it help the environment but it is also great for your health. Cycling has been identified as one of the very best methods that people can use to incorporate physical activity into their every day lives.
It’s not just the locals and cycling enthusiasts that can take part, it is also hoped that people on holiday in Bathwill also take up the opportunity to get involved. The ride is certainly family friendly as it is non competitive and is open to people of all ages. The cycle ride would be a fantastic family activity that not only helps keep you fit but is also a great way to see the city and will provide plenty of fantastic memories for years to come.
Brighton is a costal city and seaside resort located on the South coast of the UK. Its location within the glorious county of East Sussex and only 47 miles due south of London has made the city very attractive to visitors.
Situated on the river Goyt the charming town of Whaley Bridge sits nestled between Macclesfield and Sheffield. The town is located within the high peak district of Derbyshire and enjoys the same scenic landscapes and views that the area is renowned for.
Stirling castle is one of the most important and historically rich castles in the whole of Scotland. The castle sits atop the geological formation known as the Stirling sil and is surrounded on three sides by rock faces which give the castle a very strong defensive position. The very first record of Stirling castle dates back to 1110 when Alex I the then king of Scotland dedicated a chapel within the castle.
