Category Archives: attractions

Time for a romantic Bath this Valentine’s Day?

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With Valentines Day approaching very fast many people are getting stuck trying to decide where to take their loved one this year for a short break. Many people will tell you just how wonderful and romantic the city of Bath is, especially at this time of the year.

Bath has everything that you could possibly wish for during a valentine’s break, wonderful restaurants, exotic Spa Breaks and amazing shopping! There is so much to do during a mid week break in Bath and combining it with Valentines Day can really show your loved one how much you care and have thought about making the day as special as possible.

Top Family Attractions on the English Riviera

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zoo

The English Riviera is one of the most popular holiday spots in the UK, which is hardly surprising given that it enjoys its own warm microclimate as well as having a wealth of great family friendly attractions.

The English Riviera is made up of the popular south Devon towns of Brixham, Paignton and Torquay. Each town has its own charms, attractions and accommodations ideal for your Devon holidays.

Here are just a handful of the great family attractions you can find on the English Riviera.

Paignton Zoo is regarded as one of the very best zoos in the UK. The zoo is home to over 1,200 animals with habitats situated in 75 acres of botanical gardens. Here you will find some of the rarest and most amazing animals in the world, including firm family favourites like lions, giraffes and elephants.

Living Coasts is an animal park dedicated the wildlife found on coasts around the world. This Torquay attraction is home to puffins, seals, sea ducks, octopus, seahorses, rays and of course penguins. This costal zoo features its own beach, cliffs and estuary to make the animals feel right at home, there is even special underwater windows to allow you a glimpse of life beneath the waves.

Woodlands offers family fun whatever the weather thanks to a range of kid friendly rides both indoors and outside. Woodlands is set in 90 acres of beautiful countryside with 16 rides and 10 themed play zones. Woodlands also offer falconry displays with almost 50 amazing birds of prey at the falconry centre.

Journey into the past with Kents Caverns the most important Stone Age cave in the country. Take a fascinating tour in to the caves and discover more about their history and what they tell us about our past. If you happen to be visiting during July and August you can spend a balmy summers evening enjoying a ghost show at the caves.

Port Isaac the Home of Doc Martin

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Port Issac

The Pretty Cornish fishing village of Port Isaac is probably one of the most well known villages in the whole of the UK, yet many may have never heard of it. The reason Port Isaac is so well known is because it has been the back drop to film and TV shows for many years.

The village first came to prominence in 1975 with the popular BBC series Poldark. The series proved to be one of the most popular costume dramas ever and was a world wide hit with the Port Isaac back drop being seen in 40 countries. In the 80′s another BBC drama was filmed here, this time it was the horror thriller The Nightmare Man which used the Cornish village despite the story being set in Scotland. In 2000 the award winning British film Saving Grace used Port Isaac as the location for the film, the popular movie, which won awards at the Sundance Film Festival, would then lead on to perhaps the villages most famous resident, Doc Martin.

The Martin Clunes character Doc Martin had first appeared in Saving Grace. The character then got two prequel spin off films for Sky which told the story of how the London doctor ended up in a tiny Cornish fishing village. After the two prequels ITV acquired the rights and turned it into one it’s most popular programs. The drama has since been shown around the globe with a world wide audience of millions watching the beautiful Cornish locations each week.

For any Doc Martin fans, or merely those who love Cornwall, a holiday to Port Isaac is a must. The area has plenty of Cornwall holiday cottages to provide an ideal base to explore the village and surrounding locations and who knows you may even bump into the good doctor yourself.

Bath Festivals guide 2011

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Bath is renowned for hosting some of the country’s most wonderful festivals and exhibitions throughout the year. Many people each year choose to take a short Break Bath and take advantage of all of the wonderful entertainment whilst staying in one of its fabulous Bath Hotels. Here is just a glimpse of some of the events that will be taking place in and around Bath in 2011.

January

The pantomime at the Theatre Royal Bath, the latest production is Aladdin and has been performed since December and will continue until the end of January. Starring Ricky Groves from Eastenders this production is bound to be a source of great entertainment for all of the family.

February

This astounding literature festival takes place in Bath each February and is becoming one of the most popular literature festivals in the country and has featured many of the worlds greatest authors such as Terry Pratchett, Sue Townsend and Iain Banks to name but a few.

April

The Bath comedy festival commences on April fools day each year, this very successful festival features the cream of national and international comedy talent and is hosted throughout many different venues in the city.

August

Despite the Bath Folk Festival being a relatively new festival it has been immensely popular and has brought the wonderful sounds of folk and traditional music to the city.

December

The Bath Christmas market is a wonderful chance for people to find the best possible Christmas presents in a festive and interesting atmosphere. This attraction is located close to the Abbey in the heart of the city and hosts 120 traditional wooden chalets that supply everything from hand fashioned goods to local produce.

Take a Trip to Ditchling Beacon in Sussex

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Ditchling Beacon

During prehistoric Sussex around the time of the Iron Age 500 BC, farming became the primary occupation.  Iron which was used to build farm equipment such as ploughs and sickles and other farm implements became the most popular material to use.  The iron was distributed from administrative supply centers and was kept at the hill forts built into the countryside.  These hill forts were a series of burrows and ditches where a chain of fires would warn of a pending invasion and could serve as a natural defense.  Sadly nothing remains of the original structures which were once healthy chalk grassland, rich in wildlife.  Currently there is a conservationist effort to restore areas of Ditchling Beacon.

Why Ditchling Beacon

Climbing Ditchling Beacon has been described as a classic climb, whether walking, cycling or horseback riding the climb as been described as “climbing into open sky”.  All of Sussex can be seen from atop the Beacon.  Ditchling Beacon is the third highest point on the South Downs, the utmost point with views that stretch over 50 miles.  The only access to the summit is along the steep and narrow Beacon Road.  This steep road has been referred to as the challenging part of many charity and sporting events.  Cyclist and others climbing to the crest have stated both their leg strength and will were fading by the time they reached the top.  There are a number of places to stay in East Sussex such as hotels and Country Hotels.  The amenities available will appeal to a wide range of visitors, from those seeking basic accommodation to those desiring luxurious and opulent trappings.  East Sussex Hotel and the Country House Hotels of this area offer a wide range of choices for the quiet vacation or weekend getaway.

Events to Ditchling Beacon

About 27,000 cyclists gather yearly for the London to Brighton ride via Ditchling Beacon.  Often referred to as the green monster of southern England, the ride is very popular and although not the longest route it is considered difficult to complete because of the steep and narrow pathways.  Many people make a holiday out of the event by staying in a Rye Hotel or finding some other sort of Rye accommodation.  On Sundays, there is a bus ride to Ditchling Beacon that is minimal in cost and very popular, so much so that the rides have been extended to winter rides. There are car parks at the summit of Ditching Beacon for those wishing to walk the pathways and enjoy all of the wide variety of plants that are able to grow in chalk grasslands.  There are a number of herb that also grow well and the spotted orchid can also be found.  Butterflies abound and grazing sheep can be seen near the base of the northern face.

Cornwall’s Very Own Tate Gallery

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tate st ives

Tate-St Ives Gallery in Cornwall, England exhibits work by modern British artists.  Part of the Tate Gallery network, it also manages another museum and sculpture garden in St Ives.  The gallery is experiencing a period of growth due to the increased number of visitors and to expand the area available for teaching art.  Tate Gallery has a 3,000 year history.  During the Victorian period social and economic developments overshadowed the artistic growth of the area.  With the arrival of the Great Western Railway in 1877 Cornwall was established as a resort area and became a working base for artist.  Aspiring  artist early in their careers benefited from schooling in Cornwall and all the natural beauty available for the subject of their artwork.  Art became very fashionable during this period and Cornwall with its remote location, natural beauty and availability of studio space and affordable tuition attracted many seeking to become artist to the area.

What Makes Tate Gallery Special?

In the 1920′s Tate Gallery and Cornwall provided a “Vision of Simplicity” an opportunity for an artist could go to renew themselves and come up with a simplistic vision and move forward with their art work slowly on a solid base.  There were in Cornwall two schools of art coexisting since the late nineteenth century, Newlyn and St Ives.  At Tate St Ives twentieth century art was presented in the context of Cornwall and is internationally known.  Cornwall’s natural beauty and romantic remoteness is captured by the artist who live and work in Cornwall.

The gallery also exhibits work form artist who live in other places and the artist in the gallery’s residency program have an opportunity to develop professionally.  The local artist often create works that reflect the town and its harbor and beach providing the visitor to the gallery a chance to see a work which was created in its surroundings.  Tate gallery is public gallery dedicated to the modern art which is distinctively St Ives.  Contemporary artist also display at Tate and their work reflects the Cornish influences in life in Cornwall.

An extension of the Tate Gallery is The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden which opened in 1976 and is a part of Tate St Ives but located at a different site in Cornwall.  When you plan your Cornwall Holiday or reserve a Cornwall Holiday Cottage be sure to include a trip to the world renown Tate Gallery.  The gallery changes its displays regularly and with such an extensive collection different selections are available for viewing.  Temporary exhibits with focus on certain artist or a particular theme are part of the rotation on exhibits.  In addition, the relationship between Tate Gallery and other Tate centers allow for the exhibition of non-Cornish works.  Most visitors to the gallery appreciate the pure and realistic quality of the marine life and landscape of the area in paintings displayed at Tate Gallery.

The Miss Bath contest needs you!

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And why does it need you? Well if you are an eligible and interesting young resident of Bath, then you should know that the city is taking aim at beauty pageant stereotypes with their latest Miss Bath competition. Officials are out to change the image of beauty pageants everywhere—beginning in Bath. This year, contest officials have put out the call for young women who are not just beautiful, but also intelligent and multifaceted. They’re hoping to revolutionize the contest’s image. It’s not just the Miss Bath competition and its image at stake, however. The winner of the Miss Bath title will have the chance to go on and compete for the title of Miss England, currently held by Jessica Linley. The Miss England title then feeds into the competition for the Miss World title.

A Year of Change

So why are Bath officials so interested in a change this year? The Miss Bath competition wasn’t held last year, but this year, with the challenge of revitalizing and modernizing the role ahead of them, there are already several promising candidates applying for the a role in the contest. Says Linley, “The ethos of Miss England is beauty with a purpose. It is so much more than looking beautiful.” She believes that the nature of the title and the role behind requires intelligence and charisma as well as beauty. So, too, do officials.

Are You Interested?

The contest is open to single young women between the ages of seventeen and twenty-four. They must be residents of Bath and they must be childless. Entries are accepted until January 7th and organizers are hopeful that their final, which will be held at the Hilton Hotel one of many luxury hotel Bath, will feature the top twelve contestants. According to Director Angie Beasley “Bath is a beautiful city and we want to make sure it’s represented in 2011.” The six women who are the currently selected competitors, as well as any other women selected to compete, will be given a period of a month to promote themselves and secure votes on the competition’s website. After that, there will be a decision making luncheon where the winner will be selected by a panel of judges that includes Linley, Beasley, and representatives from the event sponser, Dappa. The winner will be crowned at the hotels Bath location and awarded a prize through Dappa. Her next competition will be a regional heat for Miss England, which will take place in the summer.

The Magnificent Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall

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Lost Gardens of Heligan

In the mid 18th century a Cornish family the Tremayne’s created a botanical garden in Cornwall.  The Gardenesque style garden featured areas and design styles that differed according to the various areas of the garden.  The gardens of Heligan are the most popular botanical gardens in the United Kingdom.  The gardens were neglected after the first World War and it wasn’t until the 1990′s that restoration was done to rebuild the gardens.  Heligan Gardens completely surround the Heligan House and the private gardens of the estate.  It is believed that “ordinary” people, gardeners, worked to make these great and magnificent gardens before leaving for the First World War.  Records indicate that at one time there were twenty-two gardeners at Heligan Gardens.  On your Cornwall holidays you might want to stay in one of the holiday cottages in Cornwall and visit the Heligan Gardens.

With over two hundred acres for exploration, Heligan offers many different design styles and different characters for your enjoyment.

  • Victorian Productive Gardens - used in the past to supply Heligan House with its daily fruits and vegetables, cooking herb and plants and flowers.  Today this area still produces an abundance of fruits, vegetables and large quantities of Victorian annual flowers.  Included in the Victorian Productive Garden are walled gardens for growing fruit houses, frames and pits to grow specific and exotic fruits.  The combination of the kitchen garden and the walled gardens are viewed as a “living museum” of nineteenth century horticulture.
  • Romantic Pleasure Grounds – Gardens within a garden, over thirty acres in size, includes the Italian Garden, New Zealand, Crystal Grotto and wishing well, Northern Summerhouse Garden, Fern Ravine, Sundial Garden and Flora’s Green
  • Jungle - lush sub-tropical plants from days gone by, a twenty-two acre steep-sided valley garden with lust vegetation.  Four ponds dot this landscape with a large collection of ferns, palms and bamboo thickets among the many exotic shrubs and trees.
  • Lost Valley - one of the most recent areas opened to the public this area of the Heligan Gardens is rich in native flora and fauna, water meadows and restored lakes and ponds.  There are many rides in this garden along with mature trees, wild flowers and ferns.  You will view lakes and ponds and might site many species of fish skimming the surface of the water or dragonflies and damselflies of vibrant color.
  • Wildlife Project and Horsemoor Hide – Allows visitors to Haligan Gardens to view on live and recorded media the intimate dramas of the natural world.  This method using innovative technology affords this up close and personal experience to be captured without disturbing the creatures being viewed.  The gardens and the estate are managed in a way that encourages wildlife growth and survival.  There is also a ‘x-ray studio’ explores the intricate beauty of nature not normally

available to the naked eye.

On your next Cornwall Holiday plan to stay in one of the many holiday cottages available for rental and to visit the magnificent 200 acre Heligan Gardens in Cornwall.

Brixham’s Historic Battery

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Brixham Battery is one of the most historic landmarks along the whole of the South Devon coast. The 14 acre gardens were first used as a battery back in 1586 during the war between England and Spain. The battery has also been used during many of Britain’s most famous wars including the American War of Independence in the 1780s, the Napoleonic wars in the 19th century and during the two World Wars.

The Battery is a great day out for anyone on their Devon Holidays and today the beautiful gardens offer some of the best views in Brixham as well as giving you a chance to learn more about the fascinating history of the Brixham Battery and the role it has played in defending the country.

Yorkshires New Iphone App

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yorkshire iphone app

If you’re planning on staying in a Scarborough Hotel any time soon then there is one iphone app which will essential for you. The official Yorkshire tourism website has launched there own free app that allows you to browse through all of the great attractions and events happening in Yorkshire right from your phone. If you should find yourself not knowing what to do then this app allows you to search through all the activities and events happening near you so you can make the most of your Yorkshire holiday. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for an attraction to take the kids of a special place to take your loved one you can find it with this app which allows you to search within 5, 10, 15 or mile of your current location.

When browsing through Yorkshires extensive list of great attractions and events you can mark you favourites building up your own list of your favourite things do to in the region. When you have found an attraction you would like to visit you can pin point its location using Google Maps, which has been built in to the app. This allows you to easily see where exactly the location is and let you know how to get there. The ‘What’s on’ tab will keep you right up to date on all the latest and best events happening in Yorkshire.

The app also comes with a very hand weather feed to help you decided if it’s a day for outdoor activities or if it will be safer and dryer to head to an indoor attraction. You can also browse ‘Then of the Best’ list to find out even more information about the very best attractions.

With this app you will have no excuse to not make the most of your holiday in Yorkshire.