Enjoy the Isle of Wight Festival 2008? Been looking forward to the Isle of Wight Festival 2009 ever since? The wait is over, well at least for the tickets… Next year’s festival based over 3 days from the 12-14^th of June could be the event of the summer.

The Isle of Wight Festival have featured rock behemoths like Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Bob Dylan and The Who. In recent years superstars like Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Amy Winehouse and Muse have wowed the audiences and made the festival one of the most influential and popular in Britain.

Rumours are rife that Britpop legends Oasis plan to headline this years festival after the release of their number one album “Dig out your soul.” A close friend of the band was recently quoted talking about the festival and online forums have been red hot ever since, he said: “Oasis are keen to get on the road again because they’re really proud of this album (Dig out Your Soul). The Isle of Wight Festival is a big one for them as it’s really upped its profile in recent years.” Sounds pretty likely!

Since 2007, when the Isle of Wight Festival received multiple plaudits and won “Best major festival of the year” the festival has been put forward for four categories in this year’s awards list. After last years tickets sold out in record time, it is advised to buy now to avoid disappointed friends and family!

The tickets for the weekend (including camping) are £77.50 for kids and £152.50 for adults. Tickets (not including camping) are £67.50 for kids and £132.50 for adults. As far as short breaks in the Isle of Wight are concerned you probably could find one more enjoyable but if you’d rather not be camping for three days then maybe stay at one of the Isle of Wight luxury hotels?

1. Use different media to find the best deal

A lot of companies will give large discounts for your custom, in these times of financial unpredictability they have to offer deals for less to tempt potential skiers.

2. Check online

For the latest up to the minute information on Ski holidays to Norway or Ski breaks in France the internet is the place to check. Some companies offer discounts if you order online and not through a travel agents.

3. Hire/purchase equipment from the UK.

Tour operators often offer better deals than resorts when it comes to equipment hiring with some even offering refunds if it can be found cheaper at the resort you are staying at.

4. Purchase your Ski clothing from home.

You will find that the larger more popular resorts will sell their ski gear at very inflated prices leaving you out of money for the rest of the holiday. If you are going to purchase abroad then wait for the sales near the end of the season.

5. Budget effectively.

Ski holidays vary in price and quality, sometimes it is important to check all possibilities to enjoy a cheaper holiday. Sometimes a package holiday is cost effective, sometimes it isn’t and you have to travel with different companies.

6. Think about necessities

Sometimes it seems to be a good idea to book a luxury ski break to a 5-star chalet but switching to a 3-star apartment will soon be forgotten when you and your family are out on the slopes!

7. Haggle your insurance

EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) you won’t be able to get cover for serious injuries in which you may need to be air lifted. No-one wants to worry about problems like this so it is best to get proper insurance.

]]> http://www.onlinetravelblog.co.uk/advice/how-to-save-money-on-your-ski-break/feed http://www.onlinetravelblog.co.uk/destinations/lake-district-getaways-this-autumn http://www.onlinetravelblog.co.uk/destinations/lake-district-getaways-this-autumn#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:14:24 +0000 admin http://www.onlinetravelblog.co.uk/?p=157

If you don’t want to be spending all the little daylight hours there are at work you may want to look into going on an autumn getaway. One of the top autumn getaways is a trip to the Lake District. The area has plenty of family friendly activities such as aquariums, a steam railway, and more outdoor activities than you can shake a stick at. It’s important for a lot of people to have family activities that they can enjoy as Christmas get closer, as people often spend more time with their loved ones during this special time. Increasingly family holidays are not just mum, dad and the kids but also grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins are all coming along for the fun. Families are now joining together to buy holiday homes or to rent out entire hotels, not just to make the holiday more special but it also makes it cheaper.

There is more to the Lake District than just a family destination though, the area is ideal for couples who want to take a break away from day to day life. There are numerous Lake District holiday lodges in the area which make fantastic and romantic getaway homes. Taking a walk on a cool autumn day, seeing all the trees and woods turn to some amazingly beautiful colours or tacking a boat trip across one of the many picturesque lakes are just some of the romantic memories you will be able to keep from your autumn getaway in the Lake District.

Chatsworth House

Chatsworth is one of the most popular stately homes in the country. The house and its estate can boast attractions for all tastes with world renowned fine arts, beautiful and expertly landscaped gardens to fantastic shops and over a hundred miles of walks.

Castleton Caverns

Castleton Caverns are four truly amazing underground show caves, Blue John Cavern, Peak Cavern, Speedwell Cavern and Treak Cliff. Blue John and Treak Cliff both contain the rare mineral Blue John which is only found in this part of the country, while Peak Cavern is located beneath Peveril Castle. The cave was original called Devil’s Arse but was changed in 1880 so as not to offend Queen Victoria during her visit.

Derwent Valley Reservoirs

Regarded as one of the most beautiful parts of the Peak District the Derwent Valley Reservoirs is a must see during your trip to the Peak District. The Derwent Valley Reservoirs has three linked reservoirs, Ladybower, Upper Derwent and Howden. The beautiful surroundings is a favourite for people on a Peak District holiday with there picnics as well as walkers and cyclists.

Cromford

Cromford is a World heritage Site thanks to its place in history as the birth place of the industrial revolution. Sir Richard Arkwright built the world’s first water powered cotton mills here and pioneered the factory system. The village is packed full of history from the time and is both informative and entertaining.

Mam Tor

One of the “Seven Wonders of the Peak” Mam Tor rises on the western side of Castleton. Atop of Mam Tor can be found the highest and one of the most impressive Bronze Age hill forts in the area.

If you are thinking of tacking a trip to the Peak District there are plenty of Cottages in the Peak District available to make a truly special holiday.

If you are planning a Christmas getaway this year then the New Forest may just be the place for you. The lush green forest that attracts so many during the summer is replaced by a Christmas card winter wonderland. The New Forest has remained largely unchanged for nearly 900 years, since William the Conqueror used the new forest as his hunting grounds, with country side this beautiful there has been no need to change it. This lack of change has created a very special and unique part of the country. Though the park may be much quieter during the winter there is still plenty of wildlife to keep you company. Deer, ponies and cattle are all still in the forest, grazing and looking for berry’s and other foods thorough the snow.

It’s difficult not to fall in love with the New Forest; this is especially true around the Christmas season, because it gives so much beauty back to those who visit. No matter what kind of New Forest accommodation you are looking for or what type of activities you want to engage in, the New Forest has something for you. Getting back to the beauty of nature is very popular with a lot of travelers, especially when they get near to special times of the year and take more of an interest in spending time with their family and friends. This often brings them closer to one another and to nature itself, so what better way to enjoy those kinds of times than with a New Forest Hotel in a beautiful area like this?

Any experienced camper will have honed their list of items they take with them down to a fine art. But for new campers it can be a daunting experience and difficult to know exactly what to take. I would suggest being cautious and take more things than less. There is nothing worse than traveling miles and miles to your campsite to realise you have forgotten something important that could potentially ruin your trip. The area you are visiting and who you are going with will determine which items to take, but there are some basic essentials you should always take that we will list below. We do not advise you should take this as a definitive list and we expect you will need to add a lot more things to it.

Sleeping

• The tent itself
• Related tent items, pegs, ropes groundsheet, hammer
• Sleeping bags and blankets
• Air beds or sleeping mats
• Pillows

Cooking

• Stove/bbq/cooker
• Lighting tools, gas, matches, charcoal
• Pans, plates, cutlery
• Glasses mugs
• Tin opener, bottle opener
• Food storage, coolers
• Bin bags
• Bowl, washing up liquid, clothes
• Food supplies, bread, canned goods, meat, milk
• Drink supplies, Tea, Coffee, juice, bottled water

Clothing

• Waterproofs
• Hats
• Walking footwear
• Gloves
• Sets of cool clothes and warm clothes
• Plenty of spares as you will get dirty or wet

First Aid

• First aid kit, plasters, Paracetemol, aspirin
• Insect repellent
• Sun screen
• Antiseptic

Misc

• Mobile phone
• Camera
• Rucksack
• Torch and candles
• Maps and compass
• Pen and paper
• Entertainment, games, books
• Chairs and tables

This list is in no way 100% everything you need for a camping trip, so carefully think about what you can add to it. Over the years, as you go on more and more trips you will be able to refine your list to optimize you experience.

Read our related post over at squidoo with our Camping Checklist lens

Snowdonia

In the north of Wales Snowdonia National Park and the mountain itself dominates the area. Snowdonia, the second largest national park in Great Britain, is home to the largest mountain outside of Scotland, Mt Snowdon. The mountain has been popular for years with climbers and adventures from across the country looking to test there skills on the mountain and the many foot paths in the area. The is more to Snowdonia national park than just mountains, there are waterfalls, moors, forests, glacial valleys and a stunning coastline to enthrall you too.

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire national park might be one of the smallest on the country but what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty. The national park has some of the very best coastline in the whole of the UK with high cliffs, sheltered coves, long open beaches, harbours, mud flats, dunes and islands. There are plenty of Pembrokeshire cottages to stay in making this a really great destination for a short break in Wales.

Brecon Beacons

The wild Brecon Beacons are the third national park to be found in Wales. The park is home to plenty of human and natural history which has helped shape the landscape. In the west of the park lies the famous Black Mountains which provides some of the best walks to be had.

St David’s City

St David’s is well known outside of Wales as being the smallest city in the whole of the UK with a population just over 1,500 and is the size of a small country town. To the people of Wales however the city is so much more, as to the Welsh people it is the birth place of Wales’s national patron saint St David.

Conwy

Conwy is one of the finest examples of a medieval walled town to be found anywhere in Europe. The town is dominated by the classic style castle which has 8 massive crenellated towers. About three-quarters of the wall still remain intact including 22 towers and 3 original gateways. With Mt Snowdon providing an impressive back drop Conwy is a truly impressive town.

If you are interested in a short break in Wales Celtic Haven provide luxury cottages in Wales.

There are so many attractions that Newquay has to offer but here is a list of 5 that you really must see.

1) Fistral Beach. Perhaps the most famous beach in Cornwall, if not the whole of the UK, is right on Newquays door step. The beach is great for people of all ages and tastes. So whether you love surfing and body boarding, or want to give it a go, or if you like relaxing on the beach with a good book, Fistral is the place for you to visit on a Newquay break.

2) Lappa Valley Steam Railway is great if you want to take in more of the beautiful countryside but don’t fancy putting on your hiking boots or driving around the unfamiliar roads. Sit back and relax as you travel through some truly picturesque scenery.

3) Newquay Zoo is with out question one of the best Zoos in the country with some fantastic habitats for the animals. It’s a defiant destination for any animal lover.

4) Blue Reef Aquarium is home to a whole host of spectacular fish. There is plenty of information on the different species as well as the natural world in general meaning you come away being entertained yet informed at the same time.

5) DairyLand Farm World is great for all those with an interest in farming, farm animals or the countryside. People of all ages will find something fun to do and more than a few will be going awww at the lambs and other farm animals.

For more information on a Newquay Hotel visit Pentire Hotel.

1) Aquarium of the lakes. Here you will be able to learn all the secret and mysteries of the British lakes at the biggest fresh water aquarium in Britain. You can also marvel at the wildlife who make lakes there home such as pikes and even sharks! There are also plenty of mammals to like otters, voles, field mice and brown rats. A highlight of the aquarium is the underwater tunnel where you can feel like you are really at the bottom of a lake and you might be able to spot the odd diving duck

2) Dove Cottage and The Wordsworth Museum. This is a must see for any fans of Wordsworth or English literature on a Lake District Holiday. Take a guided tour of the house where he wrote some of his most beloved poetry. During the tour you can also see internationally important collection of portraits, manuscripts and possessions.

3) Beatrix Potter Gallery. Visitor from across the world flock to here to learn more about one of the most popular children’s authors of all time. Beatrix’s most famous creations are on display and are changed regularly meaning evrytime you come back you will see something different.

4) The Lake District Visitor centre. Situated on the shores of Lake Windermere the centre has interactive displays and exhibitions, adventure playground, café and gift shop. At the Visitors centre you can board a cruise boat who will take you around the beautiful Lake Windermere.

5) The Lake District Coast Aquarium. It’s a great all weather attraction. There are numerous fun and interactive displays of the local freshwater and saltwater marine life, in fact you can even get hands on and stroke the rays and starfish. There are some educational talks as well as the chance to take part and feed the fish. Once you have feed, stroked and learned all there is to know about about fish you can head outside and play crazy golf or if your feeling active have a go on the adventure play park.

If you are planning a trip to the Lake District visit Borrowdale Gates a Lake District Hotel for Lake District Accommodation information