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Monthly Archives: July 2010

North Berwick – A bird watchers paradise

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Posted by trev on July 28, 2010 – 7:18 pm
Filed under Attractions

The town of North Berwick might be often overlooked due to it’s proximity to the city of Edinburgh, around an hour to the west, but the town has plenty to offer especially to anyone with an interest in ornithology (bird watching).

One of the town’s major attractions is the Scottish Seabird Centre which allows visitors to explore the fascinating world of seabirds, including puffins, via state of the art remote cameras on the nearby islands of Fidra, May and Bass Rock.

Bass Rock has become one of the most important nesting grounds for puffins, guillemots, gannets, kittiwakes, eider ducks and other marine wildlife with over 100,000 gannets breeding there each year alone. Visitors can take a boat trip out to the rock to see the birds up close.

Other attractions around North Berwick include Tantallon Castle which sits at the top of a series of cliffs on the Firth of Forth and acted as the seat of power for Douglas Earls of Angus.

Extra links:
Scottish Seabird Centre
North Berwick hotels
Attractions in North Berwick

Race around Silverstone in real sportscars!

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Posted by trev on July 28, 2010 – 6:20 pm
Filed under Attractions, Events

Ever wanted to know what it feels like to hurtle round a genuine racetrack in a Formula 1 style car, or take an Audi R8 for a spin at full speed? Now you can with Silverstone experience days.

Unlike a lot of experience days, Silverstone lets you get behind the steering wheel and hurtle round the tracks with a wide range of cars from a 400bhp V8 Ferrari 360 Modena, Audi R8, Lotus Exige or Lamborghini Gallardo up to the Formula Silverstone single seater racing car where you really are in the driving seat and in total control!

So if you fancy yourself as the next Michael Shumacher or Jenson Button why not give the Silverstone days a try. Silverstone Experience Days are available through BuyaGift.com – click here for more details.

Useful links:
Premier Inn near Silverstone
Hotels near Silverstone / Towcester

The unique Falkirk Wheel

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Posted by trev on July 28, 2010 – 4:08 pm
Filed under Attractions

The Falkirk Wheel is a unique design to solve a complex problem – how to connect the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal which finishes 115ft (30m) above the level of the Forth & Clyde Canal.

Originally this was solved with a series of 11 locks slowly stepping boats down, but the locks were removed in 1933 breaking this link in the Scottish canals. With the rise in popularity of the canals, a way needed to be found to re-connect the canals, and after significant international consultation the Falkirk Wheel was conceived and constructed.

Today the wheel and surrounding park have become a tourist attraction in their own right with boat trips taking visitors between the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal via the wheel and back again.

Visitors can learn more about the wheel at the centre including how the gondola’s balance each other using the Archimedes principle of displacement – essentially the weight is equal each side so the gondola’s descend in a controlled manner.

Tours of the wheel run from March to October, although the wheel operates as long as the canal is operational. Tickets can be booked via the web site.

Other links:
Falkirk Wheel details
Falkirk hotels
Attractions in Falkirk

Excellent water quality for Channel Islands beaches

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Posted by Paul on July 28, 2010 – 3:55 pm
Filed under Attractions

The Channel Islands had the biggest increase in the MCS Recommended Beaches in this year’s Marine Conservation Society’s Good Beach Guide – 62% of beaches are MCS Recommended compared to 38% last year so a marked improvement.

For more information, see the MCS’ Good Beach Guide.

Guernsey Summer Seafood

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Posted by Paul on July 28, 2010 – 3:32 pm
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events

A small island with a big and enduring passion for food, Guernsey celebrates throughout July and August its cosmopolitan seafaring heritage and bountiful sea. Head there and try seafood freshly harvested and local culinary delicacies – restaurants offer special menus throughout the island!

For more information, see Good Food Guernsey.

Grand Medieval Joust at Pendennis Castle

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Posted by trev on July 28, 2010 – 3:14 pm
Filed under Attractions, Events

On Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th August, Pendennis Castle in Cornwall is to host one of the greatest Medieval traditions – the Grand Medieval Joust.

The fearless knights of olde will saddle up, grab their lance and fight for the pleasure and favour of the crowd, and naturally the eligible young ladies of the court, to prove who is indeed worthy of their affections.

For those not seeking their night in shining armour, there will still be plenty to keep all the family entertained during this Summer spectacular including medieval jesters, wandering minstrels and aerial displays of falconry.

Visitors can also explore Pendennis Castle’s fascinating 450 year history.

Note: Members of English Heritage can get into this and 450 other English Hertitage owned attractions for free – click here for details of joining.

Resources around Pendennis Castle:
Hotels and B&Bs in Falmouth
More attractions in Falmouth

A guide to Scotland’s majestic canals

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Posted by trev on July 28, 2010 – 1:27 pm
Filed under Attractions

When anyone mentions a canal or riverboat holiday, Scotland might not be the first destination that springs to mind. However there are some hidden gems in the Scottish waterways and equally spectacular scenery.

There are four main leisure canals in Scotland – The Caledonian Canal, Crinan Canal, The Forth & Clyde Canal and The Union Canal.

Caledonian Canal:
The majestic Caledonian Canal is 60 miles long (around 96km) of which 22 miles (35km) is man made. The canal stretches from Inverness in the east to Fort William on the west of Scotland and was originally built as a safe transport route during the Napoleonic wars.

The route was never actually used for this, but today the canal is popular with tourists with both holiday barges and yachts as it passes through the spectacular countryside of Central Scotland.

Crinan Canal:
Completed in in 1801, the Crinan Canal was designed as an alternative to voyaging around the Mull of Kintyre as it meanders through Kilmartin Glen, an area rich in history and Scottish wildlife.

The Forth & Clyde Canal:
The Forth & Clyde is one of the two major lowland Scottish canal systems and possibly the oldest anywhere in Scotland. Construction on the canal began in 1768, but the full length wasn’t completed until 1790.

The entire canal underwent a massive renovation in 2001 as part of the £78 million Millennium Link project, including obstructions, dredging, renovation of old locks, repairing banks and restoring towpaths.

Today the Forth & Clyde offers holiday makers an easy way to navigate from the west coast to the east coast through tranquil lowland Scottish countryside.

The Union Canal:
Opened around 30 years after the Forth & Clyde, the Union Canal was originally designed to take coal from Falkirk to Edinburgh for the newly emerging industries.

As part of the Millennium Link project, the Union Canal was also significantly renovated and updated and today once more runs the 31.5 miles from Edinburgh to Falkirk where it links with the Forth & Clyde Canal via the unique Falkirk Wheel.

If you would like to explore the canal holiday options in Scotland, Hoseasons offer several options on the Forth & Clyde and Union Canal’s – click here for details.

Useful resources:
Things to do around Central Scotland
Hotel accommodation in Central Scotland
Holiday cottages in Scotland
Boating Holidays in the UK

Britain’s Magical Waterland aka. The Norfolk Broads

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Posted by trev on July 28, 2010 – 12:30 pm
Filed under Accommodation, Transport

Popular for generations as a quiet retreat away, the Norfolk Broads is to undergo a “repositioning” to Britain’s Magical Waterland, courtesy of the local tourist boards. Repositioning referred to here is apparently a marketing term for rebranding or simply renaming the product, in this case the canals and scenery of the Norfolk Broads.

It seems the idea behind this is to make the broads as appealing as say the Florida Everglades on the world stage and introduce them to a much wider international travel market.

There is one question which doesn’t seem to have been asked – do many foreign visitors want to ride around on canal boats for a week or is this very much like the seaside holiday, a very British persuit?

Time will of course tell, but one does get the feeling that this might have a little more success if instead of making this sound like a ride at Alton Towers, they simply promoted the broads (sorry ‘Magical Waterland’) as a place to see nature at a relaxing pace.

If a holiday in the Norfolk Broads appeals, Hoseasons offer a number of starting points all around the area.

Accommodation for visitors to rowing and canoeing events at the London Olympics

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Posted by Paul on July 28, 2010 – 11:33 am
Filed under Accommodation

You’d be forgiven for thinking that, with two years still to go, that it’s perhaps too early to start planning your accommodation for the event.  But think again. A new company has begun providing accommodation in real homes close to the Rowing and Canoeing Olympics 2012 venue at Dorney Lake near Windsor. Visitors can experience their stay in a real English home near the Rowing venue at Dorney Rowing Lake, just outside London, as homeowners in the area are letting their houses out to visitors using a company called Lakelets.

Windsor and the surrounding towns are close to London, but away from the hectic hustle and bustle of being in the capital. By renting a family home, visitors can experience the life of a local resident near the Queen at Windsor Castle.

Lakelets set up this service to cope with the demand anticipated for accommodation.  Hotels are already receiving bookings, even those a fair drive away from the venue.

Useful links:
Lakelets
Hotels in London
Windsor Hotels
Windsor Attractions

Prom Art: creative talent on display in Grange-over-Sands

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Posted by kendalcottages on July 28, 2010 – 11:18 am
Filed under Events

An inspirational free event, fresh air, fabulous arts and crafts and even public hangings await visitors to Prom Art, in Cumbria, in August and September. This Grange-over-Sands based event, on Cumbria’s Morecambe Bay coast, entices those who love the unique, the quirky, the true expression of creative talent and the talking piece.

Prom Art events will run from 9.30am to 4pm on both Sunday, 29th August and Sunday, 26th September 2010, when a 600-metre stretch of promenade in the Edwardian resort will be filled with stalls displaying and selling paintings, pottery, jewellery, felt work, glassware, sculpture, hand made cards, knitwear and much more besides.

Over 124 artists have booked to take part in this Prom Art season, with both amateurs and professionals exhibiting and items priced from just a few pounds upwards. Artists and artisans come from ten different counties, with 37 travelling over 50 miles to take part in Prom Art.

As well as selling the items on display, over half of the exhibitors will take private commissions, producing something totally bespoke for the individual customer.

Browsing the array of arts and crafts work on show, whilst taking in the magnificent Morecambe Bay views and sea air, is a pleasure in itself and a perfect way to get some exercise or walk the dog.

A children’s play area is located adjacent to the promenade and refreshments are also on hand. Car parking is just a short stroll away, as is the Grange-over-Sands railway station, which lies on the Lancaster to Barrow-in-Furness line. Free musical and dance entertainment is laid on at various times, too.

Paul Johnson is a Director at Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd. which offers luxury self-catering accommodation between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales

Useful links:
Prom Art
Grange-over-Sands website
Tourist attractions in Grange-over-Sands