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Monthly Archives: December 2010

Following in the footsteps of ‘Tarka the Otter’

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Posted by trev on December 21, 2010 – 4:30 pm
Filed under Miscellaneous

In 1927, Henry Williamson published the book ‘Tarka the Otter’ and 83 years on you can still follow Tarka across North Devon on the Tarka Trail.

The novel follows the trials and tribulations of Tarka around North Devon including significant parts of Exmoor. Henry Williamson drew on his knowledge of the area to include several real life places in the book, such as the Torridge Valley where Tarka was born.

The Tarka Trust have setup a Tarka Trail web site listing the route of the trail and the wildlife you’re likely to see along it.

More Links in Devon:
Visitor attractions in Barnstable
Self-catering in Barnstable
Hotels in Barnstable

Guardian reader tip for best Belfast breakfast

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Posted by trev on December 21, 2010 – 4:25 pm
Filed under Eating & Drinking

If you’re in Belfast and really don’t fancy a McDonalds breakfast, then a reader in the Guardian suggests you try Maggie Mays.

Unusually for a cafe, they don’t just serve cooked breakfasts although those are on the menu for sure, but even things like cornflakes, Weetabix and toast.

Popular with the people of Belfast, the cafe is also a favourite haunt of students in the area and when you consider that virtually everything on the current menu is under a fiver, it’s not too surprising.

50 Botanic Avenue, Belfast BT7 1JR or web site.

Map of Maggie May’s in Belfast:
(made with Aardvark Maps)



Original Guardian tip

Center Parcs brings the jungle to Britain with treehouse accommodation

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Posted by trev on December 21, 2010 – 12:26 pm
Filed under Accommodation

The holiday company Center Parcs is planning to branch out with a brand new style of accommodation for its Sherwood Forest guests in 2011 by offering them treehouses to sleep in.

These “treehouses” are a little bigger than the ones you might have built as a kid and look more like something you would find on the set of “I’m a celebrity, get me out of here”, but you still get to feel like you’re much more living as one with the forest…albeit with en-suite bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens.

Another major difference and one which will no doubt please those who prefer not to hang from the trees, is that the houses do sit on the ground albeit on stilts, so you are still elevated but without needing to swing from a tree branch to reach the ground (rather a pity if you ask me).

Each “treehouse” is two-storey’s high each with four en-suite bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area and a separate games den which features a pool table. Although you might feel like you’re in the middle of the forest, each bedroom has a flatscreen TV and there is wireless internet throughout the entire house. To prove that these are very luxurious treehouses, each even includes a private outdoor hot tub and infra-red sauna!

So perhaps this isn’t quite the kindof camping out in the homemade treehouse you might have done as a kid, but really, if you’d had the chance to install an en-suite in your treehouse, you would have done it also, wouldn’t you…?

More details and availability can be found on the Center Parks Treehouse website although at the time of writing it doesn’t seem you can book them via the online booking facility.

If treehouses aren’t your thing, there are also plenty of other self-catering properties around north Nottinghamshire.

More North Nottinghamshire Links:
Hotels around Mansfield (just south of Sherwood Park)
Tourist attractions near to Sherwood Park

National Trust Lake District walk for Christmas

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Posted by trev on December 21, 2010 – 11:05 am
Filed under Miscellaneous

If you’re in the Lake District this Winter and want a short but worthwhile walk then this National Trust inspired walk is a good option.

As part of the National Trust walks season in the Guardian, Stephen Bradley of the National Trust has created a walk around Silverdale in the south of Cumbria full of changing scenery and wildlife.

The lowland walk takes you between the flats of Morecambe Bay and the Bowland fells. During high tides you are likely to see many of the wading birds roosting waiting for the tides to recede, and during low tides Morecambe’s famous bay emerges uniquely every time.

For further details and a map, see the Guardian walk 3 page.

Links around South Cumbria:
Carnforth self-catering
Visitor attractions around Silverdale
Hotels in Carnforth

Win a two-night break at the four star Grand Plaza Apartments, London

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Posted by trev on December 21, 2010 – 10:01 am
Filed under Accommodation

By sending a quick e-mail you can win a two night B&B break for two people at the four star Grand Plaza Serviced Apartments in Bayswater, London.

The apartments are situated close to Kensington Palace, Portobello Road Market and and Royal Albert Hall. Complimentary wireless and wired high-speed Internet access is available in public areas, and concierge services are available for such details as ticket booking assistance, and limo hire.

All rooms feature kitchens with stovetops, microwaves, refrigerators, and coffee & tea makers. Bathrooms offer shower/tub combinations, hair dryers, and complimentary toiletries. Additional amenities include separate sitting areas, desks, and irons/ironing boards.

Just email your name, address and phone number to ios@hotels.com with “Hotels.com Prize Draw” in the subject line. Entries must be received by noon on Friday 24 December. Entrants must be aged 18 years or over.

Click this link for details on the apartments, or to book a stay at the Grand Plaza Serviced Apartments in Bayswater.

For full legal and e-mail terms and conditions, see the Independent Newspaper page.

More Bayswater Links:
Bayswater hotel accommodation
Visitor attractions in Kensington (near Bayswater)
Self-catering accommodation in Bayswater

How one Surrey millionaire created his own live nativity story

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Posted by trev on December 20, 2010 – 3:30 pm
Filed under Events

The Nativity Story is retold countless thousands of times every year in schools, village halls and theatres, but one Surrey property developer took things one step further and puts on a version with a real barn and donkey.

The Wintershall Nativity Play was the brainchild of millionaire property developer Peter Hutley, who in 1990 decided that it was about time the nativity was taken out of the village hall and into a drafty old barn in the middle of the Surrey countryside. The production comes complete with donkey on which the “virgin Mary” rides accompanied by Joseph to the barn to add a little authenticity.

Back in 1990 there were just a few members of the cast and 30 people in the audience, with a candlelit barn and a real newborn baby playing Jesus, in this case Peter’s newborn grandson Nathaniel. This year there are expected to be around 6000 people watching the 10 performances!

For the actors there are no religious stipulations, such as the year when Joseph and Mary were played by a Jewish couple (even more authenticity) because they had the all important newborn baby. The plays still have much of the same rustic feel of the original, although the barn has been upgraded a little and there is now a professional theatre director, but everyone else is purely a volunteer and amateur actors.

The plays run until the 21st December so there’s still time to go grab a seat…

More information on the Wintershall Estate web site.

The best Christmas TV adverts of all time…

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Posted by trev on December 20, 2010 – 12:48 pm
Filed under Miscellaneous

Spotted this on the Independent Newspaper web site – the 10 best British Christmas adverts and some of them are real classics.

Some of these will most likely run and run every year, and others will never be seen again such as the 1980s Woolworths adverts which don’t involve two annoying dog puppets. By the way, is anyone else desperately missing Woolworths this Christmas?

So if you’ll allow me a little indulgence away from the traditional stories we run on this Monday afternoon, these I would personally say are the classic adverts which could say “Christmas” forever…and I promise there are no ambassadors in this list!

My all time favourite…

Help create a reindeer herd at the Natural History Museum in Tring

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Posted by trev on December 20, 2010 – 11:34 am
Filed under Events

If you’re looking for something to do between Christmas and New Year and you’re around Cornwall, why not pop into the Natural History Museum at Tring to paint a reindeer and create an artistic reindeer herd.

In the wild, reindeer herds can number 20,000 animals and although this painted herd probably won’t get that big, the Natural History Museum is hoping visitors will come along and help create a huge herd of painted reindeer as part of their Winter mural. The museum has a free car park and is close to Tring Railway Station.

If you’re feeling fit afterwards or want to burn off all that Christmas pudding, why not take a walk up Ivinghoe Beacon which is one of the highest points in the Chilterns with walks starting from the museum.

Other Tring Links:
Natural History Museum in Tring
Tourist attractions in and around Tring
Hotels in Tring

The spectacular Burning the Clocks festival in Brighton

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Posted by trev on December 19, 2010 – 10:57 am
Filed under Events

Moving away from the usual Christmas themes, the slightly oddly named Burning the Clocks festival in Brighton is a spectacular display of lanterns and fireworks in something akin to a pegan Winter solstice festival.

The similarities are intentional as the festival is designed to celebrate the Winter solstice after which the nights slowly get lighter. People in the town spend create the lanterns and parade through the streets with them, but unlike many other lantern festivals, these are burned on the beach as a way of moving on from the previous year to the new year.

I still can’t work out why it’s called “Burning the Clocks”.

The festival runs from 6.30pm on the 21st December throughout the town. More information on the Burning the Clocks web site.

Links in Brighton:
Visitor attractions in Brighton
Hotels in Brighton
Holiday cottages around Brighton

The Enchanted Christmas House for children

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Posted by trev on December 18, 2010 – 2:24 pm
Filed under Attractions

The Enchanted House might be the most chistmas-filled place in London and heaven for children as they get to play and craft with Santa’s elves and of course meet Santa himself.

The house offers the fullest range of Christmas activities for young children they could possibly want with imaginary play, theatrical effects and all manner of creative experiences. Events include helping Santa’s elves make the Christmas presents ready for delivery, decorating gingerbread and cupcakes, a story-telling session with Mrs. Claus and a private audience with the man himself in Santa’s Grotto.

There is a full list of all events taking place during the days leading up to Christmas on the Enchanted House web site.