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Monthly Archives: June 2011

The best castles in Britain to visit… and the best places to stay nearby

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Posted by admin on June 21, 2011 – 4:38 pm
Filed under Accommodation, Attractions

The Telegraph has published an article entitled “Britain’s best castles” where they’ve listed their top 10 pick of the best castles in the British Isles, including their choice on the best hotels nearby.  For your convenience, we’ve listed their selections below, and included links to alternative accommodation options that are also in good proximity to each castle listed.

1. Warwick Castle, Warwick
Suggested place to stay: Coombe Abbey Hotel, Coventry
Or click here for more hotels near Warwick Castle.

2.  Tower of London, London
Suggested place to stay: Royal Horseguards Hotel, Westminster
Or click here for more hotels near Tower of London.

3. Windsor Castle, Windsor
Suggested place to stay: Waterside Inn, Bray
Or click here for more hotels near Windsor Castle.

4. Leeds Castle, Maidstone
Suggested place to stay: Hotel du Vin, Tunbridge Wells
Or click here for more hotels near Leeds Castle.

5. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
Suggested place to stay: Dalhousie Castle and Spa, Bonnyrigg
Or click here for more hotels near Edinburgh Castle.

6. Alnwick Castle, Alnwick
Suggested place to stay: Otterburn Tower Hotel, Otterburn
Or click here for more hotels near Alnwick Castle.

7. Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh
Suggested place to stay: Eshott Hall, Morpeth
Or click here for more hotels near Bamburgh Castle.

8. Caernarfon Castle, Caernarfon
Suggested place to stay: Meifod Country House Hotel, Bontnewydd
Or click here for more hotels near Caernarfon Castle.

9. Bodiam Castle, Robertsbridge
Suggested place to stay: The George, Rye
Or click here for more hotels near Bodiam Castle.

10. Kenilworth Castle, Kenilworth
Suggested place to stay: None suggested.
Our suggestion:  Loch Fyne Milsoms Hotel, Kenilworth
Or click here for more hotels near Kenilworth Castle.

Smurf world record attempt at The O2

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Posted by admin on June 21, 2011 – 3:31 pm
Filed under Attractions, Events

Wondering what to do this weekend? Well, how about caking yourself in blue paint and wearing a silly hat?  On 25th June 2011, there will be an attempt to break the world record for the biggest number of Smurfs in one place. And if you want to help break the record, simply turn up dressed as a Smurf. All exposed skin must be blue and you must wear a white Smurf hat, a blue top and white trousers and shoes. Luckily there will be free Smurf costumes in adult and children’s sizes and blue body paint on hand on the day. Plus, there’s a prize for best-dressed Smurf (quite how that is chosen when everyone looks the same, we’re not too sure!!!) The fun day starts at The O2 at 1.30pm and the world record attempt is at 5pm. The current record stands at 2,510 Smurfs so that’ll be the number to beat…

As well as the world record attempt, there will be free entertainment, games and activities for all the family, plus the chance to win prizes including a trip to The Smurfs in 3D movie premiere in New York.

Useful link:
Smurfs official site
Hotels near the O2
Attractions near the O2

Pembrokeshire Fish Week

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Posted by admin on June 21, 2011 – 11:00 am
Filed under Eating & Drinking, Events

Packed with more than 250 events Pembrokeshire Fish Week, 25th June – 3rd July 2011, will be a celebration of the county’s fantastic seafood, spectacular coastline, wonderful beaches and maritime heritage.

This year’s seriously fishy festival has many exciting new events including ‘Cook your Catch’, a seafood cookery masterclass with five top British chefs. Mark Hix, Valentine Warner, Mitch Tonks, Bryn Williams and Anthony Evans will be cooking inspirational fish and shellfish dishes at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven on 29th June. But there’s a catch! Earlier in the day, they will all go fishing off the South Pembrokeshire coast and they must cook their own rod-caught fish or shellfish in their demonstration – whatever it may be.

Tickets for ‘Cook your Catch’ are £17 per person (£15 concessions) including a glass of wine, courtesy of Celtic Wines. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm, to book call the Torch Theatre Box Office on 01646 695267.

Other new events include beginners’ kayaking, mackerel fishing and a fishy BBQ on 27th June 2011 with TYF Adventure. If you love foraging for your own wild food, gain the confidence to recognise several species of seaweeds, shellfish and seashore plants with Jonathan from Café Mor – or join him for a family seashore picnic and forage at Freshwater West.

New foodie events include a lobster and Champagne evening at the Harbourmaster, Milford Haven and a fish supper with live music at the Lavender Café in Solva. There’s also a tasting evening at the Ocean in Broad Haven with fish from around the world and a fish-themed quiz night. Activities for families include beach explorer sessions at Goodwick discovering and identifying shells, seaweed and live creatures; marine wildlife explorer days at Broad Haven and a beach clean at Tenby.

Useful links:
Pembrokeshire hotels
Pembrokeshire B&Bs
Pembrokeshire cottages
Pembrokeshire campsites
Pembrokeshire attractions

New cycle hubs for Northumberland

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Posted by admin on June 21, 2011 – 10:10 am
Filed under Miscellaneous, Transport

This summer sees the launch of new cycle routes centred on the ‘cycle hubs’ of Haltwhistle and Wooler. From Haltwhistle, you can visit Hadrian’s Wall and nearby areas such as the South Tyne Valley and North Pennines, while Wooler is the base for exploring the Northumberland National Park, the beautiful and tranquil Cheviot Hills and some of Northumberland’s finest castles and coastal scenery.

Each ‘hub’ offers seven waymarked rides, from 7 to 40 miles long, designed for a range of ages and abilities and to include ‘must-see’ attractions such as romantic Holy Island, idiosyncratic Chillingham Castle with its wild cattle, and the National Trust’s Allen Banks site in the North Pennines. The guides also highlight places to stop for refreshments along the way.

Take a look online where you can browse the Haltwhistle and Wooler routes, download the GPX files and find out more about this exciting new project.

Useful links:
Hotels in Northumberland
B&Bs in Northumberland
Self-catering in Northumberland
Tourist attractions in Northumberland

Celebrities used to draw visitors to Britain

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Posted by admin on June 20, 2011 – 4:19 pm
Filed under Miscellaneous

You might think that Britain doesn’t need much marketing in the aftermath of the Royal Wedding and ahead of the Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic Games next year.  However, as part of a £100m marketing campaign, VisitBritain will draw on stars such as fashion icon Twiggy, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, actress Dame Judi Dench, actor Rupert Everett and Hollywood star Dev Patel to woo visitors to Britain.  In a series of TV ads to be shown on BBC World News, the aim is to lure more overseas visitors – particularly from Europe and the US – to visit Britain.

Finding the smaller UK festivals this August

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Posted by trev on June 20, 2011 – 4:10 pm
Filed under Events

The Summer is full of music festivals, but this guide will help you find the best of the smaller more intimate festivals taking place in August 2011.

Standon Calling in Ware, Hertfordshire
One of the relative newcommers to the festival circuit, Standon Calling has quickly grown into a major force in the small festival arena.

The festival attracts both big names and quality small / unsigned bands, but one of the biggest attractions is the all-night nightclub so you can literally become 24 hour party people. Held in the grounds of a 16th Century manor house, the festival has both posh and basic accommodation on-site such as Tipis and Yurts – even Glastonbury doesn’t have those.

Date: 11th to 14th August 2011

Hotel accommodation in Ware
Things to do in Ware, Hertfordshire

 

Underage Festival in Victoria Park, London
Many festivals promote themselves as family friendly, but if you really want to ditch the adults, who are guaranteed to destroy your cred anyway, then the Underage Festival is the way to go!

Designed specifically for 14 to 18 year old festival goers, the event isn’t watered down either with big names playing each year and a proper festival atmosphere. The only real difference is the lack of adults, alcohol and aggravation from said adults, but who needs the 3 A’s for a good time.

Date: 7th August 2011

You can book tickets online for Underage Festival.

Hotels near Victoria Park
Things to see and do near Victoria Park

 

Tapestry Goes West in Port Talbot
Making sure Wales doesn’t miss out on the festival scene is Tapestry Goes West which is usually held in Margam Park, Port Talbot.

Situated next to a ruined Medieval castle, it might not be surprising to learn that the festival has been described as “endearingly eccentric” with a combination of bands playing the main tent at one end and King Arthur battling a foe across the field.

The whole event is designed to be as much fun as possible, and to take itself as un-seriously as any festival can. For something completely different, head to Port Talbot this August.

Review of a previous Tapestry Goes West in The Metro

Date: Early August

Hotels in Port Talbot
Attractions in Port Talbot

 

Harlequin Fayre in Bungay, Suffolk
Formerly known as the Green Man Fayre, the main focus of the Harlequin Fayre is to combine a music and crafts festival with helping local groups and charities.

The venue is designed around small bands, so you might not see the big headliners here, but amongst the musicians are the craft stalls and demonstrations, making this more of a country fare than Glastonbury. Fancy dress is encouraged, with prizes awarded for the best, with the idea of creating somewhere to have a good time and make friends.

Date: 12th to 14th August 2011

London 2012 Olympics tickets – fair or farce?

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Posted by admin on June 17, 2011 – 2:38 pm
Filed under Events, Miscellaneous

Like so many of you, we too are among the 1.2 million applicants who have ended up no London 2012 Olympics tickets.  Here’s the email that the London 2012 Ticketing team have issued to all unsuccessful applicants.  And please post a comment telling us whether you think the ticketing procedure has been fair or a farce.

Your Olympic ticket application.

We would like to thank you for applying for London 2012 Olympic Games tickets.

Due to the overwhelming demand for tickets, we are sorry that you have not been allocated the tickets you requested. We can confirm that we have not taken any payment from you.

Demand for tickets greatly exceeded supply in the sessions and price categories you applied for. Where sessions were oversubscribed, we undertook a random ballot to allocate tickets in the fairest possible way. We had applications for more than 20 million tickets, seeing huge demand across many sports. Two-thirds of all price categories were oversubscribed and went to ballot.

Exclusive opportunity

We would like to invite you to take advantage of an exclusive opportunity to purchase some of the remaining tickets, in advance of those customers who were allocated tickets in the initial application phase.

From 6am on 24 June until 6pm on 3 July 2011 you will be able to request some of the remaining tickets on the London 2012 ticketing website

These tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. They cover a great range of Olympic sports including Athletics, Basketball, Football, Handball, Hockey and Volleyball. Download the full list of available sports

During this second chance sales window you will only be able to submit one application, and you will be able to apply for a maximum of three sessions. Once you submit, you will receive an email confirming your application. We will then advise you which tickets you have been allocated within 24-48 hours, subject to successful payment. All payments will be taken between 4 and 7 July 2011.

We very much hope you will take advantage of this exclusive ticket offer so you can still be a part of the greatest show on earth.

If you have any questions regarding your Olympic Games ticket application, please visit our Frequently asked questions

Thomas Cook Games Breaks

As the official provider of short breaks to the Games, Thomas Cook still have a limited number of Games Breaks available. Thomas Cook Games Breaks start at £99 per person and include official tickets, accommodation in London hotels and a range of other services. Find out more on the Thomas Cook website

Best wishes
The London 2012 Ticketing team

Useful links:
Hotels in London
B&Bs in London
Self-catering in London
Tourist attractions in London

Google UK Travel whitepaper – Summer 2011

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Posted by admin on June 17, 2011 – 12:55 pm
Filed under Miscellaneous

The Google UK Travel team has just released its whitepaper for the Summer of 2011.  In it they write:

“Our destination analysis over the most recent weeks has shown query increase for domestic destinations. The good weather has made the UK a more desirable vacation alternative.” And later they refer to “a greater likelihood for consumers to focus on domestic holidays”.

Hopefully this all bodes well for tourism in the UK this Summer. If you are interested in the detail, you can view the document in full here.

M Shed, Bristol’s new £27 million museum, opens today

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Posted by admin on June 17, 2011 – 7:21 am
Filed under Attractions

Situated in the heart of Bristol’s historic harbourside, M Shed is the city’s flagship museum. The new £27m museum takes the best from the existing collections and combines it with state-of-the-art displays and interactive, audio-visual materials.

Internationally-renowned architects LAB Architecture Studios developed the design for the new museum. They have preserved the existing architectural footprint and 1950s dockside façade within their design.

The external building works and infrastructure works were completed last year by building contractors, BAM.

Thanks to city council investment and a grant of £11.3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, M Shed is set to be the region’s most significant capital cultural development.

In addition to the major partnership M Shed has also raised over £800,000 to date from a range of supporters including the Department for Energy and Climate Change/BCC energy fund, DCMS, Aiming Higher, Imperial Tobacco, Rolls Royce, South West Screen, Cadburys, The Friends of Bristol Museum and The Friends of Bristol Art Gallery.

Once completed, M Shed will have three permanent galleries – Place, People and Living Bristol. It will also feature a roof-top gallery for local, national and international temporary exhibitions. There will also be a café, education rooms, a top floor event suite available for hire, a shop, conservation workshops and public spaces for live performance. M Shed will be fully accessible.

Useful links:
Bristol hotels
Bristol B&Bs
Bristol tourist attractions

The benefits of staycationing

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Posted by Annabella Forbes on June 17, 2011 – 1:14 am
Filed under Accommodation, Miscellaneous

Staycationing? The beautiful art of holidaying at home – or at least in the same country.  We have a wealth of destinations in the UK that are fascinating, terrific, exciting, breathtaking and beautiful – sometimes you miss the things that are right in front of you. From the following pointers you will see how staycationing can both save you money and result in fantastic breaks away.

Avoid airport taxes and other travel fees

Airlines, while great at getting you from A to B can really break the bank with their extra charges when it comes to holidaying abroad, not to mention the fact that you will probably have to buy food in the airport which in itself is financially crippling! Holidaying in the UK means you just need a car or train (or even just a bike!). Additionally you can feel extra smug because, unlike your jet-setting (and quite frankly irresponsible) friends, your carbon footprint will be as minuscule as that of an ant wearing stilettos. Holidaying in the UK will also save you a fortune on visas and time – no trawling through the internet to find the best deals – it can all be done last minute and on a whim! Staycationing allows you to be spontaneous: plan your break away on a friday afternoon and leave that evening!

And how about places to stay?

Well, there’s always hotels and B and B’s (which admittedly can be quite pricey at times), but staying in a real home is another great option. This is a lot less restrictive than staying in a hotel and far far nicer and more fun – plus you don’t have the tedious task of checking in, queuing for a seat in the restaurant or waiting at the bar for a drink. Imagine being met with a warm welcome instead of a reception desk, and most probably the smell of a delicious supper wafting in from the kitchen – this new fad is just like staying with friends. Even if it’s just for the weekend it’s a great way to end the working week winding down in a comfy living room, experiencing something completely different yet just like home, but a little bit adventurous as you renew your passion for Britain! The don’t call it Great for nothing.

Really affordable accommodation CAN be found in the UK

From cottages to castles, farms to city pads, some of the friendliest, loveliest, cheapest, prettiest, nicest, smiliest, funnest, most interesting, dynamic, cosy, cuddly, lovely-jubly home from home affordable accommodation can be found on our very own lovely little island. Plus many of these properties are just perfect if you are a freelance contract worker, going on a course or just traveling for work!

Meet new people who will actually become your friends

Let’s face it, you’re not going to stay in touch with that lovely waiter from that bar or the lady in the shop who sold you those overpriced sunglasses. Visiting somewhere in the UK however means you have the chance to make friends all over the country – as the saying goes, ‘a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet’ (unless they are offering you sweets from a car in which case you should always say ‘no’ and run). A home from home experience can make a huge difference to your stay away. It can be really enjoyable and you get to meet great people – it’s something that should be seen as exciting – there is no one better to stay with than people from the area you are visiting as this will enrich your experience (and if you’re lazy like me you won’t have to read a guide book as they will tell you all you need to know!).

Annabella Forbes is Founder of Bed&Fed.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the UKseries.com UK Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.