Holiday cottage news and editorial provided by Holiday Villas & Cottages magazine
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Online Magazine
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RAIL AND SAIL IT TO IRELAND You can book combined "Rail & Sail" fares on Virgin trains. They hook up with Stena Line or Irish Ferries services from Holyhead and Fishguard. You'll arrive either at Dun Laoghaire – from which the DART train service gets you right into the centre – or to the ferry port in Dublin itself. Fares start from £16 each way and are all-inclusive. If there are two of you, you can get one standard return – which starts from £61 – and the second person travels free. Exacly how much it costs depends on which zone you're travelling from.
PRICES FOR 2 ADULTS RETURN:
Read our quick guide to Dublin and Ireland Search for holiday cottages in Dublin and Ireland Virgin Trains Dublin promotion TRUST ON A TIGHTROPE A three-year plan for the National Trust highlights the financial challenges the organisation faces. Despite increased support, totalling �295 million for 2003-04, from members, donors and the trust's commercial arm, the charity exists on tight margins due to the extent of its commitments. "Our current operating cushion is equivalent to only a few days' operating expenditure and is simply not enough," says Tony Burton, director of policy and strategy. The trust's director-general, Fiona Reynolds, adds: "In some areas our needs far outstrip available funds. This is certainly true for our historic houses, four out of five of which cannot generate enough income to pay for their conservation needs. The maintenance and repair bill for these now runs to at least �200 million. It's too easy to assume that because the trust owns spectacular properties that it must be fantastically wealthy – in fact, our most cherished assets are also our greatest financial liabilities." But she remains upbeat: "The three years ahead will be a challenge, but one we relish. In spite of all the complexities of looking after extraordinary places, the National Trust has tremendous public support and a purpose that remains as relevant as when it was founded in 1895." INTERCITY BUS TRAVEL GETS CHEAP The Stagecoach MegaBus service - which uses old London Buses - provides an alternative, budget way to get between major cities. Ticket pricing follows the model used by EasyJet and other no-frills airlines. The sooner you book, the cheaper it is - if you're quick you can get from most UK cities to London for just £1. |
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ARTICLES A gem of a cityThink of Cheshire and you might picture lush green pastures and footballers’ bling. Yet it’s the county’s Roman-walled capital city, packed with history and atmosphere, that’s the real sparkler, says Alexandra Pratt Scotland for softiesBeaches, rockpools, swimming, cycling... Paul Kirkwood found there’s no end to the delights of the bit of Scotland that’s easiest to reach from most of England All roads lead to... HarrogateThe elegant spa town of Harrogate is an unbeatable base for an active short break. Gillian Thornton enjoyed a girlie weekend of chic shops, spectacular countryside and the ultimate in self-catering apartments Moor magicThe Exmoor coast between Minehead and Combe Martin has some of the best scenic views in the West Country. Gillian Thornton enjoyed the North Devon countryside and its four-legged residents The walking cureIt looked as if Charlie the dog needed a break. So, naturally, Eve Kerswill and her husband took him on a cottage holiday Devon delightsA thatched cottage with a history, country walks, market shopping and fish and chips by the sea... they all made a perfect weekend for Katherine Rake Top tips for group getawaysHarry Marsland of Brackenrigg Holiday Cottages in the Lake District says organising – and enjoying – a celebration break with friends and family is simple. All you need is a little planning… Our Snowdon adventureClimbing to the top of Mount Snowdon,the highest mountain in England and Wales, was too much of a challenge for Solange Hando, her daughter and ten-year-old grandson to ignore – so up they went Wonderful WoldsPeter Henshaw spends a weekend sampling the many delights of Lincolnshire Walk the Wight WayWith its wonderful countryside and 500 miles of footpaths, the Isle of Wight is ideal for a walking holiday. Harry Glass pulled on his hiking boots… Beauty on the borderCarlingford Lough is a stunning natural boundary between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Jeremy Taylor pays a visit A right song and danceNowhere is the Irish music scene more vibrant than the west coast bars of County Clare. Jeremy Taylor pays a visit to soak up the craic Beyond the scone zonePeter Henshaw goes for a walk in the Cotswolds and finds a gastronomic gem, fierce winds and the ancient sport of shin kicking! Riverside rambles, moorland magicYou’ll find walking trails, wide open spaces, waterfalls, picture-perfect villages, historic towns and fantastic food in Wensleydale and Wharfedale. Gillian Thornton did Peak party peopleWant to go with a large group of friends for a long weekend of walking, cycling and partying? Sarah Merry found just the place in Derbyshire’s Peak District A one-horse town it ain’tTo find out everything you wanted to know about breeding and racing horses but were afraid to ask, go to Newmarket. Gillian Thornton did Pleasing the puntersCambridge makes a great day out if you’re staying in Norfolk or Suffolk. Former student Tom Kerswill takes you on an insider’s tour of arguably Britain’s most famous university city 10 reasons to visit NorfolkLooking forward to a break in Norfolk? Linda Pyke recommends ten attractions for all ages to enjoy – from Bishy-barney-bees to antique teapots and going ape in Thetford Forest A Tamar tonicOn the steep slopes where miners and market gardeners once trod lies a hidden gem created from an old mine. Sounds unlikely? John Kerswill thought so too, until he stayed there and was enchanted by the sights and sounds of the Tamar Valley Ardnamurchan Peninsula - Take a Walk on the Wild SideScotland's Ardnamurchan peninsula – not Cornwall's Land's End – is as far west as the roads in mainland Britain will take you. Angela Dewar enjoyed total seclusion in this unspoilt wilderness 10 Reasons to visit EdinburghA dramatic castle and a royal palace, an award-winning environmental attraction and a world-class literary heritage – if you're renting a cottage in the Scottish lowlands, make sure you visit Edinburgh, says Gillian Thornton Essex pearlsResorts like Southend-on-Sea have helped to give Essex a kiss-me-quick image, but away from the kitsch Alison Thomas finds a county full of wildlife, fantastic food and history Northern Ireland: Causeway CapersIf you haven't ever thought about booking a holiday cottage in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, Harry Glass has ten good reasons why you should More...Previous articles ... Government U-turn saves orchards The government is to include traditional orchards in its new single payment awards to the country's farmers after all. The money will help save a very special part of the English landscape. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says it will now add orchards to the scheme if the land under the trees can also be used for grazing, and if other criteria are met.
The European Union had left it up to individual countries to decide who qualified for the new payments – which replace earlier Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes – and there was outrage when the UK government left out orchards. Many predicted growers would `grub out' trees, replacing them with crops eligible for a grant. "The result would have made our fruit growing counties look like all the rest," says Somerset cider and cider brandy maker Julian Temperley, whose local parish council campaigned alongside English Nature and Friends of the Earth. "A traditional orchard is like a cathedral. They are ancient places full of rare and ancient fruits. If we lose our orchards we lose a huge part of what we need. What we were faced with was not a farming problem but an environmental problem, a wildlife problem, a gene bank problem, and a landscape problem." The government's change of heart has been welcomed not only by orchard owners but also holiday cottage owners, particularly in the main fruit-growing counties of Kent, Herefordshire and Somerset. "Acres of fruit orchards blossoming in the spring are a quintessential aspect of our landscape here," said Somerset cottage owner Val Johnson. "It would have been a tragedy if these orchards had been lost, because in Somerset they make the county special." Herefordshire apple and pear grower Tom Oliver said: "It's not only good news for our landscape but for the environment." Food and farming minister Larry (Lord) Whitty announced in a DEFRA statement in November that if a traditional, grazable orchard complied with tree spacing and other criteria, fruit growers would, along with farmers, get the single payment. The scheme begins in 2005. |
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