Cornish Riviera - Polperro

Polperro is a historic Cornish fishing village located on the Cornish Riviera coast just 26 miles from Plymouth, virtually unspoiled by time.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of the rugged coast and marine blue sea, this is the fairy tale setting for the perfect holiday.

Polperro has it all. A superb climate, quaint friendly pubs, fine restaurants serving locally caught seafood, a variety of individual shops including art galleries, antique and gift shops and a smuggling museum, model village and some fabulous historic sites.

Activities abound for the entire family - you can hire a fishing boat and try your hand at catching your evening meal, pack a picnic basket and head out along the beautiful Cornish coastal paths.

Polperro has a sandy beach for children to enjoy, rocky coves to explore and Chaipel Pool - an inviting rock pool large enough to swim in, which appears as the tide recedes each day. Or if its total relaxation you’re after, simply sit and watch time pass by as the boats gently bob up and down in the picturesque harbour.

Polperro is well placed for exploring other parts of Cornwall. The Eden Project is only 20 minutes away while Tintagel Castle (the legendary birthplace of King Arthur), Plymouth Aquarium, The Lost Gardens of Helligan and The Shipwreck and Heritage Center are also within easy reach.

Places to stay include Crumplehorn Cottages, seven delightful Cornish Cottages, individually situated in the heart of the village of Polperro.

Victoria Richardson, Crumplehorn Cottages ©

Crumplehorn Cottages listed in Cottage Holidays

The Cotswolds

The village of Birlingham is one of those secret places, tucked away on a "village only" road wending its way around an ox bow of the River Avon. The cricket ground is notably attractive and behind it stands the Church of St James with its Norman Arch.

In springtime people come from miles around to see the bulbs in the churchyard. Snowdrops were planted at the beginning of the last century and now form a thick carpet. The river with its otter reserve, weir and lock make an interesting walk. Nic our landlord of The Swan has mapped a number of walks.

Our cottage "The Pigsty" was converted twenty years ago and we are always interested in the variety of people who visit us. Many come from abroad and although we have had a number from New Zealand, five years ago we were visited by a family from The Faulkland Islands.

The drive to Broadway is only twenty minutes and many picturesque villages stretch out into the Cotswolds.

Stratford on Avon can be reached in half an hour so a trip to the theatre is practical.

But for a really relaxing holiday just to wander around the Bredon Hill villages and walk up Bredon Hill is a delight in its self.

Marian Kirkland ©

Cottage Holidays

The Cotswolds

Stroud and the surrounding area is in the heart of the undiscovered Cotswolds, away from the hustle and bustle of urban living.

Here, you will find quaint towns and villages immersed in picturesque pastures of the thriving agricultural heritage. If beautiful landscapes are what you care for, Uley Bury offers magnificent views, comprising lush, green farm land and the protruding giants of the Malverns.

The views from Coaley picnic site are also breathtaking, thought of as one of the most picturesque panoramas in the UK. For a scenic stroll, the canal path walks from Sharpness to Gloucester present stunning views of the Severn estuary, Malvern and one of England's few lasting ancient woodlands: Forest of Dean.

The town of Stroud and the surrounding area comprise concealed valleys and commons ideal for a breath of fresh air or an ice cream from the award winning Winstones factory. The town itself offers the 'Farmers Market of the Year 2008', one of the busiest and most popular markets in the UK providing mouth-watering organic and local produce.

For those with an urge to shop, the spa towns of Cheltenham and Bath provide a vast array of high street stores and exclusive boutiques, catering for all divergent tastes. Appetites can also be fulfilled, with a huge range of restaurants and cafes satisfying taste-buds on all budgets. What’s more, in Bath, one can experience the UK’s only natural thermal spa, as the Celts and Romans made use of over 2,000 years ago.

Tetbury and Cirencester also provide visitors with an extensive selection of establishments, in a smaller and quainter setting. In Cirencester, visit the Cotswold Water Park which consists of over 140 lakes, in which one can partake in activities ranging from golf to wakeboarding.

As for where to satisfy one's thirst, nestled within the charming villages and towns, quiet country pubs are located providing an extensive selection of tipples. In particular The Old Spot in Dursley, located on the Cotswold Way, is a popular watering-hole for ramblers, named Real Ale Pub of the Year 2007, due to the extensive selection of Real ales changed monthly.

The history of this area is extensive, with many National Trust and English Heritage sites to visit. Berkeley and Sudeley Castle are open to the public where one can experience a 'Rumbustious Medieval Romp' with jousting and archery displays. This area is also home to two surviving Saxon churches steeped in history, Deerhurst and Leonard Stanley. The latter is located on a working dairy farm, described as one of the most evocative historical sites in the country, where two holiday cottages are situated.

For ghost hunters, this monastic site has been noted as being home to a hooded monk who paces the grounds at midnight. If your appetite has been wetted by the descriptions of good food, scenery and history that this area can offer, a break to this area is thoroughly recommended and guaranteed to be enjoyed.
David Pullin, Priory Farm Cottages©
Photo: The Cottages

Devon - Romantic Isolation

South Hams - South Devon

The South Hams is a relatively unknown part of Devon that has remained one of the quietest parts of the South Devon coast. Yet it is fabulous walking country, with a string of beautiful beaches all sporting top awards. If you are looking for quiet beaches & coves, hidden haunts and romantic isolation, then look no further.


Much of the coast is owned by the National Trust and is sprinkled with small rivers and estuaries, many with a maze of tidal inlets fed by small streams. Beaches that must be visited include the beautiful Blackpool Sands beach, near Dartmouth and Bigbury-on-Sea with its famous sea-tractor over the causeway to Burgh Island and Agatha Christie connections (Evil under the Sun was written while she stayed at the hotel and was based on the island).

If surfing is more your style, then go to Bantham beach, just across the river from Bigbury, which is the best surfing beach in South Devon.Just a bit further west along the coast and you will have views across the Plymouth Sound. With the Naval dockyards based here, your view across the Sound will inevitably be enlivened by warships at anchor or on the move, with the huge breakwater on the horizon.

If you want a bit more civilisation, then there are the nearby towns of Kingsbridge, Dartmouth and Salcombe to explore. Kingsbridge is at the head of the estuary and is generally thought of as the  capital  of the South Hams. It is a lovely town with many interesting shops, pubs, cafes and even a cinema!

Dartmouth is made up of a mesh of narrow lanes, stairways and corridors, with plenty of Elizabethan streetscapes, making it is must-see for anyone visiting this part of Devon. The town has a reputation for good food, antiques and local arts & crafts. The natural deep water harbour has been the driving force behind the town's history as a port and military centre. The magnificent Britannia Naval College sits up the hill overlooking the town, and is now open to the public, while Dartmouth Castle protects the mouth to the estuary.

Salcombe is a beautiful place, with tiny streets, interesting shops and pubs and many large yachts moored in the estuary to admire!The cottages at Carswell Farm Cottages are dotted around our working organic dairy farm, set in unspoilt countryside on the stunning South Devon coast. The cottages are just a few minutes walk from the coast and are ideally situated to explore this beautiful part of Devon.
Katherine Harding, Carswell Farm Cottages©

North Norfolk - the Best Beach in the World!

Amazing Victorian house 100 yards from the sea and shops and a short distance from the Sheringham Golf Club. Car rides out to Morston for sailing and walking. You must try Morston Hall, a fantastic hotel/restaurant and recently shown on TV. A bit further on is Holkam Beach, the best beach in the world and used in many films.

You may be lucky and see the Queen's Cavalry Horses having their summer break in the sea. Or walk in the Pine woods which flank the beach. On the way back try 'Cookies' at Salthouse, a unique open air Sea Restaurant, but take your own ‘drink’.

Going the other way, you will find Felbrigg Hall, a lovely old National Trust Building with many walks around it.

There is another famous Golf Club at Cromer. Try Sheringham Park on the way to Holt where there are many beautiful rhododendrons, which come into their own in May. Finally the Poppy Line, the restored Steam Train, which goes from Sheringham to Holt, straight out of Harry Potter!

For more information about this self catering holiday accommodation in Sheringham please click here.

Jill Hampson, No. 11 Victoria Street©.

11 Victoria Street is listed in Cottage Holidays

Cornwall: For ‘One and All’

‘One and All’ is the motto at the foot of the Cornish coat of arms and although it was not it’s original intention, that motto neatly reflects a county with something to offer everyone who visits, young or old. Little wonder that the county so many of us visited in childhood summers remains, to this day, the number one destination for the British tourist, despite Mediterranean opposition aided by budget airlines.

Miles of golden sand, particularly on the north coast, provide all that most youngsters want, armed with bucket and spade. Parents may take advantage of the sunshine, enjoy the coastal air and scenery, but secretly enjoy ‘helping’ with the sandcastles, tunnels and canals most! Many a quayside will also see a band of parents throwing out a line, a hook and some bait in pursuit of crabs while children wait an age before it’s their turn.

Meanwhile, those without youngsters to entertain will enjoy a cliff-top stroll or a meander through the narrow streets of an old fishing village, building up an appetite for a delicious and freshly baked, traditional Cornish pasty. The more active type will enjoy some of the best surfing in the world, along with all it’s ‘social add-ons’!

No holiday in Cornwall is complete without a day or two at the beach, but the Dutchy has plenty to offer inland too. Thousands will flock to the Eden Project, grabbing a taste of the tropics in the famous biomes, enjoying one of Europe’s leading tourist attractions. But, what about the Seal Sanctuary, the Maritime Museum, Charlestown Shipwreck Centre, Jamaica Inn, the Castles, the Mining Museum, the China Clay Heritage Centre, the steam railways, the Cyder farm, the cheese farms, Minack Theatre, Sterts Theatre, Carnglaze Caverns, Goonhilly Satellite Station, Bodmin Jail, The Camel Trail, and …….. the list goes on and on. No wonder the vast majority of visitors come to Cornwall more than once!

Even if you just need a quiet, relaxing break to get away from it all, Cornwall has so much to offer and it’s not too difficult to find that peace and quiet, even at the height of the season. Somewhere, there’s a little bit of it waiting for you.

Nestling in a small wooded valley at the foot of Bodmin Moor, lies Rosecraddoc Lodge, a collection of purpose built self-catering holiday bungalows built along the driveway to an old manor house. There is a pub that serves food, but no noisy night club or ‘trappings’ of a holiday camp. Your own little bit of Cornwall to come back to each night after a day enjoying whatever you choose from the long list of reasons for visiting time and time again, as generations of families have done and, no doubt will continue to do so. Cornwall genuinely is for ‘One and All’.
Andy Kent, Watery Fowls©

Listed in Cottage Holidays ref ca2244 Watery Fowls

North Devon - a Hidden Gem!

My husband is a Devon boy, but from the south and little did I know about the great north south Devon differences. North Devon is a hidden gem, it has absolutely stunning coastal walks and the views & sunsets are out of this world.

Our cottages are set in a wooded valley and surrounded by lovely Devon countryside. The wildlife in our gardens is enough to keep you relaxed, just look out for our Jay family, the Sparrow Hawk, Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Nuthatches, Blue Tits, friendly Robins, Jackdaws, Blackbirds and our resident squirrels and foxes. Buzzards often soar over the cottages and Egrets have recently visited the Castle pond near the cottages.

Watermouth Cove is a rural seaside idyll, our cottages are beside Watermouth Castle and just a 200 yard walk will take you to the sea and the south west coastal path. The sunsets are magnificent so there is no need to spend loads on entertainment.

The cottages are within a mile of beautiful Berrynarbor village and a short drive of Combe Martin & Ilfracombe with their beaches, pubs and restaurants. Our cottages are ideally situated for a wide range of local attractions and activities to suit all ages.

These include Watermouth Castle, Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park, Exmoor Zoo, Exmoor National Park, Valley of the Rocks, Lynton & Barnstaple (Woody Bay) railway, Arlington Court, Chambercombe Manor, RHS Rosemoor, Marwood and Broomhill gardens. Local activities include sea and course fishing, North Devon coastal path walks, Horse riding, Golf, Boating and Wild Life Cruises, Surfing, Diving and Beach activities, Quad bikes or simply just chilling out.

Nearby are the magnificent sandy surfing beaches of Woolacombe, Saunton Sands and Croyde bay. You are on the doorstep of the Exmoor national park and Lorna Doone country with its unique wild beauty and variety of flora and fauna.

Exmoor is also famous for its wild ponies, Red Deer and birds of prey Lundy Island is just off the North Devon coast and can reached on a boat trip on the MS Oldenburg from historic Ilfracombe harbour. Lund-ey which is Norse for Puffin Island is a place of outstanding natural beauty and a nature reserve for seals, seabird and all types of marine life. Spectacular wildlife, coastal cruises and fishing boats trips depart daily from Ilfracombe.

From the North Devon coast it is just over an hour's drive to resorts such as Bude, Minehead, Dunster and Torquay and less than two hours drive to Cornwall's Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan. North Devon is for Singles, couples, families, groups, and it’s such a dog friendly beautiful destination.

What are you waiting for…………………?

Authors: Clare & Steve Mountain
Watermouth Cove Cottages