Cartmel is a medieval village situated on the edge of the southern Lake District. The 12th century Cartmel Priory typifies this village both in architecture and history. It is still used for worship today as it has been for over 800 years and attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The other main attraction for visitors to Cartmel is the racecourse. With the first recorded race said to have taken place on the mid 1800??™s, Cartmel races continues to grow in stature and popularity year on

year. The creation of a new grandstand, with the back drop of the beautiful southern Lake District coupled with catering to rival any top race event has really put Cartmel on the map.

Cartmel is very much becoming a gastronomic destination. Cartmel and its surrounding villages have some of the best examples of Lake District gastronomy in the whole of Cumbria and the Lake District. Even though many of the restaurants and public houses are located within historic buildings, the food served is right in the 21st century using the finest locally sourced produce that is found in an abundance in the south Lakeland area.

Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of the most famous exports from Cartmel. The pudding is now sold all over the United Kingdom and even world with high class restaurants in London serving this still handmade in Cartmel pudding.

With its top quality food, beautiful historical buildings, race course and spectacular scenery, it??™s not hard to believe that Cartmel attracts a cosmopolitan visitor. Luckily, when visitor will find some excellent Cartmel self catering accommodation. When attending the races, what better place to stay in than a beautiful Grade II listed manor house or a beautiful double-fronted period property in Cartmel.

Nearby attractions also include Holker Hall (a stately home with lovely gardens and grounds and a cafe, Cark-in-Cartmel), the Lakeland Motor Museum (In addition to vintage and classic motors, the museum now features of faithfully recreated period shop fronts and also has a themed gift shop. It is now located at its new site in Backbarrow, on the main A590) and Brantwood (an historic house & gardens which used to be the home of John Ruskin with a shop, caf?© and terrace on the east side of Coniston Water).

The Costa Del Sol has been a popular holiday destination for UK travellers since the 1950’s. Situated in the southernmost part of Spain is the area of Andalucia or the Costa Del Sol as most people refer to it as, this area stretches from Nerja to Gibraltar, approximately 150 kilometres.

The climate on the Costa Del Sol is the mildest in Europe with over 300 days of sunshine per year and an average temperature of 18c. This is reflected in the number of holidaymakers that fly into Malaga airport each year, over 2 million. The 2 million visitors have a plethora of beaches to choose from the largest, Calahonda at a length of 4500 metres to the more modest El Bombo beach. It is a destination for everyone of all ages and interests which is why its popularity has continued to grow.

The Costa Del Sol encompasses some of the most famous holiday destinations in Europe, Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola. Along the coast is Marbella with its famous marina at Puerto Banus. This area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. A St Tropez like marina at Puerto Banus is home to million pound plus ocean going boats. Marbella as a whole has a very cosmopolitan community which has built up during the years.

As with much of the Spanish coastline, the Costa Del Sol has many golf courses, around 70. Golf is a major attraction in this area with the Volvo Masters held at Valderrama and the large choice of courses to suit all abilities. The views from courses such as the Baviera Golf Club are stunning over to the sea and the mountains. Villas and other rental properties can always be found near to the golf courses making along with bars and good quality restaurants.

Short and long terms lets can be found with most Costa Del Sol accommodation providers. Properties can be found in central locations where a car is not required or for a more peaceful holiday, there are retreats away from the central locations. There are types of Costa Del Sol accommodation to suit every requirement, taste and budget from a Costa Del Sol apartment to one of the many types of holiday rentals Costa Del Sol offers. There are apartments, townhouse, villas and golf properties and these can be situated right in the heart of an area or just off the beaten track for a quieter experience.

The Lake District is an ideal place for fishing enthusiasts with such a wealth of lakes, tarns, rivers and the sea, together with a selection of well-stocked fisheries. So whether you are fishing for salmon, pike, carp or trout you should definitely choose Cumbria - the Lake District and combine tremendous Lake District fishing with breathtaking scenery that includes some of England’s highest mountains.

Whether you are a beginner or a highly experienced angler you will find the region has plenty to offer when it comes to Lake District fishing. The more adventurous may enjoy experiencing one of the region’s many hill tarns, or fly fishing on say, the river Eden, or perhaps boat fishing on one of the lakes, or even sea fishing. For the less experienced why not combine you activity break with some expert tuition from one of the area’s qualified instructors. You could also combine tuition with a visit to one of the fisheries, such as Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery and many Lake District hotels offer special fishing breaks along with all the information required on fishing in the Lake District.
Read the rest of this entry »

The new newest addition to the Woodlands Hotel accommodation, is the recently completed executive suite. The suite is located within the main hotel building offering a large amount of space but with all the facilities of a hotel right on site. A luxury bathroom has been fitted complete with roomy stand up shower. The fitting have been chosen for their upmost quality. Far larger than a normal hotel room, the new suite has plenty of room to walk around along with a seating area and can actually sleep three persons or be a luxury Windermere hotel break for a romantic couple. A further suite is set for completion in December 2009.

Woodlands is one of the few Windermere hotels to achieve a five star guest accommodation status. Sarah and Alan Ayres, the proprietors, were thrilled to be recognised for their hard work by the AA, which was awarded for their exceptional standards of quality guest accommodation and service.

Woodlands Hotel in Windermere is a handsome Edwardian Villa situated between the villages of Windermere and Bowness in Cumbria ??“ the Lake District, just a few minutes away from the shores of Lake Windermere. Guests will enjoy the luxury, stylish and contemporary Boutique accommodation being offered at Woodlands, which has now been formally recognised as being one of the finest hotels in Windermere. There are a total of fifteen luxury and en-suite guest bedrooms including a choice of single, double or twin bedded rooms. The resident??™s bar and lounge is an exciting space for guests to relax after a long day??™s site seeing and exploring. According to the AA, a five star Guest House needs to demonstrate an awareness of each guest’s needs with nothing being too much trouble. All bedrooms must be en-suite or have a private bathroom, with excellent quality beds and furnishings. Breakfast must include specials/home-made items, high quality ingredients, and fresh local produce. The new suite meets and even exceeds The AA??™s five star criteria.
Read the rest of this entry »

Marbella is situated on the southern coast of Spain, east of Malaga in between Estepona and?  Fuengirola.

Marbella is a playground for the rich and famous although in recent years, more affordable holidays have become available. This area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. This is typified west of the town at Puerto Banus, this area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. A St Tropez like marina at Puerto Banus is home to million pound plus ocean going boats. Marbella as a whole has a very cosmopolitan community which has built up during the years. Many famous people have resident??™s in Marbella which has all the characteristics and facilities required to serve them, casinos, boutique and designer stores, street cafes, world class restaurants and luxury night clubs.

As with most of the Costa Del Sol, golf in Marbella is a very popular activity. There are around 50 golf courses many with huge country clubs. The 320 days of sunshine a year mean as with all of the Costa Del Sol, it is the perfect.

Marbella as with most of this coast is steeped in heritage so it isn??™t just all shopping and golf when it comes to leisure activities. The White Village ???Mijas??? is well worth a visit. The village set 428 metres above sea level and it is obvious why it is called the White Village due to the hundreds and white-washed buildings. The views from the village are spectacular, right across the whole of the Costa Del Sol coast. Due to the nature of the village with its narrow cobbled streets, Mijas has a very close community especially with those over 60, many of which are English speaking.

It isn??™t hard to find the real Spain in Marbella. There is the Old Town, which is based around Orange Square or ???La Plaza de los Naranjos??™. In this vacinity are three historical buildings: The 16th Century Town Hall, the old Governor??™s House and the Chapel of Santiago. As in Mijas, you will find small cobbled streets, small boutiques, galleries, local tapas bars and other authentic restaurants.

There is a varied range of Marbella accommodation from apartments and hotels to private Marbella rentals. Some properties are beyond most people??™s wildest dreams. Rental Marbella can be found in the forms of villas, apartments, townhouse, marina properties and golf accommodation. Short and long terms lets can be found with most providers. Properties can be found in central locations where a car is not required or for a more peaceful holiday, there are retreats away from the central locations.

The Costa Del Sol has been a popular holiday destination for UK travellers since the 1950??™s.
Situated in the southernmost part of Spain is the area of Andalucia or the Costa Del Sol as most people refer to it as, this area stretches from Nerja to Gibraltar, approximately 150 kilometres.

The climate on the Costa Del Sol is the mildest in Europe with over 300 days of sunshine per year and an average temperature of 18c. This is reflected in the number of holidaymakers that fly into Malaga airport each year, over 2 million. The 2 million visitors have a plethora of beaches to choose from the largest, Calahonda at a length of 4500 metres to the more modest El Bombo beach. It is a destination for everyone of all ages and interests which is why it??™s popularity has continued to grow.

The Costa Del Sol encompasses some of the most famous holiday destinations in Europe, Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola. Along the coast is Marbella with its famous marina at Puerto Banus.
As with much of the Spanish coastline, the Costa Del Sol has many golf courses, around 70. Golf is a major attraction in this area with the Volvo Masters held at Valderrama and the large choice of courses to suit all abilities. The views from courses such as the Baviera Golf Club are stunning over to the sea and the mountains.

It was in the 1960??™s that the Costa Del Sol felt the tourist boom with the introduction of the package holiday. Until then, it was either Spaniards of the rich and famous that came to this part of Spain. The package holiday made the area accessible to the. To meet with demand, the area had to be developed and large high rise apartment blocks started to spring up. The many communities within the Costa Del Sol are now very international but there are still large number of Spaniards and the real taste of Spain can still be found especially in the small hillside villages with their low rise, white washed buildings.

There are types of Costa Del Sol accommodation to suit every requirement, taste and budget from a Costa Del Sol apartment to one of the many types of holiday rentals Costa Del Sol offers. There are apartments, townhouse, villas and golf properties and these can be situated right in the heart of an area or just off the beaten track for a quieter experience.

Spring time in the Western Lake District - Lambs, daffodils and action galore?????
The snow on the fells is giving way to snowdrops. By May, the beautiful Eskdale valley is carpeted in bluebells. But one flower in particular is associated with the Lakes ????? and you can visit Wordsworth?????s house for a fascinating re-creation of his early life, when gardens were planted with foodstuffs, not daffodils. While in Cockermouth, why not pop into the Lakeland Sheep & Wool Centre to see the spring lambs?
It?????s a perfect time of year for bracing walks and rides. Try the coastal paths around Whitehaven, the guided walks from Keswick Rambles, or the meandering 27-mile Smugglers????? Route from Maryport to Ireby. Take to the beach on horseback, courtesy of Allonby Riding School. Play golf at one of several excellent courses such as the Silecroft and Silloth links, or Eskdale, where the 14th green is set within a huge trout pond and there?????s private fishing too.

Summer time in the Western Lake District - Sun, sails and sound-checks
Summer?????s here and the time is right for dancing in the streets of Whitehaven, Silloth, Cockermouth????? Local festivities and music festivals abound. Don?????t miss Workington?????s ???Paint the Town Red?????, the multi-award-winning Solfest, the Seaton Carnival, the Festival of Fools at Muncaster Castle, Millom?????s Scarecrow Festival or the impressively named CockRock, to name but a few.
What better time to hit the quiet beaches of Allonby, St Bees and Haverigg, to try the fascinating town and harbour walks in Egremont and Harrington ????? or to set out by foot or on bike along the famous Coast to Coast routes? There are many Lake District Accommodation venues and Lake District hotels to stay at. There are strolls, hikes and rides for all the family, from coastal walks at Flimby to pony rides on Silecroft beach, organised through the Murthwaithe Green Trekking Centre. Golf at Workington and the Harrington driving range? Or what about a perfect, lazy day?????s fishing on the Salterbeck reservoir, or from the pier at Whitehaven?
Of course when the sun is dancing on the Lakes, the urge to get out on the water is irresistible. So don?????t resist.
Read the rest of this entry »

Coniston is situated in the heart of the English Lake District with Hawkshead to the east and the western Lake District to the right.

Coniston is surrounded by a tremendous landscape of streams, lakes and mountains including the most famous and distinctive, Coniston Old Man. Coniston Old Man rises to 2,633 feet and can be walked in various ways to suit all abilities. Dow Crag provides some of the best rock climbing in Great Britain, while lake-shore walks to Torver are very popular. Grizedale Forest, located nearby is the ideal landscape for mountain biking, viewing the many sculptures within the forest, walking and there is a Go Ape experience there too if you are staying at one of the Coniston hotels.
Read the rest of this entry »

Kendal is a market town situated just outside of the Lake District National Park with a wide range of activities on offer.

Kendal is right in the heart of South Lakeland so it is the perfect location as a base for walking, touring and enjoying the unique pleasures of the Lake District. The A591 dual carriageway means easy access to Kendal from the M6 motorway, just 8 miles. Continuing down the A591 and Windermere is only a further 8 miles and just 4 miles on is Ambleside. A Kendal B&B is the perfect location for exploring not just the Lake District but also the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbrian coastline.

There are some great local walks in Kendal and some brilliant ones for low level walkers. A very popular walk is up to the observation point on Scout Scar where there is a 360 degree panorama with the Lake District fells to the north and Morecambe Bay to the south. Walking is not the only activity. Kendal has a climbing wall, a swimming pool, two golf courses and driving ranges. Kendal Golf course is on the side of Kendal Fell with some of the best views from a golf course in the UK.

Kendal itself is a bustling market town full of good shopping from big names to local speciality businesses and luckily, there is a good choice of Kendal bed and breakfast venues to stay in. The market in Kendal, held on a Wednesday and Saturday, attracts many visitors and also now a monthly farmers market. Kendal has a large number of shops and delis supplying local produce and these are growing year by year. ????

There are lots of cultural accents in Kendal. The nationally acclaimed Brewery Arts Centre features live drama, music, film, dance and art exhibitions. In fact, Kendal has an excellent artist community with many local artist exhibitions at The Brewery. The Abbot Hall Art Gallery, situated on the banks of the River Kent, has exhibitions from influential artists such as Frank Auerbach and David Bomberg.

Kendal is famous for Kendal mint cake and snuff. Snuff making in Kendal has been operational since 1792 and holds a lot of history in the area. It is still made in Kendal today by two companies which both stem from the originator of snuff making in Kendal. Mint cake is also still made in Kendal by three companies all of which with a long heritage, a combined trading time of over 300 years.

Finally, Kendal also offers Kendal accommodation for business travellers. Kendal is home to offices of national and multinational companies such as Lowe Alpine, The North Face and Furmanite.

Cannes, located in the south eastern area of France is the most famous city on the French Riviera.

The weather in Cannes can top 40c in the Summer months but even through the Winter months pleasantly mild temperatures are seen with low rainfall making this city a year round destination.

Cannes is probably best known for the Cannes Film Festival. The film festival takes place every May and takes over the whole of the city. Much revered within the film industry, Cannes attracts high profile actors, actresses, directors and royalty. The Festival de Cannes has been going for 61 years now and seems to get more popular each year.

The concentration of famous faces brings many fans and tourists during festival time. All but a handful of the many luxury Cannes villas are fully booked. Being a very affluent area, Cannes has some of the most stunning holiday villas in France. Many villas south of France are even located within private gated communities, extremely sort after by celebrities. With such clientele, it is no surprise that Cannes is also famous for its luxury shops, exquisite restaurants and prestigious hotels such as the Majestic Barriere. Popular with famous faces all over the world, this legendary hotel epitomizes the Cannes Film Festival.

Read the rest of this entry »

Switzerland is a landlocked alpine country in Western Europe with roughly seven and a half million people and an area of just over forty thousand kilometres square. The country is made up of twenty six states called cantons and it contains three global cities, Geneva, Basel and Z??rich. Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic product, plus Z??rich and Geneva have respectively been ranked as having the first and second highest quality of life in the world.

It is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland has a long history of neutrality and it has not been at war since 1815. The country hosts many international organizations, including the Red Cross, the World Trade Organization and one of the U.N.s two European offices. However, it is not a member of the European Union. Switzerland is multilingual and has four national languages - German, French, Italian and Romansh.

When it comes to places to stay, there is a great choice of Switzerland accommodation available including serviced accommodation such as hotels and bed and breakfasts, plus Switzerland self catering accommodation such as simple hostels, or perhaps a luxury Switzerland apartment.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ambleside is a very popular and picturesque town situated at the heart of the Lake District National Park, close to the shores of Lake Windermere, which is England??™s largest lake. Ambleside itself has become a major tourist resort and one of the most popular bases for exploring the Lake District with an array of excellent shops, restaurants, plus a great choice of of Lake District self catering venues including camp sites, bed and breakfasts, hotels and Lake District cottages.

Ambleside is mostly a Victorian town, although there has been a settlement there since pre-Roman times.?  Galava, a fort located beside Borrans Park in Ambleside was built by the Romans and was used to house around 500 soldiers. The fort was built to defend the lower fells of South Lakeland from invasion by the Picts and Scots, and also to guard the road to the Roman Port at Ravenglass which is accessible from Hard Knott Pass.

Read the rest of this entry »

Saadani Game Reserve was gazetted in 1964, covering an area of some 250 sq km from the Wami River in the south to the Mligaji River in the north, with the Moshi railway line as the western boundary.

In 2003 Saadani was upgraded to become Tanzania’s latest National Park under the direction of TANAPA (Tanzania National Park Authority). Boundaries have been expanded to include land north of the Mligaji, which is an important area containing the only permanent elephant population in the area as well as sable antelope. The total protected area now covers over 1000 sq km and the TANAPA headquarters are based at Mkwaja ranch.

Saadani is geographically the closest reserve to Dar es Salaam (130km) and, even considering the present situation of no coast road, it is still a similar distance in terms of time to Mikumi National Park, the next closest wildlife destination. Construction of the coast road from Dar es Salaam is underway and once completed, this will reduce driving time to around two hours from Dar making Saadani the closest wildlife destination to Dar offering an irresistible combination of beach and wildlife viewing.

Saadani sits directly opposite Zanzibar’s Stone Town, which is located approximately 42 kilometres away. Regular flights are available from Zanzibar to Saadani and these only take about fifteen minutes. ????Visitors to Zanzibar will find an excellent choice of Zanzibar hotels and most other types of Zanzibar accommodation, including villas and lodges.

Read the rest of this entry »

The name ???Ullswater??? is believed to have come from an early Viking settler but due to a stone circle called The Cockpit at Barton Fell, some say it could have been earlier. The valley has many farms which is now the main economy of the area along with tourism. Some of the farms which are still working today, date back to as early as the sixteenth century.

Ullswater is the second largest lake in the Lake District at a length of 8 miles. The lake is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the area and is a very popular place to stay for walkers wanting to tackle Helvellyn, Highstreet and Fairfield. The Coast to Coast walk goes through Patterdale with the Patterdale YHA situated on the route. For less adventurous walkers, there are many lower level, less strenuous walks such as the lovely Hallin Fell walk. It is approximately 3 miles long and of the same distance, the Aira Force Walk. Aira Force is the most spectacular waterfall in the Lake District and the beautiful walk through a leafy glen is wonderful.

Read the rest of this entry »

Heads In Beds is your one stop accommodation resource from Gary Lowthian. Recommendations on great value accommodation across the north and east of England.

Having worked with many tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses to help improve their profitability, I thought it was high time that I pulled together a website highlighting the ones I really enjoyed working with. The result is www.headsinbeds.co.uk.

The site is far from an exhaustive list, neither is it only a list of the ???finest quality??™, as? Gary believes that ???value??™ is something important to everyone whether staying at a bunkhouse or penthouse. Value is simply the relationship between what we pay and the type of experience we have? and Gary? feels all of the businesses listed on? www.headsinbeds.co.uk site offer good value to their customers.

Why not consider using this site when looking for a short break or holiday in the North and East of England, where the majority of Gary’s? work has taken place. The areas? covered include? Northumberland, Yorkshire including the North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire, East Anglia including Norfolk and Suffolk, Lancashire including Forest of Bowland, Blackpool and Cumbria - The Lake District.

The site? includes? different types of accommodation including hotels, bed and breakfasts, guest houses, inns, farm b&bs, cottages, self catering agencies, caravan sites, camp sites and hostels, as well as a few restaurants and places to visit.