Grasmere is stunning village, one of the most picturesque but what Grasmere is most famous for is one particular past inhabitant, William Wordsworth. Wordsworth lived in Grasmere for 14 years and was quoted in saying it is, “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”. Dove Cottage is where he lived until 1808 and it is now a museum and art gallery dedicated to the life and work of Wordsworth and other influential poets and artists. Approximately 70,000 visitors walk through Dove Cottage every year with tours, exhibitions and children’s activities.

Grasmere is also famous for its gingerbread. Dating back to 1850, Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread is now sold all over the world. The Grasmere Gingerbread shop is located in the same building that the first batch of gingerbread was made all those years ago. It also has connections with Wordsworth.

Grasmere is an excellent base for fell walking on some of the most famous fells in the Lake District. Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw and the Langdale Pikes are all very near. There is a number great hotels in Grasmere to stay in. The village is so geared up for tourism that there is accommodation of all types from luxury Grasmere hotels to small bed and breakfasts. All are used to having walkers stay and accommodate them readily but should complete peace and quiet be required, there are some lovely Grasmere self catering cottages. Many being traditional Lakeland slate cottages.

Art is a large part of Grasmere with the exhibitions at Dove Cottage and the Heaton Cooper Studio which exhibits work by Alfred Heaton Cooper and his son William Heaton Cooper. Both landscape artists, their work in oil and watercolour captures the Lake District exceptionally. The Heaton Cooper Studio is run today by William’s son, Julian and which also exhibits work by other members of the family including Rebecca Heaton Cooper and William Heaton Cooper’s wife, Ophelia Gordon Bell.

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.
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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.
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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.

The western Lake District is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the UK and which is also the location for the highest mountain in England.

The western Lake District covers a large area from the Solway Firth at the northern most tip right down to Barrow-in-Furness. It is extremely diverse in its landscape having some of the largest mountains but also having miles of coastline. It is the most enriched areas of Cumbria but which offers real escapism from the hugely busy South Lakes.

Silloth-on-Solway on the very northern coast is home to a championship golf course and which holds Open qualifiers. It attracts many visitors to play this links type course. Still on the coast and moving down to Whitehaven. Whitehaven has undergone much regeneration in the last few years and the harbour there is really worth a visit especially the biennial Whitehaven Maritime Festival. Further down the coast and you get to St Bees. St Bees has one of the best beaches in the UK. Clean sand and wonderful views towards St Bees Head. Heading down the A5395 for around 14 miles and you get to Muncaster Castle. The Pennington family have resided there since 1208 but early indications are that the castle has been around since 1026. Set on roman foundations, Muncaster Castle offers tours inside of the castle, an owl centre, playgrounds, a wildlife pond, ghost sits and is one of the most popular Lake District attractions.

The mountain and lake panoramas are the most dramatic of the whole of the Lake District. The market town of Keswick is a haven for walkers attracting thousands of visitors each year to walk the famous fells of Skiddaw and Helvellyn and hence there are many Lake District B&B venues to choose from. It also situated next to the beautiful piece of water, Derwentwater and only 3 miles away is Bassenthwaite. Bassenthwaite Lake is the only piece of water that is officially a “lake”. All the other bodies of water are either a “mere” or “water” for example Buttermere and Crummock Water.

Finally, panoramas do not get any better than the view from the southern end of Wast Water looking towards Great Gable and Scafell Pike. This view won “Britain’s Favourite View” on the ITV’s television programme in 2007 out of 16 views around Britain. Wast Water is the deepest lake in the Lake District at 260 feet deep but only 3 miles long. Wasdale Head offers some of the most remote Lake District accommodation but which is always busy with walkers attempting Scafell Pike.

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.

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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 Zürich. Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic product, plus Zürich 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.