Lying to the west of the Coniston Mountain Range, between the southern reach of the Duddon Valley and the wide gentle plains of the Duddon Estuary, Broughton is a bustling town, full of activities, and a perfect base for exploring one of Cumbria’s most unspoiled and dramatic landscapes.

The history of Broughton dates back many centuries with the oldest building thought to be the church of St Mary Magdelene, first built as part of an eleventh century Saxon settlement. The church today is the result of a major restoration taken place in 1873 by the firm of Paley and Austin.

Over time, Broughton became an important market town, a centre of the wool trade and the manufacture of the oak baskets known as swills. Among the little back streets you would have found blacksmiths, millers, tanners, dressmakers and cobblers carrying out their crafts in readiness for the weekly markets.

During the reign of Elizabeth I the town was granted a charter giving permission to hold fairs. To this day, each year on the 1st August, there is the ceremonial ‘Reading of the Charter’, where pennies are thrown to the children.

Today many of the houses and buildings are Georgian, centred on the elegant town square, built by the Lord of the Manor to resemble a London Square. The Market Hall, a fine structure, was built in 1766, originally housing small lock up shops and is now the home of the Tourist Information Centre, exhibiting locally produced glassware, ceramics and paintings. In the centre of the square is a fine obelisk, erected to celebrate the silver jubilee of King George III in 1810, and stands next to both the ancient fish slabs, used to sell fish caught in the River Duddon and Estuary, and the village stocks for those who broke the laws or behaved in an unseemly manner.

For day to day needs Broughton is perfectly self contained with some good shops, inns and restaurants. On Prince’s Street there is Melville Tysons Grocer and Butcher. The shelves groan with preserves, chutneys, wine and pastas; the deli counter has a fabulous selection of cheeses, hams, salami, olives and pastries and the butcher sells the finest cuts, many from locally produced fell bred stock. Next door is the Village Bakery and Cafe. Using only the finest produce to bake their wonderful fresh breads, pastries and cakes the aroma as you pass is enough to draw anybody inside. Finally on Prince’s Street, is the Post Office selling local maps, books, ice cream and general goods.

To take full advantage of Broughton in Furness visitors should look to stay in one the area’s fine Lake District cottages and self catering holiday homes.

The Eden Valley is a beautiful, yet little known area in Cumbria, which lies between the Lake District National Park and the North Pennines - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To the North of the Eden Valley lies Carlisle and Hadrian’s Wall, whilst to the South you will find the fabulous Yorkshire Dales.

There is an excellent choice of accommodation available within Eden including hotels, guest houses, Cumbria cottages and caravan parks. Away from the main holiday season many of the Lake District holiday cottages offer the flexibility of short breaks rather than just whole weeks, so visitors can enjoy a long weekend in the area and perhaps buy some fresh local produce to cook yourself at the property. However your eating requirements are catered for by the many excellent restaurants and traditional pubs that reflect the local flavour.

Historic Penrith, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Northern Lakes”, is the major town in the Eden Valley, with a good mix of traditional shops selling locally made products and crafts, including famed Cumberland Sausage and Penrith Toffee.

When it comes to places to visit during your stay the Eden Valley offers a wide range of historic houses, castles, gardens, craft workshops, galleries and museums. In fact there are over seventy visitor attractions in Eden. For the more active there are many sporting facilities including sailing, windsurfing, horse riding, golf, squash, tennis and fishing.

One of the area’s key activities is Appleby Horse Fair, which takes place every June. The Horse Fair gathers together travelling folk from all over the country, buying and selling horses, keeping alive a 300 year old tradition. This is Britain’s largest gypsy gathering, with hundreds of tradition horse-drawn caravans converge on nearby Gallows Hill.

Walkers will find Eden is wonderful walking country, either a leisurely walk along river banks and lake shore or you can take to the higher paths over the Pennines and Lake District fells. In fact, the Pennine Way National Trail reaches into the Eden Valley at Appleby-in-Westmorland as it winds its way towards Scotland. Cyclists can follow the coast to coast (C2C) and Cumbria Cycle Way, both routes are clearly marked along the way.

The River Eden provides challenging fishing, and has in place a “Go Wild” scheme to enable visitors to try wild fishing on the river.

Windermere Marina Village are offering cycling enthusiasts a £50 discount on self-catering cottage breaks if they ditch their cars and arrive by bike.

With Windermere station a mere 10 minute ride away and numerous trails on our doorstep you won’t need a car to get the most out of your biking break.  Four-star self-catering cottages, secure bike storage and a wash down station ensure you and your bike are well catered for at Windermere Marina Village.

Occupying an enviable position on Windermere Lake, the marina is the largest in the North of England offering not only moorings but cottages in Windermere too.  The cottages overlooking the marina are spacious, well-equipped and offer you a little luxury after a day out cycling.  Many of the cottages have double rooms that can be converted to twins offering flexibility for groups and can be booked for 3, 4 or 7 night breaks.  Throughout your stay you will also enjoy full use of our onsite bar, bistro & leisure club; soothe those aches and pains with a dip in the Jacuzzi or pint on the terrace.
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Borwick Fold Cottages are situated in Hawkshead, near Ambleside at the heart of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, high above a tranquil, pastoral valley, with superb panoramic mountain views. Surrounded by fells, lakes, tarns, woodland, ancient hamlets and villages and with its land managed for wildlife, it offers a superb base for many outdoor activities, and in which to unwind. Our visitors return again and again.

Three rather special Ambleside cottages have been imaginatively converted from the barn and stables of our 17th century farmhouse. The Hawkshead cottages are set above a quiet country lane [National Grid Reference: 33420,49970] on the edge of Black Fell [a ‘Wainwright’ fell] close to Tarn Hows, near Hawkshead.

Each of the Hawkshead cottages has its own individual character and is centrally heated for all year round comfort. Benches outside the cottages and on the fell side, as well as the al-fresco dining area and barbecue, make an ideal location in which to absorb the peace and tranquillity of the area whilst enjoying the views and abundant wildlife.

Holidaycottagescumbria.com are pleased to announce the addition of Hardcragg Hall to their portfolio of Lake District self catering properties.

Hardcragg Hall is the latest addition to Holidaycottagescumbria.com Cumbria portfolio of 5 individually owned luxury Lake District holiday cottages. Hardcragg Hall is the pinnacle of 5 star luxury self catering accommodation and can facilitate large groups of up to 14 guests with its 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. This stunning Elizabethan manor house makes an excellent choice for luxury family holidays, short breaks, celebrations, special occasions, wedding guests, parties, large groups or for a get together of family or friends.

Hardcragg Hall is steeped in history and dates back to 1563 and this grade II listed country manor house is reputed to be the oldest building in the local area. There are several spacious reception rooms that all interconnect, including the dining room, drawing room, bar area, breakfast room, library, the oak panelled entrance hall area with its roaring log fire and the snug lounge with patio doors leading out into the landscaped gardens and grounds. The recently furnished farmhouse kitchen is superbly equipped with everything you will need to cater for large groups or couples alike and boasts a four oven Aga.

This large Lake District self catering accommodation sleeps 10+ is ideally located in Grange-over-Sands on the Southern edge of the English Lake District. Grange over Sands is one of Cumbria’s secret gems and is the Lake District’s principle sea side town. This is an ideal location for scenic fell and woodland walks, together with a mile long, traffic free promenade overlooking the sands of Morecambe Bay.
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The Eden Valley together with the western lakes has the most picturesque and dramatic scenery in the whole of the region. The Eden Valley has the magnificent Ullswater a stretch of water 14.5 kilometres long and which is surrounded by such famous mountains as High Street, Fairfield and Helvellyn and Lake District self catering properties are plentiful.

Alston, Newby and Kirkby Stephen are lesser know areas in the Eden Valley. Kirkby Stephen is a market town with cobbled streets and rural scenery leading to wild uplands. Kirkby Stephen has a great atmosphere and community making it a great place for a drink or a bite to eat. It has three public houses and individually owned shops.The distinctive local stone used is very different to the slate used in structures in south Cumbria.

Newby, with its Pennine backcloth, delightful Jacobean Hall, and surrounding landscapes really have a rather special unchanging beauty. Newby, neighbouring Lake Ullswater and picturesque Appleby in Westmorland, it is a small mediaeval market town of distinction.

Alston is the highest market town in the UK at 1000 metres above sea level. The road leading to Alston is a motor biker’s paradise, the A686 up Hartside Fell. The road climbs steeply and bends almost at right angles and has been voted by The AA as one of their “Ten Great Drives”. The views down into the Eden Valley are views to savour with the craggy Lake District fells to one side and the pennies to the other. Passing right through the Eden Valley is the Coast to Coast route which runs from St Bees on the West Cumbrian coast across to Whitley Bay so this area is very popular with cyclists.

The Eden Valley will surprise with its wide range of activities - strenuous mountain walks to gentle riverside strolls, watersports, golf and even activity centres where paintball shooting, archery and quad biking can be experienced. For such an activity packed holiday, Lake District cottages and Cumbrian cottages are a good choice of accommodation type. They give greater room for equipment, for cyclists especially, and are located in settings where a hotel or bed and breakfast would never be.

Self catering is anticipated to be a winner within the tourism industry in the current economic climate.
The appeal of a self catering holiday is growing. A self catering holiday can give a greater freedom and more space for families and allow multiple couples or friends to go away together, splitting costs and creating a good value holiday. Responsibletravel.com reported a 50% rise of self catering holidays compared with this time last year.

There are a number of plus points that make a self catering holiday attractive. Here are some examples:
1.    Of course, top of the list, kitchen facilities, allowing cooking to be done yourself. A huge money exercise especially for families. When in a group, the cooking can be shared and the it can actually be quite a fun event.
2.    Storage facilities and space. If having an activity holiday or a family holiday where there are bikes, walking gear or sailing equipment, most self catering properties have the space to store this equipment and space for drying is necessary.
3.    Lake District cottages are often set amongst fantastic scenery and tranquil locations, allowing a complete “get away from it all” holiday. A complete change from the hustle and bustle of a city and a chance to spend time in a property completely different from home.
4.    The ability to come and go when you please unlike a hotel when rooms need to be cleaned and door are locked at a certain time.
5.    Children can play with other family’s children and parents can take it in turn to babysit so that each set of parents can have a night to themselves.
6.    The more the merrier for fun and money saving. Clubbing together between 2 or 3 families, a group of friends or couples saves a huge amount of money. There is greater interaction compared with staying in separate hotel rooms.
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Nestling in southern Cumbria – the Lake District are the hidden treasures of Cark-in-Cartmel and Allithwaite. Both locations providing access to the Lake District fells and Morecambe Bay.

Cark-in-Cartmel and Allithwaite are both located at the southern end of the Cartmel Valley and are classic ‘working’ Lakeland villages. This area is beautifully quiet without being remote and has a gentle pace of life. With its location so close to Morecambe Bay this area brings a milder climate than the rest of the Lake District.

The medieval village of Cartmel lies just 1½ miles north and is the oldest and most picturesque village in South Lakeland. The 12th century priory escaped destruction during the Dissolution of Henry VIII and remains one of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in the north of England. The ancient village square is home to two good pubs and is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. There are another two good pubs just around the corner to visit when staying in Cumbrian cottages.

Cartmel Valley is a gentle, undulating landscape of lush green fields, rolling hills, leafy lanes and tranquil forests. The woodlands are an ideal base for easy access of the whole of the Lake District, Morecambe Bay, the rolling sand dunes of the Cumbrian coast, the Forrest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Walkers can put away their car keys as there are dozens of walks from their Lake District self catering cottage. The ancient Cistercian Way pass through Cark village and links up to all major walking routes in the Lake District. The Cumbrian Coastal Way also goes through both Cark and Allithwaite and provides spectacular coastal and fell walking for mile after mile. Morecambe Bay, with its vast areas of sand and marshes is a popular haunt for bird watchers, as is nearby Leighton Moss bird sanctuary. The Bay and the Cumbrian coast are great for windsurfing, with clear winds from the south.

If walking is not on the agenda when staying in one of these Lake District cottages then a visit to Holker Hall is a must. Holker Hall is Cumbria’s premier stately home, the home of Lord & Lady Cavendish. Residents and visitors of the village are granted permission to walk freely around the extensive parklands stocked with herds of deer and rare breed cattle and sheep. They also have a farm shop on site where produce from the estate can be purchased.

And finally, for families, a 10 minute drive north leads you to the nostalgic Haverthwaite to Lakeside Steam Railway. This connects to the awaiting Lake Windermere steamers and cruise boats that travel the full length of England’s longest lake where stops can be made at Waterhead (for Ambleside) or Bowness-in-Windermere.

Goosemire Cottages, the family owned and run self catering accommodation company based in Kendal, Cumbria are pleased to announce the launch of four new cottages for 2009.

The new cottages are in four different locations all offering different forms and sizes of accommodation. The first, Rosegarth Cottage at Newby in the Eden Valley. The second Lake District cottage is Edenfold Cottage, Bolton near Appleby. The third cottage is Pheasant Cottage in the Eden Valley and the fourth of the Lake District cottages is Stonegarth also in Newby.

These cottages are the latest additions to their already 35 strong cottage portfolio. This amount of cottages lead to the need for a new website which was put live last year and which enables the visitor to check the live availability of each cottage. It also gives clear information on each particular property with either “available”, “booked” or “a please phone” status. If one of the cottages is “available”, indicated under the availability status is the price for that week. This enables the visitor to know instantly the cost and eliminates the need to telephone or email for a price.

Goosemire Cottages are a small family run agency offering holiday cottage accommodation in the Lake District, UK (with just a few exceptions) an all-inclusive rental price. Their limited overheads mean low prices and they pride themselves on their value for money approach. There are open all year round and offer out of season or last minute breaks. To help you relax, Goosemire Cottages adopts a “nothing is too much trouble” approach, ensuring a welcoming, informed and personal service. On arrival you will find your cottage carefully prepared, to give your holiday a perfect start. In fact from the point of your initial enquiry onwards they guarantee they will give both you and your holiday the warm friendly attention deserved.

Goosemire Cottages have available over 39 traditional self-catering holiday homes for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lake District self catering cottages or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each Lake District cottage property are reflected on our website, and while some maybe more luxuriously appointed than others, all are carefully prepared and maintained.

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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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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.