In January 1992, a cargo container carrying 29,000 bath toys was washed off a ship from Hong Kong bound for Washington, US. Ten months later, flotillas of plastic ducks, frogs, turtles and beavers began to appear 
on beaches in Sitka, Alaska. Many got caught up in the Subpolar Gyre, a current that runs from Sitka across the North Pacific to the far east of Russia and back again – a journey of 6,800 nautical miles. Over the past 16 years, the toys have continued to wash up in Alaska, but some have broken free and pitched up, faded white with exposure, in Hawaii and Maine. In 2003, a plastic frog made it all the way to the west coast of Scotland. Some of the toys are still thought to be in the water – giving oceanographers a unique way of studying the oceans’ currents.
Beachcombing finds; Bath toys on a journey
June 28, 2008
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Whatever the weather will be!
June 27, 2008Nowhere else in the world is the weather talked about as much as it is in the British Isles. We’ve got a reputation of being the ones that ‘don’t half talk about the weather a lot’. Commenting on the weather is a quintessentially British pastime and the classic opening gambit for any human encounter. The ice breaker for any uncomfortable silence. Where would we be I wonder, if we (like so many of our foreign cousins) had ‘same old, same old’ weather patterns, day in, day out.
Some would even say our love of the weather is an obsession. Perhaps it’s more to do with the fact we’ve got one of the most changeable and unpredictable climates on the planet, perhaps it’s more to do with the essence of British culture.
Perhaps borne from this obsession, Britain has paved the way with weather forecasting. Pioneering many technologies and methodologies, often as a result of war time and aviation needs, the modern day weather forecast is the crowning glory of years of research and expertise and believe it or not, today it’s more accurate than it’s ever been.
Online weather forecasts and resources
If you’re planning a holiday in the UK, the weather is bound to be an important factor in your thoughts. At cottages4you, we’ve found the following links really helpful to us for getting the low down on our holiday destinations..
Something for the weekend?
The BBC Weather Centre website gives you a radar image of Britain, overlaid with predicted cloud, wind and rain (or hopefully, lack of!) patterns on an hour-by-hour basis. This is ideal if it’s Friday and you’re planning a weekend away and don’t know if you should pack your sou’wester or your flip flops.
2 weeks away
Metcheck offer a day-by-day forecast on the upcoming 2 weeks. Other features on this site include the BBQ Weather Forecast, for if you are planning the illusive fair weathered British Barbecue.
It’s better than this time last year..
WeatherOnline holds records of more than 4700 stations worldwide, so even if you don’t trust the weather forecasts you can use this site to see how the weather was this time in years gone by.
As a footnote, who can repute the enduring appeal of The Shipping Forecast. Four times a day BBC Radio 4 Longwave broadcasts this baffling roundup of the forecast from our coastal waters. This programme is deemed so important that it even gets away with interrupting another of Britain’s irrefutable conversational pastimes – the cricket.
MW
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Oh, for another holiday…
June 26, 2008
Thursday afternoon, staring out of my office window, thinking about where I’ll spend a week this Summer… it’s got to be the seaside!
The last three trips have been fantastic, just right for the family. If you’ve got children, you’ll know what I mean here – if they’re happy, then so am I!!
What I really want is:
- Somewhere that I can do a bit of beach fishing with my eldest son (who’s now 3 and discovering everything),
- Maybe somewhere that I could ride my bike (I’ll get a couple of chances at most whilst I’m away so it needs to be close to the cottage and interesting)
- Plenty of places to take the little ones (which means indoor and outdoor options)
My recent favorite has to be Instow (I stayed at the Anchorage ref 17468), a lovely seaside village. A nice beach & friendly pubs. I’m an holiday fisherman and went fishing for bass from the shore of Zulu Bank (what a name!!) which is just down the road – up to my waist in the sea and throwing the line across the tide, it’s great fun.
Last year I managed the marathon drive up to Skye . It’s worth it. Portree’s a cute little town and if you’re into the outdoors it’s hot. If you’d like to arrive calm and settled after a long drive with the children, I’d definitely recommend a portable DVD.
So, back to this year… I think I’ll try either Anglessey or somewhere close to Abersoch. I’ll let you know what it’s like.
Ian.
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Things to do in… Cornwall; Bicycling
June 26, 2008
I’m slowly becoming a fanatic biker and am planning a short break in Cornwall next month staying in a Cornwall cottage booked through cottages4you.
Cornwall offers great routes varying in difficulty from easy going to thrill seeking.
I have found that the website visitcornwall.co.uk offers great information on the available routes. You’ll find PDF’s with more information on their site via the links below.
- The Cornish Way – overview map
- The Clay Trails – Bugle, Wheal Martyn, Par Beach, Eden Project. A free map is available on the sustrans website here. Read the rest of this entry »
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Customer Service… Family scoffs pond ducks
June 26, 2008
It can be a challenging job ensuring that our customers have the best holiday possible and equally tough delivering a good service to the property owners. Once in a while, however, the odd (to say the least) behaviour of some of our holidaymakers make it even more difficult (or interesting, depending on how you see it).
A while ago we had to apologise to a cottage owner after a family staying at the property had taken the liberty of shooting all the ducks at the cottage pond to scoff them. The cottage owner discovered the sinister deed Read the rest of this entry »
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Special Offers… book your holiday and visit a festival
June 26, 2008
From film, harvest, wine and music festivals to carnivals and parades, Europe is a riot of activity this summer. So if you’re looking for something a little bit different and want to immerse yourself in the country’s local culture then take a look at some of the festivals we’ve featured.
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Things to do in… Spain; events in July
June 26, 2008That Flamenco Feeling
If you’re heading to one of our Spanish Villas this July, and feel like seeking out a spot of local culture, then here’s a quick taste of what you might find…
If your villa’s near Catalunya, then head to Tarrogana from 2-7th July, when the skies explode with an international fireworks competition. Then visit the nearby town of Igualada, which plays host to a spectacular hot air balloon meeting in early July. There’ll be plenty of exhibitions, workshops and events, culminating on the 15th with ‘Night Glow’, a visual feast.
Staying in Pollenca? Then don’t miss the Festival de Pollenca, from 4th July to 30th August when the region comes alive, with a diverse line-up of both Spanish and global artists and orchestras. This year’s bill includes Craig Adams and The Voice of New Orleans, and the Balearic Choral Society. Read the rest of this entry »
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BBC Proms & Proms in the Park 18 Jul 2008 through to 13 Sep 2008
June 26, 2008Venue: Royal Albert Hall, London and various venues, UK
It’s now the 114th season of the BBC Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, one of the most popular classical music concert series in the world, featuring over 70 classical performances by world class orchestras, watched and listened to by millions of people around the globe. The event highlight, the Last Night of The Proms, is broadcast live on BBC One and repeated on BBC Radio 3. All other performances are broadcast via BBC radio and webcasts, contributing to an international audience of around six million people for all combined Prom events.
A series of accompanying concerts, BBC Proms in the Park, runs alongside the main Promenade shows, with 1500 musicians playing in five major city parks across the UK.
Visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2008/ for more information
Don’t forget – a cottage can provide the perfect base from which to join the melodic madness of the Proms – search today for nearby accommodation at cottages4you.
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Formula One: Santander British Grand Prix – 4 Jul 2008 to 6 Jul 2008
June 26, 2008Venue: Silverstone, Northamptonshire
One of the highlights of the UK sporting year, with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button set to feature. Qualifying takes place on the first two days, with the main race held on July 6.
For information visit: www.formula1.com, www.silverstone.co.uk
Don’t forget – a cottage can provide the perfect pit-stop from which to enjoy many sporting events throughout the UK and Europe – search today at cottages4you.
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Exploring Wales…Some of the most stunning scenery in the world
June 26, 2008Much of the countryside of Wales is breathtakingly beautiful, from the north, where you’ll find some of the most stunning scenery in the world, to the long sandy beaches of Pembrokeshire.
Snowdonia, the historic heart of Wales, is unique. The mountains have a scale and grandeur which belies their actual size and the region is blessed with rivers, lakes, forests, moorlands and a lovely coastline.
The island of Anglesey ~ backed in the east by the dramatic backcloth of Snowdonia, ever changing in the shifting light ~ is separated from the mainland by the Menai Straits, a lovely sinuous arm of the sea which seems more like a tidal river in its wooded middle reaches. The island’s coastline is immensely varied and beautiful, and the little town of Beaumaris has a relaxed charm all of its own, with its urbane terraces and sea-side air. Read the rest of this entry »
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