Blog Photo Competition, July Winners !

July 31, 2008

We are happy to announce the first three winners in the cottages4you blog photo competition!

The jury had a hard time selecting the winners as the quality of the photo’s was high. A sophisticated scoring mechanism helped us select the winners of the cottages4you iPod Nano.

The jury responsible for selecting the winners:

  • Andrew Hill: Manager Online Services
  • Nigel Flory: Holiday Cottages Group Image Management
  • Wayne Dentith: Professional Photographer

The jury scored all entries on “Holiday Feel”, “Composition”, “Subject”, “Impact” and “Originality” with “Holiday Feel” and “Originality” being the main criteria.

After selection we may now congratulate the following winners with their cottages4you iPod Nano:

Action: Amy Wearing with “Magical Moment when Daisy discovered kite flying”

Andrew: “A simple, uncluttered, straightforward shot that captures a wonderful holiday memory and an exciting moment as Daisy manages to make her kite fly for the first time.”

Nigel: “captures a moment to treasure…”

Wayne: “Brilliant action shot with good use of composition, this is what holidays are all about!”

Cottage Life: Gavin J Wilson with “Kubb on the Lawn (Cornwall 2006)”

Andrew:A family having great fun at their holiday cottage – this snap perfectly captures a relaxed, enjoyable afternoon in the garden, enjoying the time away.

Nigel: “Having fun in the garden, making full use of all the facilities of the cottage”

Wayne: “A great fun shot of all the family enjoying a well deserved break.”

Nature: Jane Wood with “A timeless taste of the beach!”

Andrew: “So many things to find on the beach, and so little time. This photo perfectly captures the end of another day spent immersed in nature on holiday. The silhouette of the child against the setting sun produces an interesting and engaging image.

Nigel: “A Long day of exploration draws to a close”

Wayne: “This image captures a truly special moment at the end of another fun packed sunny day.”

Congratulations to you all!

We’ll contact the winners to arrange the delivery of the prize. These winners (and all other entries) will be entered into the Grand Prize selection in December. This Months winners are excluded from the next Monthly prizes.

Please keep those entries coming and we especially welcome pictures in the “Action” and “Cottage Life” categories and you will improve your chance to win. All details on how to enter the competition.


La Route du Rock – 12 Aug 2008 – 16 Aug 2008

July 31, 2008

Saint-Père Fort, Saint-Malo, Brittany

Celebrates rock and dance music in scenic surroundings.

Rock on down to Brittany and make a holiday of it. A cottage, farmhouse or gite can provide the perfect base from which to explore Brittany and other areas of France as well as to enjoy many events throughout the UK and Europe – search today at www.cottages4you.co.uk


British Firework Championships Final – 12 Aug 2008 – 13 Aug 2008

July 31, 2008

The Hoe, Plymouth

Pyrotechnic extravaganza is the culmination of nationwide regional heats.

www.tesa.org.uk

Boom, whiz, bang, fizzle, screech, sparkle, zoom…err…pop…Just make sure you take a camera and ear plugs…this is going to be noisy but breathtaking. A cottage can provide the perfect base from which to explore Plymouth as well as to enjoy the many other events throughout the UK and Europe – search today at www.cottages4you.co.uk


Inter Site Football match a great success!

July 31, 2008

The Holiday Cottages Team still looking confident

By Nick Smith

On Saturday 27th the inaugural Kettering vs Earby football match took place in Skipton.
The newly formed Holiday Cottages team took to the field in a confident mood and, buoyed by a healthy home support, more than matched the more experienced Kettering side in the opening exchanges.
Kettering then took the lead which was cancelled out with a long range effort from A. Ahern, after which the experience of the Kettering showed as they stretched to a 5-2 lead at half time. (M. Aspinall with the Earby goal).

Eyes on the ball

All eyes on the ball

Inspired by some tactical substitution and a change of formation the 2nd half was much closer, especially as the pace slowed in some wonderful sunny weather. Another M. Aspinall goal meant the final score was 7-3 to Kettering, although the 2nd half was drawn one apiece.

After the match the newly commissioned trophy was presented to the victorious Kettering side as well as the man of the match awards. (M. Aspinall picking up the trophy for the Earby side).

The Kettering Team preparing for victory

The match was played in good spirit and all players involved thoroughly enjoyed the day, plans are already

underway for the return fixture in Kettering and a chance to re-capture the trophy and the glory for Holiday Cottages.


The Puck Fair – 10 Aug 2008 – 12 Aug 2008

July 31, 2008

Killorglin, Kerry, Republic of Ireland

Attractions include a parade, traditional horse fair, coronation ceremony of King Puck, open air night concerts, children’s competitions, the Guinness Music Trail Competition, street entertainers, dancing and a fireworks display.

Experience the fun and warmth of traditional Irish hospitality. As always, a cottage can provide the perfect base from which to explore Ireland and enjoy many events throughout the UK and Europe – search today at www.cottages4you.co.uk


Peri-Peri in Portugal

July 30, 2008

Staying in a Portuguese Villa? Here’s a local BBQ Favourite…

Peri-peri chicken is probably the most famous of Portugal’s culinary exports. This spicy local dish hales from the country’s North African connection, and features an abundance of fresh hot chiles. But it’s also surprisingly easy to make – the perfect barbecue recipe to try your hand at.

You’ll find all the key ingredients at one of Portugal’s many local markets. And we’ve even translated the words you’ll need!

Peri-peri is essentially a marinade, and perfect for either chicken or prawns. You can experiment with any combination of the following ingredients to suit your own taste buds…

Mix together:

  • Olive Oil (azeite de oliva)
  • Lemon or Lime Juice (sumo de limão ou lima)
  • Fresh hot chilli peppers (Pimentas malaguetas frescas), minced
  • Garlic (Alho), minced
  • Ground Coriander, cinnamon, and ginger (esmagados coentro, canela e gengibre)
  • Fresh Parsley or oregano (Salsa fresca ou oregano), chopped
  • Salt

(You can also try adding your own favourites such as bay, marjoram, raisins, thyme and tomato paste, or substitute the lemon juice for wine or balsamic vinegar.)

Once you’ve made your marinade, smother over either chicken or prawns (Frango ou camarão), and leave for at least one hour (ideally overnight).

Barbecue or grill until golden brown, then serve this deliciously tangy dish with plenty of sour cream, salad, and either rice or jacket potatoes. It couldn’t be simpler, or more authentic!

Bom apetite!


Photo competiton; ready to select the first winners

July 29, 2008

The cottages4you photo competition jury is about to select the first three winners from the 44 entries we’ve received since the start of the competition (and the blog) in the beginning of this month.

We are very happy with the high quality of the entries and we ask you to keep those entries coming as we will draw monthly prices (iPod Nano) and off course the grand prize (GBP 300 discount) in December.

A few notes on entering the competition:

- please enter only one photo per category; nature, action or cottage life
(hint: we love nature as much as you do but would like to see more entries in the action or cottage life category…. improve your chances to win !)

- if you submit via Flickr, make sure you provide the category, a caption and short description together with the picture

We’ll publish the first three winners as soon as possible. Stay tuned !


cottages4you sponsored “Colne Town Centre Grand Prix”

July 29, 2008

(All photos and report extract by Larry Hickmott).

Photo by Larry Hickmott

We were proud to sponsor this event

This year cottages4you sponsored the Colne Town Centre Grand Prix.
The event was organised by Pendle Borough Council, Pennine Events Limited and Cycling Development North West as part of the Pendle Cycle Fest.

“The 9th round of the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series travelled to Colne in Lancashire on Wednesday evening and what a night of racing there was. Not even the outbreak of rain stopped a large crowd from coming to see the action. Town centre racing has always been popular with British crowds and the Colne Town Centre circuit races were no exception.

Catherin T. Smith from cottages4you and the winner Ian Wilkinson

Catherine T. Smith from cottages4you with the winner Ian Wilkinson

The event, which has always seen thousands of spectators line the streets catching the excitement of non-stop close contact cycle racing started at 7pm with the support race followed at 8pm with the Elite event which saw them covering around 60 laps of the tight 800 metre circuit…..”

Read the full report on the British Cycling website.


BBQ in style

July 28, 2008
i want of those.com BBQ

(c) IWantOneOfThose.com

The weather has improved. Time to have a BBQ !

A lot of our cottages on offer may already be equipped with a BBQ. If not, consider buying one of these stylish fold-away ones on IWantOneOfThose.com , small enough to take with you to the cottage, when visiting friends or on a trip to the waterfront.

For BBQ tips and recipes take a look at BBC lifestyle and maybe even make your own Elderflower Champagne using the instructions on Instructables.com.

Enjoy the weather and your BBQ!

Got any BBQ hints or tips? What specialities do you normally prepare when you have a BBQ? Let us know by leaving a comment…


Bakewell Agricultural & Horticultural Show – 6 Aug 2008 – 7 Aug 2008

July 28, 2008

Bakewell Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire

Features prize livestock, a specialist food hall, champion dog show, vintage vehicle displays, fly fishing, sheep shearing, show jumping, trade stands and a children’s area.

All in all, a grand day out!  Don’t forget – a cottage can provide the perfect base from which to explore Derbyshire and enjoy many events throughout the UK and Europe – search today at cottages4you.