cottages4you blog: inspiration for your cottage or villa holiday in UK, Ireland and Europe

Tourists planning Wales holidays this Easter will be able to take advantage of multi-million pound funding from the country’’s government.
 
The five-year heritage tourism project from the Welsh Assembly is to capitalise on historic and cultural sites in the country and make them more accessible visitors through subsidies of £19 million.
 
Heritage minister Alun Ffred Jones said: "With nine out of ten visitors already rating their trip as very good or excellent, we know we provide a great visitor experience."

Mr Jones added that the country already "offers a variety of destinations", such as city breaks, and "traditional" seaside holidays.  

However, he noted that the funding will only help to make a holiday experience in Wales even better, as well as making the tourism industry more sustainable and environmentally-friendly.
 
Wales provides a wide variety of activities for travellers, including abseiling, climbing, caving, diving, surfing, horse-riding and the Welsh past-time of coasteering.

Posted by Ben Webster

Outdoor activities could be on the schedule for those staying in Wales holiday cottages this year after tourism centres in Gwynedd announced they are applying for grants.

Visit Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government’’s tourism team, is set to make a decision in the few weeks and could offer Blaenau Ffestiniog, Trawsfynydd, Dolgellau and Y Bala sites money to improve their centres.

Family-friendly cycle paths in Dolgellau and a mountain biking venue in Blaenau Ffestiniog could be secured if £1.4 million and £1.3 million respective funding gets the go ahead, the BBC reports.

Ceri Cunnington from local regeneration group Antur Blaenau told the news provider: "Ultimately it would weave the amazing heritage we have here in ”Stiniog with outdoor activities. Instead of walkers just going along with their heads down, we could have them discussing the environment and the history of the town."

Cycling enthusiasts visiting Wales this summer will also be able to take part in the Gore Bike Wear TransWales 2010 competition, which will take place in Powys, in the east of the country.

Posted by Andrew Hill

A fish and chip shop in Wales has finished runner-up in the prestigious national Fish and Chip Shop of the Year award.

Finnegan’s in the seaside town of Porthcawl was one of ten establishments in the running for the gong and, according to the Times, is an ideal place to sample one of the great British dishes, serving several specials that cause punters to queue around the block.

Run by Huw Jones – who is the current holder of the Welsh title and former winner of the overall UK prize – Finnegan’s serves cod, haddock, plaice, hake and pollock, getting all ingredients from sustainable sources where possible.

If you decide to make a trip while staying in a Wales holiday cottage you my find yourself in famous company, as the eatery is popular with Ruth Jones of Gavin and Stacey and has also served actor Michael Sheen in the past.

Finnegan’’s lost out to Atlantic Fast Food in Glasgow at an award ceremony hosted by celebrity chef Aldo Zilli in London yesterday (January 21st).

Posted by Matt Smith

Those looking at Wales holiday cottages for a break this year will have the choice of four world-class restaurants to choose from, after they were awarded the prestigious Michelin Star.

The Crown at Whitebrook in Monmouth held onto its star from last year’’s honours, and has now been joined by the Walnut Tree, near Abergavenny, Ynyshir Hall in Machynlleth and Tyddyn Llan at Llandrillo, Denbighshire.

Bryan Webb, who runs Tyddyn Llan with his wife Susan, won the award for his cuisine for the first time, after having bagged the Good Food Guide’’s Welsh Restaurant of the Year prize three times.

He said: "I”m totally delighted to have won a Michelin star – it was completely unexpected after the other recent successes – you imagine you cannot have it all."

The editor of the 2010 Michelin Guide for Great Britain & Ireland, Derek Bulmer, recently told Caterersearch.com that the number of Michelin Stars awarded this year was the UK’’s biggest so far, showing that restaurants in the country are constantly improving.

Posted by David Sollberger

If you”re currently staying in a Wales holiday cottage, chances are you”ll be taking in some spectacular scenery created by the heavy snowfall seen across much of the UK over the past few days.

However, those who are planning on heading out for a hike or climb in the snow need to take care.

According to Grough.co.uk, ice climbs that were previously passable on the Nant Peris side of Y Garn are now becoming unusable as the temperature rises, making the ice unstable.

Chris Lloyd of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation urged caution, stating that Aber Falls – an area that is popular with walkers – recently saw an avalanche.

Around 500 tonnes of ice are estimated to have slid down the hill, as the thaw made the snowfall of the last week unstable.

The good news is there’’s no shortage of things to do if it is too risky to climb the peaks of Snowdonia, as Wales offers a range of windsurfing, mountain biking, horse riding and diving activities.

Posted by David Sollberger

Cycling enthusiasts staying in Wales holiday cottages could experience the thrill of the Gore Bike Wear TransWales 2010 competition, which will take place in Powys this summer.

Entries for the mountain bike stage race are now open, but only 300 lucky punters will get their hands on tickets to take part in the 550km course, which is accepting teams and solo riders.

Featuring hill climbs and descents, trail riding stages, singletrack courses and a path through Wales’’s most stunning views in Builth Wells, the ride is sure to keep the most experienced cyclists on their toes as well as catering for newcomers.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided over the week-long event to make sure that tired riders can keep up their energy throughout the day.

Entry into the bronze package is £375 per rider, while silver and gold racers pay £475 and £575 entrance fee each.

Cyclists will have to remember to bring a fully charged mobile phone with them in case of emergencies and will need the battery to last the whole week, as there are no charging facilities available.

Posted by Matt Smith

Natural England has launched a new report that aims to highlight the advantages of local produce.

Published in conjunction with celebrity chef Prue Leith, The Nature of Food offers an insight into the production of food at the number of farms located in the UK.

Natural England runs its Environmental Stewardship initiative that offers helps UK firms produce "high quality, distinctive food" and the expert noted good quality food can be accessible to all, stating: "Inexpensive, locally grown ordinary veg often has more flavour than the priciest imported stuff".

Chief executive of Natural England Dr Helen Phillips urged the public to pay more attention to where their food is sourced from, adding that this can help buyers "support high quality food production".

Those planning to stay at holiday cottages in Wales have will have the opportunity to sample foods from a wide variety of award winning producers, such as Hafod Welsh Organic Cheddar and South Caernarfon Creameries, both of which recently picked up accolades at the True Taste Food and Drink Awards 2009-10.

Posted by Ben Webster

Welsh producers of local foods have been recognised at the Wales the True Taste Food and Drink Awards 2009-10.

Held by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), the aim of the accolades is to praise the country’’s food and drink industry, which is seeing consumer demand for locally-sourced products increase.

Around 860 entries were submitted for this year’’s event and a number of companies ended up securing more than one title, including Penrhiw Farm Organic Meat, Hafod Welsh Organic Cheddar and South Caernarfon Creameries, all of which produce food that those staying in Wales holiday cottages may wish to try during their time in the country.

Elin Jones, rural affairs minister, said that the accolades "are a tremendous showcase for the Welsh food and drink industry".

He added that the WAG also has a Food Tourism Action Plan in place, which aims to improve the experience of those visiting Wales through the quality of food they eat.

Welsh produce is being exhibited at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham, which began yesterday (November 25th) and runs until the 29th.

Posted by David Sollberger

Gower in Wales fully deserves the recognition it has received as one of the UK’’s friendliest holiday destinations, a local official has suggested.

Culture, recreation and tourism cabinet member at Swansea Council Graham Thomas was quoted by News Wales as saying its inclusion in a new top ten by Virgin Money Travel Insurance reflects the hard work put into the area by regional partners and businesses.

"This is a fitting accolade for what I think is one of the finest holiday destinations in Wales," he remarked, adding that he can see why Gower ranked so highly.

The peninsula was the only Welsh location to make it on to the list, which was determined on various criteria, including restaurants, attractions, hotel prices and the weather.

As visitors to Welsh holiday cottages may be aware, Gower is known especially for its beaches, such as Rhossili Bay and Tor Bay, which have won a wide array of awards and are considered to be among the finest in the country.

Written by Andrew Hill

The heritage of Wales makes it popular with tourists looking for experiences they cannot get in their own countries, it has been suggested.

Writing for WalesOnline, director of tourism and marketing for VisitWales Jonathan Jones explained that it has a "rich and diverse" range of offerings for visitors.

He noted that the country’’s heritage is one of its "distinctive strengths" and remarked that people are booking holidays in Wales as they are "moving away from the ”fly and flop” holiday" and opting to experience what an area has to offer.

The country provides experiences ranging from sporting events to "mythical castles", Mr Jones told the news source, adding that these can be enjoyed "in the cold and the wet", as well as during the summer months.

Holidays in England are also increasing, it was revealed earlier this month, with data from VisitEngland showing the number of people from the UK opting to take a break in the country rose by 14 per cent during the first half of the year.

Written by Toby Lawrence