See the West Country in Glorious Sunshine

Yes, Summer really is here and the good weather looks set to continue.

If you were in the West Country now, how would you be lapping up the good weather, cooling down and seeing the sights? We’ve a few suggestions.

Water sports are big in the South West and when the sun is shining, they’re even more popular than usual. Cooling down can be twinned with fun and learning a new skill, with surfing lessons at any number of popular beaches including Fistral in Newquay.

Paddle boarding is a more leisurely sport. It can be enjoyed on the sea or waterways across the region but if it’s your first go, a good place to start is with Venus Riders at Blackpool Sands in South Devon.

Any section of the South West Coast Path can be enjoyed at your own pace but an evening stroll shows it in a different light, with beautiful sunsets, seascapes and the calming down of nature all around you. See the Summer Strolls section of the South West Coast Path website for inspiration and don’t forget to take a bottle of water per person, a sun hat and sun screen, even towards the end of the day.

This is the first long heatwave since 2006 and new record temperatures are being set but forecasters have said it could continue for quite some time. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and follow guidance for keeping cool to be sure you can make the most of the good weather and see the West Country at its best.

For special offers on holiday cottage availability in the West Country for July and August, click here.

For Information call Helpful Holidays on 01647 433593. To plan your next visit to the West Country and to find a holiday home, go to http://www.helpfulholidays.com.

Photo courtesy FuturePresent.

Venus Riders SUP Voucher Winner: Connor Cranfield

We wrote in a previous post about our sponsorship of the second annual Venus Riders Family SUP Championship in south Devon at the end of May.

Over 60 competitors took to the sea to compete for the chance to be crowned the Venus Riders Family SUP Champions of 2011. The event, which was launched in 2010, aimed to introduce locals and holidaymakers to the thrills of stand up paddleboarding, a sport very much suited to the coast and estuaries of south Devon.

It’s a watersport that can be enjoyed by all ages and picked up easily with little practice. In fact, many competitors simply stepped into their wetsuit and had their first try of SUP during the Championship.

We donated a £500 Helpful Holidays voucher in the free prize draw, and our Marketing Manager Adrian Innocent was at the finals to present the voucher to lucky winner Connor Cranfield, pictured.

Have you tried SUP? Does it look like the sort of activity you would enjoy?

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Venus SUP Championship proudly sponsored by Helpful Holidays…

Stand up paddle boarding (or SUP for short) seems to be taking the West Country by storm, so we’re delighted to announce our sponsorship of the second annual Venus Riders Family SUP Championship in south Devon at the end of May. 

Stand up paddle boarding is one of the best sports for the whole family to enjoy. Standing on top of a long board, you glide along the surface of the water using a long paddle, a little bit like a gondolier! It's a perfect way to see the West Country coastline and great exercise too.

It sounds idyllic, doesn't it? But there is a competitive side too, as the event at Blackpool Sands proves. The Championship will attract experienced and beginner SUP boarders of all ages between Tuesday 31st May and Friday 3rd June 2011. Contestants aged 8 and above can take part in qualifying heats with the aim of making it through to the grand final on Friday, where three eventual winners will be crowned. Registration for the heats is at 9:30am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for all wannabe SUP champs and it’s free to take part.

Hosted by the Venus Company, the event aims to put the South Hams firmly on the map as THE place for SUP in the UK. Building on the runaway - or paddleaway - success of the 2010 four-day competition, it is hoped hundreds will come along to participate again this year. It makes a great spectator sport too, for those who want to stay firmly on dry land.

The Venus Company has six environmentally friendly and socially responsible cafés, five in stunning beachside locations in south Devon and north Cornwall - Blackpool Sands, East Portlemouth, Bigbury-on-Sea, Tolcarne and Watergate Bay – and their most recent enterprise at the shops at Dartington centre near Totnes. Venus also has a watersports arm to the business based at Bigbury-on-Sea and Blackpool Sands and demand for SUP tuition has never been higher.

If you fancy yourself as the next Venus Riders SUP Champion, make sure you take part in this year’s event. Go to the Venus Company website - www.lovingthebeach.co.uk - to sign up for the 'Friends of Venus' newsletter to ensure you are kept up-to-date with event details.

New to SUP? Why not book some SUP lessons with Venus Riders to get in some practice before next year’s competition? Visit the SUP page for more information.

For an added incentive to get down to the Championship at Blackpool Sands and try SUP or watch the entrants, there’s a chance to win a £500 Helpful Holidays voucher in the free prize draw. So, see you there!

View a list of our holiday cottages in the South Hams to find just the right place for a happy holiday at great value.

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