Large Holiday Homes for Christmas & New Year...

For those of you who can count your family members on more than two hands, we've still a few big houses available for Christmas and New Year this year - each with great features and facilities to ensure your family celebrations are remembered for many years to come.

In the stunningly beautiful, romantic area of Porlock Vale with some of the best and most varied landscape of the Exmoor National Park you'll find this magnificent house dating from the 19th century. The curving drive brings you to the heavy oak front door, behind which you'll find everything you need for a family break with a difference: a heavily beamed living room with comfy leather chairs and handsome original mantelpiece (with open fire); a dining room with big bay window and brilliant views; a large well-equipped kitchen.

Explore further and you'll find two more living rooms, one ideal for youngsters with TV/DVD, games, half-sized snooker table and subbuteo table, and the other, an elegant room with French windows to the terrace and terrific views - just right for evening drinks. Sleeps 30; pets welcome. 

In the heart of Noss Mayo, at the end of the tidal inlet opposite the Ship Inn, is this fabulous detached, riverside house. Ultra-modern and stylish, the inside is cleverly laid out with river-facing balconies for the mesmerising views. Spread over three levels are two light and spacious living/dining/kitchens with oak floors, six bathrooms and seven/eight bedrooms. 

This is an absolutely smashing property with river, boating, pubs and walks all nearby. Sleeps 15; pets welcome (in garage only).

In the pretty village of Chideock, a mile from the sea, is this large, detached, Grade II listed farmhouse. The whole family will enjoy the indoor heated swimming pool and games room (with table tennis and table football). 

The house is smart and well-renovated with characterful exposed stone and old beams and is light and surprisingly spacious. The dining room has a table seating 16 and the smart fitted kitchen has everything you need: dishwasher, microwave, gas Rangemaster with two ovens, plus another breakfast table seating 6.

Five yards from the back door is a pretty little detached converted creamery with two additional bedrooms. Sleeps 17 in total; pets welcome.

This is just a small selection so we recommend you take a look at all our big houses for Christmas 2012 and for New Year 2012.

Use our Advanced Search facility on our website for a more personalised search for a holiday home for you and yours this holiday season - and don't forget you can chat with one of our friendly telephone team (01647 433593), all visitors to our properties, if you have queries about a specific house or need help finding just the right place.

Many of our big houses get booked up around a year in advance, so it's not too early to plan ahead for Christmas and New Year 2013!

Helpful Holidays wins Silver at British Travel Awards for two consecutive years...

We've scooped second place and a Silver Award for the second year in a row against strong national competition at the British Travel Awards in the Best UK cottage/self catering booking company category.

 

The 2012 results were announced last night at a glittering ceremony at the Battersea Evolution in London where four long-serving members of our team (Rikki, Natalie, Sasha and James) collected the award.
 

The British Travel Awards are acknowledged as the most definitive and largest monitor of public opinion on the performance of travel and tourism providers. Travel companies and tourism organisations were invited to register for listing in the various categories; a shortlist was then drawn up by a panel of respected individuals from both in and outside of the travel industry, but it is the leisure holidaymakers whose votes finally determine the winners.
 

Delighted with the accolade, our General Manager, Moray Bowater, said, “We’re honoured to have won this prestigious award and immensely grateful to all those who took the trouble to vote for us. It’s a great credit to our team and our home owners, as well as a testament to the level of service and quality of properties offered by Helpful Holidays overall.

“Helpful Holidays has always stood for reliable, un-hyped and outstanding service to its customers. This award recognises that in the best possible way – via the votes of those we serve and those who know us. Ultimately, trust is the currency that really counts and we're happy that earning that of our customers through our straightforward and frank approach has been the touchstone of our business since we started over 30 years ago”, concluded Moray.

 

Our Rikki, Sasha, Natalie and James

It was also a great night for Cornwall which won Best UK Holiday County or Region and Best UK Coastal Town or Resort for St Ives, as well as awards for Eden Project, Fal River Cornwall and Minack Theatre.

The British Travel Awards' Chief Executive, Lorraine Barnes Burton, said, “It’s the largest consumer voted awards programme in the UK, designed to reward the best companies in travel. The winning accolade is the benchmark for excellence when it comes to finding out who really is the best in the business of travel for the UK consumer.”

This award follows on from our earlier success in 2012 when we came top in the Which? Travel magazine members’ survey of holiday cottage and villa booking companies, achieving a very high score of 92% and getting five out of five stars in all but one category.

Visit our website to browse our holiday cottages in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset or give our telephone team a call on 01647 433593 for some human help to find just the right place for a happy holiday in 2013.

 

Relaxing winter breaks...

Love him or hate him, Jack Frost’s arrival heralds peace and tranquillity on the moors and coastal paths of the West Country. It's the perfect time to enjoy a restful break at a cottage in the countryside or by the sea.

The temperature drops and the nights draw in, meaning a warm fireside is all the more appreciated after a wander through crisp woods or along a beach. 

Too much exertion? Spend a lazy afternoon with the papers over a pint or two of local ale at a country pub or in the comfort of your cottage. Relax and revitalize before or after the Christmas revelry.

An excellent spot for those seeking peace, nature or a romantic hideaway, The Linhay is a  secluded, detached, ‘upside down’ cottage for two, newly converted from a sturdy granite barn. A mile from Ilsington, in the tiny farming hamlet of Lounston, there is good walking from the doorstep on footpaths and quiet lanes. After a bracing walk, the Carpenter's Arms is a good spot for a pint and a bite to eat.

A delightful hideaway with exposed beams and oodles of space for two, Court Farm Cottage is a comfortable and stylish cottage in Newton Ferrers, tucked away in a pretty spot 100 yards from the local church with good food pubs nearby. A lovely area, there's plenty of excellent walking to be had beside the lake-like river Yealm estuary or at sandy Mothecombe beach.

If you can't get away for a full week, we take 2, 3 and 4 night bookings at many of our holiday homes from November through to the week before Easter. Read more about our short breaks.

Visit our website to view all our holiday homes and use the advanced search to help you find a cosy place to stay (cottages with an open fire or woodburner or cottages near a pub, perhaps), read other holidaymakers’ comments or call us on 01647 433593 for human help.

Have you seen a man on the beach?

The recent good weather has seen people flock to beaches all around the West Country, and with any luck there are a fair few beach-friendly days left in store for us in 2012.

Beaches are such an intrinsic part of a British holiday that you've probably never asked yourself the question: What does the beach mean to you?

We know a man (who remains anonymous) who asks people he meets on beaches throughout Cornwall exactly that. The simple but engaging premise has resulted in a website packed with enjoyable 60-90 second videos of people answering his question, as well as lovely films of the beach itself. 

In his own words, Man On A Beach:

"...celebrates the elemental power of the beach and its profound effect on those people who enjoy being where the air, land and sea meet. The beach means different things to different people, whether it’s enhancing creativity, decisiveness and energy, being restorative and settling, part of a routine, a reference point through generations, freedom or just fun."

Take a look at an example video below:

Man On A Beach also provides his own charming narrative in some videos, such as this one filmed at Pendower:

His website is well worth a look - find out what people have said about your favourite beach or perhaps about one you haven't been to yet.

If you love beaches anywhere near as much as the Man On A Beach, it's worth noting that the MCS Beachwatch Big Weekend, the biggest beachclean and survey event in the UK, runs from 14th to 17th September.

To get involved, take a look at this list of Beachwatch events and make a positive difference to a beach near you. 

Here's a final video of a beach clean enthusiast to inspire you!

 

 

So, what does the beach mean to you? We'd love to hear your comments.

100 miles along the Cornish coast...

We recently sponsored 14-year-old Abbie Underhill, who set herself the challenge of completing a 100 mile walk along the South West Coast Path, from St Ives to Bude.

Abbie is trying to raise £3,500 to fund an educational expedition to Thailand and Cambodia next summer with the World Challenge Organisation where she hopes to work on various community projects. She has already raised £1,100 by climbing Snowdon.

She recently returned from her walk (in high spirits!) and sent us this diary of her journey...

We left Kidderminster on Friday 3rd August and set up camp in St Agnes. Our first hike was from St Ives to Gwithian Bridge (11.5 miles). It was a lovely hot day and the path mainly took us across sand dunes before reaching cliffs which were quite hard to walk on but we were rewarded by seeing some seals swimming in a cove. After my first day, I ached!

Our second day was walking from Gwithian Bridge to Porthtowan (11.5 miles). We woke up to heavy rain so dug out the waterproofs. When we started walking, we could see the cliffs just disappeared into a cove, but as we walked closer we were greeted by about 100 steps climbing down into the cove - which meant about another 100 to climb up the other side! It was hard going and we had to stop every couple of steps to catch our breath. All of a sudden, a model jet fighter flew overhead and we noticed there was a model aircraft show up ahead, so we stopped for lunch and watched the display for free! 

A couple passed us and pointed to my Dad's t-shirt and said “Helpful Holidays, we've booked with them!”. We stopped for a chat to tell them about the walk. The rain didn’t let up all day but when we reached Porthtowen, the sun came out a little and we saw a double rainbow!

Day three, a rest day, my legs needed it! So far I had walked 23 miles.

Day four, we walked from Porthtowen to Ligger Point, just past Perranporth (10.5 miles). This was one of my favourite parts of the walk. The hill side was littered with tin mine chimneys and the hillside was scattered with rocks containing tin. I it was really interesting and you could climb up around the ruins. The sea was really rough and grey so it gave it quite an eerie atmosphere! We walked through St Agnes and could see our tent – it was hard to carry on and not just nip back, but we did and arrived at Ligger Point just before 6pm. When we got back to the tent our dog Jasper was limping and we could see his feet were sore from walking through gorse. We decided it was unfair to take him any further.

Day five, we walked from Ligger Point to Trevelgue Head (11 miles). We were back in the sand dunes again, they were never ending! But we saw two Peregrines hovering above us and lots of Shetland ponies roaming the cliff tops. The sun came out and it was very hot; the beaches were full of people but there was not a sole on the coastal paths.

Day six, we walked from Travelgue Head to Treyarnon Bay (10.5 miles). This was a hard section to walk, the weather wasn’t kind and the wind picked up. There were so many steps to climb and it seemed like we weren’t getting anywhere fast but it kept my spirits up knowing that, so far, I had walked 44 miles. Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!

Day seven and eight, rest days and we moved our tent to a campsite in Bude.

Day nine, we walked from Treyarnon Bay to Stepper Point just past Padstow (10.5 miles). This was a lovely part to walk. It was fairly flat and the scenery was amazing. We saw quite a lot of landslides and we had to make our own path through the gorse because the coast path was too close to the edge for our liking! We found lots of little coves which could only be accessed by boat and you could see where the sea had carved caves into the cliff side. I was hoping we would see more seals but the waters were quiet.

Day ten, we walked from Padstow to Port Isaac (11.5 miles). The sunshine had brought everyone out on the beaches which meant we only met a couple of people on the coast path. The heather here was an amazing colour - all different pinks and purples - but it was hard to walk through! We dropped down into Port Isaac and wandered around the little fishing harbour. I just had to have my photo taken outside Doc Martin's house from the TV series!

Day eleven, we walked from Port Isaac to Tintagel (9 miles). This was the muddiest section. It had rained heavily in the night and the paths were really steep. Our walking boots were caked in mud so you just couldn’t get a grip - me and my mum took it in turns to slip over! Luckily, we were wearing our waterproof trousers but we did look a sight. We washed ourselves down at every stream we came to, ready for the next scramble. The scenery around Tintagel was amazing. Even though we didn’t go on the island, you could still see the old ruins and it all looked pretty big. It would have been the perfect spot for King Arthur's castle!

Day twelve, rest day.

Day thirteen, we walked from Tintagel to Crackington Haven (10.5 miles). This was another of my favourite sections to walk. We saw so many ruins scattered around the cliffs and lots of hidden coves. It was very muddy again but we managed to stay upright this time! We came across waterfalls and so many different types of styles to climb across - and lots of people! Walking was quite slow because we had to stop and wait for our turn to climb the styles. Just before we reached Boscastle, everyone seemed to disappear and it was just us again and the sea! Boscastle was a lovely little harbour town and we stopped for a well-earned ice cream before carrying on to Crackington Haven.

Day fourteen, we walked from Crackington Haven to Bude (9.5 miles). LAST DAY! We woke up in the night to severe gales and my Dad had to secure the tent to the car as we thought we would lose it! The rain was heavy and not what we hoped for on our last day’s walking. We started off late that morning, hoping the wind would die down, but it didn’t. After walking about two miles, the coastal path was taking us right on the cliff edge and the winds were very strong, so we decided to find an alternative route away from the cliffs. We ended our 100 mile coastal challenge by walking back to Bude along the road, which wasn’t the plan but the winds were so strong it just wasn’t safe on the cliffs. But WE DID IT!!! Just over 100 miles walking from St Ives to Bude.

Congratulations to Abbie - what a very great effort in such a short space of time and despite some terrible weather. Well done and good luck with the expedition next year. 

 
If you'd like to explore this section of the coast path, here are our holiday cottages in north cornwall. 

New cottage near St Ives

Right down at the far end of Cornwall is St Ives. It’s a very popular and very attractive old small fishing town that’s become popular with artists. The town is nearly surrounded (it’s almost an island) by superb beaches - some great for surfing, some sheltered. It has narrow, cobbled streets, alleyways, slate-hung cottages, lots of hanging flower baskets and the splendid Tate Gallery and Barbara Hepworth’s studio (lovely garden with her sculpture). There’s a beautiful harbour and a leisure centre with an indoor pool. It’s easy to get to because it’s on the railway and there’s a stop right behind Station Beach at Carbis Bay – quite something to take the train to the beach! Further out of town there are superb cliff/headland walks west to Zennor, and far beyond. 2 miles away is an excellent golf course and Penzance from where you can get the helicopter to the Isles of Scilly is 9 miles away. Land’s End (beautiful drive, beautiful view, shame about the ‘attraction’) is about 16.
This cute little bolthole is about 2 miles out of Carbis Bay. It’s ‘deep in spring flower-filled Cornish hedgerow lanes’ – sounds lovely. Prices start at £243 for a party of 4 for a week.