Finding a little slice of West Country life to suit you…

Neatly ordered villages of higgledy-piggledy houses are part of the charm of West Country life. But how do you go about finding one for you and your loved ones to cosy up in? How do you know which ones are near a beach or a market town and where to go for a good pub meal or a day out?

We've done the leg work for you. Our Advanced Search will help you quickly generate a shortlist of suitable holiday cottages. Each of our property pages then describes the local area, the holiday cottage itself (plus lots of big photos) and the places to go and things to do within easy reach and further afield. The star rating and holidaymaker comments are also helpful guides to choosing just the right place to stay.

For some, the choice is as simple as being by the coast or in the countryside. Here’s a couple of super examples.

First is a 'neat as a pin' late Georgian terraced cottage in the pretty and peaceful village of Flushing, Cornwall. The beautifully renovated home looks out over a bustling harbour so you can watch the passing boats or get out and about, perhaps using the pedestrian ferry to nearby Falmouth. There, you can indulge sailing fanatics further with a trip to the National Maritime Museum or soak up some history at Pendennis Castle.

Second is this dear semi-detached cottage with lovely long serene views over Marldon village, on the South Hams border. Rolling, lush hills and the nearby John Musgrave Heritage Trail make this a brilliant spot for nature lovers. Situated on a narrow lane 400 yards up a steep hill from a good food pub and church, this little enclave of Devon offers a picture-perfect slice of West Country living.

To see more West Country holiday cottages, visit www.helpfulholidays.com

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Try a patriotic dish the West Country way this Great British Beef Week…

Great British Beef Week has arrived just in time for some special dishes to grace the tables of the nation's patriotic Bank Holiday parties.

The week runs from 23rd to 30th April and with the Royal Wedding and May Bank Holiday on the way, now is the time to perfect your presentation of this delicious recipe kindly shared with us by highly acclaimed West Country chef, Nick Coiley.

Nick is Head Chef at top restaurant Agaric in Ashburton on Dartmoor, one of our top ten restaurants in our 2011 ‘What Shall We Do Today?’guide.  We’ve over 80 holiday cottages on Dartmoor if you’d like to treat your tastebuds.

Established by Ladies in Beef - a new organisation of female beef farmers across the country - the week is designed to promote and drive awareness of the quality and versatility of British beef to consumers.

West Country livestock farmers are so proud of their beef, they are applying to secure new European status for it. By the time the second Great British Beef Week arrives this long process may have been successfully completed. 

In the meantime, the national movement Ladies in Beef hopes the Red Tractor will receive greater recognition. The Red Tractor is an independent mark of quality that guarantees the food we're buying comes from farms and food companies that meet high standards of food safety and hygiene, animal welfare and environmental protection.

For more recipe suggestions, visit www.ladiesinbeef.org.uk/faqs/recipes.html

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Revealing the newest additions to our holiday cottage portfolio…

We've been hunting out hidden holiday cottage gems to add to our hand picked 2011 collection across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and the New Forest. 

The result is a supplement of 23 new and returning holiday homes for you to choose from in our growing portfolio of more than 600 coastal, countryside and West Country town retreats. Sleeping two to sixteen guests, prices range from £205 to £4,200 per week and pets are welcome in many.

The tempting additions to our collection include Elmfield, a handsome detached house in Sampford Brett, Somerset, described in 1704 as ‘No.1 Gentleman’s Residence’. Calamansack, a hamlet beside the broad Helford River in Cornwall, is home to Creek Cottage, an enchanting, old cob cottage with wonderful views. 

Haye Barton Farm (pictured) is ideal for a larger gathering: the property in south Cornwall sleeps up to 14 and is a detached, completely private, south-facing farmhouse on three levels, looking out over 115 acres of farmland and bluebell woods which are all yours to roam and enjoy with care. 

Other highlights include part of the west wing of a 13th century farmhouse sleeping four in north Cornwall where scenes from ITV’s drama Doc Martin are filmed (new series starts later in 2011). Or how about this lovely spacious family house in the South Hams, Devon - a real Swallows and Amazons-type area - just a stroll from an excellent pub? 

Our Explore the Area map on each property page of our website will help you plan your stay. It's full of West Country events, pubs, restaurants and places to visit. Plus, this year's edition of our ‘What Shall We Do Today?’ booklet includes special offers for some of the most popular attractions. 

As always, we've visited each of our holiday homes in person to inspect them and give them a star rating, so we can wholeheartedly recommend them. Our telephone team (01647 433593) are all experienced property visitors and will be delighted to guide you. 

All our properties can be viewed online but if you would prefer to peruse them the traditional way (turning over the corners of the pages you want to visit most!), you can request a free copy of our brochure online or by calling us on 01647 433535. 

Happy reading!

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Planning a big event?

The Royals can't be the only ones with a big event on their hands this year but we don't all have a palace to fall back on for the venue.

If you’ve been tasked with planning a ‘do’, fear not! Helpful Holidays can come to your rescue with huge holiday homes and grand houses suitable for large gatherings, both formal and informal. True to our name, we can answer any questions you have about the suitability of our big houses to help you find the best match to your needs.

Here are two suggestions that would be perfect for a once-in-a-blue-moon get together over the summer or Christmas holidays or for a special celebration or small conference at any time of year.

Outstanding Brimpts Barn is right in the heart of Dartmoor National Park, where the East and West Dart Rivers meet in a beautiful wooded valley. It sleeps 32 people if you are prepared to bunk up, otherwise 20 very comfortably in ten double or twin bedrooms, all en-suite.

Spectacularly positioned amid trees looking across the deep valley to open moorland and tors, it is one of five ancient tenements of the moor and has been farmed by the same Dartmoor family for more than 30 years. The owners have received a wildlife habitat award from Prince Charles, as well as farm diversification and food producer awards. Cream teas have been available in the farmhouse since 1914 and as the Visitors’ Book of 1933-1947 catalogues, even during the war people found holiday refuge at Brimpts.

Part of the joy of staying here is the range of both energetic and gentle activities available. Most popular are the farm tours by Landrover, but there is also climbing and abseiling instruction on the 30’ high climbing tower, mountain biking tours, orienteering, pony riding – or simply enjoy a scenic walk or a soak in the hot tub.  

Stunning Rashleighayes Farm, sleeping 16 and set on a working farm with its own outdoor pool, is the ultimate fusion of work and play. Just 1½ miles from Bickleigh Bridge and 3 miles south of Tiverton, this is a house of tremendous charm, a special place of ‘treasured isolation’ in its own deep, hidden, beautiful and unspoilt valley.

The original 17th century house has been sympathetically extended. Its south-facing patio and enclosed lawn garden complete with barbecue are great for lazy summer days. The owner is a farmer and environmentalist who will be delighted to show you round the 150 acre working farm, winner of a Devon Wildlife Trust Silver Award and Highly Commended in the 2008 'Britain's Most Beautiful Farm' awards.

The big comfortable living room and enormous kitchen/dining room are ideal for relaxing and socialising and there’s plenty to keep you entertained in the games room with 10’ home-cinema/TV screen, baby grand piano and half-sized snooker table.

We’ve hand-picked around 600 of the finest self-catering holiday cottages in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. Take a look at the rest of our Big Houses to find a special place for your event.

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Closing out our wine week

We've been running a wine-themed week on Facebook, showcasing the West Country's best wines and vineyards and asking for your comments on what wines you like and why.

We especially enjoyed the following comments:

Ruth Thomas: I love a red wine, a nice Shiraz will do. No need to chill just open and enjoy preferably with some good company. Of course to celebrate the start of a lovely holiday you can't beat a sparkling rose, everyone can enjoy that :-)

Brett Jones: Without a shred of sycophancy one of my favourite wines is Camel Valley Sparkling. England is now producing some great wines especially sparkling.

Janette Gaunt: I like a nice Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. However, dreaming of summer holidays and imagining sitting on the patio on a warm evening with a glass of chilled white (or pink!) fizz...perfect!

From the response, it's clear that wine has a strong association with relaxation and holidays, so we hope that you will appreciate our interactive guide to some of the best vineyards in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. A visit to a local winery can be a memorable and enjoyable experience, and we listed some wineries in our blog post earlier this week.

We also ran a poll inviting you to tell us whether you preferred red, white, rose or Champagne - over 40 voted, with red coming out the overall winner. We were really pleased to see so many people interacting on our page this week! Thanks so much for joining in.
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Spoil yourself in the South Hams…

Southernmost Devon, between the River Dart and River Tamar and south of Dartmoor, is an area of lush farmland, wooded river valleys and a beautifully preserved coast that ticks so many of the 'how to unwind' boxes we all have when going away. We’ve scoured the South Hams and hand picked an exceptional range of coast and country holiday cottages. Here are a couple of suggestions to whet your appetite, both with an added bonus: leisure activities on tap.

Fixit and Break House, only a mile from the centre of Kingsbridge and its waterfront, were converted from huge barns by an enterprising farmer and his artist wife. The shared indoor pool and ‘The Hen House’ - a fitness, health and beauty centre with a team of professional massage and beauty therapists - add another dimension to a stay here. Holidaymakers are also welcome to fish (at half price) in the three coarse fishing lakes well stocked with tench, bream, roach and carp - 25lbs is the catch to beat! And when it's time to venture out for a pub lunch, how about visiting the Millbrook Inn which recently won Pub Chef of the Year 2011 at The Great British Pub Food Awards?

Estuary life and beautiful beaches are all within easy reach of The Stables, a sheltered hilltop retreat amidst rolling farmland, a mile from Ermington. With tremendous uninterrupted views to Dartmoor and lovely sunsets, this private cottage beside the owners' manor house is set in eight acres of gardens and paddocks; a great place to relax. Or you can burn off some energy with a game of tennis or a refreshing swim (hard tennis court and indoor pool are shared with the owners). Pets are welcome at The Stables and don’t forget, dogs stay free in 2011 for all bookings made between 2nd April and 2nd May 2011 (National Pet Month).

There are many places to visit and things to do in the South Hams, whatever the weather. For a blast of entertainment, head to the colourful Salcombe Festival from 10th to 12th June. Both of these holiday cottages are also near Sharpham Vineyard, featured on our new vineyard trails.

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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