Happy holidays, come rain or shine...

All-weather attractions are great to have on your holiday itinerary. Add these to your to-do list and be ready for rain or shine this summer.

EWEtopia

The Big Sheep in Bideford has one of the best indoor play centres you will find. EWEtopia is even suitable for any age, so mums, dads and grandparents can indulge their childish side too. Plenty of fun outdoors too, including quirky events like duck trials and sheep racing. Stonehaven Cottage at Horwood, north Devon, is the wing of a handsome detached house converted from 16th century barns: a fitting place to rest your head after exhausting the family in the play barn.

Lanhydrock House

Lanhydrock House and Pencarrow House and Gardens make two fantastic day trips just a short drive from stylishly renovated, ancient Dunn Cottage in Boscastle. Lanhydrock’s servants quarters and luxurious family areas give the Victorian house a sense of social history while largely Georgian mansion Pencarrow is still owned and occupied by descendants of the family who settled there in the 1500s. After touring these intriguing houses, enjoy the fresh air and panoramic vistas while exploring their extensive grounds and woodland walks.

Carnglaze Caverns

An underground tour of Carnglaze Caverns, St Neot, can’t be ruined by the weather. The three caverns and subterranean lake make a unique concert venue and self-guided tours are a daily event. Retreat to contemporary Christmas Cottage, set in 24 acres of private woods and paddocks – a haven for nature lovers and perfect base for walking and pony trekking.

The shared indoor swimming pool and games room add an entertaining dimension to a stay in one of four attractive cottages on this farm in Lustleigh, on the eastern edge of Dartmoor. While the swimming costumes are drying off, there’s more than enough to do indoors: table tennis, snooker and plenty of children’s games. On fine days, enjoy walks on the owners’ 35 acre farm or perhaps riding, fishing and golf, all nearby.

Of course, when the sun does comes out, you’re never far away from a beautiful beach in the West Country, so have your buckets and spades at the ready!

Take a look at the superb holiday cottages still available in July and August for a last minute break.

Happy holidays!

It’s all happening in Chagford!

Chagstock

The Fun Lovin’ Criminals and KT Tunstall are on their way to Devon and you can join them!

They are playing the Chagstock Festival – the ‘biggest little festival in the South West’, in aid of Devon Air Ambulance Trust and Water Aid.

The event takes place just outside the pretty Dartmoor town of Chagford – our home town – and originated as a private party for around one hundred people, back in 2003. The two-day festival takes place 20th and 21st July and there are a few tickets left if you want to head along.

Take your pick of Dartmoor cottages available the week of the festival.

Chagford Show

Devon Air Ambulance is also supported by a more traditional Chagford event: Chagford Show. Taking place on 16th August, this is an opportunity to see the area’s farming industry take centre stage. Livestock, produce and equestrian displays make for a grand day out in the Devon countryside.

Take your pick of Dartmoor cottages available the week of the show.

Holiday cottages near sandy beaches…

What do the shimmering sands of West Country beaches say to you? Sandcastling? A horse ride along the shore? Surf’s up? Whatever your reason for loving the beach, take a look at this selection of holiday cottages near sandy beaches – all with availability this July and August.

Newquay has five magnificent beaches and at least one is always sheltered. Famous for surfing, new and seasoned surfers gather here all year round, with classes and wet suits at the ready for anyone who needs them. Spindrift overlooks Whipsiderry beach, voted one of the ten finest beaches in Europe by Sunday Times Travel, and is positioned perfectly for a coastal path walk out to Porth Island.

The coastal village of Charmouth in Dorset offers dramatic Jurassic Coast views. The sandy and pebbly beach is popular with fossil hunters and is about 7 minutes' walk from the The Old Manor House, a beautifully and carefully refurbished 16th century Grade II listed building.

There’s a great sense of history down at St Mawes in Cornwall, where two beaches would have once been watched over by royalty at Henry VIII’s castle. Coppers is within easy walking distance of St Mawes beaches and village centre, with a beautiful south-westerly view over St Mawes River and Falmouth Bay. See the coastline from a different angle by catching the pedestrian ferry across to Falmouth.

Kellaton in the South Hams is ideal for those looking for a sandy stretch of beach to stroll along. The sleepy, tranquil hamlet with occasional vehicle and horse-rider passing through is a mile from the lovely, unspoilt sandy beach at Lannacombe and coast path to Start Point. Enjoy the peace and quiet at Orchard View.

For more West Country holiday cottages close to sandy beaches with availability this summer, click here.

Time for a tee break in the West Country

Pack up your clubs, tees and balls, the West Country has golf courses galore. Find a holiday cottage nearby and you’ll be ready to take your first swing straight after breakfast.

The tiny hamlet of Brightley is just 1.5miles from Okehampton and its golf club. Situated on the northern edge of Devon’s National Park, the course is sheltered by the highest tors of Dartmoor. Kick off your golfing shoes back at Priory Cottages.

Chagford is a lively, friendly town and the perfect base for the excellent course just 3 miles away at Bovey Castle.  The 18-hole championship course was designed in 1926 and has challenged thousands of golfers in its time. Make Kings Arms Cottage the base for your golf days.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed course at St Mellion Golf Club is the place to visit if you really want to test your game. There are no easy holes at St Mellion but many are memorable ones. Count your scores at R21.

Middle Gabberwell is the middle of a row of three 300-year-old cottages in a quiet lane in Kingston, and a great place to rest weary legs after an 18-hole walk. The nearest course is just four miles away at the picturesque Bigbury-on-Sea.

For a trip to a golf course with a difference, stay at Grooms Cottage, St Minver, Cornwall. A two-mile drive to Rock brings you to a foot ferry which will take you and your clubs over to the hilly terrain of St Enodoc Golf Course.

For more ideas, take a look at all of our holiday cottages with good golf nearby.

Top image: St Mellion Golf Course

Gorgs goes for Gold – just a few weeks to go!

As readers of this blog will know, Helpful Holidays sponsors Georgina (Gorgs) Geikie, British number one ladies pistol shooter. We have sponsored Gorgs for the past three years, and are continuing to help in her bid for Olympic gold – we caught up with her to hear about her final preparations…

HH: What are you doing between now and the Olympics?

GG: I’ll be heading off for two training camps, at Bisley in Surrey and Charmouth Tunnel in Dorset, where my coach and I will fine tune my mental and technical training.

HH: What sort of things will you be doing at the camps?

GG: We’ll be focusing on my awareness and visualisation, creating a flow of routine. At the elite level, shooting is 95% psychological and 5% technique, so this is really important. We had a test event at the Olympic venue in April, so I’ll know what to expect. Nobody in my event has a maximum score – if it was easy, everyone would do it. You can perform brilliantly in training but it all comes down to what you do on the big day, so my mental strength is critical.

HH: How many will be with you in the GB shooting team?

GG: There are 11 in total, shooting a mixture of rifle and shotgun. I’m the only pistol shooter – I was the only one to meet the Olympic qualifying standard.

Gorgs ran the Okehampton leg of the Torch Relay

HH: Will your friends and family be supporting you at the Olympics?

GG: Yes, as well as my coach, my parents, my boyfriend, supporters from Helpful Holidays, they’ll all be there. It will actually be the first time I’ve competed on home territory with supporters present.

HH: Is that something to consider? You can’t let them put you off?

GG: That’s right, and it’s been a big part of my visualisation and awareness training. The support has been amazing though and spurs me on. I had a card from my Uncle, which has been areal inspiration – on the front it said: “If you shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll land amongst the stars”.

HH: When should everyone tune in to cheer you on?

GG: Well, I’ll be at the opening ceremony on 27^th July, and then my first event, the 10m Pistol, is on the 29^th July. My second event, the 25m Sport Pistol, is on the 1^st August; this is my priority event, I won my quota place for this one.

HH: So how do you think you’ll do?

GG: Well, I’m aiming for Gold, but I’m keeping my feet firmly on the ground. I just want to make sure I do myself and everyone else justice. If I can achieve a personal best, that would hopefully get me amongst the medals.

HH: Finally, what message do you have for everyone cheering you on?

GG: It’s an absolute privilege to compete in front of my home nation, in front of friends and family. And the support I’ve received from Helpful Holidays is priceless – this has ensured I can train to the highest standard and give myself a real chance.

We’d all like to wish Gorgs the very best of luck. You can follow her progress on her website, on Facebook and on Twitter.

If you fancy watching Gorgs whilst relaxing on holiday, browse our Dorset and East Devon cottages with availability during the Olympics.