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. 

Explore exquisite Exmoor…

Valley of the Rocks. Image credit: Mr D. Healy

Exmoor, the exquisite National Park beside the sea: wooded river valleys, dramatic cliffs, hidden coves, heather hills and sandy beaches; sheep, red deer, ponies and wheeling buzzards; rose-covered cottages, pretty villages and good food pubs. There’s so much to explore. Here are some of our favourite attractions…

The Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway, which connects Lynton to neighbouring Lynmouth, offers a unique perspective (you may have seen this photo posted on our Facebook page). Opened on Easter Monday in 1890, the railway has been in continuous use ever since with spectacular views of Exmoor and the north Devon coastline as you glide up and down the 862 foot length of track. Railway fans can also visit the nearby Lynton & Barnstaple Railway or West Somerset Railway. Alight at F57.

For more breathtaking views, don’t miss a walk or drive through the Valley of the Rocks on Lynton’s edge or a climb up to Dunkery Beacon (Exmoor’s highest hill) overlooking stunning Porlock Vale. In early spring, a stroll through Snowdrop Valley near Wheddon Cross is lovely. Put your feet up at F101.

Dunster Castle (Image from http://bit.ly/PgJmov)

Not many villages can lay claim to an imposing castle. Dating back to the 11th century (Norman times), Dunster Castle boasts sub-tropical gardens and superb views toward the Bristol channel, the Quantock hills and up to the moors. The agricultural show on the castle lawns and ‘Dunster by Candlelight’ are both super events to catch. A warm welcome awaits at F45.

Inland, in the beautiful river Barle valley, you’ll find the tiny town of Dulverton (popular with artists) and nearby, the ancient clapper bridge at Tarr Steps. This is one of the oldest things you’ll ever lay eyes (let alone feet) on: the bridge possibly dates to around 1000BC. The stone slabs weigh up to one to two tons apiece and span 180 feet (55m) across the river. Hop over to F10.

You’ll find a number of family-friendly wildlife attractions on Exmoor too. The Exmoor Owl & Hawk Centre offers the opportunity to interact with birds of prey in a safe environment. As well as owls and hawks, the centre has eagles, kookaburra and palm nut vultures. Make your nest at F32.

Browse our holiday cottages in Exmoor to find the perfect base from which to explore.  We’ll be taking a look at the wealth of outdoor activities on offer in Exmoor in a future blog.

Let Devon’s artists show you around the county…

Get creative with your exploration of the West Country and take part in Devon Open Studios - the largest annual arts event in Devon, which runs from 8th to 23rd September. It offers visitors a unique opportunity to see the artist in their own habitat – watch them work, buy their art direct or try their medium yourself in some of the most beautiful, unexplored parts of Devon.

Helpful Holidays is sponsoring the event for another year and has again funded five places through the Emerging Artist Bursary initiative, which aims to nurture and encourage new talent to take the next steps in their career.

Adrian Innocent, our marketing manager, met the bursary winners at Lee Wood Small Holding - a centre linking people with the land through art. The winning artists’ work covers many disciplines from furniture and print making to painting, ceramics and installations.

Watch Adrian talk about our involvement with Devon Open Studios here:

Each winner has also prepared a video. Shelley Castle takes inspiration from her workspace – an extraordinary hexagonal game larder on the Flete Estate in south Devon, where she is artist in residence. Birds and feathers feature heavily in her work, as she explains.

Stephen Bennett is a writer, poet and potter. He incorporates text in his ceramics and the Devon Open Studios will showcase his expressive ceramic heads.

Fi Smart hopes to increase public awareness of printmaking when they visit her studio in west Devon. She is particularly interested in the different processes involved in producing various types of prints and the endless ways they can be combined and modified.

Peter Lanyon combines traditional fine furniture making skills with modern tools and technologies. The shape of the bench you see in his video gives an indication of the resulting style.

Hilary O'Dwyer will hold her open studio at Bicton eaRTH Centre. The wood used for her sculptures undergoes a burning process for preservation.

Take a look at our Devon holiday cottages available during the event, and then use this map and the free event guide to plan which studios you’d like to visit. 

Bookings made via the Devon holiday cottages link on this blog or via the link on the Devon Artist Network website will help fund the Open Studios event next year.

Gorgs, the Olympian!

Georgina (Gorgs) Geikie, British number one ladies pistol shooter, has fulfilled her dream of representing Team GB at the Olympics – and we, along with her vast network of supporters, are so very proud of her.

After taking part in the opening ceremony, Gorgs competed in two events: the 10m Pistol on 29th July and the 25m Sport Pistol on 1st August.

A crowd of us from Helpful Holidays went to watch Gorgs compete in her second event at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich. The atmosphere was amazing – quite emotional to see someone you know competing.

Competition was incredibly tough on the day with very little separating individual scores. Gorgs didn’t manage to qualify for the finals sadly. Her performance, by her own admission, didn’t match her ability and she found the whole spectacle of competing at the Olympics in front of a home crowd quite overwhelming.

But simply being selected to compete at the Olympics is a massive achievement in itself – Great Britain hasn’t had a pistol shooter at the Olympics in 80 years.

You can begin to appreciate the hard work and dedication required once you take on board that pistol shooters were banned from training in the UK from 1997 and Gorgs had to travel to Switzerland, up until a special Olympic dispensation two years ago when pistol shooting was allowed at a handful of UK ranges. This still meant that Gorgs had to travel from Devon to Dorset or Surrey to train. A definite disadvantage compared to her international competitors who can not only start at a younger age but also train at their local club range.

It was great to have a chance to cheer Gorgs on and speak to her after her event – she is clearly enjoying the whole Olympic experience and already has her sights set on Rio 2016!

Well done, Gorgs!

You can read personal updates from Gorgs on her blog and follow her on Twitter.

Keep up the 2012 celebrations with an August Bank Holiday getaway…

The Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games have given great cause for celebration… but what next?

That great British tradition, the Bank Holiday, is just weeks away (27th August), so plan a getaway to an idyllic West Country holiday cottage and celebrate our stunning countryside and coastline.

Head to Beaminster near Dorset’s Jurassic Coast and you’ll be perfectly located to enjoy some of the West Country’s best examples of natural history. The unspoilt beach of West Bay and the ancient historic market town of Bridport, complete with cinema and arts centre, are a short drive away and Beaminster’s own busy town centre make it a thriving holiday destination. Pretty Fiddlesticks Cottage has a 30% discount for Bank Holiday week. Sleeps 4. Pet friendly.

Combe Martin on the edge of Exmoor is home to Little Foxes – a peaceful place with terrific views. Rock pools and surfing beaches, a wildlife park and coastal walks, plus golf at nearby Saunton and a nature reserve at Braunton Burrows make this far more than a holiday on the moors. With Ilfracombe just seven miles away, trips to town and across to Lundy Island add to the possibilities. Sleeps 4. Pet friendly.

Boscastle in north Cornwall is a treat for walkers: cliff and wooded valley walks offer spectacular scenery. The low-tide sandy beach at Bossiney has a bigger sister at Trebarwith Strand, which is a good spot for surfing. Fuchsia Cottage, an 18th Century detached cottage at the top of the village, has long views out to sea from its enclosed garden. Perfect for that Bank Holiday sunshine we all have our fingers crossed for! Sleeps 4. Sorry, no pets.

Or how about postcard-pretty Hay Cottage in the South Hams, just under two miles from fashionable Salcombe? There are superb cliff walks near Hope Cove to enjoy and lots of creeks and sandy bays along the Kingsbridge estuary to explore; a tremendous variety of beautiful places and things to see and do in the area. There’s a 20% discount Bank Holiday week. Sleeps 6. Pet friendly.

For more last minute cottages with August Bank Holiday availability, click here.