Around the end of April. Loads of em!!

You don’t always need to go on a long holiday to recharge your batteries, and you don’t need to go abroad either. Just imagine booking a short trip somewhere in the UK and getting away from it all for a few days – you’ll be able to relax and take in the sights just as you would if you went abroad.

Take the Cotswolds, for example. This delightful part of the country is very close to Wales, and it benefits from rolling countryside and breathtaking views that no one could find to be dull. The Cotswolds are dotted with pretty villages and quiet, laid back locations that are ideal for visiting if you want some peace and quiet. Bourton on the Water and Stow on the Wold are just two of the villages that await you.

If you’d prefer a slightly busier break away from home, it’s not far to get to Bath from the Cotswolds. You could visit both in the same trip if you planned it just right. One of the best things about this city is that it is very compact, which makes it a pleasure to explore on foot, as nothing is too far for you to reach.

Of course, the main attraction here is the Roman Baths – these take you back in time and you can sit by the same baths that the Romans used to use. Make sure you don’t miss out on seeing Bath from the river though. You can choose anything from a proper boat trip along the river, to hiring a rowing boat – if you have the strength for it!

Lazing around on a river in the centre of Bath might be your perfect idea of a break away, but for some people nothing less than a bustling, vibrant city will do. If this is the case then you would do well to choose Glasgow as your destination.

This is the biggest Scottish city of all, so you know there will be plenty to see and do during your stay. There are some must see sights though, such as the Glasgow Necropolis, for example. Far from being eerie, this cemetery draws many visitors each day, who soak up the quiet atmosphere in the location where thousands of souls are buried. The People’s Palace is also well worth a visit as it tells you much more about the history of the city.

Short breaks are a great way to get some time away and explore somewhere new. No matter what your interests are or what you enjoy doing, a short break away to such locations mentioned above are sure to surprise and delight you.

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No matter where you live in the United Kingdom, from the southeast of England to the north of Scotland and everywhere in between, there are thousands of caravan resorts where you can enjoy a well deserved break.

On the south coast of England there are several top spots to choose from. Devon and Cornwall are firm favourites and with more than 350 kilometres of coastline there are plenty of activities to keep those of all ages amused. With more than 400 beaches you can indulge your aquatic side, from wind surfing to swimming, and you can try your hand at whatever you wish.

One of the best ways to enjoy the Cornwall and Devon area is by walking the South West Coast Path, Britain’s longest National Trail. You will pass through historic fishing villages as well as sophisticated resort towns and can sample local delights such as Cornish ice cream and the well loved Devon cream tea.

Further north, the Cotswolds is another popular holiday destination for caravanners and campers alike. A quintessentially English destination, the Cotswolds are best known for their gentle rolling hills and sleepy villages. The Cotswolds are home to cities such as Bath as well as picturesque towns like Cheltenham, and hundreds of delightful villages such as Burford and Castle Combe.

In the north of England, Cumbria is home to the Lake District and is one of the best known areas for all types of holiday makers. There’s plenty to do for all the family with events, attractions and outdoor activities all set against a magnificent backdrop.

In Scotland the southeast coast is made for outdoor holidays. Popular spots like Pease Bay and Gullen attract surfers, especially during sunnier weather, and there is plenty to do asides from take to the sea.

The surrounding countryside makes for interesting walks and people of all ages come here to wile away summer weekends.

Across the water in Ireland, the northeast coast has its fair share of caravanning spots too. Portrush is an ever popular location and it’s easy to see why; a world renowned golf course, attractions like the Giants Causeway and quaint seaside villages make this a destination not to be forgotten.

Wales also has an amazing variety of scenic caravan and camping sites. Take your pick between cliff top sites or beachside resorts. North Wales has an accolade of family attractions; zoos and farm parks, steam trains and leisure centres and fun family days out make this a popular place to come for holidays.

When you are organising your caravan holiday make sure you find parks that have connections to water, drainage and electricity. Some even provide TV aerial connections so you can catch up with the news whilst away from home.

Caravan insurance is another important consideration as motor homes and caravans are not always covered by standard home or car insurance policies.

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We will be staying in the Cotswolds for a week or so in September. I have several tourist brochures and it is looking like everytime we do something it is going to cost us heaps. We will have a car and I am wondering if anyone can recommend any things to do that are free (or pretty close to it!). Are there any castles that have free entry? We are interested in doing walks and checking out the small villages (are any museums free entry) and their parks, etc. Please help.

Go to Bourton on the water, upper and lower Slaughter, Bibury and Burford.

They are very typical and beautiful Cotswold villages, you could try Stow on the Wold, there is a horse fair every year not sure of the date. Prinknash abbey free to look around, also Painswick pretty little village. Cheese rolling at Coopers Hill again not sure of the date.

Good luck.

http://www.woodlands-guest-house.co.uk/ Cotswolds Bed and Breakfast Guest House. Great accommodation awaits you in the Cotswolds bed and breakfast guest house. Feel luxury and pampering in your holiday.

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Bourton on the Water & the Cotswolds

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No we’re not talking about Broadway as in New York and top theatre shows – we’re talking about a very different Broadway indeed!

This particular Broadway is very sleepy and relaxed in comparison to the New York version. And it provides just the setting for a quiet peaceful Cotswolds holiday too. We have a stunning and very popular cottage in the village – called simply One, The Green – and it is always in demand. Could it be the setting for your next Short Breaks in the Cotswolds?

Regardless of where you decide to stay for your holiday in the Cotswolds, you should make a point of visiting this wonderful village. But why is it so wonderful? What makes it a place to be close to during your stay?

Well firstly it is one of the most attractive villages in the area. The main street of the village is how it came to be name Broadway in the first place – it literally means ‘broad way’, as the road is wide and was originally used for stagecoaches many centuries ago. It is this obvious connection with the past that makes this village so appealing. You can imagine how things may have looked all those years ago, while still appreciating how things are today.

Another good reason for staying near here is the fact that there are some lovely pubs and tea rooms to try out while you are there! Some people come and stay in weekend hotels too, as Broadway is a lovely venue for a couple of days of rest and recuperation from your busy work week.

You should also venture just outside the town to walk up to the Broadway Tower. This is a fine vantage point and given good weather you would be amazed at how many counties – yes we did say counties – you can see. It only costs a few pounds to go inside the tower and there is just as much to appreciate on the inside as there is on the outside.

Broadway is also a stunning example of how beautiful traditional Cotswold stone houses can be. Many of them have changed very little over the years, and it is this appealing nature of the cottages and buildings that makes Broadway very different from many modern towns. Once you have paid that first visit, you will certainly want to come back here time and time again.

You should take time as well to browse around the many galleries and antique shops in the village. If you are looking for a unique memento of your holiday in the Cotswolds, a painting of the area would be a wonderful option. You might have trouble choosing from the many that are usually on display however!

As you can see, Broadway has plenty to offer to the tourist, no matter whether you are staying for a weekend or a longer period of time. And each season offers a new view of this pretty village – giving you the perfect reason to come back again and again.

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If you’ve never heard of Birdland, the chances are you have never visited the Cotswolds before.

It is situated in the pretty village of Bourton on the Water, an ever popular place to stay for those spending a weekend break in the Cotswolds, or perhaps a longer UK holiday too. We have some stunning English country cottages you can stay in when you visit, including the wonderfully named Bobble Cottage! Or perhaps you like the sound of Chilli Cottage even more?

Wherever and whenever you decide to stay in the Cotswolds, Birdland is a joy to visit. Everyone loves the venue, but it is especially good fun for kids. Here is why you can expect to tire them out when the whole family pays a visit.

1. There are plenty of penguins to keep an eye on. And since this is the only place in the whole of England that has King Penguins, there is even more for them to enjoy. We’re not sure why kids find penguins so fascinating, but it’s good to see!

2. They’ll have the chance to see some of the more popular species of bird during their visit. Alongside pelicans and owls there are parrots and storks as well. And being able to see them all on a Cotswolds holiday is quite an experience.

3. There is plenty of space and fresh air to enjoy. Of course this comes free with all holidays in the Cotswolds, but at Birdland you have the added bonus of lots of unusual birds to watch as well! If the kids aren’t tired out by the end of a day of running around finding all there is to see here, we’d be very surprised.

4. You can teach them to watch and wait to get some better rewards. Because some of the birds in the enclosed houses are small, it’s difficult to see them if you don’t spend some time there. Patience will bring its rewards though, enabling them to see and hear everything there is to appreciate about a very different environment.

5. They can explore the gift shop! This might prove expensive for you, but there are some fine things worth buying here. And if you buy a paint your own penguin set, you’ll have something that’s guaranteed to keep them quiet in the evenings as well!

There are other added bonuses to making sure Birdland is included in your Cotswolds holiday plans. For starters the River Windrush flows through the park itself, and you will cross it from time to time as you explore the different exhibits.

And there are plenty of locations to accommodate a nice family picnic, which certainly beats any other form of lunch in our opinion. It’s cheaper too, and you don’t have to worry about queuing – unless it’s for the obligatory ice cream of course!

So there you have it – some great reasons why kids of all ages will love Birdland. It’s an educational trip that always proves to be good fun as well.

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We are planning a trip to the Cotswolds to stay about 2 nights. We want to know the best place to stay in order to get a real feel for the areas beauty as well as things to do. We will be travelling south from Chester (M5)

Hi there. Try looking at Enjoy England website. There is loads of information on the attractions in the Cotswolds and the best places to stay.

Prices for accommodation start from as little as £18 night and are all quality assessed by Enjoy England.

Try these links:

http://www.ntopsearch.com/VisitEngland/en-GB/SearchResults/Default.aspx?contentID&IndustryType=1&Location=The+Cotswolds%2c+England&Radius=5&Adults=2&IndustrySubType=Hotels&IsSearchFormAccommodation=True

http://www.ntopsearch.com/VisitEngland/en-GB/SearchResults/Default.aspx?contentID&IndustryType=13&Location=The+Cotswolds%2c+England&Radius=1&IsSearchFormAccommodation=False

Enjoy your trip.

If you are a sun, sea and sand sort of person, then you probably won’t even think about taking UK holidays. But it’s amazing how many people don’t even consider taking a break in this country even if they were staying in one of the finest countryside cottages.

That’s a shame, because there is so much on offer here to tempt people into staying. The Cotswolds alone are filled with pretty villages, amazing history and so much to see and do that you’d need weeks on end to do it all. UK holidays are sometimes rather overlooked by people who are constantly going abroad. If you are one of them, perhaps it’s time you reconsidered your own country? Here are some convincing reasons for staying in the UK and heading to the Cotswolds.

1. Let’s think about the weather first of all. We may not get the kind of weather that other countries get, but 2009 has given us some reasonably good weeks so far. And there is usually plenty to do even when the weather isn’t on our side. Here in the Cotswolds we can give you some great UK holidays that include browsing round villages, stepping inside stately homes, and much more besides. There is a lot to see and do every single day of the year.

2. You don’t have to be near the sea to have a wonderful break either. Let’s face it, the Cotswolds aren’t located near the sea, but if you want to get a taste of the water you still have places like the Cotswolds Water Park to enjoy while you are here.

3. There is no doubt that cheap UK holidays are very tempting, especially when you have delights such as the Cotswolds available in your own country. Booking up a cottage for the week – or even for just a long weekend – can be surprisingly cheap especially when you consider that it is self catering. Perhaps this is why cheap UK holidays are more popular than ever this year, as the recession limits our choices of where to go for a break from reality.

There used to be a time when the great British holiday was something to really look forward to. It was only when package holidays abroad became more readily available that things changed. Perhaps it will take a recession to swing things back in our favour again?

After all, nothing much has changed in this country when it comes to finding fantastic destinations like the Cotswolds to go to. Stunning villages like Bourton on the Water and Banbury are still there and still drawing in the visitors, as are many other places offering a taste of history and comfort.

A lot of people go to the same foreign country and destination for years on end before deciding to change things a bit. And this year it would seem as if more people than usual are deciding to stay at home. This is largely because of the recession, which has made taking a holiday more of a luxury than a necessity for many people.

So why not stay here this year and visit us here in the Cotswolds instead of heading abroad to the beaches? You might just start a new trend…

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