Great Days Out – Bodmin steam railway
North Cornwall is famed for its fabulous surfing beaches and renowned restaurants but there are plenty of other activities to tempt you all year round.
Enjoy a steam train ride in Cornwall
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway starts services in February just in time for half term, with trains running to Bodmin Parkway and Boscarne Junction on the popular Camel Trail.
Most trains are operated by steam locomotives, and you can discover the nostalgia of steam travel on a leisurely 13 mile round trip through beautiful countryside, taking in the sights, sound and smells of a bygone age.
For romantics, there’s a Valentine’s dining train and other special events throughout the year include an Easter Egg-travaganza, Real Ale gala and even Murder Mystery evenings.
Most visitors to our holiday cottages in Padstow will pass Bodmin General station on their journey. Just follow the brown tourist steam train signs or why not cycle along the Camel Trail from Padstow and travel to Bodmin from Boscarne Junction?
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February 7, 2012 at 12:18 pm | No comment
Olympic torch relay kicks off in Cornwall
The eyes of the world will be on Cornwall when it welcomes the arrival of the Olympic flame to the UK ahead of the nationwide torch relay to herald in the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Olympic torch has 8,000 small circles, representing the torch bearers
The flame will be lit in Greece using the sun’s rays on 10 May in a traditional ceremony among the historic ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia.
Following an eight-day relay around Greece and handover ceremony in Athens, it will travel on board a special gold-liveried aircraft – flight BA2012 - to the UK on 18 May.
That evening, it will arrive at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, near Helston in Cornwall. The venue has been chosen to acknowledge the vital contribution that maritime and coastal search and rescue services undertake for our island nation.
The relay itself begins the following day at Lands End, when the torch will set off on its 8,000 mile journey across the UK – carried by 8,000 ‘inspirational people’ and travelling to within 10 miles of 95% of the population.
Sadly, Padstow itself is not on the route, but visitors to our self-catering holiday cottages don’t have far to go to see the relay as it passes by Indian Queens and Bodmin on its epic journey.
February 4, 2012 at 2:43 pm | No comment
Padstow to Rock swim
Swimmers making their way across the Camel Estuary
The 2012 Padstow to Rock swim has just been launched in aid of a great charity, Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Cornwall Nursing Appeal.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to take part in an open water swim, here’s your chance, as the event is open to everyone. It takes place on Sunday 1 July and registration is now open.
A regular event since the 1970s, the swim is now highly-organised, very popular and attracts elite swimmers as well as people from all walks of life.
The swimmers leave from the Sailing Club at the start of the Camel Trail and swim to the RNLI slipway on Rock beach. There’s a bar and BBQ at the other side and each swimmer gets a certificate and T-shirt, as well as a ferry ticket back to Padstow.
Wetsuits are mandatory and swimmers are accompanied by safety boats, canoeists and boarders to provide assistance if required. And if you don’t fancy the swim, it’s also great fun to watch or help out on the day. You never know, it could be the English Channel next…
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January 31, 2012 at 3:14 pm | No comment
Four-legged surf star Mango
Surfing is almost compulsory for visitors to North Cornwall but mastering the waves takes a combination of dedication and fearlessness.
Enter Mango, a two-year-old Labrador belonging to Matt Slater, curator of Newquay’s Blue Reef Aquarium. Mango honed her surf skills on a boogie board in a rockpool before heading out into the sea off Crantock beach, where she catches the waves alongside her owner.
The pooch is now a YouTube sensation – with almost 15,000 views - and she has been featured on Newsround.
If you want to pick up some expert tips for your next holiday in Cornwall, check out the video here:
News and FAQ, People and places
January 24, 2012 at 2:52 pm | No comment
Save money by self-catering in Cornwall in 2012
According to The Times travel pages, self-catering UK breaks will be all the rage this year as families economise in tough times. Also, a survey by TravelSupermarket suggests that a third of all holidays this year will be in self-catering properties.
Having a holiday to look forward to is just as important as ever in this challenging economic climate, but it doesn’t have to be an expensive trip to the Caribbean to refresh and revitalise you. Cornwall offers some of the most breathtaking scenery, stunning beaches and top food – and it’s only a car journey away.
To do our bit and as a thank you to all our loyal guests, we’re keeping our prices for 2012 the same as last year, despite an increase in running costs due to cleaning and utility bills etc.
Poppies and Sorrel Cottage are among the best value in our local area for families, while West Creek Cottage offers couples on their own or with one child a cosy base for touring the area at a very affordable price. With rates starting at under £300 per week, that works out at less than £20 per person per night – including linen, towels and parking.
Please visit the other pages on our website to find out more about our cottages in Padstow. We hope to welcome you soon.
News and FAQ, Our Cottages, Poppies, Padstow, Sorrel Cottage, Padstow, Special Offers and Competitions, West Creek Cottage, Little Petherick
January 20, 2012 at 6:17 pm | No comment
Daphne du Maurier’s Cornwall
ITV have announced that a classic novel by Cornish author Daphne du Maurier is to be turned into a new drama.
The Scapegoat is to be made by a production company run by Dominic Minghella, who created Doc Martin – itself set in Cornwall fishing village Port Isaac.
The adaptation is set to renew attention on Daphne du Maurier, who spent much of her life in Cornwall. The county and the area around Fowey in particular was the setting for some of her most famous books including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn and Frenchman’s Creek. Visitors flock to Cornwall each May for the annual festival celebrating the author’s life and work.
The Scapegoat is to be adapted by ITV1
The Scapegoat, originally adapted for cinema starring Alec Guinness, is a thriller telling the story of two men with identical appearances. They meet by chance and swap lives after a boozy night, with dark consequences. The new version will star Eileen Atkins (currently appearing in Doc Martin) and Matthew Rhys.
Fans of du Maurier may also be interested in visiting the real Jamaica Inn coaching house, which has stood high on Bodmin Moor for four centuries. It’s worth a stop on your way to our self-catering holiday cottages in Padstow, for lunch or a trip around the museum which houses a collection of smuggling artefacts. You may even see a ghost or two!
Celebrity Cornwall, News and FAQ, Our Cottages, People and places
October 27, 2011 at 10:43 am | No comment
West Creek – the movie
Take a minute to go on a virtual tour of West Creek Cottage, our cosy holiday cottage near Padstow. Look out for more videos coming soon on our YouTube channel.
News and FAQ, Other, Our Cottages, West Creek Cottage, Little Petherick
October 21, 2011 at 9:50 am | No comment
Christmas comes early
Visitors to Padstow in early December might be surprised to find the town overrun (literally) with Santas.
The Padstow Fun Run on Saturday 3 December will see runners of all ages and levels of fitness putting on their santa suits and taking part in a one or two mile dash to raise money for Cornwall Hospice Care.
The run starts from the bandstand at 1pm and is open to men, women, boys and girls. There will be festive music at the start, and mince pies and a warm drink to greet runners when they finish. Organisers are hoping to attract 1000 ‘Santas’ at their three locations across the county.
Even if you don’t want to run, this weekend is a great time to visit Padstow because it’s also the 4th Christmas Festival when the harbour town comes alive with celebrity chefs, traditional markets and festive fun. More details to follow soon on the blog.
There’s still availability at our holiday cottages to enjoy this pre-Christmas celebration and see the harbour town full of festive cheer. For great accommodation in Padstow contact us now. You’d be mad to miss it.
Food and Drink, News and FAQ, Our Cottages
October 19, 2011 at 12:45 pm | No comment
Coast path gets an App
Cornwall walks into the 21st century as maps and guides of the county’s beautiful coastal path are being made available for download on mobile phones.
A £2 million campaign has been launched to offer walkers the opportunity to obtain detailed route information by scanning a QR barcode from a coast path map board.
Praa Sands near Penzance is the first area to benefit from the new app
The new technology is said to be totally mobile phone friendly – the app will know where you are when you log on and will be able to bring up information on walks close to you.
In total, the south west coast path stretches 630 miles and includes a National Park and five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – including Little Petherick where our self-catering holiday home West Creek Cottage is located.
It’s another great way of telling visitors about our beautiful Cornish countryside and encourage them them to get out and enjoy our fantastic coastline.
News and FAQ, Our Cottages, West Creek Cottage, Little Petherick
October 16, 2011 at 11:33 am | No comment
Eden does Halloweden
Why not celebrate Halloween in Padstow this October half-term with a visit to the Eden Project? There are some great spooky activities and even a wintry ice rink to add to the fun.
Enjoy a day trip to Eden during Halloween
From 22-30 October, you can explore the wishcraft tent where you’ll find lots of magical things to make and do, including pumpkin carving demonstrations, wand making and potion mixing.
I can recommend the ice rink, which has a new design for 2011, as a high spot in the day, and then you can warm up afterwards by a visit to the rainforest biome!
And if you fancy Eden after dark, put on your scary costumes for the Little Monsters’ Ball Halloween Disco on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 October. Organisers promise an evening of fang-tastic fun…
Tickets can be purchased online and via Eden’s box office and some activities are included in the general admission price.
Our cottages are just 20 minutes from Eden – get in touch if you fancy spending half term in Padstow!
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October 13, 2011 at 10:30 am | No comment