Early and Late Bookings

Still one of the best ways to find cheap holidays is to search for last-minute departures, also known as late deals. Often, holidays that are due to depart within the next few weeks will be reduced in price to try and push the last few seats. This is a great time to snap up a bargain. Alternatively, look for early bird deals on next year’s holidays as this often provides great early bird offers – plus you’ll get that little bit longer to pay off the cost of your holiday.

Low Cost of Living

Unless you’re going all inclusive, it’s often worth looking for destinations that offer a relatively affordable cost of living, as this will help to keep the costs down once you’re abroad. Turkey is one such destination, and as it’s not yet in the Euro it offers a relatively low cost of living – especially if you shop in local stores or markets, or head off the beaten tourist trail every now and then. Bulgaria is another one, offering an affordable lifestyle and often, the price of standard holidays is fairly low too.

Term-Time

Most cheap holidays can be found within term time, as school holidays are commonly when prices skyrocket. Try to holiday during term time or outside of the peak holiday season whenever possible – such as in April or May, or in October (not during half term) – as this will often reduce the cost of your holiday significantly.

Search for cheap holidays through tour operators like Thomas Cook (you can visit the website here – http://www.thomascook.com/) and kick-start your low-cost getaway by searching for special offers across thousands of holidays.

I think it was something to do with his heroism as part of English folklore that I admired; defending the poor, showing up the rich, and, above all, being allowed to live in a forest.

So when my mum, in an effort to muster up a favourable family holiday destination, informed me that Little John, Robin’s best friend and comrade, was buried in Hathersage village, a place she’d also lived in once, there was no question. We were going on a road trip to the Peak District.

Sandwiches and rollercoasters on a family outing

Yes, it’s no effort to think back fondly on that Easter half term holiday, sat in the backseat of an Economy Car Hire rental in a bright red anorak with sleeves that were never quite long enough, watching my mum unpack the sandwiches from a Tupperware box. After we’d all seen Little John’s grave in Hathersage, we cemented the family holiday sentiment by going to Alton Towers for a day of rollercoastering fun, and on the eventual long drive home, I remember looking up through the windscreen of my parent’s car and seeing the stars, untainted by the light pollution that hid them from view above my London roof.

In retrospect, childhood holidays are always rose tinted and over sentimentalised, but I’ve always held the Peak District in special regard. So I have a certain amount of reticent pride when hearing about One Direction’s Harry Styles taking his new squeeze, Taylor Swift, around the Peak District for the American songstress’s birthday.

Celebrities descend on the Peak District

Of course, he’s probably got the same thought process as me. Maybe Taylor harbours a love for Robin Hood too; maybe she divulged such info to Harry, and now he’s working out how best to woo her. Start off small, sure – take her to the World of Beatrix Potter and ply her with cuddly Peter Rabbits, feed her up at his local Chinese restaurant, before eventually hitting her with the big one, the guaranteed money-maker: Hathersage village and an austerely inscribed gravestone.

And with the wealth of activities on offer in the Peak District, it’s a wonder we haven’t seen snaps of the happy couple clambering up rock faces, paragliding through the skies or even taking up residence in a yurt for a night or two. I’m sure it’d remind them of the celebrity accommodation at Glastonbury Festival.

Move over LA, England’s back in the game!

I haven’t been back to the Peak District for a long time. But for some reason, the second I saw Taylor Swift and her beautifully tailored jackets make an appearance outside the Rising Sun pub, I had a sudden overwhelming desire to book the next train ticket out to Cheshire’s Great Budworth.

I have, however, been to LA, just like Ms Swift. I’ve posed under the Hollywood sign, pointed at gold stars on the pavement and chased at least three Elvis impersonators down the Sunset Strip. There’s no doubt that there’s fun to be had in that city – but clearly times are a-changing, and if the Hollywood elite are choosing to hang out in northern England’s rolling valleys instead of the plastic-fantastic world of California… well then. It’s high time I went and joined them.

By Flora Baker

Flora is a writer and travel blogger, who chronicles her travelling adventures at Flora The Explorer. For more immediate updates you can find her on Twitter, where she spends a large portion of her time discussing travel.

Photo credits:

Peak district rocks EEPaul

Little john grave Ben Sutherland

In my little corner of the world, I can’t escape noise or the smell of fish. My father is a fish monger so I spend many days selling seafood alongside him. No matter how many times I wash my hands, I just can’t clean that smell from under my nails, but I am used to it now. Zeebrugge fish market is one of the biggest in Europe and the fish mongers, just like the city, are very loud.

I think that it is because of this, because of the noise and the fish and the grey industrial skyline of my hometown, that I became interested in the Peak District. I have been fascinated by the English countryside ever since I began reading the classics at school. Pride & Prejudice and Jane Eyre filled my head with rolling green hills and solitary manor houses but it was James Montgomery’s poem ‘The Peak Mountains’ that really captured my imagination. To quote an extract from his poem:

Emerging from the caverned glen,
From steep to steep I slowly climb,
And, far above the haunts of men,
I tread in air sublime:
Beneath my path the swallows sweep;
Yet higher crags impend,
And wild-flowers from the fissures peep,
And rills descend.

The Peak Mountains – James Montgomery

I know that most of England isn’t the way Montgomery describes it (well not anymore, at least) but the Peak District is. It’s a preserved literary land and I’ve been desperate to go there for a long time. Surrounded by the peace and quiet of nature, with the “air sublime,” the Peak District would be a welcome break from the industrial smog of Zeebrugge.

I started saving for my trip last year. From ferry tickets to hotel bookings, there was lots of organising to do. At first, I was worried that I’d have to get a ferry from France and then travel all the way up England from Dover (which would take over 4 hours!). Happily, there was a direct ferry from Zeebrugge to Hull, which was only a short coach trip from the heart of the English countryside. Also, I booked a whole cottage to myself! Decadent, I know, but I wanted the romance of solitude. It had an open log fire, a hillside view and a book shelf overloaded with classic romance novels. For me, it sounded like bliss.

Bliss indeed. I spent one happy week in that cottage. My memories are punctuated by long walks to the “local” pub (about 5 miles away) and days spent lost in thought, simply absorbing the natural sprawl before me. One thing I particularly liked about the Peak District (or England in general, I’m not sure if it’s a national thing) is that dog-walkers, ramblers and idle day-trippers all say good day to each other in passing. It’s so old fashioned and lovely. I also really loved the architecture – probably more so than I do in Bruges. English architecture isn’t European at all; it’s extremely unique and romantic. I guess I’m used to European design but I often find it a little ergonomic in places, a little formulaic. The manor houses and thatched-roof cottages of the Peak District are anything but.  Properties are either dinky and adorable or unimaginably big, it’s such an interesting contrast. I supposed that dates back to the days of Bronte and Austen, when class divisions were a lot more pronounced than they are now (you were either a farmer or a nobleman, basically).

3

The Peak District inspired me to write a lot of my own poetry and when I got back to Zeebrugge everyone remarked on my rosy cheeks and smiling disposition. I now want to travel all around the UK. I am told there is a Lake District which is also wonderful and, being an island, there is miles and miles of unspoilt coastland that have inspired the likes of Dickens and Defoe. Although the smell of fish has now returned, my British love affair is certainly not over, in fact, I think you could say I’m now something of an anglophile.

Photo credits

Zeebrugge port john millar

Beautiful peak district SteveR-

Manor house Đuncan

With a frozen nose buried deep into my scarf, I regarded the glacial North Sea. It was quietly snowing and the town behind me glittered under a sugary white canopy. It looked like the scene inside a snow globe. Turning towards it, I smelt the satisfaction in the air and enjoyed my peace of mind. It had been one of those Christmas Days that actually felt like Christmas Day, you know? All too often, it comes and goes without a jot of magic. Adulthood doesn’t exactly cater for the festive spirit, I find, and yet here I was, crunching through freshly fallen snow towards my fire-warmed cottage on the coast. There I would find mulled wine and the flushed red faces of my love drunk family.

Last year, I spent Christmas in Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast with my husband and our two children. We fancied a change from the usual chaos and carnage of Christmas at home. Plus, since all of our previous family Christmas’s had merged together into one big mess of indistinct memory, we were keen to do something remarkable.

It truly was, and I’ll tell you for why…

The Holiday Cottage of Creature Comforts

Hailing from the heart of the Big Smoke, we’re not a family that spends much time in the country or by the coast. Whitby offered both, from the rolling vastness of the North York Moors to the rugged beauty of its award-winning beaches; the seaside town seemed like a natural choice. We booked a self-catering Yorkshire holiday cottage months in advance and it was surprisingly economical, not to mention the beachside location. The view from my bedroom window was sand meeting sea meeting sky, completely unbroken by the usual deluge of skyscrapers and light pollution. It was good to get out of London and actually see the stars at night. And of course, the kids loved having a beach as their backyard – even in the middle of winter we spent many a happy hour trawling the shore for seashells.

The cottage itself was delightful. We cooked Christmas dinner using an Aga (dreamy) and huddled around an open fire at night. My husband took to roasting chestnuts on the end of a meat skewer! It was a very old building and full of the kind of character you just can’t find in modern design. Luckily, the owners had stayed true to the buildings roots, so it was exposed beams and slate stone floors galore. They’d also gone to the effort of decorating the house with holly, wreaths and a REAL Christmas tree! By the time we’d unpacked the car and had a steaming cup of tea in hand, we were enchanted – and that’s before we’d even seen Whitby town centre!

Whitby

Whitby comes alive at Christmas, with lights adorning every street and boutique shops selling all kinds of unique gifts.  What I really liked about Whitby was its lack of high-street shops. I was hard pushed to find a Costa here (not that I wanted one), let alone the identikit stores that have come to define the British town centre. Although we weren’t really there to sample the local shopping, it was easy to get sucked in by the festive atmosphere. Far from the frantic folly of the Christmas shoppers in London, Whitby encourages its visitors to enjoy the act of gift giving again. Having already sorted all of my Christmas shopping before we went away, I stared guiltily at the pretty little trinkets on display, thinking of my haphazardly wrapped (and horrible impersonal) gift-sets back at home.

We had tea and cake at Marie Antoinette’s, a lovely Victorian patisserie that serves a faultless Battenberg, and had a hearty meal at the Humble Pie n’ Mash shop. If you find yourself in Whitby, you’ll notice that there’s a wealth of independent eateries and pubs on offer and will probably be hard pushed to make a choice. If so, I implore you to choose the pie and mash at least once. We wish we’d had enough time to go back, it was that delicious. After all, who doesn’t love a good pie and mash in the winter months, especially when it costs as little as £4.99?

Church Street was especially lovely by night, twinkling with a thousand starry lights. However, nothing quite compared to Whitby Abbey, which was lit up from beneath in an array of cheerful colours. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. No wonder they call it Britain’s most romantic ruin.

Christmas by the sea is a totally different experience to being in a city, I can tell you that for free. From the beautifully contained Whitby cottages  to the Dickensian streets and shops, there’s something about this place at winter that feels like a story book. Naturally, the kids were completely enamoured with it all but so were us adults. For a couple who usually breathe a sigh of relief when Christmas is over, we both left Whitby with a heavy heart and the kind of remarkable memories we were so keen to create.

By Emily Buchanan

1. White Christmas – The Lowry – 30.11.12 to 5.1.13

For a mere five weeks, White Christmas is returning to The Lowry, following a sell out run back in 2009. This critically acclaimed stage musical adaptation of Bing Crosby’s 1954 classic tale, is oozing with classic songs by Irving Berlin including the crooning favourite, White Christmas.

Including household names such as Claire Sweeney and Wendi Peters joining the cast as well as Steven Houghton and Ken Kercheval taking the lead male roles, this festive favourite is a perfect reason to visit Manchester over this Christmas period. A 17-piece orchestra will add to the magic and dynamics of this wondrous musical, with magical sets, top notch performances and some of the most well known songs ever written. May your dreams be merry and bright at The Lowry this Christmas.

2. Christmas Markets

A fantastic way to wile away the early evening, the Christmas Markets will be erected once more this year during November. From the traditional wooden chalet-style stalls to the handcrafted gifts that would make perfect stocking fillers, a leisurely stroll through the market is a must.

Wrap up warm in the bitter winter weather, link arms with your loved one and peruse the wares on offer. Enjoy a cup of hot toddy or a glass of mulled wine, or just enjoy the lights, sounds and smells of the markets that are bound to boost your festive spirit.

3. Peter Pan – Manchester Opera House – 8.12.12 to 13.1.13

The Christmas season isn’t the same without a festive pantomime and this year the Manchester Opera House has booked a blinder. Peter Pan comes to the stage, with none other than David “The Hoff” Hasselhoff playing the role of villainous Captain Hook. Global superstar Hoff will join an incredible swashbuckling cast to give their audiences a panto experience to remember.

Combine the Hoff with fantastic effects, flying, mesmerising costumes and massive dollops of fun and laughter and you have yourself a pantomime that everybody in the family will enjoy. Book your seats now to avoid disappointment.

4. Off Piste

Celebrate Christmas in style this year with a Christmas party to remember. Arguably the best festive party in the whole of Manchester, Off Piste provides glitz, glam and ice cold chic to its revellers. Let your hair down and party until the early hours with your friends or colleagues. With an evening of dinner, drinking and dancing, you can’t go far wrong with this party of the year. Get in quick though, a lot of dates are already sold out!

5. Visit Santa

A favourite for the younger family members, a trip to visit Santa in his grotto is a must. The Ice Palace Grotto at the Trafford Centre comes highly recommended – keep your eyes peeled for more information in October onwards.

Whatever you choose, have a fabulous Christmas with family and friends and ensure that 2012 is a year to remember.

Photo by Flickr User BinaryApe

Photo by Flickr User MarilynJane

Although there are many advantages to living in London, sometimes it is good to get away from all the hustle and bustle of city life or, if you really are a city addict, then to at least see what goes on in cities other than the capital.

You can get out of London for just a day or for a weekend break. There are some excellent deals on cheap flight tickets, especially if you are able to book a few weeks in advance. Getting away from London is surprisingly easy. Most European cities or destinations can be reached in just over 2 hours from London or UK airports.

A favourite get away destination within the United Kingdom for Londoners is the Lake District. Despite the fact that every year it has over eight million visitors, with a little careful planning you can always enjoy near solitude along its 2,000 miles of footpaths and rights of way. It also has 12 wonderful lakes including some of the largest lakes in Great Britain. Visitors who feel particularly energetic can explore some of its highest mountains such as Scafell and Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and Skiddaw, all of which are over 3,000 feet.

The Lake District is one of the most picturesque spots in Britain, if not the world. The combination of neatly kept hedges and ancient dry stone walls, rugged mountains and still, unruffled lakes makes first time visitors feel that they’ve accidentally stepped into an idyllic picture postcard.

The main attraction, however, is walking. Although there is excellent rock climbing and scrambling to be had in the area, there are a huge number of relatively steady paths that allow walkers to access spectacular views without feeling exposed or calling for much technical skill.

Of course there are strong associations between the Lake District, literature and art. Apart from William Wordsworth and his poem “I wandered Lonely as a Cloud” created as a result of an encounter with daffodils growing on the banks of Ullswater, many other poets, writers and artists such as Robert Southey (the poet laureate), Samuel Coleridge, John Wilson, John Ruskin, Arthur Ransome, and Beatrix Potter made the Lake District their home.

The favourite UK city breaks outside London are York, Manchester, Edinburgh and Liverpool. Liverpool was the European Capital of Culture in 2008 and huge investments have been made in its infrastructure and architecture which has generated thriving city that it is today, with fabulous shops, trendy top class restaurants and a great selection of wine bars. As well as the new Liverpool, there is also much of its old heritage to explore. You can follow the Beatles trail and even visit the Cavern (or at least a replica of it built close to the location of the original) where the Beatles became famous.

The Lakes is the ideal destination for active couples of all ages, especially those who like to relax in luxury rather than rough it in a tent. A few days here make the perfect romantic getaway for those who enjoy a wonderful view.

Whether you just have a day, a weekend or longer, why not get out of the crowded city of London and explore? You will feel considerably better and refreshed for having done so.

Photo by Flickr User TJ Morris

Probably the first crucial thing when exploring London is transport. We all know the tube is quick and direct – we also know how expensive and packed it can get in peak hours. Buses and the overground are the easiest alternative – they not only cost visibly less but they also provide you with some sightseeing straight away! However, the Barclays Cycle Hire  (also known as ‘Boris Bikes’ after the Mayor of London who happens to be a passionate cyclist) will take you pretty much anywhere around central London. The docking stations reach as far as White City on the West, Camden on the North, Canary Wharf in the East and Kennington in the South. What’s best about it are the costs – if you’re only dropping by, the access fee is mere £5 for 7 days and if you manage to get from point A to point B in less than 30 minutes, your journey will be absolutely free! You can easily get from one of London hotels or hostels to a tourist attraction in no time, spend some time sightseeing, pick another bike and go some place else, at the same time really experiencing the city!

A lot of major places of interest also won’t cost you a penny to see. If you’re an art enthusiast – all the galleries have free access, only the seasonal exhibitions have access fees. I highly recommend exploring the Southbank – you can start at Tate Modern, which offers an excessive collection of brilliant modern art. There’s the biggest second hand book market right in front of National Theatre and I can guarantee you can find some hidden gems in there. Borough Market shouldn’t need a recommendation as it is the best weekend food market in London, hands down. And the worst kept secret is – you can actually feed yourself on samples only! But the food is so unbelievably delicious I’m more than confident you’ll want to taste some of the treats. The Thames Path that runs all along the river towards Canada Water via Bermondsey offers some incredible views of the old industrial parts of London – perfect if you fancy a long walk or a bike ride away from the crowds of tourists occupying all of the obvious destinations to check off their bucket lists.

London, however shiny and overwhelming, is a great city for backpackers. It has a lot of hidden treasures that are easy to overlook if you’re fallowing the beaten tracks. My London has always been the one hidden away: the London along Regent’s Canal, the London of Brick Lane market… When they say ‘money can’t buy you happiness’, they’re definitely right about that in here, all you need is the willingness to find it!

Magda Wrzeszcz

Photo by Flickr User Wilson Loo

Sheffield’s stunning parks and gardens

Although Sheffield is a busy and industrial city it is also a really green city with loads of parks, gardens and green spaces to make the most of. Apparently there are more trees per person in Sheffield than in other city in Europe! In the city centre, the Peace Gardens in the city centre are the perfect place to enjoy a summer picnic and the Winter Gardens door next door are a great retreat when the weather is bad. If you want to get out of the city centre, the Botanic gardens off Ecclesall Road are really beautiful too.

Sheffield – a city of sport

Sheffield is a hub of all things sport. Ponds Forge is a huge swimming pool with space for more than 2500 spectators in the competitive pool. As well as serious swimming, Ponds Forge is a great place for leisure swimming, with a leisure area complete with a wave pool and lazy river.

Every year The World Snooker Championship takes place in Sheffield, with the world’s best snooker players battling to be crowned the world champion at the Crucible Theatre. The BBC commentates from the nearby Winter Gardens too, showing the beautiful gardens to the British public.

Delicious food and drink

You will be spoilt for choice for great dining opportunities in Sheffield! As well as the usual chain restaurants and cafe’s there are some truly stunning foodie hangouts. If you are shopping in Sheffield, 22a is the perfect place to stop and refuel, serving delicious homemade cakes and amazing hot chocolate.

If it’s an evening meal that you are after, BB’s on Devonshire Street is a wonderful Italian restaurant, serving great pizza and pasta at really reasonable prices and you can bring your own wine. BB’s is just around the corner from the West Street tram stop so you can park at one of the many park and rides on the outskirt of the city, really convenient if you are coming into Sheffield from the Peak District, and catch the tram in.

When you don’t fancy coming into the city centre, head to Spinrocs. Spinrocs is a lovely tapas restaurant situated in the student hotspot of Crookes. It serves yummy food at even better prices! Plus Crookes is on the western side of the city making it really easy to get to from where you are staying in the Peak District.

When it comes to pubs and bars, West Street and the surrounding streets are the place to head! There are some great cocktail bars as well as pubs serving unusual beers and trendy student hangouts. You will certainly receive a warm Yorkshire welcome here!

If you are taking a trip to the Peak District and want to visit Sheffield, why not choose to stay in a holiday cottage from Sykes Cottages Ltd? Visit their website at www.SykesCottages.co.uk for Peak District holiday cottages.

Photo by Flickr User boobook48

Wind Your Way through the Amazing Countryside

You don’t necessarily have to have a clear plan in mind when driving around The Peak. Many people just follow the road and go wherever it takes them. If you’d like to take in a truly amazing view, steer your vehicle near to Mam Tor, park up and climb the small hill for a great view. A densely wooded valley extends south of Hathersage, so that’s a nice area to explore by car as well. One of the best ways to experience the Peak District is by choosing a few destinations and enjoying scenic roads along the way.

Pass through Charming Towns

The Peak District is studded with many quaint, charming villages and towns. If you make it over to Bakewell, make sure to try the famous Bakewell Tart. Castleton is a nice place to include during your visit because it boasts a Norman castle, and the area around it is dotted with caves. Don’t simply drive through these towns. Stop from time to time and explore at least a few of them on foot. In many towns, you’ll find well-preserved parish churches that are bursting with history. Cafes and boutique shops line the streets of some villages in The Peak, so make sure to stop in and see what’s available too.

Visit the Mining Museum

Mining has played a critical role in the history of the Peak District, so no drive through this part of the country would be complete without visiting the Peak District Mining Museum at Matlock Bath. Matlock Bath also boasts several caves, and the river Derwent which flows through the town. In fact, it is a fine place to stay overnight, if you’d like to extend your visit over a few days. In the museum, you will learn about the history of this beautiful region see http://www.peakmines.co.uk/ for more details.

Participate in Local Events

In late April and early May, there’s a Peak District Walking Festival that is extremely popular. Near the end of May, the Garland Festival in Castleton takes place. It’s another excellent time to be in the Peak District. Whether you plan your visit to include hikes, climbs and other adventures, or if you simply decide to drive through the area to take in some of its amazing beauty, you’re sure to have an unforgettable time. Plan your driving tour of the Peak District today.

Rainy days are sometimes impossible to plan for – even for the most accurate of weather forecasters. If you’re the sort of person who usually has flights booked several months in advance, organises airport parking via sites such as parking4less.co.uk and even has a dog-sitter arranged long before you take a tip, then having to change your plans at the last minute due to the weather might seem like something of an inconvenience. However, the Peak District offers so much to do that you’re sure to find something that you will enjoy. Surprisingly, on of the most popular wet weather activities involves heading down to the Carsington water reservoir for a spot of canoeing or windsurfing. Since you’re more than likely to end up soaked through even on a sunny day, the wet weather can provide the perfect excuse for active holiday-makers to indulge in these activities.

If you’re hoping to have a slightly more relaxing break, then why not book yourself into a spa if you’re in for a rainy day. Both Buxton and Brackendale are home to some of the more renowned spa facilities in the country, and spending the day being pampered in comfort and luxury can make rainy days more enjoyable than you might imagine. If you’re visiting with young family, then why not book the little ones into Buxton’s Little Rascals Indoor Play Centre, or New Mills’ Jungle Monkey activities centre? Kids will have fun and stay dry all day long.