Holiday 211

The wonderful thing about the county is that it is largely unspoilt and undeveloped. The countryside is beautiful, fantastic for walking and yet, particularly because of its history, there are still plenty of things to see and do. There are castles galore (e.g. Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Stokesay, Whittington and nearby Powys and Chirk) and sites such as Ironbridge Gorge, a World Heritage Site.

Herefordshire has long been considered the land of ‘milk and honey’, famed for its spectacular countryside, historic market towns, picture-book black and white villages and an abundance of artisan makers, foodie destinations and a real passion for celebrating them.

Hartland Peninsula, on the North Devon coast, is a truly special Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, jutting out in the far south west corner of the UK.  The scenery is spectacular, with awe-inspiring cliffs at Hartland quay which drop down to the small sandy beach.  Low tide reveals magical rock pools giving an opportunity for children to spend many enjoyable hours.

Wales does not necessarily spring to mind as being the ideal cycling destination because of all those hills!  But in fact, Wales has an enormous amount to offer the discerning cyclist.  It has world-class mountain biking facilities near Dolgellau at Coed-y-Brenin – a sort of Val d’Isere for mountain bikers (or perhaps more Chamonix!) –  lots of marked runs all over a very large forestry commission site.  There are many other routes to choose from, including a trip down Snowden for the really energetic, though you can only do this at certain times of day.

If you are lucky enough to be visiting the Peak District you will find so many wonderful places on your door step. Here are a few of the attractions at the Heart of The Peak District. Three of the very best stately homes in the country sit in the very heart of Britain’s first national