Tag Archives: england

Quirky accomodation stayed in over the years.

November 18, 2023 shazza 35 Comments

Next year to save money, we have decided to use our lovely static caravan for all our UK holidays. Whether we do remains to be seen of course! All too often it seems, we are tempted by new destinations and quite often, quirky accomodations! Here I have listed 10 of our more unusual stays, happily all of them seem to be still going strong. 🙂

A Showmans Wagon In Cornwall.

Located in Cornwall’s beautiful Tamar Valley, Spring Park is a captivating collection of vintage vans and cute cabins, set in their own private wildflower meadows. We stopped in The Duke, a 1940s Showmans Wagon back in 2016. I absolutely loved how cosy The Duke is , with its french enamel wood burning stove and colourful decor. A large modern bathroom is situated in a separate timber building and just outside there’s a Wood Fired Hot Tub. Your deep in the Cornish countryside here, so truly a place to relax and recharge.

A Crofters Cottage In The Outer Hebrides.

White sands, turquoise sea and stunning machair are just some of the attractions of a stay on North Uist in The Outer Hebrides. In 2017 we rented Monty’s Cottage , a thatched one story Crofters cottage on the island . The restored black house had been home to conservationist Monty Halls ( and his rescue dog Roobs) for the BBC series ‘ Monty Halls Great Escapes’. The show had really sparked our interest in visiting the Uists, fast forward a few years and we finally got there, stopping in that very same cottage. Possibly my favourite quirky stay, though I think the gorgeous location was key.

An Art Deco Hotel In The Lake District.

Did you know that there is a beautiful Art Deco hotel in a remote corner of the Lake District. The Haweswater looks out across the reservoir/lake of the same name. Built in 1937 by The Manchester Waterworks, the guesthouse has 17 bedrooms, and two restaurants. The stunning interiors feature parquet flooring and 1930s antiques. We’ve been lucky enough to stay here on two separate occasions and have seen how lovingly the building has been restored over the years.

A Tree Dome In Shropshire.

In 2019 we glamped in style under a canopy of trees in Shropshire. Woodland Escapes near Ludlow comprises of five different properties in a shady woodland setting. Tree Dome with its elevated position and wrap around decking has an alfresco oven for cooking and hot tub for relaxing . It’s a short hop, skip and a jump to the outdoor shower room, but the super kingsize bed and glowing wood burner kept us cosy once back inside the dome.

A Shepherds Hut In The Lakes.

My first glamping experience was back in 2015. Wil, Hugo and I snuggled inside a bijou Shepherds Hut near Coniston Water. I remember we played Scrabble, barbecued and stayed toasty by the wood burning stove. Herdwick Huts have had a change of location since ( the beauty of sheds on wheels!) ,they now reside in the grounds of Rydal Hall. So still that idyllic Lakeland scenery, right on your doorstep.

A Gothic Guesthouse In Whitby.

Seemingly I described La Rosa as a haven for teacups and taxidermy, when we stayed here in 2012. Happily the period townhouse with its coveted views of Whitbys famous abbey has retained it’s eccentricity and kitch decor. The 8 themed bedrooms include a Lewis Carroll inspired boudoir ( the guesthouse was a favourite seaside retreat of his) and a Bram Stoker room. Breakfast is a hamper delivered to your door. A Victorian Tearoom and Cocktail Library add to La Rosa’s unique charm.

A Fairytale Woodland Cottage In Staffordshire.

Hansel & Gretel Cottage is a much loved Victorian Folly , built by a former Earl of Bradford on his Staffordshire Estate. The charming lakeside cottage with its own pier is set in 200 acres of private woodland. Off-grid ( powered by a generator) yet luxurious, guests here are encouraged to toast marshmallows on the fire, read by candlelight and borrow a vintage bicycle to ride around the estate. A romantic retreat and fairytale treat.

A Lighthouse In Wester Ross.

Of everywhere we have been fortunate enough to stop Rua Reidh Lighthouse must be the most remote. Perched high on the cliffs at the end of a long and fairly hair raising 3 mile track, this Stephenson Lighthouse looks out over Loch Ewe and the vast ocean beyond. Guest accommodation comprises of two tastefully renovated former keepers cottage apartments and the bijou sea facing Hide. Rua Reidh is for those who seek solace, bracing cliff top walks and occasional wonderful wildlife spots.

A Cool Castle In Ayrshire.

Last year my sister booked an actual Scottish Castle for a family break by the coast in North Ayrshire. Six adults, two teenagers and a dog made ourselves at home in the quirky and cool Knock Old Castle near Largs. Dating back to the 14th Century, this unique residence is brimmed full of unusual touches. Fresco painted ceilings, fairytale turrets, higgledy piggeldy floors & steps and stained glass windows. There’s also a glass lookout tower, a sauna in another tower, hot tub and a lawned garden perfect for playing croquet.

A Cosy Cabin In Kilmartin Glen.

If there’s an alfresco bath tub in the garden, you know your holiday accommodation is going to be a little bit different. Some years ago we enjoyed a few days away in A Peaceful 1930s Cabin near Kilmartin Glen, Argyle, Scotland. Located in the owners orchard, the cabin features a Scandinavian wood burning stove that really keeps things cosy. I remember making a fruit crumble using apples and plums from the orchard, and eyeing up that bath with some trepidation. 🤔Luckily there’s also a shower room indoors!

Are you tempted by any of the places above?

What is the most quirky accomodation you have stopped in?

* Everything above welcomes dogs. Some don’t have WiFi or television.

Pets, photography, Places to visit, Pretty things, travel, vintage, wildlife

‘The Duke’ at Spring Park ~ Our stay in a Showman’s Wagon.

August 15, 2016 shazza 16 Comments

Deep in the Cornish countryside , not far from the secluded hamlet of Rezare, Spring Park is a holiday hideaway, a gorgeous getaway and a haven of peace and tranquility. Located ‘ somewhere’ amongst a myriad of narrow country lanes and lush green meadows in the pretty Tamar Valley , this eclectic collection of vintage vans and cabins, is as hidden away and remote as you can get.

Bath ,Cornwall & Devon 061 — The Duke is a classic 1940’s Showman’s Wagon, set in its own private meadow.

All the wagons and cabins at Spring park are set apart from each other in their own private areas. We had booked to stay in ‘The Duke’ which is a beautifully restored Showman’s Wagon dating back to the 1940s. It stands in it’s own lovely wild flower meadow, buzzing with bees and butterflies. There is a fire pit, a wood fueled hot tub and a lovely modern bathroom in a timber hut, all reserved especially for the occupants of the Duke. 🙂 But anyway I’m going to let the pictures do the talking. I couldn’t help but take a few. ;).

Fresh flowers, a bottle of wine ( chilling in the fridge) and two portions of tasty chocolate cake , greeted us on arrival. 🙂

The Duke has a French Enamel Wood Burner , which sadly we never got to use. The gorgeous weather meant it never got lit. I can just imagine it making the wagon , even more cosy.

Lots of wildlife shared the meadow with us, including rabbits, goldfinches and butterflies.

The wood fuelled Hot Tub was amazing and got really hot. Perfect to relax in with a glass of wine. Paddy who owns Spring Park , with his wife Kitty, recommended the woodland near Rezare for great off lead walks with Hugo. The Duke’s bathroom with it’s lovely hot shower is nearly as big as The Duke. 🙂

Hugo met the owner’s dogs and Brooke can be seen above, wondering what on earth Hugo is playing at, racing round the meadow like a mad thing. And also above, is a sneak peek of another of the vintage vans at Spring Park, ‘The Duchess’.

I cannot recommend Spring Park enough, as the most relaxing , wonderfully thought out getaway from it all, kind of break. We wouldn’t hesitate to go back.

Pets, Places to visit, Tearoom Treasures, travel, wildlife

London Trip.

May 17, 2015 shazza 18 Comments

I very recently returned from a fab trip to london with my friend B. Lots to blog about but I thought I would start with a picture post of what we got up to, and I’ll go into more detail later.

As you can see from the above photo I’m posing ( terribly) with one of the many Shaun the Sheep who are gracing the capital until the 31st of May. Artists, celebs and designers have created the sculptures which will be auctioned off for various charities at the end of the year. If you miss the London lambies don’t worry , a further flock can be spotted in Bristol from the 6th July. Check out this Shaun in the city link. 🙂

My friend’s brother lives in Fulham and he was kind enough to let us stop with him. We got to wake up to this great view of the Thames every morning. I spied lots of different water fowl ( I wish I had brought the better camera) as it turned out the London Wetland Centre was just over the river.

Savage Beauty at the V&A (image off Pinterest).

Speaking of birds, I never realised that the late ‘Alexander McQueen’ was interested in ornatholigy. I learn’t this at the stunning Savage Beauty exhibition at the V&A. A spectacular theatrical homage to the talented fashion designer, this is a must see….even if your not interested in fashion. An immersion of the senses, a feast for the eyes, I cannot describe how fantastic the exhibition is. McQueens designs took inspiration from nature, from the tortured history of his native Scotland, from Victorian Jack the Ripper England, from the lost city of Atlanta & more. His collections are put on show to the most astounding effect. Highlights for me included the room entitled ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ and a ghostly floaty hologram of Kate Moss.

Of course no trip to London would be complete without an afternoon Tea or two. Yep B and I just had to sample two. And I’m sure I will be blogging about them in the next few weeks. There was an elegant and very English afternoon tea at the Bentley Hotel in Knightsbridge and a curiously quirky ‘Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea’ at the Sanderson Hotel near Soho. They were both fun in different ways. 🙂

The British weather had to rain on our parade at some point and of course it chose Thursday to absolutely puddle it down because we had booked a ride on a giant ferris wheel. The London Eye is a great way of seeing the city’s famous landmarks….even on a rainy day. My pics are pretty terrible though and my not very waterproof pumps meant I felt like I had been roaming around on wet sponges all afternoon. I looked like a cross between a not very happy bunny and a drowned rat…

One of the places you can hang out when its raining is of course the iconic department store Harrods and we spent a lot of time here. Its easy to get lost in! Since I last visited five years ago a Chocolate cafe and an Ice cream parlour have opened inside. I shall put them on my bucket list for the next time I visit! There are also lots of free museums. We made sure to visit the Natural History museum to see the famous giant diplodocus in the beautiful entrance hall. Apparently its going to be dismantled next year so now is the time to pay your respects to this particular dinosaur.

Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium at Bethnal Green. — Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium at Bethnal Green.

B and I being crazy cat ladies, just had to visit London’s only cat cafe Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium near Brick Lane. Its a cute little cafe which is also home to 12 gorgeous cats. I shall certainly blog about our time here in more detail soon. Let me just say we spent a purrfect couple of hours enjoying the company of Carbonelle, Wookie & co. And the food wasn’t bad either. ~^^~

There's a cat face in my brew. — There’s a cat face in my brew.

And I will end this post with a couple of pics of some surprising ( to me !) visitors to a park B and I were relaxing in one afternoon. I nearly jumped out of my skin when four bright green parakeets flew above us. For Londoners though this is simply an everyday occurrence. 😉