Monday, June 1, 2009
Category:
Personal Finance Tips
The October mid-term break is fast approaching and a holiday can seem like a tall order for the family on a budget. However, by staying in the UK, it needn’t be.
This can be the family’s last chance to spend some quality time together in the great outdoors, before the winter sets in. With this in mind, it’s also always been a traditional time for the family’s foreign holiday.
Whether it’s to find the first Alpine snowfall of the season or grab that last chance to hit the beach, finding an economical alternative to the break abroad is going to be a priority in the current economic climate.
With this in mind, here’s a rundown of the top five domestic destinations for the October mid-term.
Fifth: A National Trust Working Holiday
A National Trust Working Holiday will help to conserve our coastline, countryside, historic houses and gardens; while allowing you and the family to enjoy the very best bits of Britain and learn new skills along the way. National Trust Holidays offer some exceptional experiences on a budget and the family will go home feeling that they’ve been part of something truly worthwhile. There’s plenty for all age groups too, ranging from counting goats to cataloguing of Minton tiles. There are even special interest breaks, focusing on everything from digital photography to dry stone dyking. Of course, a working holiday wouldn’t be the same without a bit of fruit picking, so why not load up the family and join in with the annual ‘Apple Day’ celebrations at Gunby Hall in the Lincolnshire Wolds?
Check the National Trust website (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk) for more details.
Fourth: Stay in a Scottish Castle
You won’t need to be a laird to sample the opulent surroundings of Carbisdale Castle, as it’s the Scottish YHA's flagship hostel. The castle was built between 1906 and 1917 for the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland and the first sight of the it’s towers, jutting out above the trees, perched high on a cliff over the river Kyle, certainly evoke all the right, resplendent feelings. As do the grand staircases, stained glass windows and marble statues. There’s a distinctly time-warped feeling to the bunk beds and shared bathrooms but after all, this is more budget than Balmoral. The majestic surroundings, spreading out before the castle in all directions, will occupy far too much of your time for any concerns about your dorm room anyway. There are woodland walks and mountain bike trails from the castle, stretching out into the beautiful Highland scenery and there’s also the river Kyle, which provides excellent fishing for salmon and trout.
More information is available at http://www.carbisdale.org/
Third: British Beaches... in October?!
That’s right, the great British beach holiday. With the summer crowds gone, chances are that you’ll have the beach, more or less, to yourself. So, indulge yourself, release your inner child and just have a muck about with the kids. You’ll be amazed at how refreshing it can be. You’ll be amazed what you can discover on a stroll down the beach at low tide too. Late autumn is the perfect time for having a scavenge, with wild and windy nights yielding plenty of washed-up wonders on crisp autumnal mornings. Engage the children with an afternoon marvelling at the mysterious sea life left behind when the tide goes out. It’s free entertainment that the whole family will cherish.
Second: A Whale of a time Dolphin Spotting
More than 20 species of whale, dolphin and porpoise are found in the waters around Scotland, making it the best place in the UK to see them. The high season runs until the end of October, with fin and minke whale regularly seen off the West coast. There’s even the odd Orca too. Risso's, bottlenose and white-beaked dolphins are also frequently sighted in hotspots around Cape Wrath, Ardnamurchan Point, Mull and Red Point, which just south of Gairloch. Sea Life Surveys have been operating whale and dolphin watching cruises from Mull for 25 years.
(http://www.sealifesurveys.com/)
It’s also common to spot pilot whale, orca, porpoise and various species of dolphin off Scotland’s East coast. Here, the popular points are north of Eyemouth and the stretch of coastline that runs between Dundee and Aberdeen. However, the richest territory is the Moray Firth. This is home to a resident population in excess of 130 bottlenose dolphins. The Moray Firth Wildlife Centre is located at Spey Bay and is the base for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society's 'out of the blue' trips.
(http://www.wdcs.org)
First: Surf’s Up
In the UK, October and November are the prime months for grabbing the board and hitting the surf. The temperature’s still pretty mild in and out of the water but the crowds aren’t too bad. There’s a location to suit different levels of ability too.
Beginners: Because Newquay has become a byword for British surfing, it draws in huge crowds. Just a bit up the road is Watergate Bay, which has two miles of beach at low tide, so if it's crowded in Newquay this is a good option. The Xtreme Academy is based here.
Contact them at www.watergatebay.co.uk/extremeacademy.htm
Intermediate: Porth Neigwl, or Hell's Mouth, is the most popular surf spot in north Wales. It boasts an impressive four-mile long bay with the better waves beneath the cliffs at the south-east end. It will be crowded on days with particularly good swells though. You can dodge them if you’re up for a bit of a walk though.
For further information, www.visitwales.co.uk/
Expert: Thurso, in the North of Scotland, offers what can only be described as amongst the best waves in Europe. This reputation alone is enough to guarantee that it'll always be busy. Although the surfing will be too much for all but the most experienced surfers, there’s a lot to do with the family. This is the most Northerly point on the British mainland, so provides an excellent jumping off point to explore the Islands.
Contact www.visitscotland.com/ for more details.
