The Great British Countryside

Having indulged in a number of luxury tropical holidays over the past few years, Mark and I decided this year we were going to stay closer to home.

We spent a week in the Black Mountain region of Wales and a week on the coast in North Yorkshire. It was an entirley different experience and there were pros and cons to a British holiday. The negatives are: the weather, this is something beyond your control so be prepared to take plenty of books and board games for the rainy days; The traffic, I was looking forward to not having to endure a long haul flight, but was not prepared for the bank holiday traffic that led to an eight hour journey getting home from Yorkshire; Not being able to completely immerse yourself in holiday mode, when one holidays in this country there are many reminders of home and it is tempting to want to watch TV or surf the net.

However, the positives outweigh the negatives: You don't need a passport or visa (even in Wales, contrary to popular belief); The food is great; everyone speaks your language; The British countryside is stunning; When you get a sunny day, nothing can beat Brtiain in the summer.

So I would heartedly recommend a little jaunt out into the country next time you are looking into booking a holiday. I can thoroughly recommend the following places too:

• Bay View Cottage in Yorkshire (we booked through Unique Home Stays). A stunning cottage for two overlooking the rolling hills and the sea.


• The Hardwick - Stephen Terry's restaurant in Wales, serving up fabulous local produce. I recommend the triple-cooked chips and I'm not even a chip fan!


• The Crown at Whitebrook - James Sommerin's restaurant in Wales. This a beautiful restauarant in a stunning location. The food is fine dining and the service is excellent.