BREXIT – Your travel questions answered

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Simon Calder, Independent Travel Expert, Edmund King, President of the Automobile Association (AA) and Jae Hopkins from Eurotunnel set the record straight

Show date: Friday 9th November

Show time: 1:00pm

With less than 6 months to go until March 29th, there has been continued speculation amongst politicians and commentators as to what Brexit will mean for travelling to the EU from the UK.

The outcome of this is a nation confused. That confusion spreads across areas such as Passports, both human and pet, EHIC cards and their validity, whether the need for an internal driving permit, a visa to travel, and even on to what this means for duty-free goods.

With much confusion, and with no sight yet of a deal or no deal position, who should we be listening to and where should be going for known information and fact.

Joining us to answer these questions and more live in the studio are Simon Calder, Independent Travel Expert, Edmund King, President of the Automobile Association (AA) and Jae Hopkins from Eurotunnel, the single biggest carrier of people to mainland Europe

https://www.eurotunnel.com/brexit

A doggie day out at West Dorset Leisure Holidays!

Posted on October 23, 2018 by admin

James and James in Marketing spent the day working with our newest Marketing recruits our two four-legged friends named Harry and Daisy and here is our write up from their eyes! Woof Woof says Harry! We would like to welcome you to one of the WDLH parks this Autumn. Although they are all dog friendly, Daisy and I spent the day today at Highlands End Holiday Park. We can’t believe how many new friends we met today (A quick woof to Milo and Millie) and we would love to meet more. Here is our special guide to a perfect doggy day at Highlands End!

Daisy and I started the morning off with a fabulous run in the parks dog exercising field, which looks over Eype Beach and all the way out to sea. We had great fun running around and playing fetch as the field is enclosed and we didn’t have to have our leads on like we do in the park. We had a rest and a drink back at the motorhome before heading up to the park shop. Although we aren’t allowed in the shop we can sneak into the Cowshed where the views are outstanding and we got to hear the news while our owners sipped a cup of Dorset Tea.

Daisy loved the smell of the breakfasts coming from Martin’s Bar & Restaurant, but being the older more sensible dog, I persuaded her that we should go home for breakfast and save our visit until later when the football was on and we will get more treats! I will push for breakfast on our departure day or late in the week if it rains at some point!

Breakfast was long and we began to get a bit restless so after a few teasing barks we were off for a walk down to Eype Beach with a small picnic and day out swimming and rock pooling under Thorncombe Beacon. It is embarrassing to say but it took me ages to build the courage up to go swimming. Daisy, the silly billy, jumped right in but I preferred chilling on the pebbles. Once I was in though, wow it was nice to cool off. I was so pleased we took our ball and we swam for hours (doggy paddle) out to get the ball to bring it back to the beach. I won of course!

Once we had a drink and our owners had their picnic, we began the walk back up to Highlands End. I didn’t think about the walk back up as we went down to the beach from the cliff top park, but we stopped at a bench halfway up to take in the view. Being a bit sandy we had a quick wash in the new doggy shower by the toilet block and then we had a nap and dried outside the Motorhome on the grass.

Mid-afternoon we were off again. I don’t understand sports unless dogs are involved and all Daisy does is pop the ball, but we went up to Martin’s Bar & Restaurant, where so much of the building is dog friendly. We understand some of the building has to be non-doggy and we were just pleased to be allowed in with our lovely owners. We weren’t allowed a pint but the doggy bowl gave us a quick pit stop before settling in for a nap.

We had dinner in the bar, well we didn’t as the food was so good everything was eaten by our owners but they really enjoyed the Ranch Burger and the Fish and Chips! As night fell we managed a quick walk back in the dog field before settling down for a kip. I was so pleased I even managed to say goodnight to Jack and Matt the park wardens who were doing their checks. They were a great help when we arrived after our journey and showed us where we could have a run while we checked in!

We managed to do all of this within walking distance of the park so we are excited for tomorrow when we are heading off to explore the local area in our little pink Fiat 500. According to the Visitor Information area on the park, the local market is on a Wednesday and Saturday, plenty of pubs welcome us for lunch and we can enjoy an ice cream while walking along the pier at West Bay!!

Some must know info for your owners when you come and say hi, we found out there are a maximum of 2 doggies per booking, you must be on a lead and stick with your owner’s while in the park and we also can’t be left alone which is great as we want to be with them having a great holiday! During November, dogs are only £1 each per night with touring bookings. Hopefully we will see you on the park soon! Woof!

Ruff Guide to a Dog Friendly Home

Posted on October 17, 2018 by admin

The silly grin and gentle tail wag from our furry friends never fail to brighten our day. Not only do dogs make excellent house pets, but they are also proven to make our lives happier. After all, all they do is makes us laugh and smile (except of course if they get a poop or pee accident!).

However, it’s not all about them making us happy, because we, as responsible dog owners should also bring back the favor to them. There are lots of ways you can do that, one of which is by making your home as dog-friendly as possible.

Let them roam freely and safely inside your house and backyard and giving them quick access to essentials like food and water goes a long way for your canine buddies. You can also give them toys to play on so that they won’t get bored and be destructive.

It’s all about ensuring that they stay healthy, both physically and emotionally. And take note, dogs have feelings too!

Well, some of you might think that having a dog is a walk-in-the-park — but it’s not.

It’s just like raising a child, except for the fact that it’s harder! But then again, it’s not a big problem because we’re going to help you become a responsible dog owner. As long as you love what you’re doing and you know what to do, then you’re on your way to raising your “super dog”.

Want to know more? If so, then scroll down to check out this creatively informative graphic from AXA. It’s a life saver!

Waggy Tails in Untouched Wales

Posted on October 4, 2018 by admin

It’s exhausting fetching sticks, being a loyal friend and companion, running after balls, day in day out! So Menai Holidays is offering your best doggy friend a FREE holiday! Now that is something to wag a tail about surely? And not only that but we can show you all the dog-friendly places where you and your best friend can go together.

See our full range of Dog-Friendly Cottages here: https://www.menaiholidays.co.uk/cottages/types/dog-friendly-cottages/

However, it doesn’t stop there. Once your cottage is sorted we have your rest and play covered too. With our newly launched website not only can you find the perfect dog-friendly cottage but you can research and find …

Dog-friendly beaches https://www.menaiholidays.co.uk/explore/see-do/beaches/dog-friendly/

Dog-friendly cafes. https://www.menaiholidays.co.uk/explore/eat-drink/cafes/dog-friendly-cafes/

And… dog-friendly walks and attractions. https://www.menaiholidays.co.uk/explore/see-do/attractions/dog-friendly-attractions/

https://www.menaiholidays.co.uk/explore/see-do/walks/dog-friendly-walks/

So that wherever you go, your dog can come too! We look forward to seeing you and your furry friends very soon.

See our blogs on dog-friendly cafes in Anglesey, Snowdonia and the Llŷn and on dog-friendly beaches.

There is some small print to our “dogs go free” offer, so read on!

Bookings must be made between midnight 1st October & 31st October 2018 but you can stay between 1st October and 15th December 2018
The maximum we’ll pay towards dogs is £50. If there is a higher dog charge (staying for multiple weeks, or having more dogs than this amount covers) you’ll need to pay the difference.

Only one discount per customer
Dog owners can take full advantage of this offer by entering ‘WOOF18’ in the notes when making a booking online and hey presto, Menai Holidays will pay for the cost of up to two of your dogs to go with you for free, up to a maximum of £50.

Honours for Scotland’s top outdoor and leisure businesses

Posted on November 10, 2017 by admin

Loch Tay Highland Lodges was presented with the prestigious award for ‘Best
Scottish Self Catering Accommodation’ as well as runner-up in the award for ‘Best
Scottish Glamping site’ at the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards ceremony held
in Glasgow at the end of October.

Jo Barrie, General Manager for Loch Tay Highland Lodges was there with her team
to collect the award:

‘We are delighted to win this award in such a strong category of finalists as well as
defending our title of ‘Best Glamping’ accommodation. We have worked hard this
year to improve our site and the accommodation on it, as well as striving to deliver
the best customer service and experience to everyone who visits our site. This
award is testament to the whole team at Loch Tay Highland Lodges and we are
delighted.”

The very best of Scotland’s outdoor and leisure industry was showcased in the
glitzy award ceremony at Glasgow’s Marriott Hotel on October 29th.

Thousands of public nominations were received across 17 categories including
Scotland’s Best Glamping and Scotland’s Best Self Catering Accommodation.
Over 25,000 votes were received in support of favourites across the country to
create a shortlist of 115 finalists. Each business was asked to take stock of their
business and provide a submission in support of their win, before an independent
judging panel performed assessments of the customer-facing elements.

Hosted by Des Clarke, the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards Gala Final was a
celebration from start to finish. Warren Paul, CEO and founder of the Scottish
Outdoor and Leisure Awards is also delighted with the reception in only year two.

He said: ‘The inaugural awards created firm foundations to develop SOLA into an
annual competition and a mainstay event of the industry and now we are seeing
new businesses from across the country engage in year two. It’s a fantastic
opportunity to celebrate the businesses that help to showcase our beautiful
Country; Well done to all our finalists and congratulations to our 2017 winners. I
look forward to an even bigger event in 2018!’

Loch Tay Highland Lodges
www.lochtay-vacations.co.uk

PetStay have launched their NEW sparkling website this month.

Posted on June 23, 2017 by admin

Managing Director Carole Davy says, “After many months of meetings, creativity and ideas flying about we are happy to announce the launch of our new website. We wanted to make sure we designed it with our customers in mind who are all dog lovers.”

“We wanted to make sure we got our message across with a new clear and bright website that is simple to read and easy to navigate.”

“PetStay are a growing home dog boarding company and we are always looking to improve our online presence. We feel we have achieved this with the new website. ”

You can visit the new and improved PetStay website at www.petstay.net, we would love to hear what you think!

Dog Friendly Pembrokeshire Tourism Awards Winners Announced

Posted on June 2, 2017 by admin

Pembrokeshire’s Dog Friendly businesses have been recognised and celebrated in the county’s first Dog Friendly Tourism Awards held on the Slebech Park Estate. The Dog Friendly Awards initiative was created by Pembrokeshire Tourism and Burns Pet Nutrition and are designed to champion responsible pet ownership, whilst recognising the efforts of outstanding local businesses throughout the county who help to make Pembrokeshire a dog friendly destination for visitors. Following the launch of the Awards in January, over 400 entries were received across the six categories giving the judges from the Burns By Your Side Reading Dog Teams plenty to consider!

The award for Best Dog Friendly Beach went to Amroth. With plenty of sand to play on, rock pools to investigate and waste bins easily accessible, the judges felt this was a great place to enjoy some seaside fun.

The judges in the award for Best Dog Friendly Town or Village looked for evidence of the whole town or village being a welcoming venue for four-legged visitors and their owners! In this closely fought category Saundersfoot came out on top over the twin towns of Fishguard & Goodwick and Amroth.

The Best Dog Friendly Day Out award took into consideration factors that enabled everyone to enjoy a great day out in Pembrokeshire’s attractions. With so many great places to visit and explore the judges had their work cut out to pick just one winner, before ultimately deciding on Carew Castle as their top choice.

The Best Dog Friendly Pub, Restaurant or Café category judges were keen to find a warm welcome for all visitors along with provision for those not using cutlery to eat! Having visited all three finalists including the Brewery Inn, Cosheston and the Hope Inn, Pembroke, the winner was named as the Temple Bar in Amroth.

For the Best Dog Friendly Campsite or Caravan Park award judges looked at how venues were able to go the extra mile to make pets welcome and safe whilst on holiday. Coastal Wood Camping was the winning campsite who offer plenty of space for all to enjoy their holiday, and great dog friendly facilities.

For those not so keen on camping, the Best Dog Friendly Holiday Accommodation award looked at hotels, guesthouses and B&B providers throughout Pembrokeshire the judges were keen to find providers who were clearly committed to welcoming dogs to their premises. Cwm Connell Coastal Cottages beat off tough competition from Fron Fawr Holiday Cottages and Coastal Wood Holidays to win in this category.

John Burns of Burns Pet Nutrition explained how much he and the Burns By Your Side Reading Dogs Team had enjoyed the judging saying, “It’s been great to see first-hand the incredible work that these businesses are doing to make Pembrokeshire a dog friendly destination”. Echoing this, Dennis O’Connor, Tourism Liaison Manager at Pembrokeshire Tourism said, “Pembrokeshire is a very special place for visitors and we are delighted to have been able to recognise the work of dog friendly businesses throughout the county as well as our fantastic towns and beaches. Increasingly visitors are looking for dog friendly destinations to avoid the distress of leaving their pets in kennels, so the wonderful coast and countryside that Pembrokeshire offers is particularly appealing”.

Loch Tay Highland Lodges were presented with the prestigious award of ‘Best Glamping Site, Scotland’

Posted on February 23, 2017 by admin

Loch Tay Highland Lodges were presented with the prestigious award of ‘Best
Glamping Site, Scotland’ at the inaugural Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards
ceremony in Glasgow in late 2016.

Jo Barrie, Loch Tay Highland Lodge’s General Manager was there to collect the
award:

‘We are delighted to have won this award in such a strong category of finalists.
We are passionate about giving our customers the very best service, and our
Glamping accommodation offers our visitors another way to enjoy their
adventure in our beautiful area of Scotland. This award is testament to the whole
team at Loch Tay Highland Lodges who have been striving to deliver the best
customer service and experience to everyone who visits our site.’

The judges at the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards were set a difficult task
as 1000 of the very best leisure businesses across Scotland engaged in the
inaugural event – voted for by the public they gave a true reflection of what
Scotland has to offer for both visitors and staycationers.

A massive 8,000 votes were cast by the public with 17 categories being
represented from campsites and holiday parks to outdoor festivals and adventure
experiences.

The sparkling, red carpet gala evening was hosted by Scottish comedian and
broadcaster Des Clarke.

‘We are very proud to have been awarded Best Glamping Site in Scotland’
continued Jo ‘and look forward to welcoming you soon to Loch Tay Highland
Lodges’

Loch Tay Highland Lodges
www.lochtay-vacations.co.uk

Beautiful dog friendly holiday properties in Devon

Posted on August 15, 2016 by admin

Beautiful holiday properties that welcome pets are hard to find – except in dog-loving North Devon.

This beautiful area’s known for having loads of dog-friendly pubs, attractions and beaches, as well as stunning scenery and walks. Most North Devon beaches welcome dogs, with some such as Saunton and Instow allowing owners and their pets totally unrestricted fun and freedom. In recent years more and more of the area’s holiday properties have started to accept dogs too – including some with hot tubs, amazing views, thatched roofs and beautiful decor. Take a look at this selection of stunning pet-friendly holiday properties in North Devon from Ocean Cottages (who specialise in luxury properties in this area), with ideas for where to take your best friend to walk and eat nearby.
See more dog-friendly holiday cottages from Ocean Cottages www.ocean-cottages.com/dog-friendly-holiday-cottages-north-devon/

Stunning views: Gull Rock, Woolacombe
The pics speak for themselves here … amazing ocean views out to Lundy Island, glass-edged balcony and stylish décor, and secluded Combesgatebeach and endless Woolacombe beaches just a short walk away, with gentle surf that your dog will love to splash through. Gull Rock sleeps 4 in two bedrooms, and has a very large terrace plus lovely master en-suite, which has french doors leading to a further patio and further stunning views.
More about this property www.ocean-cottages.com/woolacombe-holiday-cottages/2-gull-rock/
Walk: the Old Railway Line – an easy stretch of tarmac pedestrian and cycle path that you can follow round to Ilfracombe 5 miles away, or beyond
walk details www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/139/#
Eat: The Red Barn in Woolacombe village – good pub food in this surfy beachfront pub that often hosts live music www.redbarnwoolacombe.co.uk/

Sleeps nine in style: Eden, Croyde
The small, surfy village of Croyde is full of dog-lovers, and lots of beautiful holiday properties. This includes Eden, which has just had a total makeover – but don’t worry, it’s still very welcoming to dogs! It offers open plan seaside living in the heart of Croyde, with a large garden, wood burning stove, huge table football and private, hot outside shower, so there’s no need to worry about any of you walking sand through the house!

Walk: Croyde beach allows dogs from October-April, and the less restrictive Woolacombe (see above) and Putsborough are a walkable distance round the headland, taking in spectacular views round Baggy Point along the South West Coast Path www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/26/
Eat: National Trust’s Sandleigh Tearooms at the start of the walk to Baggy Point serves excellent cream teas, snacks and lunches, and welcomes dogs to the pretty garden seating area. www.sandleighcroyde.com/

Thatched and cosy: Chuggs Cottage, Croyde
The owners of cosy Chuggs are open to welcoming more than one dog, which can be hard to find – especially in a cottage as pretty as this. Your dog will love sleeping off those long coastal walks in front of the cosy logburner – then running around again in the garden. Chuggs sleeps up to 6 people and is in the village near its dog-friendly pubs and cafes, but still just a short walk from the beach and dunes.
More about this property www.ocean-cottages.com/croyde-holiday-cottages/chuggs-cottage/
Walk: Saunton beach is around the headland from Croyde in the other direction, and allows totally unrestricted access for dogs on its 3 miles of golden sands – and they love to run in the dunes behind too. It’s an easy walk from Croyde through coast and country from Croyde walk details: www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/106/
Eat: The Thatch, also in the heart of the village, actively welcomes dogs, and serves legendary nachos (and cider, of course!). www.thethatchcroyde.com/

Traditional and spacious: The Long House, Georgeham
With an enormous walled garden and enough room to sleep 10 people, The Long House is a traditional Devon cottage, and a great place for a dog-loving family gathering. It’s in a very pretty hamlet surrounded by countryside but near all the great beaches, and has a large kitchen and choice of dining areas, including alfresco on the patio. The owners love dogs themselves, so will happily welcome yours into their beautiful property.
More about this property www.ocean-cottages.com/georgeham-holiday-cottages/the-long-house/
Walk: Fabulous walks can be enjoyed throughout the surrounding countryside and Croyde Beach, Putsborough Sands and Saunton Beach are just a short drive away (approx 4 miles).
Eat: The King’s Arms in Georgeham village serves excellent food and drink, and very much welcomes dogs, too – there’s always a bowl of water out for them. www.kingsarmsgeorgeham.co.uk/

Hot tub and direct beach access: Amana, Croyde
Ocean Cottages has a number of dog-friendly properties with hot tubs, and Amana is a great example. You’ll love sinking into the bubbles with a glass of wine after long days walking along North Devon’s beaches – and though your dog won’t be able to join you in there, he will be able to enjoy the doggy bliss of an outdoor hot shower! Amana sleeps up to 5, and is just behind Croyde’s dunes, with direct access from the garden to the beach footpath.

Walk: It’s easy to walk or drive to Braunton, then pick up The Tarka Trail, a well-maintained walking and cycle track which runs along the coast and countryside of North Devon for over 30 miles. www.devon.gov.uk/tarkatrail
Eat: On the other side of Bideford Bay the Tarka Trail runs by The Pier House, a great pub-restaurant that not only has stunning coastal views, but welcomes dogs to the extent that it has signs in ‘dog language’ – just for them! www.thepier-house.co.uk/

An Overnights Stay with Man’s Best Friend!

Posted on August 2, 2016 by admin

When you’re looking to book a weekend away, the last thing you want to do is worry about what you are going to do with your pet whilst you are away. Over 46% of UK households have a pet, and we know it can be hard to leave them behind when you go on holiday, so why not take them with you? Whilst we know it’s not really viable to put your pet through the stress of getting on a plane if you’re going abroad a few times a year, a mini-break here in the UK could be the perfect opportunity to take your four-legged friend with you on holiday, as he can be easily packed in to the car with your weekend bag to enjoy some time away from home with his owners.

Booking a stay in a pet-friendly hotel has so many benefits, read on to find out how an overnights stay with man’s best friend in the Lake District could be your best break yet!

Save Money!
In most cases, there will be an extra charge for you taking your pet with you on holiday, this will depend on the kind of hotel you are staying in, and where it is. This cost is usually just to make up for the extra cleaning costs, bedding, bowls etc. that will be utilised by you and your dog throughout the trip. Generally, though, this cost will be much less than what you would expect to pay for booking an extended stay in a kennels, or if you are looking into a dog sitter for the time you are away. Not only does this mean you will be saving money on your trip away, but taking your four-legged friend with you can give you the peace of mind you need to have a really enjoyable break, without worrying about how your pet is doing back home!

A Different Daily Walk
Booking a mini-break in the Lakes gives you a chance to explore an area of outstanding natural beauty; there are so many walks and trails that you know your dog would absolutely love to join you on. Having a stay-cation with your four-legged friend too, means your dog can experience some of the best walks of his life and enjoy spending some time away from home with his family on holiday.

Pet-friendly hotels are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the Lake District. There are so many areas of beauty that you might not be able to imagine spending time in without your four-legged friend. Explore the countryside this year and enjoy an over night’s stay with man’s best friend.

Keswick has been voted the UK’s most dog-friendly town by the Kennel Club, with a number of dog-friendly hotels covering the town allowing you to have your dog join you on your break to the Lake District. The Inn on the Square is located in the heart of Keswick and offers excellent accommodation for the whole family and your dog, get in contact today to book your break!

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