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A Brief Introduction To Cottage Holidays In Cornwall

By: Vincent R Cole Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Beaches

The beautiful beaches provide a host of activities for holidaymakers. For young families, they are the ideal place to spend time exploring rock pools and coves. Teenagers are attracted to Cornwall’s vibrant surfing scene -- surfers from all over the world come to ride its waves.

Hiking and Walking

For hikers and walkers, Cornwall’s coastal path stretches for over 200 miles. Walkers can enjoy the rugged cliffs and smashing waves as they hike along the coast. Walkers may even spot some of Cornwall’s wildlife such as seals, otters and dolphins.

Other outdoor activities include fishing, golf, sailing.

Other Pasttimes

For food-lovers, Cornwall is a haven because of its excellent restaurant offering fresh seafood. Other delicious Cornish foods include the famous Cornish pasty and traditional clotted cream tea.

For those interested in history, Cornwall has many castles, ancient fishing ports and museums detailing its maritime past and Celtic history. The legend of King Arthur is famous at Tintagel Castle.

Cornwall is home to many artists and galleries. St Ives is the ideal place for art-lovers and is the location of the Tate Modern.

Other well-known attractions include The Eden Project, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Bodmin Moor, St Michael’s Mount and Land’s End.

Choosing an Appropriate Cottage in Cornwall

Decide on the location -- inland or coastal?
Decide on whether the accommodation should be close to amenities or in a more remote location?
Decide on the main holiday activity -- surfing, beach, walking, golf?
Decide on the type of cottage -- character farmhouse or modern chalet?
Decide on the level of luxury -- 5-star or 3-star?
Decide on meal provision -- self-catering or somewhere which provides breakfast?

Amenities and Services

Most cottages offer the comforts of home such as televisions, dishwashers, microwaves, washer dryers. Luxury cottages may offer DVD and CD players and even Playstations .

If there are children to consider, enquire about the availability of cots, highchairs and stairgates. Beware that certain cottages are not suitable for young children or older people, for example, cottages with steep stairs or ones with swimming pools. There are, however, cottages which are great for children. These may have games room, toys and outdoor play areas.

Be aware that only some cottages welcome pets. Similarly, cottages are now non-smoking.

Some places offer cleaning and laundry services (generally at extra costs) but most will require the cottage to be cleaned and left in a good condition.

It is important to know how to work all the systems in the cottage such as the fireplaces, heating ,ventilation and water systems. There are also farm cottages who have Agas installed - be sure you know how to use them for cooking.

Choosing a safe and reputable cottage

Make sure there are proper terms and conditions in place as well as contracts and rental agreements.
Only pay a deposit when booking ideally via a major credit card.
Before booking, ask for recommendations from previous occupants.
Look for reviews on the internet, if available.
Ensure the cottage has been inspected by an established organisation such as the AA.
Ensure the cottage carries recognised standards such as star ratings from the Tourist Board.

Conclusion

Cornwall is an excellent choice for an enjoyable and relaxing holiday. There are numerous activities to do and sights to take in. To guarantee a successful holiday, it is essential that the selected cottage be booked through a trustworthy travel company or private owner. By taking the above precautions, it is likely that the cottage rental will be trouble-free.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Vincent Cole is a freelance researcher and writer specialising in consumer, finance and business subjects.

Find detailed and up-to-date information on choosing cottage holidays in the UK at Shop in UK.