self-catering holiday cottage, holiday rental near Alton Towers and Peak District

Self-catering near Alton Towers and Peak District - Call Barks Holiday Cottage 01538 703163 email barkshc@gmail.com

Snowy days, lovely walks, toasty open fire


Looks like we are going to get more snowy weather in the run up to Christmas. We had some guests come for the lovely walking, and it sounds like they'll be back for a break to include Alton Towers theme park when it reopens for the 2011 season. Not sure when that is right now, but last year Alton Towers did open for a while during the February half term. In the mean time our appeal to holiday-makers looking for a long weekend break is the fabulous walking in the Churnet Valley and a cosy evening in front of the open fire. Then of course there's my next favourite: the Alton Towers spa - nothing like it after a vigorous hike in our hills and valleys.



Barks Holiday Cottage, 01538 703436

Biddulph Grange Gardens

Did you see Alan Titchmarsh on telly the other night?  Lovely programme exploring Victorian gardens and clever the way it was all referenced back to a great example of garden design - our local Biddulph Grange gardens (National Trust) in Staffordshire.  If you didn't get to see it, you never know, it might be on BBCi.

We had some guests staying back in May 2010 who are keen gardeners and they visited Biddulph Grange and Trentham Gardens.  Not only a keen gardener but also a keen blogger . . . so very handy for me that I can send you off to her blog for lots of lovely pictures and a good review from a first time visitor there.  http://vegplotting.blogspot.com/2010/11/garden-visit-biddulph-grange.html .  Good to note that some people do come here for amusement other than Alton Towers, indeed as I commented on the article, to VegPlotting AT stands for Alan Titchmarsh not Alton Towers.  Love it!

For my part, I visit Biddulph Grange a couple of times each year - rhododendron season and dahlia season - and always enjoy the Chinese area with the huge fish in the pond.  So even if you are a dedicated Alton Towers fan, maybe Biddulph is somewhere to consider for day 3 of your stay.