Midweek Breaks on the Waterways

Posted on December 14, 2011 by admin

This week, The Midweeks Breaks blog is happy to publish a guest article by Nisha who will entertain and inform you with an alternative suggestion for UK based short breaks on the Inland Waterways system. It turns out that the big companies offering canal boating holidays whether on traditional narrowboats or modern cruisers, while mostly organised on a weekly hire basis, also offer weekend and midweek short breaks which, if you pick your dates carefully, can present a great opportunity to book your accommodation and relaxation in one affordable package.

Midweek Canal Boat Holidays

Everyone loves to go on holiday. Picturesque scenery, adventures, shopping and more are something to look forward to. A holiday once a year is nice, but sometimes people need a short break, so whether it’s to a local family holiday park or further afield, here are some recommendations.

A short break, from a weekend or mid-week break can alleviate stress and re-energize body and soul. Take an especially relaxing holiday on a part time hire canal boat. Also called narrow boats, they are a wonderful way to have an affordable holiday or short break.

Canal boats are built for the locks on the canal ways. Since the locks are only 7 feet wide, the boats are 7 feet wide as well. Although narrow, they can be up to 70 feet long, which is the longest lock length.

It may sound like the boat has no space and the passengers would be packed like sardines, but canal boats are equipped with all modern conveniences, such as toilets, cookers, ovens, central heating, beds, showers, television, dining room tables and more. They can accommodate up to eight people or more. The boat hire company will teach you how to handle the boat, or you can hire someone to do it for you.

It is suggested that two people travel in the canal boat. This allows one person to manage the locks from the shore while the other steers the boat.

Where to go, what to see and what to do are questions everyone asks on holiday, even on short breaks. Depending on the starting point and the destination, there is something for everyone in the canal ways of England, Scotland and Wales.

The Norfolk Broads is a wonderful place to visit. Villages, thatched roofs, and wildlife are abundant on these canals. The floating Broads Wildlife Centre Ranworth Broad is home to many species of birds.

Fields of wildflowers abound on either side of the canals affording the holiday-goers opportunities to take magnificent pictures. The landscape is like no other anywhere. Norwich City centre is home to pubs, theatres, shopping centres and more for those needing supplies or a chance to stretch their legs.

Great Yarmouth has horseracing, grey hound meetings and a seaside amusement park. Arriving by canal means you will not have to find a parking space.

Fishing is an activity enjoyed by many, and the boat does not have to be stationary. Pike, bream, perch, rudd and roach are abundant. A fishing license is required, but the cost is nominal. Fresh fish for dinner is always a treat during holidays.

Take a short break on the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal in Wales. Pony trekking, shops, restaurants, pubs, climbing, fishing and more are available on the canal. Take quiet walks in scenery that one only dreams about.

Cruising Scottish canals is a short break worth taking. Stop at one of many canal side restaurants or bars for something to eat. Shop at different villages for quiet walks and shopping. Visit ancient castles and take pictures from angles impossible anywhere else but on the canal. Visit and ride the Falkirk wheel. The entire canal boat rides the wheel while you and your family are inside.

Since the water in the canals is calm, seasickness is non-existent. Falling overboard is seldom an issue with adults, as the water level is seldom deeper than approximately 4 feet. Swimming may or may not be allowed in the canals. It is best to check before hiring the canal boat.

Of course, cruising down the canal ways without going ashore is also a great short break. Driving the boat by day, and enclosing one’s self inside while moored for the night is a soothing alternative to noisy hotel rooms.

 

My name is Nisha I work as the editor for Holiday365. I have been representing the business for the last 2 years now.

Posted in Midweek Breaks | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 3

Posted on July 19, 2011 by admin

Midweek breaks on a budget can be a bit of a problem. Spend more than £500 and you start feeling like you could have spent just a little more and had a ‘proper holiday’. This 3 part series Midweek Breaks on a Budget looks at some ideas that will give you a good break without costing too much money. 

In Part One I showed you how it was possible to have a midweek theatre break in London.

In Part Two we crossed the Channel for a fun and relaxing mid week break in Lille

In Part Three I’m going to suggest a beautiful but overlooked part of the country, North Devon.

Now I know North Devon isn’t easy for everyone to get to but I’m going to use it as an example. There are other over-looked bits of countryside all over the UK and there is bound to be somewhere near you. The idea is to stay away from the major tourist hot spots, to avoid the obvious. I’ll say more about this in a later post.

North Devon

midweekbreaksDevon1 Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 3

Mid week breaks in North Devon

There are lots of things to do in North Devon. It’s got a heritage coastline with stunning views and fabulous surfing, close to lovely countryside. There are lovely villages like Clovelly as well as the major towns like Barnstable and Ilfracombe. There are great walks and cycle trails, like the Tarka Trail

Staying for a Short Break in North Devon – 3 choices.

1. Bed & Breakfast or Guest House

Can be an excellent choice. B&Bs are not what they, so forget any cliches and take a good look at some of their web sites.  One thing people often miss is that there can be special offers tucked away on the B&B or Guest House’s own web site, especially for off season midweek deals. Although many of the agencies are good it is usually worth going to the actual web site if they have one.

Do a little bit of research before you book. Check the reviews on some of the review sites but don’t take too much notice of the grumpier ones. Sadly some people like nothing better than complaining. In high season expect to pay £70+ per night for and a double room in a B&B with almost hotel standard accommodation.That can go down as low as £40 per night in the off season!

2. Self – catering Cottage

midweekbreaksdevon2 Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 3

Mid week breaks in a North Devon cottage

In high season most cottages will be out of your budget but it is always worth looking for last minute bargains. Someone with a cottage would rather let it at a lower rate than see it stand empty. Check the internet for deals or get some phone numbers & ring round. Out of high season cottages become far more affordable. Owners are happier to let cottages for short mid week breaks in mid season and prices become much more reasonable. Your cottage might cost you as little as £200 for 3 nights April – October, outside the school holidays.

3. A Caravan or Tent

Ok so a caravan doesn’t sound that interesting. Sudden visions of trailer parks full of mobile homes might not be quite right for your mid-week get away. Let’s see if I can get you to think again. Ever heard of ‘glamping’? Think yurts, think bell tents, think gypsy caravans, think eco-tourism.

Well yes, I suppose they can seem quite worthy but also think: double beds, romantic touches, back to nature, with fridges, wood burning stoves, fully equipped kitchens and flushing toilets, and hot showers.  Out of your budget? Not necessarily.

An off season stay (April & September) in a rather gorgeous Mongolian yurt, set in acres of beautiful rural countryside might cost you as little as £200 for 3 or even 4 nights.

I’m deeply tempted! How about you?

 

Posted in Midweek Breaks | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2

Posted on May 16, 2011 by admin

The midweek breaks problem:

You have a week off work coming up soon and you want to take full advantage. Neither of you can afford anything really expensive. With a budget of around £500 between you just what is possible?

Part 2 of a 3 part series of ideas for Midweek Breaks on a Budget Here is the second of 3 ideas that will give you a good break but won’t over stretch the budget. Again I think this one might surprise you!

In Part 1 I explained how you could have a Mid-week Theatre Break in London for less than you might think. Today I’m going to suggest a trip to a bit of France that might not be that familiar. Lille in the north of France is not quite Belgium but it sometimes feels like it. At only 1 hour 25 minutes from London St Pancreas it is much nearer than Bruges or Brussels and Lille is a surprisingly nice place to have a budget mid-week break.

Why have a mid week break in Lille?

midweekbreakslille3 300x225 Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2

Midweek breaks Lille

Lille has a lovely old city centre which is very easy to wander round. There’s a central square, Place du Général-de-Gaulle, locals call it la “Grand’place”. In the middle is  a fountain with a statue of a goddess, “la Grande Déesse”. The buildings are a mix of French and Flemish, very quaint and quite old. Much of the centre of the town dates to the 17th and 18th centuries. You can’t really get lost in the city centre as all roads lead back here eventually.

I loved wandering round Vieux Lille (Old Lille). There are quiet, cobble-stone pedestrian streets, cool designer shops, lots of gorgeous shabby chic, pavement cafes  and a mix of traditional and modern gourmet restaurants.

The modern Cathédrale Notre Dame de la Treille has a lovely little cobbled street behind it with a couple of delightful coffee shops perfect for a little sun and people watching.That’s one of the great things about mid-week breaks, you get to see the city whilst everyone else is just going about their business. This can lead to a feeling of immense smugness!

You can find all sorts of interesting things going on in the city centre. I love wandering round and discovering new, cool things.

One of my favourite places

midweekbreaks1 300x225 Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2

Midweek breaks Lille

was La Vieille Bourse. In between the two big squares, Place du Général-de-Gaulle and Place du Théâtre, the old commercial exchange has interesting booksellers (old French book covers are soo chic!), record stalls, postcards and flower markets in the inner court during the day. However sometimes in the evening sometimes something magical happens. I won’t spoil the surprise….

Of course there are  also museums to look round and I am sure they are very interesting. We just never quite got round to them icon smile Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2 Too busy relaxing in the charming squares watching the very stylish French world go by I suppose. Too busy doing a little gentle shopping too. You know how it is..

Two things you should know about Lille

You can’t really write about Lille and miss out two of the main reasons people go there. The first is La Braderie. This is an annual street fair held every September. This is NOT a good time to go expecting a bargain mid-week break. Lille will be packed to bursting for La Braderie. It is one of Europe’s biggest and oldest street markets and it is total madness. The whole of the city is set up with stalls selling paintings, antiques, ornaments, furniture. There are street parties and a tradition of eating mussels with chips and drinking huge amounts of local beer. In fact the restaurants in the city have a competition to see which one can build the biggest pile of mussel shells.  Where La Braderie can be to your advantage is if you can go the week before or the week after. On the whole, I’d suggest the week before is best as the week after most of Lille will have a hangover!

The other reason people often go to Lille is the traditional Christmas market. This is much less full on than La Braderie and could be quite good fun.

Where to eat in Lille?

It would be no exaggeration to say you are spoiled for choice. Lille is full of great food and some of it not too expensive either. For value and local specialities it is hard to beat Chicoree. It might be a bit touristy but it is open 24/7 and the food is basic but good.  If you go there, and you like fish, do not miss the waterzoi. This is a wonderful fish stew which a Flemish speciality and is totally delicious. At around €13.50 each it is a very reasonably priced treat. Wash it down with one of the great Belgium beers on offer.

midweekbreakslille5 300x225 Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2

Midweek breaks Lille

There’s a gorgeous spot for lunch tucked down one of the side streets, La Vieux de la Ville. It is tiny and gets very busy so you might want to book but the food is wonderful and totally authentic.

Quick tip: Look for the words “estaminet cafe” if you want typical local cuisine.

If you’ve a desire to splurge try L’Huitriere (Rue des Chats Bossus) It’s got the most amazing Art-nouveau frontage and is above the fish store. It is supposed to be one of the best seafood and fish restaurants in France and is priced accordingly.

midweekbreakslille 300x225 Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2

Midweek breaks Lille

One place that did confuse me was Maison du Moulin D’Or (Morel & Fils)in  Place du Théâtre. I though it was a shop at first but now it is a stylish bar. It used to be a hat shop and it still has lots of fancy model heads, wooden dolls, and other curiosities. It is all decorated in perfect shabby chic soft sea green and pink and is a great place for a beer or coffee.

We found one little cobbled street with no less than 5 wonderful restaurants. In that one street you could sample great food from 3 different regions of France and 2 that served traditional Flemish cuisine. I’m not going to tell you where it was, go and find it for yourself icon smile Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2 It’s half the fun!

midweekbreakslille2 300x225 Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2

Midweek breaks Lille

And then there’s the street food…. and the chocolates, sigh….. don’t miss Meert!

On Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings there is an open market at Marché de Wazemmes. It. Sells. Everything. Hats, handbags, furniture that you’ll hate to leave behind, gorgeous fresh, cut flowers, rotisserie chickens, roast potatoes, sushi, fresh farm produce that will make you wish you were staying long enough to need to cook, even locally made cidre and poire (cider and perry!)

How to get to Lille

The best way of getting to Lille is by far the Eurostar. It is quick and painless and much faster than any alternatives. The city centre is only a 15 minute walk from the station and clearly signposted. Look out for special deals for mid-week breaks on the Eurostar web site and you can pick up some real bargains.

Where to stay in Lille

We stayed in a very budget apartment just on the edge of the city centre and I have to say I wouldn’t do it again. We were just too near the huge ring road to be really comfortable, so that was a false economy.  However there were very nice places which, when I checked, were just as reasonable, right in the oldest part of the city. Learn from my mistake icon smile Midweek Breaks on a Budget Part 2

So why not add Lille to your list of possible mid-week breaks

 

Posted in Midweek Breaks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Midweek Breaks on a budget Part 1

Posted on October 19, 2010 by Linda

Part 1 of a 3 part series of ideas for Midweek Breaks on a Budget

The midweek breaks problem:

You have a week off work coming up soon and you want to take full advantage. Neither of you can afford anything really expensive. With a budget of around £500 between you just what is possible?

Here is the first of 3 ideas that will give you a good break but won’t over stretch the budget. This one might surprise you!

London theatre breaks mid week

I can just imagine your reaction,

“London? Isn’t that going to be really expensive? Shows? Are you nuts?”

Well, I’m not nuts and I’m about to try to prove it. A midweek break for 2 in London, 2 nights in a hotel and, tickets for a West End Show and rail travel from somewhere like Leeds could cost you as little as £140 each.
You’d actually do better spending a little more on the hotel and getting one right in the centre near the theatres. Much more fun and the less time you spend on the tube the better! That would start at about £200 each and often includes a full English breakfast.

Places to eat in London on Midweek Breaks

It’s true, you can easily spend a fortune eating out in London but you don’t have to. And I don’t mean just eat nasty take-aways either. London, even in the West End or Covent Garden is full of pleasant, reasonable places to eat. In fact it can be easier to find such a place in London than in somewhere like Leeds or Manchester! There are good chains like Cafe Rouge, Giraffe and Eat but you should be able to find something a bit more adventurous.

restaurants for Midweekbreaks Midweek Breaks on a budget Part 1

restaurants for midweek breaks

Book one meal with your break

When you book a theatre break with hotel stay and show tickets included, it’s easy to add a pre-show dinner, either at the hotel where you will be staying or at a suggested nearby quality restaurant. These meal deals or add-ons are all set up to make sure you have an relaxed restaurant dinner and can still arrive at the theatre in plenty of time to take you seats well before the show starts. The restaurant bill is then included in the total cost of your break and it’s usually very good value.

Find restaurants for yourself

I could recommend a few West End restaurants but in London things change constantly. Places change hands, cooks move on, old favourites close and new ones open. You can find every style of food from French to Japanese via Vietnam and Cornwall!
Here are some tips to consider before walking in off the street:

  1. Have a good look at the menu display board. Is is the kind of you food you fancy? Is there a special menu deal and if so what exactly is included
  2. Are you happy with the price? Check there are no hidden’extras’(VAT, Service etc)
  3. Don’t be shy! Peer in through the windows and see who is already eating. If nobody at all, that’s not always a bad sign if it’s still very early evening but some places are crowded from late afternoon with people coming straight out from work. If there are diners eating within sight, or waiters carrying food to table then have a nosy glance at the food itself. In just a second you can often get an impression if it looks appetising, artistic, not quite right, too big or too small.
  4. Look at the tables and chairs offered to see if you think you will be comfortable and not too squashed together.
  5. Once inside make sure the table you are offered isn’t too near the door or, worse yet, the toilets. If it is just say refuse it, you will usually be offered another one and nobody takes offense.

There’s no reason why you can’t eat well and not spend too much even in the heart of London. Read more about this topic at our sister site Theatre Breaks Magazine

5 Things to Do in London on Midweek Breaks

Well, there are just so many and lots of them cost either very little or nothing at all. If you are on a tight budget then it might be wise to avoid the shops. London shops pay top prices for their rents so they can be a little expensive. A little window shopping won’t hurt though, just don’t get tempted.
Here are just a list of 5 suggestions for things that cost very little or are free:

rivercruise for midweek breaks 300x225 Midweek Breaks on a budget Part 1

River cruises are quieter on midweek breaks

  • A hop on hop off Thames river cruise. A great way to see the city and costs very little.
  • Art Galleries – they are free! Tate Modern is a favourite. There is usually something interesting and often fun(!) in the Turbine Hall. It is also ideal if you combine it with the river cruise.
  • From the Tate walk over the Millennium Footbridge, get one of the best views of the river and go and have a look round St Pauls. It really is quite stunning.
  • The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are really best viewed from the river. The roads and pavements around them will be heaving with people mid-week so you get a much better view from a boat.
  • A walk in St James Park. Costs nothing but will provide you with some great views and a little oasis of calm and quiet in the busy city.

One more tip, if you are feeling like exploring more of London get yourselves Pay-as-You-Go Oyster Cards and learn to use the tube.  You can even hop on a Routemaster bus with it! Just avoid the busiest stops and peak times if you don’t like being squashed.

Posted in Midweek Breaks | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Midweek Breaks are Cheaper

Posted on September 18, 2010 by admin

Midweek Breaks are cheaper than weekend breaks

The cost of travel by train, bus or air is always a bit more at weekends and holidays, while the best discounts are always reserved for midweek and off peak travel only.

While business hotels may have spare capacity at weekends, all the best Hotels in areas popular for tourism and holidays will charge extra from Friday onwards, with some adding as much as the same amount again to the nightly rate.

Everywhere is busier at weekends, particularly on the transport system where reduced services are offered because of the lack of commuters, who pay for the midweek service through season tickets.

With so many extra people around, everything seems to tale a little bit longer and is more stressful. Delays are a more frequent occurrence too, which takes all the fun away.

Midweek breaks beat the weekend

I’m sure you can recall the downsides to travelling when it’s busy, as outlined above. Higher prices, busier travel connections, less relaxation or fun. But there is a very simple way to overcome these problems, just by arranging to take midweek breaks instead. I know it means juggling around work and study priorities perhaps, but the benefits are  many  so why not try and be a little more flexible with your dates and then bag a much better bargain mid week.

Less people travelling makes the journey ticket prices lower.

You can travel against the commuter flow and have loads of space to yourself as well as easier through connections and onward journeys. That means you can choose your own seat, or maybe even a whole compartment around a table.

Hotel and theatre deals will be offered at the best discounts for both the theatre tickets and the overnight accommodation. That’s because midweek for theatres is a quieter time, and there are more likely to be spare seats available. The weekends and children’s holidays always get booked up first.

Delays and Weekend engineering works are just not going to happen if it’s Monday Tuesday Wednesday or Thursday. Friday morning can be good too, but watch out for Friday afternoon because that’s no longer considered to be mid week – the weekend starts here.

By now you must be sufficiently convinced to book UK  midweek breaks – stay tuned to the midweek breaks blog for all the best special offers and mid week deals.

Posted in Midweek Breaks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment