Summer, it’s now time to applaud our principal characters, as they take to the stage for act three of the British Isles Spectacular. After the cold rehearsal rooms of winter and the dress rehearsal of spring, our players now revel in the summer spotlight in one of the greatest shows on earth. Ladies and gentlemen, Bed and Breakfast Nationwide bring you England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Enjoy.
Our National Parks are popping their 70th birthday champagne.
Join in the celebrations by taking a look at what these fifteen wonderlands have to offer. The watery wilderness of the Norfolk Broads; the inspirational Lake District; the majestic Cairngorms; mysterious Exmoor; the gentle South Downs; Pembrokeshire Coast’s seaside spectacular…and so much more.
Wildlife wants to show off as well. Catch it at its best by visiting our tremendous variety of nature reserves: RSPB and Wildlife Trust. And our woodlands want to join the fun.
Summer is a great time for walking the lanes, woods, moors and heaths. There are walking festivals planned for all parts this year. The Ramblers will help you out and about.
England’s War of the Roses, helped inspire the television series Game of Thrones. Celebrate that with a visit to the Bosworth Field battleground and learn of the gory death of Richard III.
Then there’s jousting and the colourful clash of the champion knights at Hever Castle. Learn to shoot a bow and arrow in Sherwood Forest, take on the bloody history of Warwick Castle…and catch the number AD122 bus running alongside Hadrian’s Wall.
Scotland abounds in historic castles so explore its ‘fairy tale’ castles. Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland, looks straight out of Disneyland; Floors Castle, Roxburghshire, is full of fine art; Culzean Castle, Ayrshire, with its clifftop drama; Drummond Castle, Perth and Kinross, with one of Europe’s finest gardens; Kelburn Castle, Ayrshire, with its technicolour madness; Dirleton Castle, East Lothian, with the world’s longest herbaceous border; Blackness Castle, West Lothian, has the appearance of ‘the ship that never sailed.’
Join Ireland’s literary trail for a travelogue and a half. Start in Dublin, UNESCO City of Literature, and walk its streets with James Joyce, Maeve Binchy and Oscar Wilde. Samuel Beckett will join you in Enniskillen, Seamus Heaney in Bellaghy and C.S. Lewis in Belfast. W.B. Yeats will show off County Sligo and Frank McCourt, County Limerick.
In Wales, it’s the Year of Discovery. Start underground in a boat through King Arthur’s Labyrinth, under Snowdonia, and go down the Big Pit National Coal Museum, at Blaenafon. Discover three of Wales’ waterfalls – Fairy Falls, Henrhyd Falls and Devil’s Bridge Falls. Meet the puffins on Skomer Island then hit the beaches of Abersoch, Barmouth and Cefn Sidan, to name just three.
It’s so easy to find first-rate places to stay and enjoy the British and Irish way of summer time life. Use our brochure of bed and breakfast accommodation – The Little Green Book – and websites for B&B homes and for self-catering.
All our B&Bs and Cottages have been specially selected to ensure that they provide high quality accommodation. They range from country cottages to town houses, manor houses to farm houses – all offering a warm welcome and good value. The hosts are all keen to promote their part of the country and suggest fun days out and how best to get there.
Some more ideas…
June
20th – 23rd– Royal Highland Show, Edinburgh
21st – 23rd – Sea Sessions Music Festival, Donegal
24th – 30th – Chalke Valley History Festival
28th – 30th – TankFest, Tank Museum, Bovingdon
29th – Sept.14th –Kynren, an epic tale of England, Bishop Aukland
July
1st – Dec. 1st – Sculpture at Wisley, RHS Wisley
4th – 7th – Goodwood Festival of Speed
7th – Pontefract Liquorice Festival
7th – Cardigan Bay Seafood Festival, Aberaeron
12th – 19th – West Cork Literary Festival
13th – Loch Lomond Highland Games
20th – 21st – Yorkshire Dales Food and Drink Festival
26th – 28th – Silverstone Classic
26th – 28th – Bug Jam 32, Santa Pod Raceway, Podington
27th – 29th – Whitstable Oyster Festival
August
3rd – 10th – National Eisteddfod of Wales
8th – 11th – Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
9th – 11th – Chilli Fiesta, West Dean Gardens, Chichester
15th – 18th – Airbourne – Eastbourne International Airshow
17th – Stirling Highland Games
17th – 18th – Isle of Wight Garlic Festival
23rd – 25th – Strathaven Balloon Festival, Lanarkshire
25th – World Crabbing Championship, Cromer Pier
…and even more in our Days Out Diary.
For details on how to receive our brochure, The Little Green Book please follow this link.