Corbridge, Northumberland 2008

I've really neglected this blog lately and will try to do better in the future!

In February 2008, we went into Derbyshire and had a lovely short break, but I'll do a separate post about that.

For our main holiday this year we decided to try the North East, an area we were both unfamiliar with. It turned out to be a really good choice. The North east of England is really a hidden treasure - steeped in history, dating back to Roman times and before, beautiful rolling countryside, an amazing coastline and much, much more.

INGLETON

I had this lovely photo of one of the waterfalls at Ingleton that I took when we were on holiday at Skipton recently in a sidebar to the left but I got a comment from a reader that it was kind of "floating" at the top of my blog. I didn't want to lose it so I have moved it here. Hope you enjoy it!

ANGLESEY

Summer 2006 saw us in Anglesey, North Wales, enjoying the beautiful countryside and the many delightful walks and cycleways.

Again, we booked via the internet and, as Anglesey is quite small, we were not too bothered where we stayed. In the end, we chose Penrhos Bach - and what a good choice it turned out to be!

Penrhos Bach is in Brynteg, a village about 10 minutes drive from Benllech. It is run by Angela and Barry Stephens and is set back from the road in its own beautiful grounds, with plenty of secure off-road parking.

Angela and Barry are a delightful couple and nothing is too much trouble for them. Their dogs are also gorgeous!

Breakfast is a sumptuous affair and Angela's home-made bread is to die for!

Nearby is the Hotel California (No, not that one!) which serves excellent lunches and evening meals in friendly surroundings. For evening meals, I would also recommend The Talent House, 2 Bryn-Y-Don, Benllech, Anglesey (Tel:01248 853889) which is a first-class Chinese Restaurant.

Further details of Penrhos Bach can be found here .

EATING IN & AROUND SKIPTON

Before leaving our trip to Yorkshire, I thought it might be helpful to list some of the excellent eateries that we found while there.

Just 5 minutes walk from "Drumlins", on the main A59 Kendal to Skipton road, is the Cross Keys Hotel. Good pub food, though not the cheapest in the world, and pleasant surroundings.

In Skipton itself, you will find the excellent, award-winning Fish & Chip Restaurant, Bizzie Lizzies. Address: Bizzie Lizzies, 36 Swadford Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1QY. Further details here .

Also in Skipton is Herriots - Herriots Hotel,Broughton Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1RT. The restaurant here is open to non-residents and is excellent. Try the pasta specials - absolutely mouth-watering and very reasonably priced!

A little further afield, but very worth the trip, is The Clover 19/21 Wellgate, Clitheroe, Lancashire. BB7 2DP. Fantastic Cantonese food, first-class service, affordable prices - 'nuff said!

SUGGESTIONS

While I intend this blog to mainly reflect my own experiences, I am aware that there are only so many B & B's I can visit!

If any of you have stayed at any really good establishments, please use the email link on the right to let me know about it. I'll check it out and, provided that it hasn't come from the owner, I'll share it with my readers.

YORKSHIRE DALES

I'm going to start with our most recent short break, walking in the Yorkshire Dales. As Skipton is known as "The Gateway to the Dales", we searched the internet for somewhere in that area. We came up with "Drumlins" at East Marton, about 5 miles out from Skipton.

This is a beautiful bungalow in a quiet cul-de-sac just off the main A59, Kendal to Skipton road. "Drumlins" has an en-suite bedroom with a king-size bed (which must be the most comfortable bed we have ever slept in!) and shower and a twin-bedded room with private bathroom and shower.

Judith Moran, the owner, is a lovely person and nothing is too much trouble for her. Breakfast is a sumptious and relaxed affair.

Full details can be found here . Multimap directions can be obtained here .

Highly recommended. Enjoy your stay!

WELCOME

For the past four or five years now, Sheila and I have been taking our holidays in the UK, staying in Bed and Breakfast establishments. These have all been booked via the internet and have always been accompanied by a bit of trepidation in advance, in case they should turn out to be a disaster - in fact, our week in Cornwall in 2004 was less than enjoyable, partly because of bad weather (it was the week that Boscastle was flooded!) but mainly because our landlady was a drunken lunatic! The less said about that the better!

I've therefore decided to list some of the really good places that we have visited to help others to be confident in their holiday bookings. I will not be naming and shaming any bad B & B's ( I don't want to be sued!) - only ones that we can thoroughly recommend.

I hope you find this resource useful.