If you are going to rent your property out when you and your family can’t be there then it’s important to research the most popular places and the places that will bring you the best income. If you have a small budget then it will make it hard to purchase a property on the beachfront of a central tourist attraction so your budget is a big thing to take into account.

Grasmere, The Lake District, UK by Richard Barrett-Small

When you’re thinking about investing in a holiday home there are a number of things that you should take into account such as, where do people you know like to go on holiday?, would you prefer to be near a beach or a city?, will your property be close to pubs and entertainment?, will the property be preferred by young or older people? And will the property be easily accessible? There are many popular areas throughout Britain that become home to holiday makers every year; some of the most popular include, the Lake District, York, Kent, Isle of Wight, Yorkshire Dales and Moors, Snowdonia, Anglesey, the Scottish Highlands and Edinburgh. Of course there are many more popular destinations but, for a getaway, these are usually the first places that people will think of.

Because these areas are popular, the property can also be pretty expensive which can be a huge let down to buyers with a low budget. If you wish to buy a home in one of these areas but the budget won’t stretch then a nearby town or village is usually your best bet as although these are popular with the tourists that visit the main areas, the house prices are nowhere near as high. Although your property may not be in the centre of the tourist world you don’t want it to be too far away as this will be a put off for potential rentals. You should make sure your property is easy to get to via public or personal transport and it shouldn’t be more than a 15 minute drive from popular tourist spots – after all, how many people want to spend their holiday driving?

David Sprice shares his interest on Internet Cottages and what they have to offer as a holiday escape.

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The Nutshell – Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk

This pub is famous simply because it is the smallest pub in England. If this doesn’t spark your curiosity, then perhaps the dimensions will: The Nutshell is only 15 feet wide by 7 feet deep. Interestingly, it has been the same way since it was built in 1867. This pub has made the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest pub; even though it is said to feel crowded with only 10 people, 102 have once fit inside! After a long day of exploring and driving, pull your car over and enjoy the bizarre atmosphere of this famous bar.

Photo of Nutshell – smallest pub in England by Karen Roe

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks – St Albans, Hertfordshire

It’s likely you and your car are starting your journey in London. After navigating your way out of Heathrow airport, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks is a relatively close drive. Just North of London, this pub is the oldest in England. While some records state that this pub opened in 1129, there are some records of monks selling alcohol in this building as far back as the 700s! The interesting octagonal shape of the building (supposedly for cock fighting), the very low ceilings and the attached cellar will make you feel like you’re eating and drinking back in time.

Photo of Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, UK by Legis

The Old Silent Inn – Stanbury, West Yorkshire

There’s no bizarre or quirky reason to make a special visit to this pub. Simply, it is a great stop because of its fantastic location in the midst of the Bronte region of the UK. While sipping a local brew, you will look out onto the moors, the sheep and the ruins. To add to the picturesque scenery, The Old Silent Inn is famous for its friendly service, and good food and drink. If you’re planning on heading to the North part of the country during your road trip through England, this pub is a must-see after a long day in your car. In addition to the stops you’ve already planned for your road trip through England, traveling by car will also allow you to easily get to all these famous pubs. After a great day of driving, traveling by car will let you visit some very memorable pubs. You can eat and drink like a monk, a Victorian and a Bronte all on one road trip!

Susan enjoys traveling by car around the country and blogging about it, she also enjoys not driving a new car, but only buys and drives used cars, she picks up at car acutions or rental agency used car sales.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Nigel’s Europe

Most visitors find their way up the winding Ronda road from the town of San Pedro de Alcantara just outside Marbella. From San Pedro take the A397 north for approximately 47 km or one hour and you will arrive in the heart of Ronda. It’s an incredible drive through gorgeous scenery but the road does twist and turn quite a lot. It’s a favourite with motorcyclists so be prepared to be overtaken on your way up and down again.

If you’re driving to Ronda directly from your Malaga car hire collection point, then you may prefer to take the straighter A357 and then A367 via Cartama, Ardales, Cuevas del Becerro. It’s a bit further at 100 km or one and half hours but the scenery is still great! Once you get to Ronda, there is plenty of parking with well signed and reasonably priced public car parks throughout the city.

A third option is to take the train. There is one train per day that runs between Malaga airport and Ronda but the line between San Roque Estacion and Ronda is far more scenic. It stops in a couple of pretty villages on the way and you will really get a feel for authentic Spanish countryside. If you’re lucky, you’ll also see the storks nesting on top of the electricity pylons on your way up! There are four trains each day in each direction and the fares are very reasonable.

Ronda dominates the landscape around it and hence was very strategically important to the Moors who survived here until the Christians overcame them in 1485. You will see a lot of Moorish and Arabic influences in the architecture in the centre. The city is located either side of a 100 metre deep gorge, El Tajo. The New Bridge or Puente Nuevo, which dates back to the 18th Century, spans El Tajo and joins together the older southern side of the town with the “newer” part.

In the southern side of Ronda you will find some of the most interesting tourist attractions such as the Palacio Mondragon with its typical Moorish mosaics and plasterwork, Minaret San Sebastian (the remains of a 14th century mosque) and the very impressive Ayuntamiento or town hall with its arcaded facade and Mudéjar ceiling. There is even a Catholic church, Santa María la Mayor, where you can see the minaret and prayer niche which have survived from its previous use as a mosque back in the 13th century.

Whatever your principles, a visit to the bullring is highly recommended. It is thought that Ronda’s Plaza de Toros is the world’s oldest bullring and the spiritual home of bullfighting. The first bullfight is meant to have taken place in 1785. The bullring is a very elegant construction with Tuscan columns forming the two storey seating galleries. The bullfighting museum within explains the cultural history of Spain’s controversial sport or artform (depending on which side of the coin your opinions fall) and includes a tour of the bullring itself and the Royal Harness and Livery collection. Several of the ornate and colourful bullfighting costumes are on display together with an antique fire-arms collection. Next to the bullring is the School of Equestrianism where you can watch the training of their beautiful thoroughbred horses and riders.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Kat Hamilton

The name “Croagh” in Irish means “hill”. This 764 m high Patrick’s hill is really the dominant element of the landscape, towering above the rocky wastes of the surrounding moors. According to legend, Saint Patrick came to County Mayo in 441 during his great missionary expedition through Ireland. The first Saturday of Lent ascended to the top of the Cruachan Aigil mountain (as the hill was named before) to which the local pagans felt a certain awe. But he did not intend to leave the place with such spiritual significance for thousands of potential Christians. He stayed in the mountain for a period of 40 days, keeping fasting and praying for the Irish. It seemed to be very brave to the local residents, because they believed that the top of the hill was inhabited by demons. When he came back down, people were more amenable to his mission, they had baptized and demanded redemption.

This story that happened on Croagh Patrick became the subject of many other stories and legends, which mix truth, myth and symbolism. It is said, that Saint Patrick assured God that the Irish people never loose their faith and on Judgement Day will be saved.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Eoin O’Mahony

It didn’t take a long time and Croagh Patrick mountain has become a popular place of pilgrimage for the entire Christian Ireland. For more than 1500 years thousands of pilgrims climbed to the top, despite of criminal law, prohibitions or bad weather. 37-kilometres long pilgrimage trail called Tóchar Phádraig begins in Ballintubber Abbey and leads along the ancient pagan way to the top. The trail is quite challenging and tiring, but purifies the body and spirit. As a compensation is the unbelievable view of the surrounding countryside. Those who think the entire 37 km long trail is too long, may choose a shorter trail, which begins in Murrisk.

Climbing the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick has become a traditional activity not only for locals but also for visitors from abroad. For the climbing you need good hiking boots, a stick and a lot of determination. The route is viable, so you do not need to be in any special form.

Ancient pilgrimage trail leads through an interesting landscape dotted with many monuments. There are holy wells, menhirs, rocks engraved with inscriptions, magical piles of stones and allegedly enchanted forests. It takes two days to walk through the 37 km long trail. The best place for rest and overnight stay is Aghagower village boasting an ancient church and round tower. The next day, you can then continue further west along the path until you get to the saddle and then up to the peak.

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Protected area in this region existed long before the establishment of the park, but the Soviet authorities were afraid of leading Estonians to nationalist ideas. Only after years of preparation and lobbying they have finally reached an agreement. After this, also Latvia and Lithuania in the years 1973 and 1974 declared their national parks.

In translation, the Lahemaa National Park means “Land of Bays.” At present it is one of the most popular tourist sites in Estonia, with about 300,000 tourists a year. Most of them come here in high season. But the park has a unique atmosphere also during off-season, it is then transformed into a magical and unspoilt countryside. Lahemaa National Park is a home to 838 kinds of plants and 50 species of mammals. You can meet here brown bears, American mink or lynx. In the trees there are 222 kinds of birds and in the rivers you can find salmon or trout.

Lahemaa National Park is situated at the coast of the Gulf of Finland, where several deep incisions create one bay after another. Sea coast is very rugged. National park icludes also four major peninsulas and the series of islands. About 480 km2 of the land is covered by forests, remaining 220 km2 are the waters of the Gulf of Finland.

Lahemaa National Park is a typical example of the Estonian countryside, it is mostly flat or slightly wavy to a maximum height of 115 meters above sea level. A large part of the park is occupied by marshes, moors and forests. Travelers will find fourteen lakes and several waterfalls that drop down from the rock cliffs from a height of about 60 meters. Lakes are either coastal or ice type. The park offers a lot of interesting places, however, one of the most attractive are typical stone fields, which were brought here by Scandinavian melting glaciers.

The area is very quiet and populated mainly with rural population. Apart from the natural scenery there are also many historical and cultural monuments. Near the eastern end of the park you can find a renovated castle in Palmse dating from the 13th century. In the years of 1677-1923 the entire territory belonged to the Baltic German family von der Pahlen. But the castle was later nationalized and used as a recreational facility for Estonian National Guard called Kaitseliit. The reconstruction works on the castle began after the establishment of a national park in 1971.

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