Well today is the first of April – and after a week of absolutely glorious weather here in North Devon I’ve woken to an amazing sight. There is a blanket of thick snow across the countryside and I may be mistaken but it looks like 6 foot drifts. Next door has already built a terrific snowman – with a surfboard – and I’m off in a minute to try and get to the village shop to get some emergency bread, potatoes and cous cous. In the mean-time, if I were you I’d hunker down, get on a nice DVD and enjoy not going anywhere for a while. Have a nice day!

Yup its official – Woolacombe is one of the top 5 beach destinations in the UK! Our golden coastline has been rated third in the TripAdvisor Travellors’ Choice Beach Destinations awards. This magical town has moved up from seventh place last year and is now above other hotspots including St Ives and Weymouth.

Well we’ve all always known that it was special but now it appears the world realises it too. You can’t beat that wonderful beach, the gorgeous sea, the friendly village – and some of the best holiday accommodation in the country. Come on – come back to Wooley and we can celebrate together!

The evenings are lighter, the thermometer is rising and I’ve seen my first tulip – yes, its official Spring is here! (well nearly) and what could be better than a long weekend away taking in those crystal blue skies at our wonderful new property Moonstones.

This beautiful 4 bedroom property is situated in a very special part of Cornwall overlooking the stunning Holywell Bay near Newquay. As well as the breathtaking views you’ll have your own access to the lovely bay through your garden and across the dunes.

Perfect for an Easter break, come on, treat yourself and your family. It’s time for somewhere new!

Well, Karen was ahead of the game. She said  ’Astro – tourism‘ was all the rage way back in November and this week Exmoor‘s unique environment and in particular its crystal clear skies were highlighted on the BBC StarGazing programme.

The idyllic town of Dulverton was selected for a great experiment. All the inhabitants were asked to switch off their lights at home and work in a unique attempt to completely eradicate any light pollution. Great fun was had by all although for me the greatest star that night was the beautiful national park itself!

What I love about Cornwall is its unique climate and geography. When you have travelled all the way to the end (or beginning, as we like to think of it here) of the country, you can go in almost any direction and you’ll meet the sea, and invariably there’s the coast path to enjoy.

I like to take advantage of the quieter months and treat myself to a soul refreshing, body invigorating visit to the sea. Fortunately at Marsdens we have some uniquely situated Cottages, so close to the shore that you can taste the salt in the air as well as view the sun glinting on the waves. Our rugged North Cornwall coast is spectacular at any time of the year but with seasonal large swells crashing onto rocky headlands, you can’t help but feel excitement at mother natures glory.

A favourite place to visit is  Trebarwith Strand. This quintessential Cornish Cove has a stunning beach with Pub above, to offer that all important refreshment after a great walk.  It is close to Tintagel and Boscastle where legend and myth meet modern day living, so when I have stomped about on the beach and filled my lungs full with fresh air, I can browse the shops and buy delicious local produce  . Just about a perfect trip for all the family.

So why not join me and re-energise beside the sea?

The Eden Project does much more than offer a memorable day out in Cornwall. Eden is also a charity and social enterprise. 

As well as creating stunning gardens and laying on fantastic arts and music events, much of our energy goes into:

• running transformational social and environmental projects on our doorstep and around the world
• creating unforgettable learning experiences for students
• doing valuable research into plants and conservation
• making sure we run our operations in the greenest possible way.

I really love living close to the Devon / Cornwall border…having the best of both worlds on my doorstep….and this weekend we decided to head towards Padstow and Newquay, two of the nation’s favourite seaside towns.

After a couple of hours of hustle and bustle the beautiful Cornish countryside began calling and what better place to enjoy it than at Colan Barton. Set in a tiny hamlet just 3 miles inland from Newquay and surrounded by 11 acres of rolling hills and valleys, this stunning 350 year old family property has been lovingly restored to provide a whole range of holiday accommodation. The gorgeous main house oozes character and charm and comes with a swimming pool, while the smallest cosy cottages make a perfect couples retreat. It would be fabulous to bring the whole family together and have it all to ourselves for a really special holiday. The utter tranquillity is wonderful and the owners offer many additional services. Take a look for yourselves at Colan Barton Farmhouse and its sister properties, Little Barton, Gwel an Lagen and Bos Lowen, which offer a number of accommodation options on site.

The year 2012 is going to be an historic one for many reasons – and why not celebrate with a wonderful break in the South West? A Marsdens self catering holiday offers you a Visit England quality assured property in the most popular tourist region outside of London. We have a superb range of  cottages right across the West Country, from Wiltshire to Cornwall, all of which offer great value and a great holiday-home from home!

North Devon is simply stunning. Award winning beaches, chocolate -box villages and the prettiest National Park in the land contribute to make this the perfect location for a family holiday.

Home to the iconic pasty and cream tea, Cornwall is one of the UK’s holiday hotspots thanks to its beautiful countryside and wealth of family and cultural attractions.

To the north Somerset is a destination with dramatic coastline, seaside resorts and home to the country’s largest natural gorge at the internationally famous village of Cheddar.

Wiltshire offers a worthy contrast with undulating farmland, the stunning Cathedral city of Salisbury and of course the magnificent Stone Henge.

We are proud of our holiday cottages and we are proud of our reputation as the South West’s leading holiday lettings agency. Why not call one of our lovely team today and chose the holiday you and your family deserve.

Everyone here at Marsdens Cottage Holidays would like to wish all their customers, home owners, friends and colleagues a very happy New Year. We hope to see you soon.

All the team at Marsdens Cottage Holidays would like to wish their fantastic customers a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you in 2012.