Category: Holiday

Barry Island, in Wales, is a popular destination for daytrippers and holidaymakers,  There are four beaches in Barry which are Whitmore Bay, which I will highlight more below, Jackson’s Bay which is a quiet sandy beach where dogs are allowed, Watch House Bay has golden sand with rocks around the edge and is very quiet and Cold Knap which is a quiet pebble beach.

Whitmore Bay Beach is the main beach in Barry Island and has become a famous tourist designation thanks to the TV series Gavin and Stacey.

The beach is crescent-shaped with soft golden sand and plenty of space to play and relax when the tide is out.

In the Summer months and Bank Holidays, there is a lifeguard patrol. Colourful beach huts are available next to the beach and are available to hire.

Whitmore Bay Beach has plenty of nearby parking and also backs on to Barry Island Pleasure Beach.

With the impact that Coronavirus has had on the UK and the difficulty and uncertainty of travelling abroad right now, it may be beneficial to visit UK locations for your holidays this year. One place of incredible beauty and gorgeous beaches is Cornwall. Cornwall also has some incredible history and tasty pasties.

Five of the Best Cornwall Beaches

1. Fistral Beach- also is pet friendly and allows surfing
2. Godrevy- has lighthouses, surfing, great viewpoints and excellent for spotting wildlife
3. Watergate Bay- lovely beach that also allows surfing
4. Towan Beach- is pet friendly, so is a great beach for dog walking
5. Great Western Beach- great for families, surfing and also has caves to explore

All five of these beaches offers beautiful views and are excellent locations to go and enjoy some summer sunshine. So, if you have been thinking about where to travel this summer, try a Cornwall holiday.

Once COVID restrictions lift, one interesting holiday idea is canal boating! The great news is, you do not even have to have prior experience to hire a narrowboat! In the UK, one fifth of canal boat hirers are new to canal boating. When meeting other boats on the canal, stick to the right. The canal systems are the opposite of how we drive on the roads.

Canal Boating Tips

1. It is not required to have a licence to steer a canal boat as a tutorial is provided in many holiday packages, but you can also find the Canal Boaters Handbook video on Youtube.

2. To steer, push the tiller left to go right and right to go left. Then to stop, simply put the engine in reverse.

3. Be sure to use your horn to warn other canal boats that could be coming towards you at sharp bends or when entering a tunnel.

4. When using a lock, always ensure the steerer is on the boat to keep it forward of the cill (step) and share the lock with other boats if possible, to save water and share lock operation steps. Be sure to close all paddles and gates after using a lock, unless another boat is approaching.