Indoors & Outdoors by Carter Communication

www.bluechipholidays.co.uk • Autumn & Winter 2010 • £2.50 where sold

Indoors Outdoors T h e m a g a z i ne o f Bl u e Chi p Holidays

Wrap up Warm this Winter Winter Wonderland Discover the seasonal secrets of the South West

Your Place or Ours? Do something a bit different this Christmas

WIN

a luxury break in the South West

Celebration of food • 35 years of Stein • Devon Tourism Awards • Winter Wines • And much more!

Above: Alan Taylor tries his hand at sand art on Exmouth beach.

Welcome H

ere at Blue Chip Holidays we’ve been busy! Not only have we changed our name from Blue Chip Vacations – and a big thank you to all of our customers who took part in the extensive research – but we’ve also launched our new Blue Chip Holidays magazine. Three times a year we’ll be rounding up the best upcoming events in the South West & Wales, profiling new properties added to our portfolio and bringing you stories about the regions written by some of the UK’s best travel writers. This issue, discover what makes the South West the perfect destination for a late Autumn or Winter break while Kate Hilpern of ‘The Independent’ contemplates the benefits of a Christmas escape. We’ve also got the insight into upcoming issues of the magazine (our bumper 36 page issue in January will also be available to Coast subscribers) and a sneak preview of our new 2011 brochure. We hope you enjoy the first issue of the magazine – do let us know your feedback and what you’d like to see in future issues by emailing us at editor@bluechipholidays.co.uk

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Contents 4~7

8~10

11~15

Winter Wonderland

Winning Attractions

Christmas Escapes

Front Cover - (image from Photolibrary): Westward Ho!, Devon - Stay nearby at Nassau Court - www.bluechipholidays.co.uk/nass

Autumn & Winter 2010

The Magazine Team

Alan Taylor Managing Director

With over 200 pages, the 2011 brochure is our biggest to date and has now been extended to cover more of Dorset, The Isle of Wight and Wales. The brochure will soon be available in print, to download and even in iPad form. If you’d like to request a printed copy of our brochure, please email editor@bluechipholidays.co.uk with your name and address details stating ‘2011 brochure’ in the subject line or telephone 0844 704 1735

Editor Melanie Hoskin Deputy Editor Ewan Davy Design Joseph Gurney Contributing writers Kelly Marsh Guest writers Kate Hilpern, Alice Eason

See you soon

The 2011 brochure is nearly here

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0844 704 1735 www.bluechipholidays.co.uk editor@bluechipholidays.co.uk facebook.com/BlueChipHolidays

Back Cover

Competition

Celebration of Food This year’s Celebration of Food, a month of foodie festivals, activities and indulgence across the South West, has gone from strength to strength.

Photo - Ewan Davy

Over 200 events have taken place, many of which have been inspired and supported by celebrity chefs including Valentine Warner, Mark Hix, Mitch Tonks, Rick Stein, Michael Caines, Mat Follas and Mary Berry to name but a few.

Tenth Anniversary Celebrations

From children’s activities to gourmet dinners and farm visits, the Westcountry has pulled out the stops to showcase the wealth of fine food that the region has to offer and the amazing range of produce that can be found on the doorstep.

Win one of ten holidays absolutely free! Hurray! It’s our tenth birthday! It seems like a very long time ago since we discovered our first luxury apartment at Moorings Reach in Brixham, Devon.

Plans are already underway to make next year’s Celebration of Food, which already includes the Falmouth Oyster Festival, Dartmouth Food Festival and North Devon Food Fest, even bigger and better. So, even if you missed out this year, there will be plenty of opportunity to book up for next year. As sponsor of both the Dartmouth Food Festival and Celebration of Food, we’ll be updating you on the latest news about next year’s October celebrations in our September 2011 edition.

Launch day at Rick Stein’s St Petroc’s Bistro: Blue Chip Holidays and the Celebration of Food team alongside Head Chef, Paul Haywood.

Celebrating 35 Years of Stein

When we embarked on this journey, we wanted to give our customers the very best in self-catering experiences. We wanted to discover properties that you simply don’t want to leave, in locations that draw you back time and again. This still holds true today, and with over 780 personally selected properties to choose from across England and Wales, we believe we really do have something special for everyone. And as it’s our birthday, we feel a present is in order. In this case it’s a present to you; your holiday. All you have to do is book your 2011 break before the end of the year and you’ll be entered into a draw to win one of ten holidays absolutely free.

We’ve come to love Rick Stein’s passion, his honesty and his infectious love of seafood.

Photo - Anna McCarthy

News

He’s put Padstow and Cornwall on the global culinary map and he’s created a soft spot in all our hearts for rough haired Jack Russells.

So, what are you waiting for?

Chalky may no longer be around to terrorise rabbits, rats or unsuspecting sound recordists, but Rick Stein continues to go from strength to strength. 35 years on from the opening of the Seafood Restaurant, Rick will be celebrating this anniversary with a special 3-course lunch menu at the Seafood Restaurant available from Monday 1st November until Monday 27th December 2010, all for just £28.50. To book your celebratory meal call 01841 532 700 or visit www.rickstein.com

Rick Stein

Holiday Memories Writing Competition The deadline for the 2010 Holiday Memories Writing Competition is fast approaching. So far this year we’ve had a flood of entries, and each month one worthy author has been rewarded with a £50 Marks and Spencer voucher. In December we’ll review the best twelve articles. One lucky winner will be chosen to receive the annual prize, a £500 voucher towards a holiday with Blue Chip Holidays. So, this really is your last chance to enter. Just send in your piece to ewan.davy@bluechipholidays.co.uk before 1st December 2010. Visit www.bluechipholidays.co.uk/writingcompetition for entry details and guidelines. Happy writing!

Free Coast 2011 Diary Be one of the first 100 customers to book a holiday or short-break with Blue Chip Holidays quoting ‘Coast 2011’ and receive a Coast 2011 diary worth £9.99. The diary makes a great gift for Christmas (or keep it for yourself!).

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Autumn & Winter 2010

Winter Wonderland Discover the secrets of the South West The South West is famous for its spectacular scenery. National travel writer Alice Eason urges us to wrap up warm, don our walking boots and explore the region on foot.

Autumn & Winter 2010

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Photography: Photolibrary.

istoric towns and villages, a pristine coastline and unspoilt countryside give the South West a perennial appeal. To see one of the country’s loveliest regions at its best, visit when the bucketand-spade brigade has gone home for another year. The roads and winding country lanes are relatively traffic free, the landscapes take on a dramatic quality and windswept beaches are virtually deserted. As the nights draw in, log fires and hearty seasonal fare make the region’s traditional town and country pubs particularly inviting. What’s more, there is plenty to see and do, from festivals and events celebrating local culture to winter walking and storm watching.

These boots are made for walking The South West is famous for its spectacular scenery. This is the season to wrap up warm, don your walking boots and explore the region on foot. Head to the coast for translucent winter skies, bracing air and untamed seascapes. The South West Coast Path (www.southwestcoastpath.com) offers more than 600 miles of walking trails from Minehead in Somerset to Dorset’s Poole Harbour. There are walks to suit all ages and abilities, from short, level strolls beside the sea to more challenging hikes along rugged cliff paths. In South Devon, much of the coastal path falls within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the stretch from Dartmouth to Salcombe and beyond is particularly beguiling. Head out of Dartmouth, past the castle that stands watch over the estuary mouth and along the coastal path to look out at the open sea from the jagged shore. For a slice of history, head to Slapton Sands, a three-mile shingle bar that runs along sweeping Start Bay. Take a stroll along the seafront to Torcross where a Sherman tank stands in memory of the American servicemen who lost their lives in the 1944 rehearsal for the D-Day landings. The South West Coast Path also runs along the entire length of the Dorset and East Devon Jurassic Coast. Head to this World Heritage Site to see fairytale landscapes and intriguing rock formations. If you are drawn to wide open spaces, the region’s two National Parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor offer excellent walking and the chance to see local wildlife and archaeological remains including prehistoric hut circles, standing stones and burial mounds.

Images: Top - Tavy Cleave, Dartmoor National Park. Right - Start Point, South Devon. Below - Dartmoor National Park. Below left - Dartmouth, Devon. Opposite - Raddon Hill, Mid Devon.

A series of guided winter walks on Dartmoor explore themes such as local history and folklore. For details see www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk In South Devon over 40 self-guided trails are available to choose from including cycling and horse-riding routes. For details see www.southdevonaonb.org.uk

‘Tis the season to be jolly

Photography: Trish Thomas

In the run up to Christmas, there is plenty going on in picturesque locations around the South West. In lively Totnes, a historic market town on the River Dart, there will be a series of atmospheric evening markets (December 7th, 14th and 21st) where shoppers can pick-up unique Christmas gifts. Lantern processions, Christmas carols, an illuminated flotilla of boats on the Dart and late-night Christmas shopping all feature at the magical Candlelit Dartmouth celebrations (December 3rd-5th; www.fatboydesigns.co.uk/candlelitdartmouth). As night falls, the medieval streets of Dunster in Somerset will be bathed in candlelight and there will be traditional entertainment including Morris dancing, stiltwalking and a brass band. Local children will open Dunster by Candlelight (December 3rd-4th; www.dunsterbycandlelight.co.uk) with a lantern-lighting procession. Places to stay: Near Exmoor - Park Mill Farm; on Slapton Sands - At the Beach; on Dartmoor - Manor Farm Cottage; for Dunster Mill Meadow; in Dartmouth - Dart Marina.

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Autumn & Winter 2010

Photography: Photolibrary

Images: Top left: Wheal Coates tin mine, St Agnes, Cornwall. Top right: Somerset Mulled Cider. Left: Clovelly, Devon. Opposite page: Longships Lighthouse, Cornwall.

Eat, drink and be merry

Something different

The region’s historic towns and picture-postcard villages are home to award-winning restaurants and pubs which pride themselves on using fresh, locally-sourced produce from the fertile countryside and surrounding coastal waters. Aside from year-round treats such as chunky, homemade pasties and scrumptious cream teas, it is not unusual to find warm, mulled cider on the menu at this time of year. On November 21, famously pretty Clovelly in north Devon hosts its annual herring festival in support of traditional, sustainable fishing methods. Aside from the chance to try specialities such as locally-smoked kippers, there will be shanty singing and craft activities. The Taste of the West Christmas Fair (November 27-28; www. tasteofthewest.co.uk) will give visitors the chance to stock up on some of the region’s finest food and drink in time for the festive period. Cotehele, a fine Tudor house near Saltash in Cornwall will provide the setting and stalls will sell delicacies including artisan smoked meats, local cheeses and clotted cream fudge.

The ancient orchards that dot the region’s pastoral landscapes are reminders of a time when cider was the cornerstone of country life here. Wassailing, an ancient tradition to bless the fruit and frighten malevolent spirits from the orchards takes place in January. While elements of the wassail vary from place-to-place, singing to the apple trees and pouring cider over their roots is widespread. At Stoke Gabriel, an attractive village on one of the Dart’s creeks, the evening’s events will feature folk music, Morris dancing, storytelling and spicy mulled cider. Hurling the Silver Ball, an ancient and indigenous Cornish sport typically takes place in St Ives on Feast Day (the first Monday after February 3). There is always much excitement as the ball is thrown from the church wall into the boisterous crowd who wait on the beach below and compete – in a rather rough-and-tumble fashion - for possession.

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3 of the best

Riders on the Storm Winter is the season for magnificent storms and if the weather does take a dramatic turn, there is something immensely satisfying in settling by an open fire or wood burner to watch the action. The South West has many coastal spots which make good places to storm watch if you are lucky enough to catch one, but with nothing but ocean separating the wild north coast from North America, this is a particularly good bet if you like the idea of watching impressive waves pound the cliffs and shore. Storm-watching favourites on the north coast include: Saunton Sands, Newquay, Bude and Westward Ho!, while Chesil Beach and Slapton Sands make atmospheric storm-watching settings on the southern coast.

Storm-watching Locations Winter can be one of the most dramatic times of the year on the coast, especially when the storms come in. The sea becomes a bubbling cauldron, frothing and sending great waves crashing onto our shores, grabbing at beaches, drawing sand, shingle and pebbles back into the depths. You can feel the electricity in the air and taste the salt on your lips. It’s one of those spiritual experiences that just keeps drawing you back for more.

Places to stay: overlooking Saunton Sands - Ocean Point; in Newquay Zinc; near Bude - Bluesy Beach House; in Westward Ho! - Nassau Court; overlooking Chesil Beach - The Old Coastguards; on Slapton Sands - At the Beach; in Stoke Gabriel - Stoke House; in St Ives - Oceanis; near Clovelly - Oak Lodge; near Saltash - Harbour House.

Golden Sands

Ocean Views

Rocklands, Newquay

You’ll find it hard not to be mesmerised by the sound of waves crashing on to Praa Sands. Whether you’re watching from the warmth of your living room, or braving it out on the large decked terrace, Golden Sands is the perfect place to watch winter waves and seasonal storms.

There can be very few locations in the world where you can overlook an Olympic finish line and a storm-swept beach from the luxury of your own apartment. But that’s exactly what you get at Ocean Views in Portland, Dorset.

Watch winter storms in style from the safety and comfort of Rocklands’ luxurious cliff-top apartments. Waves break just 133 steps away as the drama of the seasonal squalls unravel below.

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Autumn & Winter 2010

Winning Attractions

Photography: National Trust.

As recent sponsors of ‘Attraction of the Year’ at the Devon Tourism Awards and ‘Small Attraction of the Year’ at the Cornwall Tourism Awards, Blue Chip Holidays visit some of the Devon winners.

You’ve just gotta go to Drogo Ewan Davy from Blue Chip Holidays visits Gold Award winning attraction, Castle Drogo. It’s odd to think that just over one hundred years ago Castle Drogo was under construction in the heart of Devon. Advancements in modern weaponry made its fortress instantly obsolete, so what made Julius Drewe, retail tycoon and founder of Home and Colonial Stores, embark on this incredibly expensive piece of self-indulgence? I guess we’ll never really know, but a visit to this award winning National Trust property does start to unveil the magical qualities that Drewe must have glimpsed when he decided to construct a lasting memorial to his family and his wealth. Set high above the Teign Gorge, this imposing granite monolith was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. It harks back to a romantic past and captures the excitement and vibrance that can be found in both Knightshayes House and Cardiff Castle where bold, even foolish romanticism took over, creating buildings that quite simple beguile. Ancient in its external form, Castle Drogo hides a different story within. Far from being cold, draughty and damp, the

Autumn & Winter 2010

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castle is actually very comfortable indeed, largely because the very latest technology was used during construction; clearly no expense was spared. Each room is a joy to see, housing many poignant family keepsakes and some great collections. The wine cellars are particularly impressive, as is the fabulous generator room and the wonderful kitchens. Outside the gardens show off their seasonal displays and on a weekend you’ll often find events, activities and demonstrations - which this Autumn include woodland deer walks, Halloween trails and Hibernation Hunts. There’s also a really good tea room where you can indulge yourself and tuck into one of the best cream teas you’ll find in Devon. For my money, this is a deserving winner of the Devon Tourism Awards, and well worth a family day trip. You won’t be disappointed. Castle Drogo has limited winter opening hours. Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castledrogo or call 01647 433306 for more information.

Newborns at Paignton Zoo Kelly Marsh from Blue Chip Holidays takes a walk on the wild side at Silver Award winning attraction Paignton Zoo.

Photography: Paignton Zoo, Devon.

Picture a traditional zoo and Paignton Zoo is probably not what springs to mind. With sprawling pathways and its enclosures home to some of the world’s most fascinating animals, Paignton’s leading attraction has delighted visitors since 1923. On your visit you can find yourself delving into the desert, crossing the savannah, trekking through the tropics and foraging through the forests as you immerse yourself in the environments indigenous to the animals. It’s easy to see the zoo’s conservation efforts during a visit to the attraction, and its residents include favourites such as elephants, tigers, lions, rhinos, kangaroos, giraffes and hundreds more. One of the nicest things about Paignton Zoo is the feel of openness as you roam the grounds, so that even on busy days there is plenty of room for a relaxed stroll between habitats and through a choice of environments. There’s always something new to see at Paignton Zoo, and residents of South Devon visit frequently to keep up with the arrival of new faces and features! The crocodile swamp is one of the zoo’s newest attractions, and its design enables you to get up close to the ferocious looking crocs.

Thanks to the zoo’s emphasis on conservation, new arrivals often take the form of births (including the recently born baby red pandas and giraffe pictured below), and lucky visitors may see the occasional baby, cub or fawn. You’ll even find yourself close to the wildlife while enjoying a cup of tea in the cafe gardens, as the resident peacocks are only too happy to come and greet visitors and pose for photos! Amidst the excitement of meeting Paignton Zoo’s animals, take time to note the attention to detail as you wander the botanical gardens landscapes – all carefully designed to complement the natural habitats of the nearby species for a truly natural experience. There’s just so much to see that it’s no wonder that Paignton Zoo is in the Sunday Telegraph’s top 50 great days out. Paignton Zoo is open daily (except Christmas Day). See www.paigntonzoo.org.uk for more details or call 0844 474222.

“

One of the nicest things about Paignton Zoo is the feel of openness as you roam the grounds, so that even on busy days there is plenty of room for a relaxed stroll between habitats and through a choice of environments.

”

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Autumn & Winter 2010

SILVER Exmoor Zoo www.exmoorzoo.co.uk FINALIST Dartington Crystal www.dartington.co.uk

As we went to print, the Cornwall Tourism Awards ‘Small Attraction of the Year’ winners were announced:

Coming up in the next issue... We visit Devon’s winning attractions Exmoor Zoo and Dartington Crystal. We’ll also venture into Cornwall to explore Penlee House Gallery and Museum, and Camel Valley Vineyards.

GOLD Penlee House Gallery and Museum, Penzance www.penleehouse.org.uk

SILVER Hidden Valley Gardens, nr Par, St Austell www.hiddenvalleygardens.co.uk

BRONZE Camel Valley Vineyards, Nanstallon nr Bodmin

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Photography: Camel Valley

www.camelvalley.com

Kingfisher Lodge, Mill Meadow

Christmas

'Tis the season to be jolly. The problem is it doesn’t always feel that jolly when you’ve got to host Christmas for all the relatives. Kate Hilpern, writer for ‘The Independent’, finds ways to do something a bit different this Christmas.

“

It’s genius. Instead of thinking, ‘Our house has X bedrooms so here’s who can come to us this year’, you can start by deciding who you want to be there and then find a property to fit.

”

f you’re lucky enough to get out of the washing-up on account of having cooked up a corker of a turkey, you’re still likely to find yourself pulling tea-towel after tea-towel out of the drawer to prevent mountains of damp dishes taking over your kitchen and to stop your well-meaning grandmother putting the bowls in the mugs cupboard again. Then there’s the night sweats – did you order the mince pies? Did you remember to leave a towel in the spare room for Aunt Hilde? Why oh why didn’t you take up your mother-in-law’s offer to do Christmas at hers? Then you remember.

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Autumn & Winter 2010

Surely there’s a middle ground – a solution that will stop you feeling like such a ‘bah humbug’. Well yes, actually. Hiring a rural retreat or a coastal escape. It’s genius. Instead of thinking, ‘Our house has X bedrooms so here’s who can come to us this year,’ you can start by deciding who you want to be there and then find a property to fit. If you split the costs, it can be surprisingly reasonable and because everyone’s chipped in, everyone feels obliged to muck in. Cooking becomes a joy and washing up – and even drying up – stays at a minimum. The likes of sheets and towels don’t even have to cross your mind. Best of all, it makes for truly memorable festivities. Maybe it’s the novelty of carrying in the logs for the wood-burning stove, catching a glimpse of the Cornwall countryside before you step back inside. Maybe it’s the post-Boxing Day walk on the beach to balance out the festive feasting. Maybe it’s being able to take the dog for a walk straight onto the Dorset fields at the end of your garden or the sight of your whole family sipping their yuletide mulled wine in the same room for the first time in 10 years. But if there’s one definite, it’s that there will be some moment that catches you unawares and gives you a warm glow and a sight that imprints itself in your memory forever. And if the thought of hoards of relatives is just too much to swallow, there’s always Christmas and/or New Year with friends. Get the whole gang together, perhaps even find out about a local cook to give you all a night off.

Sure, there are hotels – you wouldn’t even have to lift a finger and there are some stunning locations. But for many, this involves a trade-off. Unless you’re minted, hiring out the entire house is out of the question and do you really want to be holding hands to Auld Lang Syne with someone else’s Uncle Bob who, let’s face it, has already spoilt the evening by getting one decibel louder with each sip of sherry. It can be pricey too – even festive deals cost a pretty penny. Go on, do something a bit different this Christmas. Spark the thought among family and friends. You won’t even have to deck the halls - someone else will do it for you. Now that’s something to sing about.

Photography: Top: Mill Meadow, Somerset. Middle: The Old Chapel, Stoke Fleming, Devon. Left: Mill Meadow, Somerset.

Autumn & Winter 2010

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Christmas Escapes

Turn the page for your chance to win the ultimate Christmas present...

Three cracking places to stay this Christmas

Modern luxury blended with traditional character. Old Lanwarnick combines fantastic interiors, with boutique styling.

Snowy Rides in Cornwall

Old Lanwarnick is a stunning collection of beautifully restored, boutique, luxury self-catering cottages close to Fowey, Polperro and Looe in Cornwall. Set in 34 acres of countryside within the charming 1,000 year-old hamlet of Old Lanwarnick, each property welcomes dogs and horses free of charge. Guests wanting to make the most of this area of outstanding natural beauty can take winter walks along the South Coast Path to Fowey and Polperro, or visit the dog-friendly former smuggler’s cove at Lansallos, just three miles away. Rainbow Cottage and Spice Barn, both sleeping two, are available over Christmas and New Year as is Honey Pot, which sleeps three. Each has been tastefully furnished and decorated to create a ‘boutique hotel’ feel, with sculptures and craft features throughout as well as original oil paintings. As a special seasonal offer anyone staying in Spice Barn, Honey Pot or Rainbow Cottage over Christmas or the New Year will arrive to find decorations in the living area, a fully decorated Christmas tree, a wreath on the front door, Christmas lights, a Christmas Hamper full of goodies and a bottle of Champagne. www.bluechipholidays.co.uk

Autumn & Winter 2010

Winter Waves & Snow on the Shingle

Nine At the Beach apartments in Torcross on Slapton Sands are available over Christmas and the New Year sleeping between four and seven guests. Each is set within the former Torcross Hotel, nestled between the fresh water lake at Slapton Ley, and the stunning 3 miles of Slapton sands, where the allies practised for the D-Day landings. After all that festive feasting, a brisk walk on the beach could be just the thing to blow away the cobwebs of Christmas excess. Book seven nights including Christmas Day or New Year’s Day and you’ll find a bottle of fizz on your arrival plus a fully decorated apartment adorned with lights and a real Christmas tree.

Chic seaside living spaces welcome guests in the apartments at At the Beach. With views directly out to sea and across Slapton Sands, there can be few more relaxing locations to enjoy your Christmas in.

Cosy Christmas Cottages and Barns in Devon

The Cider Barn, The Smithy, Riverside Cottage and the Old Dairy at Park Mill Farm, near Chulmleigh in Devon are perfectly located for a seasonal escape from it all. Situated in a beguiling riverside setting within 20 acres of beautiful grounds, these cosy country cottages are ideal for Christmas and New Year. Original features include exposed wooden beams, vaulted ceilings and galleried features that create a light, airy and spacious feeling. And for the colder nights, each barn has its own wood burning stove where you can sit and watch the flames flicker and the embers crackle in the darkness of the long nights. Slate flagstones and under-floor heating downstairs provide that extra level of comfort, while the upper floors enjoy the elegance of solid oak flooring. Doors and windows are made of attractive solid timber, and many of the windows have deep seats that look out over fields and farmland, that are so often shrouded in snow. Stay in one of Park Mill’s barn conversions for seven nights over Christmas or the New Year and you’ll be welcomed with decorations, lights, a Christmas tree, Christmas Hamper and a bottle of fizz. Book the Smithy or River Cottage before 01 December and get ice skating vouchers plus £100 towards a Christmas meal at one of the many local pubs in and near to Chulmleigh. Wooden beams, roaring log fires and views over snowy fields. Park Mill Farm has this and much more. It’s the perfect location for a cosy Christmas away from it all.

Win the Ultimate Christmas Present Stay with Blue Chip Holidays this Christmas end enjoy complimentary Christmas trees, decorations, champagne and Christmas hampers in many our seasonal holiday homes. But that’s not all; one lucky customer will find their Christmas week holiday home fully decked out with lights, tinsel, baubles, and £250 of personally selected presents all under a complimentary Christmas tree. How’s that for a seasonal Santa’s surprise! Find out more at www.bluechipholidays.co.uk/xmas 14

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Winter Wines Each issue, Master of Wine Liam Steevenson of Red&White, selects his top choices for the season along with great value alternatives. ”I’ve always seen Christmas as the perfect opportunity to drink the classics. Here’s my take on the best for this year, along with some great value alternatives.”

Premium Selection Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs 1998 £65

Remi Rollin, Corton Charlemagne 2007 £60

Chateau Lynch-Bages 1998 £98

My love affair with Billecart’s champagnes has been a long one and this delicious vintage wine is the epitome of the house’s elegant style.

I’m often asked what to drink with turkey at Christmas, and there really is nothing better than top class white Burgundy. Rich, nutty and vivacious, Rollin’s wines are top class.

No Christmas table is complete without a bottle of Bordeaux’s finest. This is in prime form, perfectly framing its dark fruits with meaty spice.

Great Alternatives Castel d’Olerdola, Cava Reserva NV £9.50

Catena, Chardonnay 2008 £13

Great fizz without the Champagne price tag this is fresh, appley and so good I used it at the shop opening!

A wine of creamy, buttery balance from Argentina’s finest winemaker with tropical fruits and sensitively handled oak.

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To claim your 10% off just mention Blue Chip Holidays when ordering your Red&White wines.

Viu Manent, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 £7.50 Chile is the place to go for great value wines like this polished, rich wine full of smooth blackcurrant fruits.

Liam Steevenson founded Red&White in 2005 after becoming the worlds youngest Master of wine in 2004. His first retail outlet opened in Kingsbridge, Devon this year. www.red-white.co.uk

Happy New Year from all the team at Blue Chip Holidays

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Autumn & Winter 2010

WIN!

A fabulous holiday in the South West

hink of the South West and imagine miles of stunning beaches, beautiful rolling countryside, dramatic views, history, heritage and family friendly holidays. Think culture, country estates, great escapes, castles, amazing fresh food and fabulous restaurants. Think country shows, regattas, food festivals, pretty villages, cosy cottages and warm welcomes. Now imagine coasteering, sailing, surfing, storm watching and sun bathing.

For your chance to win this fantastic prize simply work out where I am in the South West: “I star in the forthcoming Pirates of the Caribbean. I have my own harbour and tall ships. Eden’s just a short drive away. I have an annual regatta that takes place at that end of July. The annual Daphne Du Maurier Festival takes place nearby.” To enter, please email your answer and contact details to: editor@bluechipholidays.co.uk by 31st December 2010.

The list is endless and it’s all in the West Country, which is why we’re offering one lucky reader the chance to win £500 towards a fabulous self-catering holiday in the beautiful South West. Enjoy family fun, a romantic break or a relaxing holiday in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset or Dorset staying in any one of our personally selected, luxurious self-catering properties. There are over 780 luxury properties to stay in, ranging from stunning period houses to cosy cottages, barn conversions to chic coastal apartments. You can enjoy glorious mornings by the sea or amazing views across rolling hills, estuaries, and cliff tops, all from your very own holiday home. For friendly and helpful advice on your perfect holiday home call 0844 704 1735 or visit www.bluechipholidays.co.uk

Ocean Point Watch huge Atlantic rollers pound onto Saunton Sands from the comfort of your elevated bedroom, balcony and living room at Ocean Point. Kids will love nearby Braunton Burrows, one of the largest sand dune systems in the UK.

Coming up in the next issue... Half Term Holidays

More Award Winners

For the Dads & Mums

Top 10 places to stay in February

We venture into Cornwall and Devon

Easter Escapes

Learn Something New

We go in search of perfect pints, pukka pubs and boutique shops

Spring breaks, Easter egg hunts and our special Easter competition

From learning to surf to painting, learn something new in 2011

...out January 2011

Terms and conditions: The prize provides the winner with a £500 voucher toward the cost of any stay in one of Blue Chip Holidays’ 780+ properties. The prize is subject to availability and is non-transferable. No cash alternative will be given. Travel is not included as part of the prize; this is the responsibility of the winner. The winner is responsible for his or her own travel insurance. The prize must be taken before the end of December 2011.