Travel Topics

Inhabited as early as 1000 BC, Looe, Cornwall is a town with roots that run as deep the chalk, and history runs within every part of the town. First recorded in the Domesday Book as being part of the manor of Pemdrym, the medieval history of the town was rather relaxed and peaceful. It is believed that the town may have been a “planted borough”, a concept not unlike the modern day new town, although established for the purpose of providing further security to surrounding lands. A monastery was established on Looe island during the 12th century, however nothing remains of it now but ruins.

Initially Looe’s economy was tied up as a trading centre, with goods such as tin, granite and arsenic being shipped out of the inlet to ports across southern England the rest of Europe, while also supporting a healthy fishing and boatbuilding industry. During the Siege of Calais in 1347, Looe provided twenty ships for the attacking force. Upon the discovery of the Americas and the growth of the town’s burgeoning textile industry -- wool was one of England’s primary export goods -- Looe also provided crucial trading links with Newfoundland and the Thirteen Colonies.

However, by the turn of the 19th century Looe’s fortunes were on the decline. The pressures and blockades the town suffered during the Napoleonic War saw the town face serious economic hardship, and for a while it languished in an isolated recession. Flooding in 1817 only added to the people’s woes.

It wasn’t until the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the establishment of railway links to the rest of England that wealth started to return to the town. The copper and tin trade in Cornwall was supported by the construction of canal to Looe’s port for export, and when the canal could not meet capacity demands a railway link was constructed to help support additional movement of cargo. As the Victorian era spanned onward, Looe found new lease as a popular holiday resort for the burgeoning Victorian middle-classes.

Have you sorted out your next holiday? If not, you maybe want to start doing so. With the Easter holidays and Summer Holidays fast approaching, you may need to start considering where to go. The majority of people nowadays travel afar for their holidays, and the idea of going to an exotic place like the Bahamas and Caribbean are becoming increasingly popular.

However, back in England, maybe people are deciding to holiday in Cornwall again, and Cornwall is now becoming a large tourist attraction again. Cornwall boasts many tourist attractions, which is why it seems to be growing in numbers during the holiday periods. These attractions vary between the interesting geography and sea-scapes, peaceful locations, old fishing ports, and new towns.

Ever since the 20th Century, Polperro has stopped being predominantly a fishing village, and has hence turned its tide toward being a tourist attraction. Polperro and Looe are both towns in Cornwall that have been growing recently due to the increased demand in people wanting to have a holiday cottage to stay in for parts of the year, close to a traditional fishing village. Pre-20th Century, the village of Polperro relied solely on fishing and fish related exports to generate its income. The families would go out as often as possible in the summer to try to catch Pilchards and other fish, and they would then preserve the fish for later in the year, when it was harder to fish. The by-products of fishing and eating fish (such as fish oil) were used resourcefully as well, providing oil for lamps and heating systems.

 Canterbury, in Kent; the garden of England, is full of history and culture. For a historical education of the city, there is the Roman museum, the Beaney house of art and knowledge, the cathedral-renowned for holding the memorial of St. Thomas Becket, the ancient city walls – built as early as the 3rd century, Chaucer’s famous Canterbury tales, and much more. For a more picturesque perspective, there are river tours along the river Stour, Westgate gardens, and Dane john gardens, and many walks and trails leading to the beautiful countryside, including the route that the Canterbury pilgrims followed. For the kids, there are spy mission trails, Canterbury ghost tours, and countless animal parks. Canterbury is a destination not to liaise in the sun by a poolside, but rather to seize the opportunities of a historical city.

  However in such a city, beyond the museums, often the language barrier can be a handicap. But this can be resolved when you can learn English in Canterbury while you stay- and what better place to learn English than in England? The lessons will allow you to be more independent and make the most of your holiday, without having to fumble around with phrasebooks. Plus the lessons can continue to be useful beyond your stay, with already 1 in 4 of the world population speaking English to some competency, further opening opportunities for you.

The only thing better than going on holiday is being able to get a great deal into the bargain. While last minute holiday deals are particularly popular at the moment they aren't always great if you can’t afford to drop everything at a moment’s notice and go tearing off into the blue beyond. It is actually quite possible to grab a good bargain at any time of year – provided you know what you’re doing.

Try to book online and as early as possible. A lot of travel operators offer discounts for online bookings and you can rack up additional discounts for advance – booking up to a year in advance can save you several hundred pounds or more on your holiday.

Keep your eye on travel trends to get there ahead of the crowds and take advantage of low prices before popularity skyrockets alongside cost. Watch tourism websites and news for the “up and coming destinations” and see how early you can book for them – especially when tour operators are trying to promote new resorts or package deals they will try to get placement in the mainstream press for them, so stay ahead of the curve with online updates and you could save a bundle.

Sign up for discounts and newsletters – if you don’t want your main email clogged up then create a free one at Outlook or Gmail and use it solely for travel offers. Lots of tour operators, travel agents and specialist holiday deal websites encourage you to sign up, and many will send exclusive offers to your inbox along with last-minute deals and advance booking bargains, which are well worth taking advantage of.

Finally, consider going self-catering. You have a lot more control over the cost of your holiday this way. Villa holidays are a great way to get five star accommodation without forking out for five star prices as you would at a hotel. The Mediterranean is a great option for bargain basement deals here – you can even bypass agencies and go straight to the original owners to save on the booking fee and markup.

Learn English in England on the beach and take in the sights with an English language summer school at the lovely town of Broadstairs in Kent.

Beautiful sandy beaches for sunbathing

Local historic cinema with the latest films

Seaside miniature golf for all ages

Bleak House Museum, a must for Charles Dickens fans

Broadstairs Folk Festival 9th-16th August

Grab a visit to Broadstairs with junior English summer courses from Concorde International English Language school via www.concorde-int.com.

Did you know some summer schools for studying English in England let you study on the beach in lovely seaside towns like Broadstairs?

sunbathe on sandy beaches

visit local seaside cinemas

indulge in mini golf, amusements, piers and much more

bump your culture with local museums and galleries

look out for local festivals like Broadstairs Folk Week

Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Museums and the Cutty Sark - www.rmg.co.uk

Visit Greenwich - www.visitgreenwich.org.uk

Study English in London this summer at www.concorde-int.com.

Whether you are a language school, a Scout pack, a church group, a student society or just a member of a local social club, make the most of the quiet summer period when you won’t have to contest with the normal bulk bookings from conventional schools that ordinarily tie up the most popular destinations.

Catering for big groups - try the mini mobile cold store from www.crscoldstorage.co.uk.

Summer English language school that runs excursions for students - www.concorde-int.com.

Specialist education marketing for attractions wanting to reach schools in time for the new academic year - www.jem.co.uk.