Christmas cottage break on the South coast of England
Lots of lovely country cottages, self-catering country houses and pine lodges to rent for self-catering Christmas breaks on the south coast of England.
Getting the family together for Christmas or New Year is a lovely idea, but unless you all live locally, accommodation for several generations can be difficult. Not only sleeping accommodation, but room for a large, festive dining table can pose problems. What a wonderful alternative to entertaining at home, to revel and relax in a large self-catering property with enough space for everyone. Enjoy the atmosphere of a cottage with rustic beams and open fires/woodburner, or perhaps something luxuriously modern with a games room and indoor swimming pool - the choice is yours! Many property-owners will tastefully decorate the house for Christmas which saves on shopping for the tree and hunting for the decorations. If you are a large party, many hands will make light work of the cooking – make Christmas lunch a “bring and share” event and delegate the jobs. There’ll be lots of help from Grandpas and uncles with organising the inevitable party games! It might not be Christmas lunch on the beach, but you could almost achieve it by renting a property on or near the South coast. Think of that bracing walk by the sea either before or after the festive meal or following a pub lunch on Boxing Day.
For those who enjoy large resorts, Bournemouth would fit the bill, with its seven miles of beaches stretching from West Cliff to Southbourne. For easy walking there are several beautifully manicured gardens and an excellent promenade with two piers. On Boxing Day, why not treat the younger members of the family to the pantomime at the Pavillion Theatre. If you stay is long enough Bournemouth offers excellent shopping facilities and for the art buffs in your party, there’s the famous Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum which is open all year round from Tuesday – Sunday (with exception of Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
Relaxing holidays on the coast
Wrap up warm and go out and about from your cosy holiday cottage to see the local sights on the south coast; the beaches, cliffs, the quiet promenades and watch the waves.
For those seeking a quieter break, head for The Isle of Purbeck, a beautiful area bordering the south side of Poole Harbour and stretching across to the South Coast. The scenery here is magnificent at any time of the year and the views of both Poole Harbour and the dramatic south coastline are breathtaking.
From Studland you can see the Isle of Wight on a clear day. Walk the well-defined and wide coastal path from the southern end of Studland beach to Old Harry Rocks – dramatic chalk white rocks jutting out into the sea, with a small curved arch at the base – you will be well rewarded for your effort. So many places can be accessed from the Purbecks without driving more than a few miles. From the eastern end of Studland, catch the car/foot passenger ferry across to Sandbanks, a very short distance which takes no time at all. Walk the dunes and the beach at Sandbanks and also the promenade on the harbour side, with views of Brownsea Island. Drive the short distance to Corfe Castle or Swanage. Discover the delightful village of Worth Matravers with its village pond and famous pub which has its own fossil museum. A perfect place for a perfect break!
The long stretch of Chesil Beach in Dorset is shown above. This edges a beautiful coastline backed by rolling green hills and farmland. A good place to find rural cottages, tucked away, yet accessible.
