Tag: Dog Friendly

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Our Twelve Days of Christmas

You do know it’s nearly Christmas? And you’re heading to the wonderful Peak District  for a cosy cottage holiday?

Well then, it’s time to turn that frown upside down and get into the Christmas spirit with a little help from Peak Holidays. It’s all jingle bells and Ho-ho-hos from here on in with our Twelve Days of Christmas.

Twelve days of Christmas

Day One: Turn up those classic Christmas tunes. Whether Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ or ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ by Slade, get those Christmas songs playing in the car on your way to the Peak District.

Day Two: It’s time to decorate!  If you’re spending Christmas Day in one of our cosy cottages, you can check with us to see if there will be a tree and decorations provided, but if not, why not get creative and head out outside, gather up some of nature’s finest and ‘deck the halls with boughs of holly’.

Day Three: Get baking! Dig out the Christmas recipes and start making your very own selection of treats. When you book a self-catering holiday cottage with Peak Holidays, you’ll be able to explore the local farmers’ markets and artisan stores for local ingredients.

Day Four: Gather in the logs and kindling and get the home fire roaring. When it’s cold outside there’s nothing more inviting than the warm glow of a real fire. The majority of our holiday cottages have a real fire or log burner and we include a pack of logs to get you started.

Day Five: It’s time to rekindle those old family rivalries. With the nights drawn in and the weather wet and wild, why not round off the evening with a board game, a jigsaw or a good old fashioned game of charades. Our cottages have good sized living areas, so you can all gather together comfortably.

Day Six: Join the locals and pop along to the village carol singing service or local pantomime. Many of our cottages are in small villages where the gentle pace of life often revolves around the friendly local pub and the seasonal celebrations at the parish church.

Day Seven: Enjoy a festive tipple to get you into the Christmas spirit. Whether you fancy a hot ladle-full of spiced mulled wine or one of our locally brewed beers, a little Yuletide libation is sure to sweeten the mood and have you puckering up under the mistletoe in one of the village locals.

Day Eight: How about a cheery Christmas film to fill you with those warm, fuzzy, festive feelings.  Most of our cottages have a DVD player or a smart TV so you can log into your favourite streaming service.

Day Nine: Embrace the great outdoors with a revitalising winter stroll. When you book a stay with Peak Holidays, you’ll be surrounded by some of the UK’s most celebrated countryside walks. It’s time to round up the family, wrap up warm, and follow the tracks and trails.

Day Ten: Christmas is a time for giving. If you’re racking your brains for gift ideas, look at the many special Christmas markets across the Peak District. Picking out that special something for that special someone is sure to capture the Christmas mood.Santa Paws

Day Eleven: Don’t forget Santa Paws. Most of our cottages are dog friendly but remember to bring everything you need to keep your furry friend safe and comfortable this Christmas.

Day Twelve: Any finally, nothing will put a smile on your face than catching up with old friends and spending precious time with your loved ones. For many of us, this is what Christmas is all about, especially after all the recent COVID restrictions. The Peak District’s central location makes getting together that bit easier for everyone to spend quality time with family and friends.

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas from Peak Holidays!

 

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Dogs Welcome – House Rules

Hello, I’m Joe, an 8 year old labrador – this is me jumping through the snow a couple of years ago. As my humans started this blog, I thought I should paw a few words so the puppies amongst you will know where you can go and what there is to sniff in the Peak District.

Whenever you go to someone else’s cottage it is always best to understand the house rules before you go. In conjunction with my humans, I have agreed the following house rule on behalf of all dogs staying at the cottages:

  • Ensure the humans keep off the floors at all times – these are strictly for dogs to lie on. If they must sit down make sure they use the chairs provided. To ensure they have no excuse for sitting on the floor, you should not get up on the furniture.
  • I have found that the humans have some odd bedroom and washing habits. Therefore, it is best that you keep out of the bedrooms and bathrooms at all times – stick to the living areas of the cottage where you can be cosy and the bonus is you avoid their snoring, which only keeps you awake all night.
  • Do not allow yourself to be left at the cottage on your own. How would they like to be locked in a strange place alone? It is your holiday too and those humans need to find places to go where you are welcome – and there are plenty of them in the Peak District, so there are no excuses!

We welcome well behaved dogs at all of our cottages, at no extra charge.

We do not set arbitrary limits on the number of dogs take but like to ensure that the cottage is large enough for them to be comfortable.

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Don’t forget your toothbrush!


Now, you’re probably thinking about your holidays for this year and where to go. Have you thought about staying in a cottage in the Peak District?

Oh, it’s just smashing… lots of walks suitable for youngsters (the mix of villages, open country and hills are so good for their education, I think) to those in their prime (see my current picture!) and the more mature members of our packs (we have pubs within yards of all our cottages). All those incredible country smells… you know what I mean.   Anyway, when you’ve cleared it with your owners and chosen one of our cottages you’ll have to supervise them packing for your needs.

Make sure they remember:  

  • Collar and ID – well you’ll be wearing this of course! But it’s worth checking the ID is still readable. Plus consider getting one with our cottage postcode (this is on the booking paperwork) and your mobile number on for while you’re staying.  
  • Lead – worth checking that there’s no wear – you don’t want to lose your owners on a walk – you know that they’ll never find their way back to the cottage without you. Bring a spare in case it gets mislaid.  
  • Bedding – very important. There is nothing as nice as your own bed in a new place. If you have a cage, then bring that too – sometimes a cage is the only way to get some “me” time on a holiday crammed with so many new things to smell!  
  • Jacket – now you (like me) may wear your waterproofs and undercoat all the time – but if you don’t it’s nice to have a lightweight jacket which you can pop on. And your owners will appreciate that you’re nice and clean and dry if you get caught in the rain.  
  • Towels – for those like me who just love a little swim, walks in the rain and splashing in puddles, the price to be paid is a towelling-off when you get home. Bring plenty of towels, so your owners can dry off any wet, muddy coats and paws before you go indoors (there are washer/dryers in the cottages so the towels can be laundered easily). Although we’ve got hard floors in the cottages, there are rugs that stain and splashes of dirty water from a good shake aren’t popular I’ve found!  
  • Dog food – essential! It’s probably best to bring enough for the whole of your stay in case your owners can’t find your normal kibbles (or whatever you have) to buy locally. There are all the usual supermarkets and pet shops in the Peak District, but you don’t want to get an upset tum from a sudden change if they don’t have your favourite in stock!! We provide can openers for those of you who have canned food which doesn’t have a pull top.  
  • Travelling water bowl and water bottle  – these are handy for keeping in the car. Get your owners to look out for those thermal ‘jackets’ that keep the water bottle cool.  Saves drinking from puddles on a hot day!  
  • Poo bags – not my idea, but my owners insist I include this on the list. They say bring plenty – ’nuff said’.  
  • First-aid kit –  get your owners to check that are you up to speed with wormers and flea/ tick control.  I always think it’s good to have at least a basic first aid kit with you for the little scrapes we dogs can get into  – and you really ought to check your owners remember any medication you’ve been prescribed to cover the holiday period, however nasty it tastes!  
  • Sunshade for cars – although you’ll be staying in our cool, stone cottages and perhaps eating in local pubs – which allow we dogs to join our owners for dinner, it is possible that at some point you’ll be left guarding the car (although hopefully not on warm days). Suggest your owners try sun shades to help with this – as well as the usual parking in shade, leaving air gaps etc. It all helps you stay on top of your job of looking out for strangers near the car. 
  •  Stain remover/ kitchen roll – for those ‘Little accidents’ that can occasionally happen, even to the best of us! You’ll find cleaners and kitchen roll in the cottages, but worth bringing some for when you are out and about.  
  • Recent photo – now what owner won’t have a picture of you on their phone and so useful if you get separated. Spruce yourself up and get a fresh one taken for your hols!  
  • Bumbag/rucksack – for your owners to carry your accessories in!  

And finally   Don’t forget that toothbrush…

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