Dog-sitting for guests visiting Alton Towers

We were delighted to be able to help a family visiting from Scotland with some dog sitting so that they could enjoy a splendid day at Alton Towers. Just look at these two lovely ones! They were a joy to take out on a little lead walkies in the field and were very smiley for us when we went into the cottage to get them.

The owners very sweetly asked if it was £10 per dog, but we reassured them that it was hard enough asking for extra cash as it was, so £10 for each dog sitting day was plenty. When we went in to the cottage after the guest family had left to return to Scotland, we were surprised to discover the flowers and card from the lovely doggos.

For the latest availability please check online or contact us.

Booking direct for your next quick trip to Alton Towers

This year is starting a little slowly for us at Barks Holiday Cottage, but that's fine because our short breaks are often an 'extra holiday', or a 'quick trip to Alton Towers'. So far there is a change in how our guests are choosing to book their stays with us. We've noticed a pleasing trend: more first time visitors are booking directly with us, bypassing our booking agents. It's pleasing because it's a win-win situation—better for us and better for our guests, ensuring a personal touch from the very first moment.


Direct Booking Advantages:

Booking directly not only offers a more personal experience but also provides the best value for our guests. It's an opportunity for us to understand your needs directly and tailor your stay to your preferences, ensuring that your holiday is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. We do use booking agents Sykes Cottages, but since you have found us here we invite you to continue booking direct with us, the owners.

But is there a Direct Booking Discount?

Hmm, hold a minute, that's too direct a question, making me feel like a politician being put on the spot by a journalist. So look (as politicians always seem to say when on the radio) ...we support our booking agents in everything they do for us and are advertising the same prices as them 😇. Are you now like me, after whatever that politician just said, muttering to myself that they haven't actually answered the question. Which always makes me come to a whole unsaid conclusion 😂😁

So ... if you would like to contact us and check the availability on your preferred dates, we will do our best to make sure you get the best service by booking direct.

Why not come and enjoy the bluebells? They are plentiful and beginning to look superb.

For the latest availability please contact us at barkshc@gmail.com

Last minute or plan ahead?

I am naturally a last minute sort of person. Essays at uni and report deadlines for work only received the attention they deserved a day or two before the deadline. But some decades on, and last minute travel plans are causing me a bit more stress than they used to. I have been persuaded by dear son to jet off to the Alps before Christmas, leaving other half in charge of dog, Christmas card writing and holiday cottage. Are you thinking it's a lot of effort to go to in a bid to get out of writing Xmas cards? I feel a bit guilty because I am pretty certain that the personal messages won't be included in the cards this year. 

Anyway, for those of you who prefer to plan ahead, we are now taking 2024 bookings for the holiday cottage. We are in the midst of changing booking agents, so it may look like all dates in the summer are blocked off - but rest assured, direct bookings can still be made. Just drop us an email.

Self catering holiday cottage for Peak District and Alton Towers, sleeps 5, available for 2024 summer short breaks (from 3 nights), weekly holidays, and off-season longer lettings. For the latest availability please contact us.

Easter efficiency re the holiday cottage

For the latest holiday cottage availability please contact us.

Panic over! I have just spent an hour wondering why I had blocked off 7th April 2023 from our booking agents. I checked all our email enquiries, looked at social media inboxes and rifled through the files looking for any handwritten notes relating to a direct booking. Why had I told our booking agents that we aren't accepting bookings from them that week? I just couldn't figure it out. I also Googled Easter dates, but hadn't spotted that it was giving me last year's info. Eventually it dawned on me that Easter wasn't likely to be on my mother's birthday two years in a row. So back to Google asking for 'Easter 2023 dates' and the mystery was instantly solved. Easter 2023 starting 7th April is currently only available to our customers who book direct for their self-catering holiday cottage breaks. Alton Towers is open and it's 3 miles down the road.

The same applies to Barks Holiday Cottage bookings in the 2023 summer holidays too. For the time being we are only accepting direct bookings for the holiday cottage. Please drop us a line if there are self-catering holiday dates you are interested in.

Green and pleasant

I went for a walk locally yesterday and can't  quite believe how lush and green is the countryside of the Churnet Valley compared to only 25 miles east around Derby and Nottingham. That slightly frustrating period of a daily drizzle is suddenly worth it. Hopefully this means local woods and gardens will cope with this heat wave. 

Our current holiday cottage guests are making the most of the sunny terrace and parasol as well as the benches in the little nature reserve. We were chatting with them and all agreed we're loving this August weather and the pleasure of an evening stroll through the cool woods.

For the latest availability please check online or contact us. We currently have holiday cottage availability in August. Explore the Peak District and Churnet Valley. 

October half term and Scarefest

The guests that stay at Barks Holiday Cottage are often parents who were brought up on family fun days at Alton Towers and are keen to start a new tradition with the next generation, their young children. So I am always pleased to see that there are fun things to do at the theme park for all ages. New for 2021 during Scarefest is the Trick or Treating thrill. Should be suitably scary for younger age groups. It is also rather fun for youngsters being at the park in the darkness with the old building all lit up across the lake. My son and his friends used to love the twirling swings (forgotten the name now) that lifted him and his friends high into the drizzly night air. They were meant to hold on, but stretching their arms out was favourite.

But having said all that about Scarefest, I am a fan of fireworks night. That is a spectacular event. I have watched it a number of times from afar as we can actually see it from our hill across the valley, but that is quite honestly just frustrating. You can see how amazing the fireworks are, but we don't get the accompanying music, lights and lasers. So no compromise this year, we're dressing up warm and going to the theme park.  

We currently have self-catering availability at Barks Holiday Cottage for a 4 night break during October half term - 22nd to 26th October. We also have fireworks weekend available. Please message or ring to check availability.

For the latest availability please check online or contact us.

Alton Towers October opening times 2019

Opening times at Alton Towers over October 2019 including the school half term holidays. Below is our availability over October. So far the second week of the half term period is booked, but lots of people have an earlier half term and we have availability for the week commencing 18th October. 

Lots of fresh air, walks, tea rooms, pubs, and Alton Towers to please the inner teenager in everyone.

For the latest availability please check online or contact us.

Summer holiday mini breaks for Alton Towers

The summer holidays are nearly over for 2019.
Please contact us for autumn breaks and Scarefest at Alton Towers.

Make your stay action-packed with Alton Towers, Splash Landings, country walks, animal park, pub meals, tea rooms, ice cream parlour and loads more....

Barks Cottage ST10 3DX to Alton Towers ST10 4DB
the recommended route is 9 mins and 3.4 miles

Barks Cottage is near enough to Alton Towers that if you want to drop the children off and do something different for a while, or come back and chill out, it is easy to do. But if you want to go with the kids for a bit of theme park fun, we can look after the dog for you.

Make the most of family times this summer!

Mac

We so enjoyed having Mac and his people staying in the holiday cottage last week. Mac spent the day with us while his lovely family spent a full day at Alton Towers.

Mac didn't understand posing for the camera, but his manners were splendid. Such a cheerful chappie.

Getting fit in the countryside

Churnet Way, Oakamoor to Alton

At this time of year gyms are packed with people burning off the seasonal excess that clings persistently to our midriffs. I am actually a member of two gyms! I justify that on the grounds that the spa at Alton Towers is shut while they do yet more building work there. The gym in Cheadle has fabulous classes and equipment, but no spa...and I do love a spa!

Probably the most effective way I find to kick off the calories is to walk. And the best place to walk is definitely out in the countryside. I was walking my dog along the Churnet Way between Alton and Oakamoor on a misty morning and saw a runner and dog coming towards me. My camera phone hasn't done the scene justice, but the silver birches made a stunning backdrop. To my slight embarrassment it turned out I was photographing another mother from my son's school. So we had a little chat and she is in training for a marathon and getting fit by running along the Churnet Way almost daily.

For cycling, horse riding, running and walking and pushing buggies, this is a lovely route through the valley. And unusually round here, it is on the flat!

Alton Towers 2017 season details

I have just received the Alton Towers 2017 opening details:-
The Theme Park will re-open on Saturday 25th March and close on Sunday 5th November next year. Scarefest dates haven’t been confirmed yet, but it will be back in October and they'll be running the fireworks again on the 4th and 5th November. The mid-week quieter trading period closed dates are also still being firmed up, apparently. Please also note that the Alton Towers Spa will be temporarily closed from January whilst building works take place on the new CBeebies Land Hotel. The Spa will re-open in Summer 2017.

Barks Cottage is very close to Alton Towers and a number of our guests will be planning their visit to us around these Alton Towers opening times. We hope this is useful information.

Staffordshire Way in Churnet Valley

Our holiday cottage is in the Churnet Valley - an area of natural beauty that is starting to become better known. Recently I was commissioned to re-write the guide to the Staffordshire Way. So I decided to start with the sections near to home. It has been a lovely piece of work that will continue as budgets allow during the year.

Today, my son was playing cricket in the north of the county so I set off at the beginning of the Staffordshire Way at Mow Cop. Armed with my map, a hat and scarf and a bottle of water my two dogs and I left the little folly castle and headed up the Gritstone Way / Staffordshire Way. Well we thought we did...

I am actually very proficient with a map but was lured the wrong direction without consulting it by the style of track and the various way markers. Half an hour later, I was back to the point where I went wrong and off we went again. Another 15 minutes later I was back studying the map at that same point and finally got going along the right track.

It really is a disgrace that such an important walking route is badly and in some cases misleadingly marked. So far my commissions have focussed on the best bit of the Staffordshire Way around us in the Churnet Valley but I shall have to make a strong case to the 'powers that be' that the beginning of the walk needs to be sorted out. I'll make that call tomorrow...

Meanwhile, it is lovely weather for walking and our cottage is well placed for walkers as well as being handy for Alton Towers. Please do check availability and enjoy a walking break from Barks self-catering holiday cottage - pets welcome.

Call 01538 703436 or email barks@btconnect.com
Check availability

Alton Towers - Merlin annual pass sale

Lots of the families that stay at Barks Holiday Cottage use their annual Merlin passes to visit Alton Towers. One family stayed at Barks three times during the autumn as they were especially keen on Scarefest.  I think they got value out of their Merlin pass!

The Merlin pass is currently on sale with Individual passes reduced from £169 to £119 and Family passes reduced from £129 per person to £99pp, allowing up to 3 adults to be on the pass. Premium and VIP passes are available for extra - click the image above to compare costs and benefits. I couldn't actually see when the sale ends though.

Sunny days in Peak District holiday cottage

I want to put everything on my my list of chores on hold for a sunny day like today. Holiday cottage guests are out walking their dog, enjoying our Peak District countryside. Clever last minute self catering holiday cottage weekend booking! I think they are headed to Trentham Gardens and Chatsworth House before they leave tomorrow. Unfortunately I need to sort out everything for our next holiday cottage change over - but I did just wander out in the garden and snap this bumble bee in the crocuses. He's busy, so I suppose I'd better get busy too!

Alton Towers opens on Saturday 22nd March - we have a two night weekend holiday cottage break available.

Call 01538 703436 or email Barks@btconnect.com for latest availability - or book online.

Self catering near Alton Towers 17 - 20th October for Scarefest

Self catering near Alton Towers 17 - 20th October

It's Scarefest at Alton Towers! And this is our last available long weekend self-catering break in Barks Holiday Cottage.

The cottage sleeps 5 in two rooms - one double, one family with adult sized bunk beds.
Alton Towers theme park is open late til 9pm during Scarefest, so come back to the holiday cottage afterwards, zap something to eat and light the open fire and ... recover! Especially if you are devoted Alton Towers fans who are going back the next day!

Let us know if you have a pet dog that needs looking after as we may be able to help you out by taking it walkies while you are at Alton Towers. The holiday cottage is pet friendly too.

Self catering near Alton Towers 17 - 20th October is £330 for 3 nights and £370 for 4 nights.

Please call 01538 703436 or email barks@btconnect.com for more details.

Half term Alton Towers Scarefest fun

We are mid summer holidays but there is a hint of autumn in the air and thoughts are turning to the next holiday opportunity to nip to Alton Towers.  I have had two enquiries today for 'half term', which around here starts Fri 25th and is perfect for some Alton Towers scarefest fun and games. 

Here are the remaining short break options for Barks self catering holiday cottage that week:
3 nights self catering at £330 

27 - 30th - 3 or 4 nights midweek
31, 1, 2 Nov - 3 night weekend
Please check the availability calendar for updates.

Barks Holiday Cottage - appox 8 minutes to Alton Towers gates

Free tickets to Alton towers

Availability:
12,13,14 September mini break £275
29th September onwards - 3 nights £275, week at £395 for accommodation near Alton Towers during Scarefest, half term and Fireworks 

Back in the spring sometime we purchased The Sun newspaper every day for a week just in order to apply for our free Alton Towers tickets.  We hadn't realised the dates would be so restricted and were really pleased that we managed to get tickets in August.  The date was put in our diaries months ahead. Exciting - a jolly day out to our local theme park.

Then the date starts to hit our radar and the week fills up with millions of clashing activities. How strange that even though we had known about this day out to Alton Towers for a long time, by the time the date came around it didn't fit into our schedule all that well.  Add to that my failed intention to find another child to come along too.  It was going to be just me and my 8 year old boy.

Nemesis is too much for us!

In the end we were dropped off at Alton Towers at 3pm on a beautiful sunny day on which the rides were closing at 6pm.  Neither of us has graduated to the likes of Nemesis yet so we headed off to the wet rides and the runaway train.

The mother and daughter who shared our bathtub on the log flume had forked out for the fast track ticket and were faintly smug about the fact they had done two rides in the time we'd taken to queue (staff were being truly incompetent but that is another story).  In contrast to us she had planned her trip to Alton Towers and it had remained a priority in her diary - so for her the fast track upgrade was a really great idea.  As far as we were concerned we had nipped to our next door village for three hours of free entertainment completely accepting the fact we were only going to go on our four favourite rides.

We spent a lovely time together on a sunny day.  Funnily enough the highlight was not one of the rides but squirting water at each other on the pirate ships.  We left Alton Towers soaking wet and within 10 minutes we were home and dry with the kettle on!  Perfect.

Our thanks to The Sun and Alton Towers - we enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

Alton Towers Spa reopens for 2012

Now I do love a spa evening and it is very spoiling and indulgent for me that Alton Towers is less than 3 miles from here.  Even more luxurious is that during the winter season when Alton Towers theme park is closed there a many fewer tourists here and the spa is blissfully quiet of an evening.  (Obviously, the fact that Alton Towers is closed has an impact on our holiday cottage bookings because we are having to rely solely on people coming walking in the Churnet Valley.)

Anyway, the Alton Towers spa is re-opening today after a few days closure for a refurb.  Yippee!!! It was time for a spruce up!  I hope the price remains £12.50 because that is affordable for an occasional treat for me and in the range for the holiday cottage guests who want to pamper their tired walking legs after a day hiking the Churnet Valley hillsides.

If you are looking for a spa break - this might be an option.  A short break at Barks Cottage for 3 nights - come back from the spa and put your feet up in front of the log fire.  How about it?

Holiday cottage near Alton Towers 2012 availability

Some people are super organised.  They know the place they like and they make an early commitment. I look forward to a change of scene from our lush, hilly countryside and love a few days by the sea - and I am happy that we are already booked in at our favourite spot in north Norfolk.

Similarly, we have taken bookings (some of them repeat bookings from this year) from families looking for a change of scene at our pet friendly spot on the doorstep of Alton Towers and Trentham Gardens etc.

Five bookings made so far for 2012 and it is still November, so we are happy about that. 10% of the whole year sorted!

Please check our 2012 availability page if you are looking for a particular week for your self-catering holiday near Alton Towers.

Follow Friday #FF @ChurnetValley

For those that Tweet, you'll know what Follow Friday is all about.  If you don't, it's really not important at all but here's a little window on that world. We haven't tweeted much this week, but what little miniature interactions we have enjoyed have been just perfect.  Thanks to @SimplyStaffs for the #FF and the other suggestions that we followed up on - new connections have been made.  to @LeekArtSpace for helping me spread the word on a local research project. And thanks to @MalvernMeet who was kind enough to tweet to the world that as a previous self catering guest at Barks Holiday Cottage she tried to book again but we were full and defo intends to try again.  You see, withTwitter, it might just be a mini message, but it's the quality that counts.  Always good for morale to know that customers think you've got something right and it doesn't take more than 140 characters to convey that thought.  Thanks, tweeps.

What's the picture about?  No reason really, just that I am about to go on my Friday walk .... so please follow me virtually along the paths into the Churnet Valley.  In other words, it's the non Twitter alternative to #FF by @ChurnetValley.

@ChurnetValley