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.

Social distance walking

A friend and I went for a walk today. It was lovely weather and we needed to get out. We were meant to be going out to a favourite restaurant, booked months ago to get a good upstairs table. Last night's announcement put paid to that plan. So we arranged a walk instead. Since we did not want to share a vehicle, in the times of strange new rules and etiquette, we set out from her house in Alton.

The wind gusted and my ancient, threadbare map was hard to study. I suppose I could have been on an app and known exactly how far off the footpath we strayed, but that would have been unsatisfactory in today's mood. My friend left the erratic map reading to me, as both of us handling the map doesn't work these days. We could also have walked in the usual favourites, but it is a weekend and the nation seemed to be out walking today, so we headed off the beaten track. And we were rewarded!

Without realising, we had ambled to a high point where there were spectacular views all around of the Churnet Valley, and further to the horizon in neighbouring counties. It was extra gusty at the top, and my friend doesn't like walking through fields grazed by horses, so we diverted from the planned route to a clear path, following the hedge, back towards Alton. It was a treat, with magnificent views over the village and Alton Castle. We were also very conveniently returned near to her house.

Walking is the new social. Plus, our little trek was precisely 10k steps. Perfect in every way.

Alton Towers Easter 2019 Opening Hours

Our guests generally manage to squeeze in a trip or two to Alton Towers! Given that it is only 3 miles up the road it is fair to say that for many families it is the reason for coming to this part of the country in the first place. At least they leave realising that the Churnet Valley has a lot more to offer than merely the nation's favourite theme park.  Don't start me on that subject...😀

... Anyway, here are the opening hours for April 2019, in case you are planning a family self-catering holiday near Alton Towers.

Alton Towers opening times April 2019

Keep the family happy with some thrills up the road at Alton Towers, then drag them for a walk, something cultural or a family meal out on another day. Lot's of family time - that's what it's all about.