I went on a UK coach trip that goes to some of the country's best coastal spots – and very pretty seaside towns
ROAD TRIP I went on a UK coach trip that goes to some of the country's best coastal spots – and very pretty seaside towns
IT'S not easy to save the planet and save those pounds at the same time – but Daish's Holidays has a solution.
The specialist travel company seamlessly orchestrates coach trips, collecting travellers from locations close to their home and delivering them to the front door of swish hotels in some of the UK's top coastal spots.
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The pretty port of Padstow is just a bus ride away
Credit: Getty - Contributor
Travelling by coach not only means far fewer carbon emissions per passenger than going by car, and we also managed to save buckets of cash by not getting the train. It really is a win-win.
My partner and I were collected from Seaford in East Sussex and transported to the Cornwall surfer spot of Newquay.
Pick-up was on time, our driver was smart and friendly and our luggage was stowed safely for us and delivered straight to our room at the Barrowfield Hotel.
Journey times can be long, but Daish's ensures that customers are comfortable, with regular stops at service stations along the way.
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Our hotel, like many of Daish's properties, was in a super-convenient position for a holiday without a car.
We were within walking distance of the town and beach and there was a bus stop opposite that serves several routes as well as a little hop-on-hop-off tourist train which runs every hour.
We hopped on and made our way to Newquay's fishing harbour, where tiny, weathered boats bobbed on the water and dozens of quaint houses lined the cliff edges.
Make sure to pick up a famous Roskilly's Cornish ice cream while you're here. We tucked into ours overlooking fabulous sandy coves with only the sound of waves crashing below and the crunching of our ice cream cones. Bliss.
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The seagulls didn't dare to steal them, although they certainly thought about it.
After we hopped back on the train, our round trip revealed a huge number of activities for holidaymakers in the area to get stuck into, some just a ten-minute ride from the hotel. There's a zoo, boating, golf, shopping and more.
Celebrity Coach Trip's Linda Robson jokes Lesley Joseph is a drag queen
We had our eyes set on the beach, though. Famous as a surfing hub, Newquay's shores have swimming and surfing areas marked by flags.
A few minutes' walk from the hotel, a long, windy path leads down to Tolcarne beach, which is breathtakingly beautiful, although the 130-step climb to the promenade can be challenging.
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A little further afield sits the picture-postcard little port of Padstow, which is just over an hour away by the No 56 bus, which can be picked up just outside the hotel.
The journey there was an experience in itself – we nabbed top-deck seats and were able to catch views of Cornwall's little coves in the glorious sunshine as we wound our way along coastal roads.
A super fishy lunch in Padstow, and another ice cream overlooking the pretty harbour made for a blissful afternoon.
GO: NEWQUAY
GETTING/STAYING THERE: A four-night coach break to Cornwall costs from £199, based on two people sharing a standard room.
Self-drive options are available from £179. See daishs.com.
Not that we needed any more food – we were still pretty full from last night's slap-up dinner.
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Three-course evening meals and coffees are served to Daish's guests at 6.30pm with impressive efficiency.
The only downside was that I found it all a bit too rushed, and dinner was over by 7.30pm – although many guests seemed to like this, as it meant they had plenty of time to then enjoy the evening entertainment.
From 9pm, guests can get stuck into bingo and quizzes, then from 10pm musical entertainment takes to the stage.
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Our hotel, like many of Daish's properties, was in a super-convenient position for a holiday without a car
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During the day, the hotel is a great place to kick back and relax too, thanks to an indoor swimming pool
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Most of the performers were excellent and encouraged guests up on to the dance floor.
During the day, the hotel is a great place to kick back and relax too, thanks to an indoor swimming pool heated to 28C. Shallow steps and a hand rail made it easy for some guests with mobility issues.
The stand-out for me, though, was value for money. At less than £200 per couple for four nights, it really doesn't get better than this.
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