Festive top 5s!

We’ve always been fans of Christmas charts at cottages4you. Whether it’s a countdown of the most popular gifts, or waiting to see if Cliff Richard was once again going to rule/ruin Christmas with another festive ballad – there’s something about this time of year that goes well with a numerical rundown.

So we’ve decided to get in on the act and present our own chart, looking at the most popular regions – in terms of volumes of sales – for Christmas and New Year holiday breaks in the UK. Unlike other festive charts there’s plenty of variety, a few surprises and not one mention of Mistletoe and Wine.

We still have some availability for Christmas and New Year breaks so if this article inspires you feel free to search our website or give us a call on 0845 268 0760 to discuss flexible arrival dates.

The Top 5 Christmas Destinations

North Norfolk Coast

The famed Norfolk Broads need little introduction: a stunning network of lakes and rivers that are a pleasure to explore; they are perhaps the region’s biggest draw. But if the Broads is better suited to a summer exploration then the North Norfolk Coast is undoubtedly a lovely place to spend Christmas. Not only does the region offers beautiful beaches, long stretches of wild coastline and eye-watering vistas as far as the eye can see (literally, in most cases), but it also boasts a beautifully preserved heritage, comprised of stunning Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture that really comes to life with festive loveliness at Christmas.

Cotswolds

For many, Christmas in the Cotswolds is the festive idyll, so it’s perhaps not surprising that so many of you are already planning to spend the festive period there. We can just see you now, looking out over gentle patchwork hills from the comfort of your holiday cottage – which will be located in the cutest limestone village, of course. We only have one further thing to add: Could we come too?

Dorset

Not only a component to one of the worst jokes centred on a UK region in existence (if you’ve heard it, you’ll agree, if not, trust us!), Dorset also boasts enough natural and man-made charms to guarantee a place on our festive top 5. One thing Dorset does well is choice: there’s the spectacular Jurassic Coastline to explore, a wealth of beautiful beaches and, further inland, the mature woodland and rolling hills of rural Dorset.

Hereford, Worcester and Wyevly

This one’s a 3 for the price of one, due to the fact we group these locations together. And despite the close proximity to each other they all have something unique to offer – which is great news if you’re lucky enough to have booked a break there! A well-preserved medieval city, Hereford is awash with festive atmosphere at this time of the year. Similarly Worcester’s Tudor buildings and gothic spires help to convey an enjoyable ‘Christmas past’ feeling, but if you fancy something a bit more rural then the Wye Valley looks incredible even without a light frosting of festive snow.

Peak District

Britain’s first National Park also offers variety in spades. There’s an abundance of active pursuits like hiking through the Peak Forest, cycling across the Dark Peak, horse riding down the Longden trail. You could scale the Heights of Abraham and get a commanding view of your surroundings, or you could settle in for the night in one of the local alehouses next to a warm fire with the welcome company of your loved ones. The Peak District is also easily accessible from Manchester and Sheffield along with various other counties so you can be back home in no time at all.

The Top 5 New Year Destinations

Lake District

While plenty of people are still flocking to cities to see in the New Year, we’re seeing a trend of others wanting to get away from it all and enjoy the advent of 2012 in relative seclusion. It’s hardly surprising that people are choosing the Lake District for the latter; after all it has more than enough stunning locations to stretch your legs, fantastic restaurants and lovely little pubs to make a celebration that you’ll never forget – or remember, depending on how much you get into the New Year spirit!

Yorkshire Coast

In many ways the Yorkshire Coast offers the best of both worlds. Like the Lakes it has an almost embarrassing amount of beautiful locations to explore and enjoy, but if you fancy a more vibrant celebration of New Year then you really need look no further than the seaside resorts of Scarborough and Whitby. To use a well worn cliché, it really does have something for everyone.

Norfolk

Still popular well into New Year, it seems many customers just don’t want to leave their holiday cottage in Norfolk and who could blame them?

Cotswolds

The running popularity of the Cotswolds is a strong testament to its many charms. It’s a perennially popular destination so we can’t see it losing its place on the chart in the near future.

Dorset

We may have little to add to our write-up of Dorset but don’t worry, even though it’s approaching Christmas, we won’t be telling any terrible jokes based on its name – we’ll save that for the dinner table!