Headland Hotel, Newquay

So when you've got the Winter blues, and your favourite hotel pops up with a great deal on Secret Escapes, then what's a girl to do? Be a bit spontaneous and snap it up sharpish, that's what.

I know it's been a while, as we visited on the last weekend of November, but I had such a wonderful weekend that I just have to share it with you.

The deal with Secret Escapes was for a two night break at the Headland Hotel in Newquay, including breakfast and dinner for one night. I loved this hotel last time we visited (previous post here) and we received the same great service this time around.

We upgraded to a 'Splendid' room, which was well worth spending that little bit more! Take a look around our home for the weekend...

Undoubtedly the best views I've ever had on waking in this bed...

After running around the room squealing at every corner and new discovery, we calmed down enough to unpack, and decided to crack open the champers left for us. We toasted the weekend out on our balcony, and recovered from the 4 hour journey by taking in the view and watching the waves.

A little bit blustery!

After a few hours of chilling out in luxury, we decided to wrap up warm and head out for the night. First stop was The Stable, where you can find the best pizza and cider with incredible panoramic views over Fistral beach.

We shared a 'Headland Herbivore' pizza, packed with herby roast potatoes and creamy Cornish blue cheese. I know, carb heaven right?

 All washed down with a speciality cider or two!

All fed and watered, we prepared ourselves to face the bracing wind once again, and headed into town. The annual Music and Cider Festival was in town, with a giant marquee full of cider loveliness and the best beachy acoustic music to sway along to.

That night also happened to be the night that the Christmas lights were turned on, so we headed back outside down to the Harbour, to watch the best firework display I've seen in years! A pretty magical start to our winter weekend...

Cardiff Food Festival

For the last few years, we've popped down to Cardiff Bay to experience the annual Cardiff Food & Drink Festival, which lasts (this year) from Friday 10th - Sunday 12th July.

We were umming and aaahing whether to go this year, but when I found out that my favourite street food crew were there, it was a decision maker. By the time we rolled into the City, it was way past my lunchtime and I was feeling the hanger, so I jumped right into the huge queue for Meat and Greek. There's not much that can make me queue when I'm that hungry, but it was worth it...

The chicken souvlaki, expertly cooked over coals, coated in tangy tzatziki and of course with extra halloumi. Whenever there's the option, always extra cheese.

Once I'd got my Greek fill, we wandered around the bay to find some food for Mr. P. Stumbling upon another recent favourite, Dusty Knuckle Pizza, he opted for the salami version.

Good choice too, I'd say. (Of course, I stole a slice in the interest of being a good food blogger).

With happily full stomachs, we meandered in and out of the stalls. It was a little too busy for my liking, and I almost lost a few toes in the scrabble. We came home with a few small goodies, but nothing peaked my interest enough to fight the crowds, who seem to go a little crazy when there's a free chunk of cheese involved!

Some of the stalls are certainly looking a little tired, and there's only so much overpriced chutney and fudge that you can really care about.

But in my eyes, the stalls are just a sideline to the real fun of the day. The food piazza is bustling with show cooking and interesting local cuisines. Grab some freshly cooked grub, pick up a Pimms and find yourself a spot in front of the bandstand.

There's not much better than a blue skied day down Cardiff Bay!

Where to Eat in... Tenby

I've been to Tenby so many times, that it feels odd to review any of my usual haunts. Instead,  I thought I'd introduce you to a few of my fail safe favourites in my home from home. No visit to the 'Little Town of Fishes' (or Dinbych-yn-Pysgod to give it's full Welsh name) would be complete without stopping off to one or more of these brilliant eateries.


The Coach & Horses

The Coach & Horses is a bright yellow pub at the top end of Upper Frog Street. It's been a firm favourite of ours over the years that we've been visiting Tenby, and we've always tried to pop in whenever we're in town. I mean, if it's good enough for Dylan Thomas...

It's one of the cosiest pubs in Tenby and well away from the rowdier ones in the square. It ticks all the boxes on the good pub checklist, with great ales on tap, a log fire and an extensive jukebox.

The Coach & Horses boasts a large menu, one side full of traditional pub grub, and the other, surprisingly, of Thai food. The standard pub food is always a winner, especially the  'mega boozy cod' and the Dragon's curry, but the best meals I've had were from the Thai menu.

On our most recent visit, I had a garlic and black pepper prawn dish, which was gorgeous and so full of flavour! Plump juicy prawns, fresh vibrant veg and the sauce was so moreish I was mopping it up with everything I could.

We visited during lent, so I had given up meat, and I was pleased to see an abundance of vegetarian options on the menu. They would also replace any curry/Thai dish with Quorn pieces on request if possible, which I thought was a nice touch, and one which I didn't see replicated anywhere else during my forty days of hell vegetarianism.

For a chilled out night with a couple of beers and some hearty dinner, this is the one. However, if you feel like livening it up, they do sell absinthe if you're after a nightcap. I've always been too scared.


Plantaganet House

If you're after somewhere a little more fancy, try Plantaganet House. An unassuming little building from the outside, it's harbouring something more exciting behind those doors. Bare stone walls, beautiful iron candelabras and a medieval Flemish chimney make this an interior design dream. A perfect date night spot away from the rabble.

The menus, from outside, look like traditional seaside fare with colourful words scrawled over blackboards and handwritten menus adorning the walls. But contained in those menus are some pretty special meals.

Whole lobster and fresh fish of the day, alongside traditional Welsh lamb and butter roasted belly pork. An extensive wine list makes this the place to go if you want to impress. Be prepared to pay to impress however, as it's a lot more expensive than anywhere else I've eaten in Tenby town. It's worth it for a treat, however expect to pay around an eye watering £24 for a meat/fish based main.

However, that seabass biryani above though? Worth every penny - hands down the best meal I've eaten in Tenby.


Fecci & Sons Fish Bar

You can't come to the British seaside and not get fish and chips. It's the rule.

There are a few fish and chip shops dotted around, but we've always found Fecci's to be the best around. They've got an extensive menu, cook their fish fresh to order and also provide gluten-free fish and chips for those who require it.

Crispy batter that's not too greasy, hiding flaky white cod inside is always a winner in my book. A pile of highly salted-and-vinegared chunky chips on the side and a pot of curry sauce and it's heaven. Mushy peas if you're feeling virtuous, they're pretty good here too.

Look out for when battered Mars Bars are on the menu. Holiday calories do not count.

Top tip, get your chips wrapped up to take away, turn left out of the shop and then left again. Eat them on the benches there, staring out at the sea and over South Beach. It's the best view. Just watch out for the seagulls.


The Baytree

You can't miss the Baytree, in prime position in Tenby's Tudor Square. It's positioning not only makes it easy to find, but if you get a window table, the perfect place for people watching too. My favourite holiday activity.

The Baytree is the antidote you need when you get to that point on holiday where you just can't take anymore chips or anything in batter. Saying that, the calamari is pretty good, and the homemade aioli just excellent. Keeps the vampires away too.

With mains ranging about £15-£20, and starters around £6, it's a step up from the pub grub on offer throughout the town, but considerably less than the Plantaganet above. However, they always have a very reasonable early bird style set menu that makes this a very viable option for both lunch and an evening meal.

During the summer months, there's usually live music on weekends too, such as an acoustic guitarist or a singer. Unobtrusively enhancing the chilled out atmosphere, it's a great place to unwind with a bottle of red and some good local food.


These are some of my top picks, but there's so much choice in town that I've still not eaten everywhere yet! Any favourites of yours that I should try out? Let me know!

Postcards from Tenby

I love a spontaneous adventure. We're a pretty indecisive couple sometimes, what film to watch and where to eat can take hours. This year however, we've become pros at just deciding that we want a holiday, so we're going on one.

Which is how, after a bit of a moan to each other on a Thursday lunchtime, we ended up in a lovely little B&B (Sunnybank, for those interested) with our toes in the Tenby sand by Sunday afternoon.

Tenby is one of our favourite places. It's home from home. Especially this place...

It's so picturesque, and such a jewel on the Pembrokeshire coast. Everything seemed to gleam a little bit brighter in the September sunshine. 

Two nights by the sea is the cure for all moans and groans! We were lucky enough to have a beautiful sunshine filled weekend, with temperatures in the early twenties and nothing but a few candy floss white clouds in the sky.

Looks like someone else wasn't ready to go home either...

These few days away for our anniversary were full of nothing but walks on the beach, lazy drinks overlooking the sea and huddling by the fire by night. Is there anything better?