20 minutes by boat from St Peter Port, Guernsey is Herm Island. No cars, so very quiet. Two absolutely stunning beaches within 20-30 mins walk of the harbour.

Costal path walk with views of Frances, Guernsey, Jersey, Sark and the Barclay twins' castle on Brechou. There are cafes at the beaches and a hotel and restaurant by the harbour.

In 2007 a day trip for 2 adults and 2 children was £27.00 (cheaper if you go on the 08.30 boat).

The Administration Office
Herm Island
Guernsey
GY1 3HR
www.herm-island.com/home.aspx
Telephone: +44 (0)1481 722377
Fax: +44 (0)1481 700334
email: directors@herm-island.com

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We usually camp at Fauxquets Valley which has a pool. Note caravans are not allowed on the island, but you can hire a tent with beds (near to the loos etc, so can be noisy).

www.fauxquets.co.uk

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Ferries are Condor (2.5 hours from Poole on the cat or 9 hours from Portsmouth on the slow boat):
www.condorferries.com

Cheapest flights last year were with Aurugny (50 mins from Gatwick):
hwww.aurigny.com

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Well worth timing a summer visit to be there when the North Show is on which includes the Battle of the Flowers and a fab firework display.

www.visitguernsey.com

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Mill Green Museum is a fully working watermill (undershot wheel) run by volunteers and housing the local museum for Hatfield, Herts. You can watch milling of organic flour every week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, and see the waterwheel in action every day (except for Monday when the mill is closed), which my children love to see.

Lots of gears and cogs and flour leaking out. Children can try grinding corn the hard way or the easy way. In the summer there is a small cafe with outdoor seats in the sensory garden. There is also a local collection of bits of history, with things for children to find.
And it's all free.

Mill Green
Hatfield
Herts AL9 5PD
www.hertsmuseums.org.uk/millgreen/
Tel: 01707 271362
Nearest station is Hatfield (Herts) 23 mins from London Kings Cross every 30 mins (Mon-Sat), 1 fast per hour Sundays, plus two slower. Then either a 20 min walk, 5 mins on a bike National Cycle Network route 12 or bus 301 or 603 every 15 mins, 5 mins ride.
By car, follow signs from A1(M) junctions 3 or 4.

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Three room B&B (single, twin and family room for up to 4) in 1906 house in quiet street 10 mins walk from centre of Verona, so ideal for the opera. Also 5 mins from superb public playground at the end of the old brigde over the river. Manuela speaks fluent English and is very happy with children running about and playing with her toy cars. Breakfast is served out in the back garden terrace and she is very keen on organic/quality food. Rooms have ceiling fans with remote control, so expect your kids to enjoy playing with it. She is also the local World Wildlife Fund rep.

Close enough to Venice to allow a long day trip so you avoid the high prices. Family room for 4 plus breakfast was 100 Euros per night in August 2006.

Il Piccolo Principe B&B
Viale del Risorgimento 10
37126 Verona
+39 045 914110
ilpiccoloprincipe@genie.it
Nearest station Verona Porta Nuova and then 10 mins by bus (just off main core bus routes so very frequent).

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Immaculate set of three rented flats in quiet town centre, 20 mins walk from the lake (setting for the Elinor M Brent-Dyer Chalet School stories) and just off both the Munich - Innsbruck cycle path and a steam track railway. A week in August was £290 which was a bargin for what we had.

Surrounding area is good for hikers, mountaineers and cyclists or simply those who like mountains and fresh air.

Local buses are free to you as part of the holiday and there is an excellent weekly season on the steam trains, lake steamers and cable cars for about the same costs as a round trip on three of them.

Mr./Mrs. Alfred Baumann
Hnr. 48
6212 Maurach, Austria

Tel.: +43(5243)5729
Tel.: +43 (664)5103693

E-Mail: maurach48@aon.at
www.tiscover.at/haus-baumann
Nearest station: Jenbach (hourly fast trains to Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Vienna).
Note: Free bus travel from Jenbach to Maurach - just show your web booking!

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This small B&B plus apartment is in the village of La Roche Sur Foron, which is about 15 miles from Annecy.

Best thing is Marie Ammeloot, the owner, who has to be one of the nicest people we have ever stayed with. The sand pit in the garden for small children helped too.

La Roche is nice small town with an excellent swimming pool and mountain views

1 Route de la Bénite Fontaine, La Roche sur Foron;
tel/fax : 04 50 03 3116;
email : ammeloot@free.fr;
ammeloot.free.fr;
www.larochesurforon.com/index_en.htm
La Roche is 30 mins by train from Annecy and also an hour or so from Chamonix.

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