HF Holidays to offer Astronomy and Art Appreciation activites in 2014

Astronomy breaks, art appreciation holidays, a Gardens of Ireland tour as well as cooking and walking in Spain are just a selection of the many, new ideas introduced into HF Holidays’ expanded Leisure Activities Holidays programme for 2014.

For example, start making sense of the night sky on the new Astronomy break which features morning talks on galaxies, stars, the moon and planets, comets, meteors and asteroids and evenings viewing objects in the night sky that can be seen with the naked eye, through binoculars and with a small telescope.

Available on selected dates and based either on Exmoor – where the National Park was the first International Dark Sky Reserve in Europe – or on the South Downs, the cost of this four-night break is £469 per person, twin-share, inclusive of full board and a full programme of activities with a knowledgeable leader.

Art lovers can visit key galleries showing a variety of artistic styles – in the company of an expert leader – on the new Art Appreciation holidays. Guests based in St Ives, for example, visit the St Ives Tate for modern and contemporary art, the Falmouth Art Gallery for old masters and Penlee House Gallery – home of the Newlyn artists – which specialises in the art of West Cornwall.

The cost is £485 per person for four nights or £799 for a seven-night holiday. These twinshare prices include full board, a full programme of art appreciation with an experienced leader and transport and entrance fees.

Or combine stays in Dublin and Blarney and visit some of Ireland’s best public and private gardens – such as Powerscourt gardens, Glasnevin Botanical Garden, Fota House and Gardens and the Dillon garden – on a new seven night Gardens of Ireland guided tour. The cost is £1179 per person, twin-share, inclusive of return Heathrow flights, half-board hotel, a full programme of garden visits with a horticultural specialist, plus all admissions and transport.

For further information, why not visit the HF Holidays website or give their team a call on 0845 470 7558?

About HF Holidays

HF Holidays has been helping people enjoy the great outdoors for nearly 100 years. Today over 50,000 people come on holiday with us every year. They come for the walking. They come for the activities. They come for the fun. They come for the food. And they come for the high quality accommodation. It’s why we’re Britain’s biggest walking and outdoor leisure holiday specialists.

Background info:

* Founded in 1913, HF Holidays is a co-operative society arranging walking, outdoor and
leisure activity holidays for 50,000 people each year (for non-members, a £5 associate fee
is payable per holiday).
* Options range from guided walking breaks and self-guided trails in Britain to challenging
ascents Worldwide. The leisure activities range includes art, music, literature and mindand-body holidays.
* HF Holidays is the recommended walking holiday partner of the Ramblers, Britain’s
walking charity (ramblers.org.uk), and supports the work of the Ramblers through
membership initiatives and charitable donations.
* HF Holidays has 20 Houses in the UK’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty as well as independent hotels for overseas holidays.
* HF Holidays’ walks leaders are passionate about walking and keen to share their
experience with guests (after passing a rigorous selection course).
* HF Holidays is committed to Responsible Tourism, contributing to environmental projects
around the UK – such as footpath maintenance – through its Pathways Fund and
supporting local Air Ambulance and Mountain Rescue teams as well as charities in Kenya
and South Africa.
* Voted Best Large Tour Operator by Guardian and Observer readers 2010, 2011 and 2012,
with a 2012 satisfaction score of 98 per cent. Also Best Large Short Break Operator 2011
and 2012.
* In recent research (March 2012) carried out by Which?, HF Holidays achieved
Recommended Provider Status receiving an overall customer satisfaction score of 94%.
* HF Holidays is a member of ABTOT and is ATOL protected.