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We love a hidden gem here at The Carter Company. So when one of the family members recently visited Leiden and was shown around by a local resident (by bike and on foot, no less!), we were delighted to hear of the beautiful Cafe de Bonte Koe. An old fashioned Dutch 'living-room-cafe' over 120 years old, it was once rated in the top 20 bars in The Netherlands. Despite this, it's very much an authentic local hotspot, rather than a tourist trap. Step inside for a taste of real Dutch style and cafe culture!

Although the bar is fairly old fashioned, it features a highly original design. Tiles of gorgeous hues and fantastic detail cover pretty much every wall. Many depict agricultural scenes, with farmers and cattle set amidst a classic Dutch landscape, reflecting Holland's traditional agriculture-based economy.

And then there's the beer! Of course. Wilderen Blonde is quite rare, especially on tap, but here you can indulge in as many glasses as you like. Even the pumps are special designs from the 70s. Beware though, the beer glasses are so giant you need two hands to lift them!

All in all then, a quintessential Dutch 'brown bar'. Small, dark, and cosy with relaxed drinking vibes. You can find out more on the cafe's website.

Why not visit Leiden on our cycling holiday in Holland?

If all this talk of kicking back with a refreshing pint in Cafe de Bonte Koe has tickled your fancy, why not book a spot on our ever-popular 'Highlights of Holland' cycling holiday. A 6 night wonderfully gentle, self-guided tour, it begins in Leiden and finishes up in Amsterdam - where you can choose to stay for an extra night or two and experience all that the capital has to offer. The route takes in a stunning mix of heritage rich towns, breathtaking coastline, picture postcard countryside and maritime history. Plus there's overnight stays in some very individual and stylish 3 and 4 star hotels. It's the best way to see Holland!

And so we come to the final installment in this mini blog series where we have been excitedly unveiling for you our brand new cycling holidays and walking tours for 2015. We hope they have whet your appetite for some authentic travels by bike and on foot. We can't wait to share them with you all.

And so the final three:

1. Ireland cycling holiday

'A jolly around Connemara' is our first cycling holiday in Ireland. Despite the fact we've wanted to have a trip in Ireland for some time now, it's been a long time in the making, so we're really excited to be finally offering it this year. Putting together the final itinerary and selecting the photos for the holiday gallery was a delightful if painful process because I'm now absolutely chomping at the bit to do this tour. Some of the hotels are located in the most stunning settings, and the landscape sounds just fab: wild yet pristine sandy beaches, dramatic mountains and lush countryside. It's gentle cycling at its best.. short distances allowing you plenty of time to take a detour and stop for a cake whenever you fancy it, as well as a cycling-free day here and there so you can really kick back (or head off on your own steam and explore more of the beautiful Connemara region). How dreamy!

2. Hadrian's Wall walking holiday

This is a favourite route of walking enthusiasts in Britain, and it's not hard to see why. Follow this World Heritage walk alongside Europe's largest surviving Roman monument, and discover history by the bucketload. This 8 night trip traverses some of Britain's most ruggedly beautiful landscape. Soak up the views, marvel at Roman Ruins and discover details of life from two thousand years ago. There's also a chance to explore Newcastle, a cultural hotspot in the North of England, full of interesting things to see and do. The perfect combination of countryside and cityscape. We can't recommend it enough!

3. 'Alice in Wonderland' cycling holiday

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ this year and discover the key places that inspired the book on this leisurely cycling trip based in Oxford. This is great one for the family - a two night tour with both classic and luxury hotel options, including traffic-free riverside cycling and Oxford exploring on foot. You choose from either a guided or self-guided itinerary. We can even arrange for a Mad Hatter's tea party on arrival day if you'd like one. More details here.

Welcome back to part 2 of our round-up of new cycling holidays and walking tours for 2015. We hope you are as titillated as we are by these exciting new trips in some brand new locations, as well as some specially designed itineraries in some of our most popular destinations. So without further ado, here we go:

1. Lake Constance cycling holiday

Cycling around Lake Constance offers the unique opportunity to tick off no less than three countries in a single trip: the lake borders Austria, Germany and Switzerland. It's one of the most popular cycling routes in Europe, and it's not difficult to see why! Stunning landscapes, pretty lakeside villages, vineyards galore, mountaintop vistas, historical UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and even a Zeppelin museum await. This is a fantastic choice for families as the cycling is very easy going and the terrain is particularly flat. To find out more, check out the details of this glorious cycling holiday here.

2. Cycling and walking tour of The Cotswolds

We've combined some of our favourite cycling and walking routes in the Cotswolds, our most popular destination, to create this special trip. Choosing to travel by bike AND on foot means you get the chance to see a unique and authentic side to a region where the crowds of tourists are increasingly difficult to avoid. But don't panic: we carefully design all our routes along the quiet backroads and little-used paths known only to the locals, so you can discover the hidden gems of the area. Read more about this lovely cycling and walking trip over on the holiday summary page.

3. Thames Path from source to London walking holiday

Whilst we've offered walking holidays along chunks of the Thames Path in the past, this year for the first time we are offering the chance to walk the entire route from the river's source in the Cotswolds to London. The result is a fantastic 13 night self-guided walking tour through an amazing array of differing landscapes. From wild pasture meadows to the densely wooded Chiltern slopes, the riverside route threads its way through sleepy rural villages and through the heart of bustling historic towns such as Oxford, Henley and Marlow. There's also the chance to take in landmarks such as Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Greenwich and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew en route. It's not to be missed!

Stay tuned for Part 3 - more tours to be announced soon!

We're excited to announce a number of new UK cycling holidays, European bike tours and some walking holidays for the 2015 season. We'll be announcing these in two separate blog posts (there are just so many!), so check out the first batch below and let us know what you think!

1. Walk the Ceredigion Coast and visit the newly opened Cardigan Castle

Cardigan Castle is scheduled to reopen again in spring 2015, following a £11m restoration project. Dating back to the 12th century, the castle had fallen into disrepair until the Cadwgan Building Preservation Trust, founded by four local residents, campaigned for 14 years to save the site. Work began on the building in 2013, which is regarded as the first stone castle built by the Welsh princes and was once the stronghold of Rhys ap Gruffydd, prince of the medieval kingdom of Deheubarth. To commemorate the reopening, we are delighted to announce a new walking tour along the beautiful Ceredigion Coast, which begins in Cardigan and finishes in Aberaeron. We recommend adding on an extra night in Cardigan at the start of the tour so you have plenty of time to take in the castle in all its glory.

2. Celebrate the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ we have designed a special 2 night trip that features the key places in and around Oxford city that inspired Lewis Carroll’s imaginative tale. Explore Christchurch College, where Carroll taught and met the Dean Henry Liddell, whose youngest daughter was of course, Alice, the inspiration for his stories. Cycle along the stretch of river where Carroll took Alice and her sisters on a boat trip in 1862 and told them the first, improvised version of what later became ‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland’. Visit the Museum of Oxford and see a fob watch of the type worn by the White Rabbit, which belonged to Carroll. Enjoy a bike ride through the idyllic Port Meadow section of the Isis to find the well in the hamlet of Binsey, which provided the inspiration for the treacle well in Alice’s adventures. If you have time, we recommend squeezing in a mad hatter's afternoon tea too, which we can arrange on request! Please contact us for more info and to book this special tour.

3. Immerse yourself in van Gogh's Provence

2015 marks the 125th anniversary of Vincent van Gogh. Get to know the landscapes that inspired him with our two new tours in Provence. We have a cycling holiday, 'Provence and the wild Camargue' and a walking holiday 'Potter through Provence' for you to choose from. Both are gentle in distance and pace, giving you to the time to slow down and soak up your surroundings. Although the Camargue area of France is very flat, Provence does have the occasional hill or two, so we do offer electric bikes on this tour, which you can request if you wish. Provence is home to some stunning luxury boutique guesthouses and very upmarket rural retreats, so the accommodation on both these tours is sure to delight. Plus there's the local wine to get your teeth stuck into. So what are you waiting for... book today!

Here at The Carter Company, we absolutely love tea and cake. It's no secret there's a serious case of sweet tooth going round our office.. and it's not just members of the Carter family who are guilty! Emma, our Office Administrator, is an absolutely stellar baker in her own right. For evidence of her amazing skills, see this blog post which features a photo of the incredible personalised cake she made to celebrate our rebrand as The Carter Company. It's quite a creation.

Wherever we travel, we always keep our ears (and noses) to the ground in search of the local sweet specialities. Our top tip for anyone travelling to a new region is to do a bit of research online first - there's no place quite like the internet to uncover some useful nuggets of information, especially when it comes to niche products - and talk to the locals once you get there. Sometimes you need a bit of help to find the real gems, and no-one knows the area like a longstanding local resident. Of course, it goes without saying that a self-guided, gentle cycling or walking holiday offers the perfect opportunity to sample the local sweet treats, as you can stop whenever and wherever takes your fancy, indulge in a bite or two to eat, hound the proprietor of your chosen establishment for the recipe (to varying degrees of success), and then continue on your route until you work up enough of an appetite again to warrant the next pit-stop. Ideal!

Without further ado, below we share our favourite discoveries for anyone who is similarly inclined to the occasional/hourly sweet treat whilst travelling.

1. Apfel strudel, found on cycling holidays in Austria

An all-time favourite of the late John Carter, loved as a symbol of heartfelt Austrian hospitality as much for its delicious sweet yet sharp flavour, this country takes the simple apple tart to a whole new level.

2. Macaroons, found on cycling holidays in France

Excuse the pun, but for us, macaroons take the biscuit. Cooked right (and yes we have been known to visit several patisseries in one day in a French town just to track down the perfect specimen), they have a lightly crisp shell, a soft chewy inside and a melt-in-your-mouth creamy filling. And they look just gorgeous! Pierre Hermé make our favourite colours and flavours. See our new tour through Provence and the wild Camargue if all this talk has you salivating at the mouth!

3. Tinginiai, found on cycling holidays in Lithuania

Tinginiai, literally meaning “lazy bones”, are half-moon shaped dumplings with a filling of freshly crushed blueberries. An unusual variant on koldūnai (dumplings), which are pretty much the national dish in this part of The Baltics.

4. Mandolato, found on cycling holidays in Greece

Mandolato is black and white nougat, and a local speciality in Corfu. It's a traditional delicacy which combines the gorgeous natural flavours of almonds and honey. We love the soft, chewy variety. Taste it for yourself on our 'Jolly around Corfu' bike tour

5. Castagnaccio, found on cycling holidays in Italy

Castagnaccio is chestnut cake. It's a local speciality in Tuscany, it's typically eaten in the autumn. Try it with ricotta for an authentic touch. It can also locally be known as baldino, ghirighio or pattona, so make sure you take your phrase book with you so you don't miss out on this one, because it's worth it!