Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

Our home swap in Fife: sea views, beaches and puffins!

Sea view balcony, sandy beaches and... puffins!  "We had a wonderful two week home swap holiday in Jo and Keith’s lovely house in Fife. The location is excellent as it is so near to the beach, on a quiet street, but near local shops, cafes and pubs. Their home has a lovely balcony that overlooks the beach, we enjoyed breakfast on the balcony every day but one. The house is spotlessly clean and very well equipped. The notes that were left were an excellent guide to where to go and where to eat. It is this local knowledge that is so good with home swaps! There are so many places to visit locally – Kelley Castle, St Andrews and Cambo Gardens, with the outstanding event being the trip to the Isle of May and seeing thousands of Puffins. This area of Scotland is wonderful for a holiday that combines beautiful clean, sandy beaches, and plenty of interesting places to visit. We aren’t golfers but anyone wanting to play golf would be spoilt for choice! Jo and Keith were excellent at communicating and we would highly recommend this swap." - Jayne & Sean (Devon, England)

Our home swap highlights: Isle of May trip to see the Puffins Being so near to a beautiful sandy beach The balcony with views over the sea

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Photos from the home swap in Scotland

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Home Base Holidays members' offers:

Seaton, Devon, England (HE40343) Modern detached bungalow, by the sea with a lovely beach hut. View Home Base Holidays offer	Elie, Fife, Scotland (HE40697) Family sea viewhome located in the beautiful coastal village of Elie. View Home Base Holidays offer

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Wonderful home swap holiday: London to Amsterdam

Home Base Holidays members enjoyed a summer swap between London and Amsterdam

Home swap: London to Amsterdam "We had a wonderful 2 weeks home exchanging with Estella and we used her home as a base to explore Amsterdam and Haarlem and Zaane Schanse, all of which were reached by public transport. We visited numerous museums, art galleries, the Pride Amsterdam 2023 Festival, the windmill museum in Haalem, the windmills and the history museum in Zane Shanes, even the Borneolaan-Eastern Docks ‘architectural’ museum/information centre. We explored the National Maritime Museum on one side of the river and the Amsterdam Haven Museum of ‘Inland Waterways’ boats of the other side of the same river. There was never a shortage of things to see and do." - Philip & Amanda (London, England)

Home swap: Amsterdam to London "Philip & Amanda are fantastic home exchangers that offer a lovely flat with amazing views in central London - very close and convenient to reach just about anything. It's easy to find your way back home because The Shard is closeby which is visible from nearly every point in London. I walked to London Bridge station via Bermondsey street which takes around 10 mins and is a lovely walk towards Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral. Form there you can walk along the Southbank along the River Thames. Philip and Amanda left my house spotlessly clean and sent me daily updates on how my cats were - which was lovely as I was a bit worried about them. Recommended!" - Estella (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

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Home Base Holidays members' offers:

Amsterdam, Netherlands (HE37902) Estella has a spacious 2 bedroom apartment in the Oostelijke Eilanden (Eastern Docklands) area, not far from the centre of Amsterdam. View Home Base Holidays offer	London, England (HE38308) Philip & Amanda have a 2-bedroom 15th floor apartment with sensational views across Central and East London. View Home Base Holidays offer

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Exploring Cornwall's coast path | Home swap holiday

Home swap in Cornwall: exploring walks along the coast path "Our house swap holiday in Cornwall staying at Sara and Chris's beautiful home was such a real treat. We loved their home's lovely decor, the wonderful views from the many outdoor raised decks and showers were to die for! Oh and who knew you could live quite happily without a kettle? We were blessed with glorious sunshine throughout our stay, which allowed us to enjoy delightful walks from the house. One fabulous walk was down the St Micheals Way footpath to the beach overlooking the the stunning St Micheal's Mount. Another walk was about a mile or so to the nearby sculpture gardens - Jen reckons these were equal to those at Eden Project, just without the domes and 90min drive. Further afield we walked the coastpath westbound from St Ives, we also walked from Penzance to Mousehole, and our favourite was parking our car at Treen then taking the bus to Lands End and walking back. During the walks we explored some of the best beaches in Cornwall. Sara provided us with excellent recommendations, including a tasty meal at the Turks Head, with the experience next door at the Admiral Benbow not to be missed. Communications between us via WhatsApp were really welcome throughout the swap, with lots of helpful tips shared. Thank you again Sara and Chris for sharing your beautiful home, we're so pleased you enjoyed equally good weather at our home in the Yorkshire Dales." Jen & Rick (Yorkshire, England)

Reply from Sara & Chris: "Thanks for the great feedback Rick and Jen. It sounds like you had a lovely time in Cornwall and enjoyed your stay. It has been a really wonderful experience to learn how to host from experienced home exchangers and your support throughout has been really appreciated. Happy future exchanging."

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Highlights from the home swap: Lovely home with amazing views and garden Exploring the many amazing coastal walks Cornwall's beautiful beaches and sculpture gardens

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Photos from the holiday in Cornwall

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View the Home Base Holidays offers:

Yorkshire Dales, England (HE39785) Detached stone farmhouse in quiet location at end of cobbled drive just off the main square in Grassington. View home exchange offer	Penzance, Cornwall, England (HE40494) Lovely cottage style house is situated in the beautiful, wooded Eden Valley close to Penzance and St Ives. View home exchange offer

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Family holiday: fabulous home swap in the North Downs

Our home swap family holiday exploring the North Downs "We swapped homes and enjoyed a fabulous and very budget friendly family holiday. We stayed in a pretty village on the edge of the North Downs - this place is so special and beautiful. Our hosts, Geoff & Anne, couldn't have been more helpful; they even sourced a big bundle of toys for our 1 year old and 3 year old grandsons ...as we all know, if the kids are happy, so is everyone else! Their garden is huge and is a fabulous mix of well manicured flower beds as well as areas of wild flower trails to explore. The location was perfect and there is a lovely little tea room and small supermarket just down the hill. Many thanks Geoff & Anne, thank you for letting us swap to your wonderful house." - Paul (Murcia, Spain)

Our home swap highlights: Our grandsons loved exploring their huge beautiful garden Spacious home with so much character Located on edge of a pretty and leafy village with good facilities

Photos from the home exchange

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Home Base Holidays members' offers:

Penthouse in Los Urrutias, Spain (HE35491) Beachfront apartment in the lovely village of Los Urrutias on the Mar Menor. View Home Base Holidays offer	On the edge of the North Downs (HE31860) Lovely house and garden on the edge of the village overlooking the North Downs. View Home Base Holidays offer

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Isle of Wight: home swap holiday along the coastal path

Isle of Wight: home swap holiday exploring the coastal paths

Our home swap exploring Isle of Wight's coastal path "We were looking for home swap holiday somewhere along 'the coastpath' when Jacky suggested her home on the Isle of Wight. It was perfect, you can actually watch people walking up the coastal path whilst watching the telly! What a perfect location for exploring the quieter southern part of the island, the walks in both directions were gorgeous, with secret paths down to hidden beaches and road long closed due to landslips making for a perfect car-free cycle route to the nearby Ventnor Botanical Garden. The Buddle pub, situated just below the house, received three visits during our stay, enjoying their idyllic garden overlooking the sea and tasty seafood on the menu. Further afield you have Mottistone gardens just 20min drive along the quiet coast road, or Godshill inland with its quintessential English thatch cottages. Jacky and Paul's home provided the perfect location for our walks and cycles, well equipped with everything we needed and a lovely garden oasis to relax in at the end of the day. Comfy beds, lots of storage space provided, and a perfect strong shower. Great communications with Jacky throughout our stay, prompting places to visit and checking we were happy with everything in the house - thanks Jacky, we loved our stay in your lovely home." - Rick & Jen (Yorkshire Dales, UK)

Our home swap highlights: Coastal path walks direct from the doorstep Buddle pub garden with stunning seaviews & excellent seafood  A week of blue skies

Photos from the home swap holiday

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Home Base Holidays members' offers:

Yorkshire Dales, England (HE39785) Detached stone farmhouse in quiet location at end of cobbled drive just off the main square in Grassington. View Home Base Holidays offer	Isle of Wight, England (HE28869) Detached chalet bungalow in friendly village of Niton on the southern tip of the Isle of Wight next to the coastal path. View Home Base Holidays offer

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Family holiday: fantastic home swap in South France

Home swap in Rebenacq: fantastic home in a glorious location "We all loved our family holiday in the stunning village of Rebenacq, in the South of France. Our home swap host, Marianne, sent us lots of useful information prior to the travel dates and left us yummy home made jam, local wine and other tasty treats for our arrival! The village of Rebenacq is just so special and even felt enchanted. The buildings are beautiful and the history so interesting. My kids loved the little playground and football pitch near the house. We ventured out and had some fun experiences, including go-karting at the edge of the Pyrenees as well as a lovely stay in Toulouse. I feel like we got a real taste of the South of France for the first time. Thank you Marianne for a wonderful home swap!" - Corinne & Family (Brighton, England)

Highlights from the home swap: Go-karting at the foot of the Pyrenees Fabulous food from the local French shops and market Our wonderful home swap host, Marianne

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Photos from Corinne's family holiday in Rebenacq, France

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View the Home Base Holidays offers:

Brighton, England (HE38357) Lovely 4-bedroom family home in Brighton. Perfect for strolls along the beach, exploring quirky lanes and shops and taking day trips to London (under 1 hour into central London). View home exchange offer	Rebenacq, France (HE20755) 3-bedroom village house at the foot of the Pyrenees. 16 km from Pau, 45 minutes from Lourdes, 40 km from the Spanish border, one hour from seaside. Near ski resorts in season. View home exchange offer

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Home Base Holidays: join for free and start home swapping Sign up to Home Base Holidays two-week free trial or select a full membership (6-month membership is just £29 and 1-year at £49). Home swap guarantee: second year free if you do not arrange a swap during your membership.

Swapping Paris for a holiday along Dorset's Jurassic coast

It's always so nice to hear Home Base Holidays members' home swap holiday experiences. Bernard & Nathalie swapped their house in Paris's suburbs for a two week holiday in Lynda & Ian's cosy cottage along Dorset's fabulous Jurassic coast.

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Bernard & Nathalie: swapped their house in Paris for 2-weeks in Dorset "A most enjoyable home swap in a beautiful region of Great Britain - we're very grateful to both of you Lynda and Ian! Dorchester the perfect place to visit Dorset, so close to lots of places of geological, historical and geographical interest - not to mention the pleasures of today’s rural country life (far from the madding crowd!). We were within walking distance the centre of the pretty market town, its shops, pubs and restaurants, its museum, the Roman Town House - all very well worth a visit! A short drive to visit Thomas Hardy's cottage in a beautiful secluded spot, and Max Gate - the Victorian house he designed. We enjoyed lovely trips south visiting: Weymouth - an attractive sea-side town with its picturesque harbour and beach with incredibly fine sand, and to the Isle of Portland, wild and natural, with a magnificent views. To the west: Abbotsbury - a charming village, and beyond Bridport and Lyme Regis places we could not miss, with breathtakingly beautiful coastline and countryside all around. To the east just as many happy discoveries: Wareham, the Corfe Castle, on our way to Swanage, through green and rolling countryside. What a pleasure it was, after enjoying everyday the beauties of the county, to come back and park in your pleasant country lane, enjoy the comfort of your cosy home, have a walk round the garden and put up our feet up in front of the fireplace with a good book! We're so glad we agreed to a two week swap: if shorter we would have missed lots of treasures! More or less hidden - to deserve them you have to do your part, and explore - then what a treat when you find extraordinary places - just like the fossils along the Jurassic Coast." - Bernard & Nathalie

Highlights of the home swap: The picturesque sea-side towns Exploring The Jurassic coast The beautiful countryside

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Lynda & Ian: swapped their Dorset cottage for 2-weeks in Paris "Thank you so much Bernard and Nathalie for our wonderful home swap. Such a lovely house and garden, and it was so easy to get into Paris by bus tram or metro. We really enjoyed strolling over the bridge to the Bois de Boulogne, where we roamed around the Botanic gardens and tried to undo the damage caused by lack of control in the fabulous markets, olives, pain au raisin etc. An easy drive out to Monet's garden which despite no waterlilies truly looked like it was painted in spring colours. My husband Ian, and Monet clearly share a taste in beards, and I felt I should call him Claude. I could have left him on a bench and charged other visitors to photograph him! It was lovely that we were able to meet for breakfast en route. Slight case of culture vultures knees on return home, so many good exhibitions, including the one at the Centre for Arab culture. A true feast in all senses." - Lynda & Ian

Highlights of the home swap: Claude Monet's garden at Giverny Art exhibitions Excellent local food markets

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Meet the members' (view their home swap holiday offers)

Lynda & Ian's Victorian cottage in Dorset Victorian Cottage in the Historic town of Dorchester. Perfect base to explore the Jurassic Coast and rural Dorset. View their home swap offer	Bernard & Nathalie's home in Paris  Large 5 floor house with lift, rooftop with stunning views, garden, and just a few miles from all the sights of Paris. View their home swap offer

 

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