Log: small boost for the countryside

Any ill wind in the travel trade has a habit of blowing good financial benefits towards the consumer.

While the foot-and-mouth epidemic is a disaster for rural tourist businesses, travellers planning a weekend away can find they are in the slightly uncomfortable position of being able to cash in handsomely on the situation.

Last week the prestigious Lygon Arms in the exquisite Cotswold village of Broadway slashed its room rate to £75 - little more than the price of a humble room at a suburban Post House.

The Savoy group-owned hotel was forced to cut its prices by more than two-thirds in the wake of the cancellation of Cheltenham's racing. The Lygon Arms had been fully booked for the Festival, but once the racing had been called off, the hotel - like dozens of others in the area - suddenly found itself with a lot of empty rooms. In what is now a buyer's market, you will find almost every rural hotel keen to make a deal. But should you really be going to the countryside anyway: isn't it off-limits?

And what if you were planning to head overseas this Easter - do the UK's tourist troubles mean that all foreign holidays for the next couple of weeks are sold out?

Is the British countryside off-limits?

Access to certain areas has been necessarily limited. Countryside footpaths, a number of National Trust properties and stately homes such as Longleat and other animal attractions as well as a number of farmhouse bed-and-breakfasts are staying closed.

Some areas, such as the Lake District, are worse affected by foot-and-mouth and so are more heavily restricted. But this is a very long way from the countryside being a 'no-go' area.

Dozens of Press releases have arrived in my office aiming to make it clear that in the countryside to a large extent normal business is still taking place. 'Wales - still open for business!' says the Wales Tourist Board pointing to the 'bustling towns and cities and stretches of some of the country's 750 miles of beautiful coastline accessible by public highway'.

The two country activities hard to pursue are horse riding and walking across farmland - but it's estimated that up to 80 per cent of rural visitors will be unaffected by the restrictions.

Be sensible, follow official advice and you can make your visit with the certain knowledge that you are helping to support the troubled rural economy.

What will I be able to do in the countryside?

The best rule here is to check ahead - many English Heritage sites, for instance, remain open and the National Trust is understood to be looking again at its properties to decide whether any can be opened next week.

One stunning attraction I urge you to see is The Eden Project which has just opened to the public.

I visited the amazing giant glass houses at St Austell, Cornwall, and the spectacular tropical gardens live up to all their promise.

The one precaution I came across was actually at the Eden Project itself where cars had to drive over a disinfectant mat. Elsewhere in Cornwall, the Dartmoor National Park is closed but, as in other areas where tourism is so important to the economy they're doing all they can to keep visitors amused. For most castles, museums, boat trips and bus excursions it's business as usual - or will be as long as tourists arrive.

Where can I find the information?

Check with the local tourist information centre for the area that you are planning to visit to find out what restrictions are in place (the UK edition of the Red Michelin guide, for example, has the telephone numbers of all local TICs).

The most efficient way of getting the latest information is via the Internet. Sites to check include MAFF's (www.maff.gov.uk), the National Trust (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) and the British Tourist Authority (www.visitbritain.com/uk/fandmdisease.htm)

Are overseas Easter holidays still on offer?

Remarkably, it seems bookings are also depressed for foreign holidays, judging by the amount of availability still on offer for the Easter period.

For the most up-to-date guide check the Bargains of the Day section of the ITV Teletext holiday service (also at www.teletext.co.uk - see under 'Browse Our Ads'). Check, too , the operators listed on the Association of Independent Tour Operators site: www.aito.co.uk.

There are holidays available to most destinations. France offers some of the best deals and, apart from the fact that you may have to walk through disinfectant mats on arrival, there are no restrictions on travel.

A brief selection of the Easter holidays still available gives an idea of the choice on offer...

Motours (01892 686666): Bed-and-breakfast in a three-star hotel near Disneyland Paris: £75 per adult (£5 per child) for one night's accommodation and ferry crossing.

Eurotunnel Motoring Holidays (0870 333 2001): A choice of short breaks in northern France, including four-night bed-and-breakfast stays at a 16th Century auberge at Montreuil sur Mer, near Le Touquet: £148 per person (based on two sharing) including Eurotunnel crossing for car and passengers.

Vacanze in Italia (08700 772772): Self-catering apartments in the Cannargeio region of Venice sleeping two to four people for one week at Easter is £535 - flights from Gatwick from around £229 per person.

Greek Islands Club (020 8232 9780): A seven-night package to Crete with accommodation at the Villa Christina with pool and hire car: £679 per person including flights (price based on four sharing).