This week: a popular seed swap, a raunchy film romance, an outrageous drag queen, behind the scenes at the UK’s weirdest-looking theatre, and where you can learn to fuse metal into furniture.

As you know, we like to offer a varied mix!

P.S. I’m starting a series of exclusive reader competitions. Different game each week, prizes every month. Check your inbox next Thursday.

5,000 free packets of seeds

Exeter's annual Seed Swap returns on Sunday, bringing together growers, gardeners and newcomers to share seeds and learn about soils.

Browse the community seed swap tables where around 5,000 free packets of seeds will be given away to a good home.

Bring a sample of your compost and discover the microbial life going on inside, and check out gardening books from Book Cycle Exeter.

Wildflowers and native plants will be for sale, and there’s tea, coffee and homemade cakes.

1pm to 4pm, Sunday 1st March, Positive Light Projects, Sidwell Street, Exeter. Suggested £3 donation. Website

Watch Wuthering Heights at an independent cinema

Still a chance to see this stylish and aggressively provocative retelling of the Emily Bronte novel at independent Devon showings. Watch the trailer

• Plymouth Arts Cinema from tomorrow until 5th March.

• Tavistock Wharf Cinema until 5th March

Kate Butch: Choose your own cabaret

Kate Butch is the stage name of Marcus Crabb, a British drag queen and stand-up comedian, best know for appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

In her show control is handed over to the audience, as she allows you to select each song, joke, and even what she wears.

It’s a unique evening of songs, stories and games, all accompanied by her trademark wit, campery and vocal stylings.

8pm, Friday 10th April. Barnfield Theatre, Exeter. £26

8pm, Saturday 11th April. The Quad Theatre, Plymouth. £26

Landmark Theatre behind the scenes

Depending on your viewpoint they are either upside down flower pots or a mini coal-fired power station. Ever wanted to peek behind the scenes?

Join an in-house team member at the stylish Ilfracombe theatre for a 1-hour guided tour on stage and back stage.

You get to see areas normally hidden from the public, with plenty of time for questions.

Various dates from Wednesday 22nd April to Wednesday 9th December. From £10. Book

Beginners welding courses in Plymouth

Pick up basic knowledge about welding metal then have a go at creating your own product.

During this 1-day course you’ll learn the difference between the 2 types of welding, using angle grinders to prepare and clean-up welds, and practice on different metal thicknesses and sizes.

Ideal for anyone wanting to experience this metal-joining process without having to buy expensive machinery.

10am to 3pm, Sunday March 29th, Friday 10th April, Saturday 6th June. The Weld Space, Plymouth. £99. More details.

Devon Curiosities #96: The Pixies Cave, Dartmoor

It’s on the Ordnance Survey map, but that doesn’t make the Pixies Cave any easier to find.

As you arrive at the south side of Sheepstor you’re faced with a sea of boulders. The cave entrance is to the right of the distinctive squarish lump.

Even for an average sized person the entrance is a squeeze and the choice is a challenging head first or feet first.

Inside, there’s room for perhaps 2 or 3 people at a push, but it is claustrophobic and awkward and hard to find any place to sit among the sharp angled rocks. Not a place for a picnic.

So I don’t envy John Elford, the Royalist supporter said to have hidden from Parliamentary forces in the cavity for days or weeks during the English Civil War and was secretly brought food and water by villagers.

The long-standing occupants, at least according to legend, are the pixies or piskies, who you are advised to leave a gift for - a pin or a scrap of fabric for them to make a garment. Failure to do so can result in bad luck befalling you.

Read a comprehensive history of the cave and it’s legends on the Legendary Dartmoor website.

MEMBER POLL

Last week’s result

How do you prefer your theatre?

• Outdoors - 7%

• Indoors - 7%

• I like both - 86%

  Rachel said: “I like to visit the Theatre Royal but also enjoy outdoor events in the summer.”

  Emma commented: “Outdoors is great weather permitting. Picnics, drinks etc.”

  Sharon added: “Both experiences are very good, but if it’s indoors you don’t have to worry about the weather ”

WHAT ELSE IS ON?

🌊 North Devon 

🐬 South Devon

🏆️ Get lucky! Win Devon leisure prizes

HURRY! Ends today, Thursday 26th Feb.  A 3-night luxury break for 4 at the Thurlestone Hotel near Kingsbridge in a 2-bedroom self-catering apartment, including an afternoon tea and 3-course dinner for 4, worth a total of more than £3,000. 

🛏️ A 1-night B & B for 2 at Future Inn, Plymouth (28th Feb)

🐎 A 1-night luxury stay for 2 at The Bedford Hotel, Tavistock, including 3-course dinner and hearty Devon breakfast (28th Feb)

🍸️ 2 bottles from TORS Vodka: Elderflower Liquer and Triple Sec (28th Feb)

🍓 1 of 15 sparkling mead prizes (2 flavours each) from Lyne Bay Winery (1st Mar)

🏖️ A luxury holiday at Golden Sands Holiday Park, Dawlish (1st Mar)

🌊 A £500 voucher for Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Budleigh Salterton, with a choice of private cottages, hot tub lodges, premium holiday homes or glamping tents and pods (2nd Mar)

NEW!  🚌 A day out in Exeter including games at Boom Battle Bar, a £100 gift card and free bus travel for 5 people. (7th Mar)

NEW!  ♨️ A thermal spa experience Mother’s Day giveaway in Exeter (8th Mar)

NEW!  🌊 A 2-night luxury stay in a pet-friendly South Devon cliff-top hideaway worth £1,000 (18th Mar)

👪️ A family ticket to Kent’s Cavern in Torquay (22nd Mar)

A 2-night stay for 2 at Bovey Castle with daily full English breakfast, a 3-course dinner, champagne afternoon tea, private Land Rover estate tour and one activity: golf, archery, shooting, off-road 4×4, or cider and sloe gin making. (23rd Apr)

⛱️ 1 of 5 Devon 2026 holidays at River Dart Country Park, Crealy Theme Park & Resort, Woodlands Grove Caravan & Camping, Cofton Holidays, and Smytham Holiday Park (30th Apr)

🍾 A luxury stay for 2 at The Bedford Hotel, Tavistock, including 3-course dinner and breakfast (no closing date given)

Did you win something? Let me know

More competitions here

New member? Catch up here

🎭️ High drama in wide open spaces

🎨 Spring arts & crafts near you

🌞 Hooray. Daffodil Day!

🥁 Marching band goosebumps

That’s all for this week. Thanks for being a member.

NEXT ISSUE   U N S C R A M B L E

Andy, Esme and Lara