A birthday present for the person who has everything?

With not many trams around these days, definitely this qualifies as a unique and unusual experience.

Hand your loved one the controls at Seaton Tramway in East Devon with a half-day or full-day tram driving lesson.

A tour of Tramway HQ is included plus lunch if you book the full day.

“I was given a half day tram driving experience for my 60th birthday. My instructor Chris was great and explained every aspect clearly and in great detail.” Rob Barber on Trip Advisor.

Book before the end of December to get 2025 lessons at this year’s prices. From £275.

Horsey bargains at Westpoint pop-up market

Probably the largest equestrian outlet sale in Devon (if not let us know) this Exeter event is offering 50% off on some top brands.

Expect to find mark-downs on horse and countryside names such as Shires, HKM, Weatherbeeta, Dublin, Rich & Sons, Equipad, Toggi and Champion.

There are homeware and gift stands too. Free entry and parking.

Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December. Westpoint Arena.

Award-winning dishes in the heart of Dartmoor

Deserve a treat? Try the Signature Menu at the Two Bridges Hotel, near Princetown, the latest winner of Devon’s Best Hotel Restaurant award.

Full of traditional leather and shiny copper, this 200-year-old coaching inn by the West Dart River is ideal for special occasions.

Locally sourced favourites: Jail Ale battered Brixham fish, triple cooked chips, crushed peas (£22) and Howells of Tavistock Cumberland sausages, mash, cabbage (£19).

Indulgence: Dartmoor Farm Wilder sirloin steak, onion rings, roasted tomato, field mushroom, truffle butter (£32.50).

Food Drink Devon judges: “ Very well considered and delivered…well balanced and complex enough without being pretentious.”

[Partner offer] Create a festive flourish with friends

Emma’s Flowers in Plymouth is running 3 relaxed wreath-making workshops early next month where you can express your creativity, then show it off on your front door.

It’s a fun session with no pressure, plenty of guidance and the chance to create something original from a range of materials.

Classes include tuition and everything required, plus festive refreshments. Christmas present for a friend? £50 per person.

🎄 10am to 1pm, Sunday 1st December. The Woolwell Centre

🎄 6pm to 9pm, Wednesday 4th December. The Woolwell Centre

🎄 10am to 1pm, Saturday 7th December 2024. Roborough Village Hall

Mozart’s choral masterpieces by the Plymouth Philharmonic Choir

Experts say Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate(Rejoice, Be Glad, says Google) is said to be the sound of a genius at the peak of his powers, a favourite work of sopranos the world over.

Hear it live at the Minister Church of St Andrew in Plymouth, plus:

🎶 Mozart’s Vespers from 1780, 6 movements of religious music, topped off by the tuneful Laudate Dominum (another soprano’s delight) meaning O, Praise The Lord.

🎶 Haydn’s Maria Theresa Mass in B-flat major.

7.30pm, Saturday 30th November, 2024. Tickets £22.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without Jules

A must-see for fans of Rhythm & Blues and boogie woogie and a joyous night out for all music lovers with Jules Holland and his band.

Audiences are promised appearances from Soft Cell singer Marc Almond and blues guitar prodigy Toby Lee, with renowned vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka.

Reviews of the latest tour confirm that Jules and the gang are consummate performers who engage with the audience, who enjoy watching them enjoy themselves.

7.30pm, Friday 13th December, Plymouth Pavilions. Tickets from £40.70

🐎 Win an official Dartmoor National Park 2025 calendar

Take this 1-click survey for a chance to win 1 of 3 stunning calendars we are giving away before Christmas. Makes a great present! (Don’t forget to add your name and address so we can post it if you win).

Devon Curiosities #34: Agatha Christie’s Greenway

The crime author’s Georgian holiday home near Brixham is close to many of the settings for her best-selling books.

Inside the house is preserved as it was in the 1950s.

See Agatha’s Steinway grand piano (she trained as a concert pianist but never performed) first editions of her books and the family’s china and silver collections.

The bedroom includes her mother-of-pearl inlaid chest: “the sort of furniture that reminds one of fairyland,” she said.

The gardens run down to the River Dart and the boat house scene of the crime in Dead Man's Folly.

National Trust. Entry £16.50.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊 North Devon

NOVEMBER

Fri 22nd

CASINO GAMES | 🃏 Casino Royale! | The Pig on the Hill, Westward Ho! | Tickets £11.55

Fri 29th and Sat 30th

LIGHTS | 💡 Christmas Illuminations | Clovelly Court Gardens, Bideford | Other dates in December | Adult tickets £9.95, U16s £5.95

Sat 30th and Sun 1st Dec

FESTIVE | ⭐️ Magic of Christmas: Craft and Food Fair | RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington | Admission: adults £15.85, child £7.95

DECEMBER

Sun 1st

MOVIE | 🍿 A Muppets Christmas Carol - Drive in cinema | Affinity Devon Outlet Shopping, Bideford | Tickets £22.38

Sun 8th

SHOPPING | 🌟 Woolacombe Christmas Craft and Farmers Market | Woolacombe Village Hall, Woolacombe | Free admission

Fri 13th

FOLK MUSIC | 🎸 Mad Dog Mcrea | JCT27, Barnstaple | Tickets £23.10

Sun 15th

BALLET | 🩰 Live screening of the Royal Ballet’s Cinderella | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe | Tickets from £14

Fri 20th

CRAFT | 🎄 Christmas Table Centrepiece workshop | Quince Honey Farm, South Molton | Tickets £37

MUSIC | 🕯️ Christmas by Candlelight | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe | Tickets from £29

JANUARY

Sat 18th

TALK | 🗣️ Jason Fox: Life at the Limit | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple | Tickets from £34

Fri 31st

🤣 COMEDY | Jack Dee, Small World | Queens Theatre Barnstaple, Boutport Street Tickets from £34.

🐬 South Devon

NOVEMBER

Fri 15th to Wed 1st Jan

ENTERTAINMENT | 🎄 Plymouth’s Winter Wonderland | Central Park, Plymouth | Ticket price dependent on the activity

Fri 22nd to Wed 1st Jan

FESTIVE SIGHTS | 💡 Twas the Night Before Christmas | Saltram House, Plympton | Adult tickets £14, U18s £7

Fri 29th to Thu 2nd Jan

LUMINESCENCE | 💡 Bay of Lights Illumination Trial | Torre Abbey, Torquay | Free

DECEMBER

Sun 1st

CHARITY RUN | 🎅 Exeter Santa Fun Run | City Centre, Exeter | Entry £19 - Santa suit included

Wed 4th

FAIR | 🎄 Christmas Market at the Aquarium | National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth | Entry £15

Fri 6th

CHRISTMAS | ⭐️ Dickensian Evening | Tavistock Town Hall, Tavistock | Free

Sat 7th

MUSIC | 🕯️ Christmas with the Cathedral Choir | Exeter Cathedral, Exeter | Adult tickets £10, U18s £5

Sun 8th

CHARITY RUN | 🎅 Plymouth Santa Fun Run | The Barbican, Plymouth | Entry £15 - Santa suit included

Fri 13th to Tue 24th

THEATRE | 🎭 The Plymuff Players present Ciderella | Barbican Theatre, Plymouth | Tickets from £16.50

Sat 21st

NATURE | 🌒 Winter Solstice Walk | Buckland Abbey, Yelverton | Tickets £12

🏆️ Get lucky! Win Devon prizes

FEATURED 🛏️ A 2-night stay at the Gara Rock boutique South Devon coastal hotel (7th Dec)

NEW!  🦃 A Christmas meat hamper of turkey, sausages, bacon and stuffing (24th Nov)

🧀 A festive food and rum hamper worth £300 (24th Nov)

🎸 2 tickets to a Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran tribute concert at Exmouth Pavilion on Friday 13th December. (25th Nov)

🏠️ A Twixmas 2 or 3 night break for 4 in an East Devon farm cottage between 27th and 30th December including a decorated Xmas tree (27th Nov)

🍷 A meal for four at @thirty-four in Exeter College (30th Nov)

🐎 A 1 night stay for 2 in a deluxe garden room at a Dartmoor hotel with a 3-course meal and breakfast (15th Dec)

NEW!  🏰 A 2-night festive stay for 2 at Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plymouth including breakfast and free entry to the spa (18th Dec)

🌊 A 2-night holiday cottage stay at Cary Arms & Spa for you and your family (18th Dec)

🏨 2 nights in the Agatha Christie Suite at the Grand Hotel, Torquay, including a classic afternoon tea and spa treatment (24th Dec)

⛵️ 3 nights away for 2 people in Sidmouth and Salcombe with breakfasts and 1 dinner plus £1,000 spending money (28th Feb)

🌳 A 2-night luxury treehouse stay for 4 people and 2 dogs in North Devon (no closing date given)

That’s all for this week, but…

Why not catch up on recent newsletters?

🎭️ Must see Devon shows in 2025

🧹 Not Cinderella

🌳 Treehouse with a bath and cinema 

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team