🍓 Hello Devon Afficionados,

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Savour the mouthwatering tastes of East Devon

For starters it’s the Ottery St Mary Food & Families Festival on Saturday 14th September, a free event with cooking demos and street food.

Then the main courses come thick and fast as the annual East Devon Food Festival gets underway for the 4th year.

Indulge in a 6-course long table feast at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage, taste the freshness of the fish at Rockfish Exmouth, or try the wine, cheese and charcuterie on a Pebbleyard Vineyard or Lyme Bay Winery tour.

Otterton Mill is putting on a baking day, or for something stronger, make your own gin at Sidmouth Distillery. All the events for the week ending Sunday 22nd September are here.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: a winner for all generations

Another West End success comes to Plymouth’s Theatre Royal with the stage version of the one of the nation’s favourite stories.

Generations of children stretching back to the 1950s read the C.S. Lewis novel, fell in love with the story of Narnia and have fond memories, so don’t expect the audience to be all children.

Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter will be pretty much the same, and the lessons of courage, sacrifice, and the power of love as relevant as ever.

Theatre Royal PL1 2TR. Monday 25th to Friday 29th November.

Tickets from £18

Back to the good ol’ days with the Old Time Sailors

If you’ve never seen this rip-roaring, footstomping band of shanty singers conserve your energy in advance.

The Old Time Sailors guarantee a night of non-stop bouncing, jigging and carousing to centuries old songs with an enthusiasm rarely matched in live performances.

The Motley Crew and their pipes, violins and accordions take you back to the roisterous world of 19th century maritime inns and bars.

It’s seafaring music with attitude. You’ll find it hard not to dance along, especially when the band comes charging through the audience to encourage you.

3pm to 7pm. Sunday 15th September.

Steel Brew, Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3GD

Tickets £20

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Get some extra power in those pedals on Dartmoor

Dartmoor is full of hills, we all know that. But don’t let that put you off taking a cycle ride, even if your fitness or energy levels are a bit below where you would like them to be.

Electric bikes are a great way to go a bit further, for a bit longer, and take the sting out of some of the steepest of Dartmoor’s hills. Have a go, it’s a lovely way to explore the moor with a guide.

Here are 3 places you can hire e-bikes:

The Pump and Pedal. Sourton Down, Okehampton EX20 4HT

Devon Cycle Hire. Sourton Down, Okehampton EX20 4HR

The Granite Way Cycle Hub. The Youth Hostel, Klondyke Road, Okehampton EX20 1EW

A walking trail dedicated to a master of nature poetry

Mix together Devon, nature and poetry and probably the first name you would come up with is Ted Hughes.

The former poet laureate and his links to the county are celebrated in a dedicated poetry trail in Stover Country Park, near Newton Abbot.

Visitors can read 16 of his finest natural world poems written on poetry posts, all relating to wildlife to be seen and heard around the park.

There is also a short trail for children with animal poems illustrated by Raymond Briggs.

Allow up to 2 hours to complete the full poetry trail.

Stover Country Park TQ12 6QG

Devon Curiosities #23: Cridford Inn

Imagine sipping ale in a spot where people were doing the same thing several 100s of years ago.

The place to do it is the Cridford Inn, the oldest pub in Devon and perhaps the oldest in England, although many make the claim.

The traditional Devon longhouse, with its cob walls, thatched roof and inglenook fireplaces dates back to 825. The building has been a farm and nunnery and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

No ancient accommodation would be complete without its legends, and the inn is allegedly home to two ghosts, a nun and a Cavalier soldier.

If you don’t catch the ghosts you can still check out the interesting artifacts dotted around including a medieval stained glass window in the bar.

The chocolate box picture is complete with a babbling brook at the entrance and a wishing well.

Drink, eat or stay in this piece of history on the edge of Dartmoor National Park at Trusham, near Chudleigh TQ13 0NW.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊 North Devon

SEPTEMBER

Sat 7th

WALK | 🥾 RNLI Clovelly to Appledore Walk 2024 | 13 years and older only | Clovelly Visitors Centre, Bideford EX39 5TA | Tickets £14.79

Sat 14th

ANNIVERSARY | 🥂 Celebrate 200 years of the RNLI at their North Devon Coast Bicentenary Dinner | The Barnstaple Hotel, Barnstaple EX31 1LE | Tickets £59.21

FILM | 🍿 Outdoor Cinema screening of The Greatest Showman | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Free

Sat 14th to Sun 29th

NATURE | 🥾 Mid Devon Walking Festival | A variety of walks throughout the beautiful mid Devon countryside | Prices vary per event | Find locations and prices for each event here

Sat 21st to Sun 22nd

ART & CRAFT | 🎨 CREATED Contemporary and Heritage Crafts Festival | The BIG Sheep, Abbotsham, Bideford EX39 5AP | Tickets from £11

Sat 28th

WINE | 🍷 Devon Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting | Alder Vineyard, Lewdown, Okehampton EX20 4PJ | Tickets £15 per person | Other dates throughout September and October available

OCTOBER

Sat 5th

FILM | 🎦 Ocean Film Festival World Tour | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £16.50

Sun 13th

CHALLENGE | 🏃‍♀️ MISSION: UNBREAKABLE 2024 - 10km Commando Course | North Molton Sports and Community Centre, South Molton EX36 3HG | Register here.

Fri 25th

HALLOWEEN | 🎃 Hallowed Samhain celebration - a Pagan tradition | St Anne’s Art and Community Centre, Barnstaple EX31 1SX | Tickets £35

Sun 27th

REUSE | ♻️ Tiverton Salvage Fair | Tiverton Pannier Market, Tiverton EX16 6NH | Free

🐬 South Devon

SEPTEMBER

Fri 6th

MUSIC | 🎶 Big Noise Chorus presents ‘Wonderful World’ - A night full of joyous pop songs | Princess Theatre, Torquay TQ2 5EZ | Tickets from £20

Fri 6th to Sun 8th

BOATING | 🚤 UIM Power Boat World Championship Finals | Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre, Plymouth PL9 9SJ | Free

LBGTQ+ | 🏳️‍🌈 Torbay Pride 2024 | Torre Abbey Meadows, Torquay TQ2 5DG | Free

Sun 8th

TALK | 🗣️ Tales of the Land and Songs of the Sea | Learn all about Exeter’s maritime history with Jon Bell | Exeter Custom House, Exeter EX2 4AN | Tickets are free but you need to register here.

Sat 14th to Sun 29th

NATURE | 🥾 Mid Devon Walking Festival | A variety of walks throughout the beautiful mid Devon countryside | Prices vary per event | Find locations and prices for each event here

Sun 15th

MUSIC | 🎸 Voodoo Room - A night of Hendrix, Clapton & Cream | Exmouth Pavilion, Exmouth, EX8 2AZ | Tickets from £23.50

Sat 21st

DRINK | 🥃 Dartmoor Whiskey Tasting Experience | Dartmoor Whiskey Distillery, Newton Abbott TQ13 9EG | Tickets £20 | Other dates available

OCTOBER

Thu 3rd

TALK | 🎤 An Evening with Sir Geoff Hurst | Exeter Northcott Theatre, Exeter EX4 4QB | Tickets from £32.50

Sat 12th and Sun 13th

GAMING | 🖥️ Comic Con and Gaming Festival | Westpoint Arena, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Adult tickets £13.76, U14s £9.54

🏆️Win Devon prizes

We find Devon prize competitions so you don’t have to.

Closing dates in brackets. Terms and conditions apply, see individual websites for details.

You could win:

NEW!  🛏️ A 3-night weekend break for 2 at a Torquay leisure resort including breakfast, live entertainment, pool and spa (No closing date given)

NEW!  🌊 A 2-night stay for 2 at Waterfront House, Dartmouth (No closing date given)

🏠️ A 3-night family cottage holiday with hot tub near Exmoor, worth £550. (No closing date given)

NEW!  🍬 A Devon fudge gift box (15th Sep)

🫖 Afternoon tea for 2 at Lympstone Manor, Exmouth (17th Sep)

NEW!  🪙 A £250 holiday voucher and some attraction tickets (30th Sep)

NEW!  🏰 A 2-night stay for 2 including breakfast and a 3-course evening meal and spa at the Boringdon Hall in Plymouth (30th Sep)

NEW!  🧀 A cheese lover’s dream, a delicious 10-cheese hamper (30th Sep)

🛏️ An overnight stay with dinner at a dreamy Salcombe coastal hotel plus a local brewery tour (30th Sep)

🪙 A £500 voucher for a South Devon holiday park holiday (17th Oct)

👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 A 2-night stay for up to 16 family and friends at a Devon farmhouse (31st Jan 2025)

That’s all for this week, but…

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team