😀 Hello Devon Dumplings!

We didn’t make the 5.05am sunrise yesterday, but me and my sister Emma felt virtuous enough with our 6.30am start for a beautiful swim at Tinside.

Is this the best view in Plymouth? I think so. Maybe it was the cold water induced dopamine or Mel’s tasty bacon sandwich at The Terrace put me in a rose-tinted mood, but I can’t think of a more glorious scene.

The Terrace opened early for sunrise swimmers and was packed as they took advantage of an early breakfast menu.

And if you know a better view in Plymouth, let us know. Even better send us a picture!

Sign Up For The Iconic Midnight Walk For Plymouth Hospice Care, Friday 7 July

There’s still time to register for the Midnight Walk next month and support St Lukes Hospice, the Plymouth charity supporting for hundreds of families, free of charge, at the toughest times of their lives.

The walking, talking and celebrating lost love ones event is on Friday 7th July and helps towards the £8m a year needed to provide free hospice services for hundreds of people each year.

Choose from 3 miles, 6 miles, or 13.1 miles (the equivalent of a half marathon), all beginning and ending at Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park stadium.

Men are welcome to join everyone else wearing the striking pink event T-shirt.

Registration is £24 for age 11 and over and £12 for under-10s, including the T-shirt and medal.

Or be a Diamond VIP for £32 adult, £20 child, and in addition get a goody bag, Midnight Walk playlist, merchandise discounts and a professional photograph.

Where To Surf In North Devon This Summer

Water conditions, particularly at Croyde, Saunton and Woolacombe are perfect for wave riding.

If you’re a complete beginner and want to find your sea legs first, take a trip to Putsborough, where the waves are generally a little calmer – it’s a great spot for newbies.

As this part of Devon is a surfers’ paradise - home to the UK's first surfing reserve - you won’t be surprised to find plenty of equipment hire choice from boards to wet suits as well as places to stay that offer extra storage for boards.

Read more.

If You Take My Advice, There’s Nothing So Nice As Messin’ About On The River*

How about some proper, timeless, healthy fun?

Paddling on the stunning Dart estuary, camp fire building on the shore, and civilised stops for drinks and ice cream.

Oh, and start and finish at the pub.

Does it get any better?

Canoe Adventures offers Totnes to Dartmouth river trips on big stable canoes, overnight wild camping adventures, hen and stag parties, and team building outings.

With 5 paddlers or more you can book your own canoe, from £35 per adult and £25 per child.

*Optional nostalgic listen. Tony Hatch/Les Reed/Josh MacRae

Rocky Horror Swim Run, Hope Cove: Choose Your Own Pain Or Pleasure Level

Kind of like self-select masochism, the Rocky Horror Swim Run allows you to push yourself over a choice of distances against the backdrop of the beautiful Hope Cove in South Devon.

Choose from:

Long: 4 swim sessions (2 km) and 3 run legs (15 miles).

Medium: 3 swim legs (1.5 km) and 2 run legs (12 miles).

Short: 2 swim legs (1 km) and 1 run leg (7 miles).

Races start just before high tide at 1.30pm on Saturday 9th September from the Something Wild festival weekend site at Hope Cove.

The swim start is at Inner Hope and the run routes follow the South West Coast Path eastwards towards Soar Cove and back inland along footpaths.

Enter as a solo, relay or pair. Tickets from £25.

Bad Blood From Bastille At Powderham Castle, Exeter, Sunday 2nd July

Tickets are still available to catch indie-pop band Bastille perform their Bad Blood X show at Powderham Castle, Exeter on Sunday 2nd July.

They are on their UK tour celebrating 10 years of the album of the same name, featuring their most successful single, Pompeii.

Support artists are Olivia Dean, Eli Smart & Bim.

Tickets from £50.

Wakeboarding: Pack In Some Adrenalin-Fuelled Fun At North Devon Wake Park

Born from the cross-over between water skiing, snowboarding and surfing, wakeboarding is growing in popularity, and North Devon has one of the biggest dedicated centres in the country.

Although the hallmark of the sport is mid-air tricks beginners start by learning to stay up while being pulled by a rope from a boat, or at North Devon Wake Park, an overhead tow line.

At the centre, near Clovelly, you can also paddleboard, take ringo rides or bounce around and fall in the water in the inflatable aquapark.

The Milky Way Adventure Park, Bideford EX39 5RY.

Listings

North Devon

JUNE

Thurs 22nd to Sun 25th

PERFORMING ARTS | 🎭 Barnstaple Fringe Theatre Fest offers comedy, drama, street-theatre, dance, music and magic at low prices: between £4 and £8, or free. The list of shows is here.

Thurs 29th

LIVE MUSIC | 🎺 Motown Soul & Disco Party. Dance the night away at RHS Garden Rosemoor with a whole evening of Motown | 5pm to 11pm | Great Torrington EX38 8PH | Tickets. Members £15, non-members £20.

JULY

Frid 14th to Sun 16th

LIVE MUSIC | 🎸 Funk Up The Farm 2023, 3-day micro dance music festival featuring drum ‘n bass, funk and breaks acts | Wrights Farm, Kentisbury, Barnstaple EX31 4NQ | Tickets from £38.32.

Sat 15th

OUTDOOR CINEMA | 🎞 Grease, the most successful film musical of all time | Gates open 8.15pm, film starts at 9.45pm | Arlington Court, Arlington, Barnstaple EX31 4LP. Tickets from £17.18.

South Devon

JUNE

Fri 23rd to Sat 24th

CLASSIC CARS | 🚘 Dawlish American Car Show | From 6.30pm Friday 23rd until 4.30pm Sunday 25th June. Entrance fee: Adult £10, child £5

Sat 24th

MILITARY SHOW | 🪖 Plymouth Armed Forces Day with bands, parades, live music and free evening concert | Plymouth Hoe | 10am

LIVE MUSIC | Rod Stewart, supported by Boy George | Home Park, Plymouth | Tickets from £61.60

Wed 28th

OUTDOOR THEATRE | 🎭 Romeo & Juliet | The Chamberlain’s Men, all male cast | 7pm | The Private Garden, Dartington Hall, Totnes TQ9 6EL | Tickets Adult £20. Child £12.

JULY

Sat 1st

COMIC THEATRE | 🎭 Outdoor production of The Wave “the most bonkers performance” with laughter and singing | Mothecombe House, Holbeton Plymouth PL8 1LB | 7pm to 8pm | Tickets £10-£40.

Sun 2nd

MILITARY MUSIC | 🎺 The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth | Theatre Royal, Plymouth | PL1 2TR Tickets £20

Wed 5th to Sat 8th

THEATRE | 🦷️The Demon Dentist by David Walliams | Theatre Royal Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets £13-£25.

Mon 10th

LIVE COMEDY | 😂 Comedian and Radio 4 star Andy Hamilton | The Quad Theatre, Marjon University | 7.30pm | Tickets £22.

Sat 15th

OPEN DAY | ⚓️ Britannia Royal Naval College opens it doors to the public for the first time since 2019 | 10am - 4pm | College Way, Dartmouth TQ6 0HJ | Free entry.

Sat 22nd

MUSIC | 🎶 90s Silent Disco at Powderham Castle for the first time, select from 3 different channels of music | 7.30pm | Powderham Castle, Exeter EX6 8JQ | Tickets from £27.43

SEPTEMBER

Mon 18th

GEOLOGY | ⛏ Day Trip with Stuart Line Cruises. 6.5 hour seaborne tour of South Devon’s coastal geology | Exmouth | 10.30am to 5pm. £25 per person.

Want your event listed? Email us.

Want even more ideas?

As a lifelong Devon fan I’ve come up with my list of the most exciting and interesting activities, attractions and curiosities.

Whether indoor or outdoor, active or relaxed, family or individual there’s something for everyone so long as you like getting out and about!

Discover 50 unique, unusual and “different” things to do in glorious Devon (downloadable PDF) today when you refer a friend.

Andy

More exciting, surprising and interesting events and things to do next week.

With love, cream and jam (in that order).

🌊 Andy and the Go Devon! team