🌻 Hello Devon Friends!

We knew it. Plymouth has the best harbour view in Devon, and it’s not just our opinion.

We asked you to vote on your favourite view last week and 33% of you chose the vista from The Hoe.

Runner-up was Brixham with 25%, followed by Ilfracombe 16%, Torquay, Bideford and Salcombe all on 8%.

Are we missing something? Reply to this email with YOUR best Devon harbour view.

History – boring? Morwellham Quay may make you think again

The George & Charlotte is the only open copper mine in Britain and at Morwellham you can go deep underground on a train to see how this valuable metal was mined.

It’s one of many historic attractions at the award-winning Morwellham Quay including a water wheel, village, port and sailing vessels.

The theme is activities for all ages, so you can bake your own bread to take home, make your own chocolate or dress up as a Victorian for a photo.

Blacksmithing and pottery have been re-introduced, with craft people regularly on site using traditional methods.

More information. Tavistock PL19 8JL

Being Jane Austen at the Barnstaple Fringe Theatre Fest

It’s the longest running Jane Austen show in the world.

Kim Hicks has played to audiences for the past 43 years in the same period costume made by her mother.

Focusing on the author's insightful humour, she performs unabridged extracts from Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Northanger Abbey.

Kim’s show is on at Fringe Theatre Fest Barnstaple, one of 60 exciting and accessible performances over 4 days at the end of June.

Choose from comedy, drama, street-theatre, dance, music, magic, all at affordable prices or free.

Tickets are £4 to £8 in ticketed venues, and pay-what-you-will in outside and less formal spaces. Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th June.

Take part in your own Total Wipeout

You won’t be on TV, but you can pretend as you challenge your fitness, acrobatic ability and bravery at the North Devon Aqua Park.

It’s a racetrack of playful obstacles, slides that curve and twist, climbing frames and jumping platforms.

The owners restrict numbers to half the recommended level so you get more space. Tickets are £17.

If you’re not exhausted by hauling yourself out of the water multiple times try a spot of wakeboarding at the park as well.

Choose from being pulled along on a cable either standing or on your knees. The setup is aimed at all ages and experience levels.

The most fun offroad on 4 wheels

For an exciting and possibly muddy day out how about quad biking, 4×4 driving, axe throwing and mini Land Rover drives?

It all takes place on a family-run farm near Ilfracombe that’s been running for 20 years and specialises in off-road experiences.

Keypitts Offroad Adventures is open all day every day regardless of the weather so this is a good option for one of those rare rainy days in North Devon.

The wetter the better, as they say!

Helmets, wellies, waterproofs all provided, along with tuition.

Keypitts Farm, Ilfracombe EX34 9RW

Sleepovers in the depths of Dartmoor

This is Nun’s Cross Farm, right in the heart of Dartmoor.

It’s hard to believe that this was once a working farm, but the house is still habitable and you can rent it out and stay here, in one of the most remote places in the country. How cool is that?

Amazingly, there’s room for 36 people, and the place has a woodburner, gas cooking facilities and utensils. Just bring your own inflatable mattress and sleeping bag.

The bunkhouse is about 3 miles south of Princetown, and costs £55 per night Monday to Thursday and £85 per night Friday to Sunday.

Here’s what it’s like inside. Book here.

Devon Curiosities #10: Lundy Island

It’s a three mile long lump of granite in the Bristol Channel with nothing between it and America.

Get a ferry from Ilfracombe or Bideford or a helicopter if you want to arrive with a birds eye view.

Lundy is famous for its birds and best known for the puffin, which inspired the island’s name. Lundy is Norse for Puffin Island.

Spring and autumn are best for birdwatchers. Thousands of migrant birds pass through, and spring is the breeding season when up to 35 species nest, including skylarks, puffins and water rail.

But it’s not just for twitchers. Visitors can go diving, walking, fishing and climbing too.

You can camp or stay in one of 23 unique properties managed by the Landmark Trust including a lighthouse, school, Government house, fisherman’s cottage and a church vestry.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊 North Devon 

JUNE

Thu 6th to Mon 10th

DARTS CONTEST | 🎯 The England Open Festival of Darts 2024 | Ilfracombe Holiday Park EX34 8PF | Tickets from £10

Tue 11th

THEATRE | 🎭 A Royal Opera House Screening of Andrea Chénier | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £14

Fri 14th to Mon 17th

RELAX | 🧘 Yoga and Surf Retreat | Freshwell Camping, Croyde EX33 1NU | £363.64 per person

Sat 22nd

SPORT | 🏝️ Island Beach Netball | Croyde Beach EX33 1NZ | Register a team here.

Thu 27th to Sun 30th

ENTERTAINMENT | 🎭 Barnstaple Fringe Theatrefest 2024 | View event locations, times and prices here.

JULY

Thu 11th

NATURE | 🦇 Bat Walk at Meeth Nature Reserve | Meeth Quarry Car Park EX20 3ER | Free

Fri 19th and Sat 20th

SAILING | ⛵️ Lynmouth Regatta & Maritime Festival | Lynmouth Harbour EX35 6EQ

Sun 28th

TALK | 🎤 Susie Dent - The Secret Life of Words | Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £29

AUGUST

Sun 4th

DAY OUT | 🛥️ Lifeboat Day 2024 | Clovelly Lifeboat Station, Bideford EX39 5TF

Tue 20th

ENTERTAINMENT | 🎭 Outdoor Theatre - Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night | Tapeley Park, Bideford EX39 4NT | Adult tickets £15, U18s £11

🐬 South Devon

JUNE

Fri 14th to Sun 16th

FURRY FRIENDS | 🐶 Woofstock Festival 2024 | Powderham Castle, Exeter EX6 8JQ | Adult tickets £29.50, U16s £10

Thu 20th

MUSIC | 🎶 Bond by Candlelight: Music from the James Bond Movies | Exeter Cathedral EX1 1HS | Tickets starting from £22.38

Sat 22nd and Sun 23rd June

COUNTRY SHOW | 🐮Axe Vale Show | Trafalgar Way, Axminster EX13 5RJ | Adult tickets £12, child 5-16 £1 | Free parking

BACK IN TIME | 🐎 Jousting and Medieval Fayre | Powderham Castle, Exeter EX6 8JQ | Tickets £9.50

Sat 29th

MILITARY | 🇬🇧 Plymouth Armed Forces Day | Plymouth Hoe PL1 2NZ | Free

JULY

Sat 13th and Sun 14th

MOTORING | 🚙 Historic Vehicle Gathering 2024 - The biggest classic vehicle event in the South West | Powderham Castle Estate, Kenton EX6 8JG | Adult tickets £13, U16s free

Sun 21st 

CHALLENGE | 🏃‍♀️ Plymouth Pretty Muddy 5K 2024 | Help to raise money for Cancer Research UK | Central Park, Plymouth PL4 6NP | Register here.

EQUESTRIAN | 🐎 Horse Racing | Newton Abbot Race Course TQ12 3AF | Tickets from £12 | Other dates also available

Sun 28th

COUNTRY SHOW | 🐷 Totnes and District Show | Great Court Farm, Berry Pomeroy TQ9 6LE | Adult tickets £15, U16s £2.50

AUGUST

Wed 14th and Thu 15th

ENTERTAINMENT | 🎆 British Firework Championships 2024 | Hoe Road, Plymouth PL1 2NZ

🏆️ 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 week's holiday at luxury holiday apartments, Hope Cove, for up to 6 people worth £2,550

🎠 1 of 3 family days out (2 adults, 2 children) to Devon’s top attractions at any time in 2024 (no date given)

🐺 A family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children to see unusual animals at Exmoor Zoo (no date given)

🏖️ A 3-night Devon coastal stay for up to 4 people, worth £800 (9th Jun)

🐎 A 3-night pitch at an award-winning Dartmoor touring park (12th Jun)

🛏️ A 2-night midweek break at The Ley Arms, worth £700 (16th Jun)

🪶 A 3-night weekend stay or 4-night midweek stay at a Feather Down Farm in Devon for up to 6 people (25th Jun)

NEW!  🐕️ 2-night accommodation at a dog friendly coastal canine cottage (2 adults, 2 children and 2 dogs) plus lunch at a dog friendly pub and £150 spending money (30th Jun)

🎉 1 of 3 holidays, free days out, a tram driving experience and an afternoon tea for two (30th Jun)

🥓 A 2-night stay for two people including breakfast and dinner at the Rising Sun, Lynmouth (12th Jul)

NEW!  🍏 A Devon food adventure bundle: thatched inn stay, cider tour, £135 bakery voucher, distillery tour, flapjack box (31st Aug)

Got a competition? Let us know

That’s all for this week.

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team