🍻 Alright My Luvvers?

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Party like the Bavarians

Bratwurst, beer, live music and a chance to dress up as Oktoberfest returns to Plymouth for two raucous sessions on Saturday 26th October.

Eat, drink and party in true Bavarian style with oompah bands, games and singalongs: 12pm to 5pm and 6pm to 11pm. Proust!

Central Park. Tickets from £17.95

Tarby on tour in Exeter and Ilfracombe

He went to school with John Lennon and played golf with Bing Crosby.

After more than 60 years at the top, Jimmy Tarbuck relives many of the most iconic moments of a life on stage and screen.

The show is a collection of anecdotes and video clips highlighting his career which started in 1963 hosting Sunday Night at the London Palladium.

The evening is in two parts and includes a chance for the audience to ask questions.

Thursday 24th October, The Landmark, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ. Tickets from £33.50

Friday 25th October, Exeter Northcott Theatre. EX4 4QB. Tickets £32.50

Have you tried shinrin-yoku?

It’s more than taking a walk in the woods and hugging a tree.

Shinrin-yoku is Japanese for “taking in the forest atmosphere through our senses”. In English this gets shortened to forest bathing.

A 2-hour guided session at Courage Copse near Umberleigh includes breath work, mindfulness and stopping to actively connect with nature.

Studies have shown this can reduce blood pressure, improve self confidence and create a relaxed state of mind.

The sessions are every Wednesday all year round from 10am to 12pm led by Katy, a yoga teacher and trained Shinrin-yoku practitioner. £6 (£2 concessions).

Book by emailing [email protected]

Warkleigh, Umberleigh EX37 9DD.

Marking a proud day in British history

Exeter Cathedral is hosting the annual Trafalgar Day Service for the 50th time this year.

The service commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar – fought on 21 October 1805 – when the British Fleet, under the command of Admiral Lord Nelson, defeated the combined fleets of France and Spain off Cape Trafalgar.

Trafalgar marked the beginning of the end of the Napoleonic Wars (Waterloo 1815) and effectively removed the longstanding threat of invasion by France.

A group of retired Royal Navy and Royal Marines officers called the Exeter Flotilla organise the event.

Exeter EX1 1HS. 11.45am. Sunday 20th October. Free.

Explore the wonders and challenges of the ocean

We call our home Planet Earth even though most of the surface is covered in water.

That’s part of the inspiration for a free exhibition highlghting the ocean at The Box, Plymouth, running until 27th April 2025.

Planet Ocean explores key moments in our relationship with the sea, through images and artefacts from the collections providing insights into the marine environment and the threats it faces.

The aim is to encourage more of us to help protect the ocean, so let’s hope the people from South West Water find time to attend.

10am-5pm Tuesday to Sunday and selected bank holidays.

Devon Curiosities #26: Old Mother Hubbard’s Cottage

“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to fetch the poor dog a bone. But when she got there, the cupboard was bare, and so the poor dog had none”

Like most age-old stories, there’s uncertainty about the historical accuracy of when they were written and by whom.

But Old Mother Hubbard’s Cottage in Market Street, Yealmpton, near Plymouth, certainly exists and has a loose connection to Sarah Catherine Martin, the attributed author of the verse.

The cottage is a good example of a Devon Tudor hall with an undulating thatched roof, whitewashed stone walls and small windows.

Martin stayed nearby with her sister and in 1805 published the verse which became a best-seller. According to Wikipedia, there is a suggestion that they first few lines already existed and the author was responsible for adding additional verses.

She based her character on the housekeeper at her sister’s house, so how the cottage came into the picture is unclear.

Visitors today can both enjoy the cottage and order food as the property is used as a Chinese takeaway.

WHAT ELSE IS ON

🌊 North Devon

OCTOBER

Tue 1st

MUSIC | 🎙️ Gareth Gates sings Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons | Queens Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £39

Wed 2nd

CONNECT | 🧘‍♂️ Beach Pilates | Mill Rock, Woolacombe EX34 7HL | Tickets £12

Fri 4th and Sat 5th

CULTURE | 🍺 Oktoberfest 2024 | The Thatched Inn, Ilfracombe EX34 9PG | Free entry

Sat 5th and Sun 6th

HARVEST | 🌽 Festival of Flavours at RHS Rosemoor | RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington EX38 8PH | General admission required for entry - Adult tickets £15.85, child £7.95

Wed 9th

CRAFT | 🧺 Willow Basket Weaving Workshop | Quince Honey Farm, South Molton EX36 3RD | Tickets £40

Thu 10th

CHARITY | 🔥 Fire Walk for Amber | Ashley Court, Chawleigh EX18 7EX | Single entry £33.22, Team entry (up to 5 people) £136.14

Tue 15th to Fri 18th

THEATRE | 🎭 Frankenstein | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £29

NOVEMBER

Fri 1st

MUSIC | 🎵 A Celebration of Young Bands | The Plough Arts Centre, Torrington EX38 8HQ | Tickets £7

Sun 17th

TRADITION | 🐟 Clovelly Herring Festival | Clovelly Harbour, Bideford EX39 5TF

Thu 28th

FESTIVITIES | 🎄 Barnstaple Christmas Light Switch On | The Square, Barnstaple EX32 8LN | Free

🐬 South Devon

SEPTEMBER

Sat 28th to Sun 3rd Nov

AUTUMN | 🍁 Pennywell Farm’s Pumpkin Festival | Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0LT | Adult entry £21.95, U15s £17.95, U3s Free

Sun 29th

MUSIC | T. Rextasy - The Greatest Hits Tour | Exeter Northcott Theatre, Exeter EX4 4QB | Tickets £29.50

OCTOBER

Fri 4th to Sun 13th 

SCIENCE | 🧬 Sidmouth Science Festival | Variety of events throughout Sidmouth | To see the events, locations and prices follow the festival guide here

Sat 5th and Sun 6th

FOOD | 🧀 Powderham Food Festival 2024 | Powderham Estate, Exeter EX6 8JQ | Adult tickets £5, U16s Free

Wed 9th

TRADITION | 🪿 Tavistock Goose Fair | Bedford Square, Tavistock PL19 0AE | Free

Thu 10th

TALK | 🗣️ The survival of the Amazon rainforest is under threat by Prof Sir Ghillean Prance | Plymouth Athenaeum, Plymouth PL1 2SW | Free

Thu 10th to Sat 12th

COMIC BALLET | 🩰 La Fille mal gardée performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet | Theatre Royal, Plymouth PL1 2TR | Tickets from £37

Sun 13th

MUSIC | 🎻 The Chamber Ensemble of London - 2-hour medley of well-known and unique chamber orchestra classics | Stoke Damerel Church, Plymouth PL1 5QL | Adult tickets £20, U18s £5

Sat 19th

ENTERTAINMENT | 🎙️ Jane McDonald - With All My Love Tour | Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth PL1 3LF | Tickets from £51.90

Tue 22nd

RELAX | 🧘‍♂️ Ashtanga yoga at the aquarium | National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth PL4 0LF | Tickets £10

🏆️ 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!  🚲️ Premium e-bike hire for two people for a day in North Devon (30th Sep)

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

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

🧀 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)

🛏️ An overnight stay for two at Cary Arms & Spa, Torquay including breakfast (8th Oct)

🍸️ A bottle of vodka and vodka liqueur set of blueberry, raspberry, caramel and elderflower (8th Oct)

🏇 A fabulous West Country weekend bundle including 2 tickets to Exeter and Wincanton Racecourses, a hotel stay for 2, a spa package, £100 restaurant voucher, and afternoon tea for 2 (11th Oct)

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

NEW!  🏨 A 2-night stay at the Mercure Hotel, Paignton, with breakfast, dinner and wine on both nights (18th Oct)

NEW!  🏡 A £2m dream house in Exmouth, £250,000 cash and 2 Porsche cars worth £170,000 (27th Oct)

NEW!  🧺 A package of Devon food and drink including vodka, liquers, charcuterie and a 3-course meal for 2. (31st Oct)

⛱️ A 3-night break at a Brixham Holiday Park in 2025 (31 Oct)

NEW!  🏨 2-night’s accommodation in the Agatha Christie Suite at the Grand Hotel, Torquay, including a classic afternoon tea and spa treatment (24th Dec)

👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 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