👋 Hi Devon Fans,

Welcome to Go Devon!, a weekly newsletter with fun, interesting and unique things to do in Devon. Thanks for being here!

⛺️ Looking for great camping? Check out our selection of award-winning Devon campsites.

🎸 Fancy a music festival this summer? Read our guide to the best. 

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See the stars of spring at the national rhododendron show

Admire the remarkable colours, sizes and shapes of stunning rhododendrons at one of the biggest exhibitions in the country.

The RHS Rosemoor National Rhododendron Show on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st April will display 60 classes of rhododendron as well as camellias and magnolias.

Exhibitors come from all over the South and West, including the Royal Parks, Exbury Gardens, National Trust and Caerhays Castle Gardens, Cornwall.

Saturday 20th: 11.30am (after judging) to 4pm. Sunday 21st: 10am–4pm.

RHS Rosemoor, Great Torrington EX38 8PH

Tickets (book in advance or pay on admission): Adult £15.85, child £5.75

Dance in the Dartmoor sunrise on May Day

Fairy lights, fiddles and drums welcome in the dawn on Wednesday 1st May as Dartmoor Border Morris jig around and clash their sticks to celebrate the new season.

Not quite the wilds of Dartmoor, the action takes place in the car park below Leedon Tor on the B3212, but the atmosphere is definitely wild and windswept.

Last year there was total darkness and swirling mist greeted the dancers and spectators just before dawn. Wouldn’t it be great to see a proper sunrise?

The Border Morris are hardy souls and the dancing goes on whatever the weather, so we’re told.

5.15am to 5.45am. The Fox Tor Cafe in Princetown is open for breakfast afterwards.

A feast of flavours at the South West’s largest food and drink festival

Celebrating it’s 20th anniversary, the popular Plymouth Flavour Fest takes over the city centre from Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June.

This year a new entertainment zone provides a place to sit back and relax, soak up the atmosphere of live music and enjoy the food and drink.

You can expect more than 80 stalls of local produce, tasting sessions, bookable masterclasses, workshops, demonstrations and children’s activities.

Here’s a 1-minute taste of last year’s event (video).

Armada Way PL1 2AA. Free.

A yoga and meditation class like no other

Yoga in the Caves is a unique 45-minute session running once a week in Kent’s Caverns, Torquay.

Apart from just the gentle drip of water as background noise, this is a wellness environment with no distractions, and one of the most unusual spaces for a yoga class.

Classes are suitable for beginners and all levels of experience. The temperature in the caves is a constant 14C and organisers say although practice will keep you warm, you might want to bring a long sleeved top.

The class is led by Hatha yoga teacher Natasha Rogan.

Every Tuesday morning 9am to 10am until Tuesday 28th May.

Tickets £11.

Visit the new look Devonport Naval Heritage Centre

Improved galleries telling the story of Devonport Dockyard over the past 200 years are now open.

The Devonport Naval Heritage Site Centre records the development of the dockyard and Plymouth’s pivotal role in major conflicts.

New attractions include an interactive tour of decommissioned nuclear submarine HMS Courageous and a gallery highlighting the Royal Navy’s efforts to stop the Slave Trade.

Following changes to the Naval Base boundary, the Heritage Centre is now accessible on public roads and booking in advance is not required.

Open every Wednesday and every 2nd Saturday of the month from 10am to 3pm. Guided tours at 11am. Closed November to February.

Vivid Approach, off Granby Way, Devonport PL1 4RW. Free admission and parking. Donations welcome. More details.

Devon Curiosities #2. The oldest golf course in England

Ready for a round on the oldest course in England?

Known as the “St Andrews of the South” the Royal North Devon at Westward Ho! was founded in 1864 and can rightly claim to be the cradle of the English game.

The course is said to be as tough as any of the UK’s more famous links, with firm and fast fairways and greens.

It recently made Golf World 's Top 100 Courses in the World that a golfer “must play”.

Watch a drone video of the whole course.

Not only is Royal North Devon a great and historic course, it’s largely unchanged from 100 years ago.

Golf Links Road, Westward Ho! EX39 1HD. Visitors fees £70-£100.

Listings

🌊 North Devon 

APRIL

Wed 24th

BALLET | 🩰 Royal Opera House screening of Swan Lake | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ | Tickets from £14

MAY

Sun 5th

CELEBRATING SUMMER | ☀️ Jack in the Green festivities | Ilfracombe EX34 | Free

EXERCISE AND WELLBEING | 🧘‍♀️ Park Yoga | Rock Park, Barnstaple EX32 9AQ | Free

Sat 11th

CHARITY WALK | 🚶80s themed Nightwalk for North Devon Hospice | Barnstaple Rugby Club EX31 1JH | Adult tickets £21.92, children (11-17) £11.26

Sun 12th

FREE NATURAL FOOD | 🍄 Foraging course | Bulworthy Forest Lodges, Bideford EX39 4PU | Adult tickets £60, U16s £30

Thu 16th

HONEY | 🐝 Beekeeping Experience Day | Quince Honey Farm, South Molton EX36 3RD | Tickets £175

Fri 24th to Mon 27th 

FOOD AND DRINK | 🍻 Ilfracombe Beer Festival 2024 | The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe EX34 9BZ |

Fri 31st

FILM | 📽️ Outdoor cinema screening Top Gun | Arlington Court, Barnstaple EX31 4LP | Tickets from £16.98

JUNE

Fri 21st to Sun 23rd

FESTIVAL | ☀️ GoldCoast Oceanfest 2024 | Croyde Beach, Braunton EX33 1NZ | Adult weekend tickets £99.25, children (6-17) £88.25

Sun 30th

CHALLENGE | 🏃 North Devon Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km race | The Green, Esplanade, Woolacombe EX34 7DJ | Registration 

🐬 South Devon

APRIL

Wed 17th

FIERY OPERA | 🎶 Ellen Kents production of Bizet Carmen | Princess Theatre, Torquay TQ2 5EZ | Tickets from £25.25

Sat 20th to Sun 21st

PET ART | ✏️ A two day pet portrait workshop with Sally Holt | Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3RP | Tickets £95.71

Sat 27th

VEGAN FOOD | 🌯 Plymouth Vegan Market 2024 | Central Park PL2 3DG | Free

DAY OUT | 🍃 Green Man Spring Festival | Fore Street, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9AW | Free

MAY

Tue 14th

CAR SHOW | 🚘 Quay Side Classics | A chance to meet fellow classic car owners and enthusiasts | Kingsbridge TQ7 | Free

Thu 16th to Sat 18th

FARMING AND COUNTRY | 🎪 Devon County Show | Westpoint, Clyst St Mary, Exeter EX5 1DJ | Adult tickets £20, U16s £7.50

Fri 17th to Sun 19th

BIG WHEELS | 🚛 Devon Truck Show 2024 | Smeatharpe Airfield, Honiton EX14 4SP | Adult day tickets £15.50, child £7.50

Sat 18th

ENDURANCE | 🏃‍♀️ Devon Coast to Coast Ultra Marathon | Wembury PL9 0AU | Registration

Fri 24th to Sun 26th

BEACH GAMES | 🏉 Exmouth Beach Rugby & Netball Festival | Exmouth Beach EX8 2AY | Enter a team here

JUNE

Sat 1st and Sun 2nd

FLYING HIGH | 🛩️ English Riviera Airshow | Paignton Green TQ4 6BQ | Free

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

🍾 A champagne afternoon tea at a top Plymouth hotel (no date given)

🍾 3 bottles of English sparkling wine and a vineyard tour (18th April)

🍇 One of 4 vineyard tours and lunch for 2 with Dartmoor views (19th April)

 🐕️ A 3-night stay in an eco-conscious, dog-friendly luxury lodge, with up to 4 guests, and a welcome hamper for humans and canines. (21st April)

🏇 2 four-day tickets to the Bicton International Horse Trials, a food hamper and free camping pass on 23-26 May (25th April)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 1 of 4 amazing 2024 family park holidays (30th April)

NEW!  🇪🇹 Tickets to one of 2 rum and reggae festivals and £40 drinks vouchers (30th April)

🌊 A 2-night stay at the luxury Gara Rock resort (1st May)

🏡 An escape to a newly refurbished cottage in South Devon (10th May)

 🍷 A one‑night stay for two in a boutique North Devon venue and pub, a three‑course dinner for two and a farm tour worth a total of £375. (15th May)

Got a competition? Let us know.

That’s all for this week, but…

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With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team.