Hello Devon Lovers,

Salcombe was closed, but we needed a cream tea. On the road home we decided to try Hope Cove. Nothing doing in the otherwise excellent Hope & Anchor but they had good advice.

“The hotel up the road does the best cream tea in Devon,” said the girl behind the bar.

And she may be right. The charming Cottage Hotel came up trumps. Gorgeous lounge overlooking the sea, bend over backwards service and the exact cream tea we were craving.

Fluffy great scones and generous refills of cream, jam and tea. And only £8.50 a head. Definitely a best in Devon contender.

Now on to this week’s selection of exciting and interesting things to do in Devon.

Sent with love, cream and jam in that order.

The biggest and best beer festival in the South West

You can sup up to 280 beers at Maltingsfest, which probably holds the crown for being the biggest and best beer festival in the South West. (We haven’t heard of one better).

Not literally drink 280 obviously, but you might comfortably try 5 or 10, relaxing in the all weather marquee listening to the live music.

LAST YEAR’S WINNERS: Try to get your hands on these. Best cask ale was Winnemucca from Stannary Brewing. Best keg beer was Two Steppin India Pale Ale from Hop Union Brewery.

• This year’s winners will be announced on the Thursday night

Tickets on the door only. Entry from £8 includes a free half-pint glass tankard.

Updates and beer list (when announced) here.

Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th April, Osborne Park, Teign Road, Newton Abbot TQ12 4AA

The farmer’s market on steroids

Buy local food and drink direct from artisan producers and farmers in a fun and award-winning market format.

The food festival in Bideford on Saturday 5th April is run by not-for-profit festival organisers eat, which specialises in West Country gatherings.

They pay extra attention to the market layout so there’s space for easy access, seating, dogs, buggies, scooters, pushchairs and conversation. All encouraging you to linger longer.

ETHICAL: Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and alcohol free offerings, as well as the “full fat” versions, with ethics and traceability high on the agenda.

Supporting the more than 50 stalls will be DJs, buskers and strolling performers.

Join Toby for his latest Garden Fest

Gardeners World presenter Toby Buckland brings his perennial enthusiasm to the 10th anniversary Garden Fest at Exeter in May.

LOOK AND LEARN: Attend free gardening and food and drink talks, demonstrations, tastings and workshops plus live music. 200 stalls.

• Try making stave baskets or brushes and go to free flower crown-making sessions.

ECO-FRIENDLY: The show is raising awareness of the importance of sustainability and has been awarded carbon neutral status.

Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd May, Powderham Castle. Tickets: From £18

Take on the world's biggest inflatable 5K

Jump, slide and laugh all the way to the finish line through a giant inflatable obstacle course coming to Plymouth and Exeter.

OPTIONS: Range from a 2.5K route of 15 obstacles to an exhausting 15K course with 90.

• Plymouth, Saturday 24th May, Central Park

• Exeter, Saturday 9th August, Westpoint Arena, Clyst St Mary

Book from £28.50 adult and £23.50 child.

Devon Curiosities #50: Higher Uppacott

We fret if the internet goes down or the Deliveroo is late.

In a medieval longhouse, your corresponding worries would be how to get to market through deep snow and where the next meal was even coming from.

Plus you had to share a cold stone house with all your animals and their toilet habits.

You can imagine the scene when you step back in time at Higher Uppacott at Poundsgate, near Widecombe-in-the-Moor, one of the best preserved longhouses in Europe.

This is what affordable housing looked like 700 years ago, preserved by a complete renovation a few years ago. There are plenty of ancient sites on Dartmoor but not many in as good a nick as this.

GUIDED TOURS: Occasionally run by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. See here for updates.

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WHAT ELSE IS ON?

🌊 North Devon 

See 49 more North Devon events

🐬 South Devon

See 74 more South Devon events 

🏆️ Get lucky! Win Devon leisure prizes

FEATURED: 🐮 2 × 1-day tickets to the Devon County Show in May (24th Mar)

NEW!  🏖️ A 2-night stay at The Boathouse Devon, a dog-friendly, two-bedroom holiday cottage right by the beach, plus a free luxury memory foam dog bed. (23rd Mar).

NEW!  ✨ A 2-night luxury treehouse stay with private hot tub, outdoor shower and movie screen. (24th Mar)

♨️ A 2-night stay for 2 at Ilsington Country House Hotel and Spa, Newton Abbot (31st Mar)

NEW!  🧀 A Devon food hamper worth more than £50 (1st Apr)

🌳 2 VIP tickets to Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival in Exeter worth £200. (3rd Apr)

NEW!  ⛺️ A mini touring break at a peaceful, dog and child free South Hams caravan and camping park (9th Apr)

🎉 1 of 4 free 2025 Devon holidays at either River Dart Country Park, Cofton Holidays, Woodlands Grove or Crealy Theme Park (30th Apr)

🐻 A 1-night stay for 2 at The Bearslake Inn, West Dartmoor, including a three‑course meal and a breakfast hamper (31st May)

If you would like to support Go Devon! and help me promote our beautiful county to the wider world you can buy me a coffee here.

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🌳 Celebrate the dark and glorious moor

😂 Comedy and offbeat shows 2025 (2)

🚚 The prettiest tough guys in the West

🌞 The oldest daffodils in Devon

LAST CHANCE: That’s all for this week, but don’t forget to check out the Flotsam Prints partner promotion* for Mother’s Day gift ideas, and claim 20% off with the discount code GODEVON. Offer closes Sunday 23rd March.

Thanks for being a member.

All ideas, feedback and suggestions are very welcome. Email me.

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team