Devon news
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Kids Go Free at RHS Garden Rosemoor
this August!
Beat the credit crunch this summer! Bring the kids along to RHS Garden Rosemoor free of charge and enjoy a load of family fun! All children under 16 go free at Rosemoor from 1 - 31 August, representing great value for money for a fun-packed day out – garden entry for a family of four will cost just £14.
Every week during August RHS Garden Rosemoor will also be having activity packed summer family fun days. To tie in with the William Morris exhibition, which is on throughout the summer, the fun days will focus on art and crafts with plenty of opportunities for the whole family to get involved!
Visit Devon this summer and you will find that opera is making a splash in the most unexpected places including with the seals off the North Devon coast.
The New Devon Opera will be performing “Traviata Flash Opera” or edited highlights taken from Verdi’s much-loved La Traviata on the streets of Exeter next month, as part of the city’s Summer Festival. But opera singing in Devon appears to have attracted a brand new audience elsewhere.
Fifty two year old amateur opera singer Paul Chandler from Exeter has been rehearsing for his part in the New Devon Opera’s production of La Traviata while out scuba diving with seals, near Lundy Island. Paul, who sings bass in the chorus, is a consultant geologist and understands how sound travels through water. Last summer, he was out scuba diving when he thought he would try singing to the seals: “I have a very deep bass voice and I thought I would try some notes by singing through the regulator - a piece of diving equipment which helps me breathe through my mouth under water. I tried a few notes from Mozart’s famous opera the Magic Flute and the sound was picked up by some curious male seals that came to investigate.”
Two new “foodie” books just published demonstrate why Devon is fast becoming known as one of the best food regions in the UK.
Alastair Sawday’s Eat Slow Britain and food lover’s guide Taste Britain feature some of the finest producers from one of the most fertile counties in the UK.
Michael Caines, who features in Taste Britain, and is well known as a chef and restaurateur comments “If Devon was in France or Italy, it would be famous as a great food region. In Devon there’s always a food experience to match the location. It may be a Devon ice cream on a sunny beach, a ploughman’s with some interesting local cheese or a glass of Sharpham’s Devon wine down in the South Hams.”
The Chiefs get promotion - Exeter's rugby team beat Bristol to move up into the Premiership
As Exeter Chiefs make history by becoming the first South West team to make it into top flight rugby after their victory against Bristol at the Memorial Stadium, Visit Devon congratulates the team and looks forward to extending a warm welcome to all the away supporters travelling to Exeter next season.
Devon dairy calls for protection of the Devon cream tea
Devon has long been synonymous with the cream tea and now an enterprising Devon farm has launched a campaign to get European protection for the name “Devon cream tea”.
At the opening of the Devon County Show on Thursday, 20 May 2010, Devon-based dairy Langage Farm explained that sub-standard versions of the cream tea with its scone and generous helpings of jam were detrimental to the image of this sought after treat.
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) would mean teas must be produced, processed or prepared in Devon. The campaign, which has been launched following calls to a local radio station, has started with a petition to back the plan.
Top Devon country hotel selected for new Alastair Sawdays book
Combe House Hotel in Gittisham have been selected for the 'Eat Slow Britain' guide as a champion of local and seasonal produce. Look out for the festival of Spring lamb at Combe House from 6th June.
South Devon cove voted to top 25 destinations
Hope Cove has been voted to the top 25 destinations in the UK by TripAdvisor users. Discover the beauty of Inner and Outer Hope with A Walk in Hope or enjoy Hope Cove Beach.
Thurlestone Hotel wins national accolade
Visit Devon congratulates the Thurlestone Hotel in South Devon which has won the national accolade of being England’s best large hotel.
The hotel near Kingsbridge won the Gold Award in the large hotel category at the Enjoy England Excellence Awards, which were held at Brighton on 24 April 2010. It is the second year running that a Devon hotel has won a major tourism award, the double Michelin star hotel Gidleigh Park was voted Hotel of the Year at the 2009 ceremony.
Visit Devon releases What's Hot 2010 guide
Read all about recent new openings and what to look for this year in Devon
Devon Celebrates Success in Tourism Excellence Awards
14 of Devon's tourism businesses have been recognised as the best in the South West in the prestigious South West Tourism Excellence Awards in association with E-Strategy and South West Water. A further 11 Devon based companies were revealed as finalists - more than any other county in the South West.
New Ferry Link between Wales and North Devon
The Severn Ferry Link, taking passengers between Swansea and Ilfracombe, will launch by Easter 2010, bringing the journey time between the two areas down from 3 hours to just 50 minutes. Two return services a day, rising to five at peak times, will bring visitors into North Devon where they can stay for day trips or overnight visits, or be taken by coach to destinations further afield.
Fox & Hounds chef Alex Pallatt named Chef of the Year
The Publican Food & Drink Awards 2009 have named Alex Pallatt, head chef of the Fox & Hounds Country Hotel, Chef of the Year 2009.
Lydford Gorge one of Britain's Best Autumn Walks according to the Daily Telegraph
The National Trust site in the heart of West Devon is steeped in breathtaking natural beauty as well as myth and legend. Ideal for putting on your walking boots and exploring with this circular woodland and riverside walk, taking in the 'White Lady' and the 'Devil's Cauldron'.
Find out more about Lydford Gorge
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