West Magazine May 13 2017

13.05.17

CORNISH LION Jack Nowell on fame, family life and playing for Britain

pg12

REAL LIFE: At home with Lady Arran

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Beauty fixes to try now

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Fun festival days out

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09/05/2017 11:37:57

‘My girlfriend comes to watch and always says I played well, even if I didn’t’ Jack Nowell is characteristically modest, p 12

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ROOM AT THE INN From coaching inn to family home

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LOOK YOUR BEST Great ways to feel good right now

[contents[ Inside this week...

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THE WISHLIST Our pick of the best treats this week

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JUST BETWEEN US...

Sh! We have all the latest gossip

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THE MAN OF THE MOMENT Meet the British Lion, Jack Nowell

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THE CAPABLE COUNTESS

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THE CAPABLE COUNTESS Lady Arran goes gardening in north Devon

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SECRET WESTCOUNTRY Where to go, what to do

Lady Arran goes gardening in north Devon

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ROOM AT THE INN From coaching inn to family home

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JUST ASK GRACIE Our style guru solves your problems

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IN THE SWIM Bathing suits to suit you this summer

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BOOST YOUR WELLBEING Great ways to feel your best this week

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SMALL BITES What’s hot in the South West foodie world

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YOUR STARS THIS WEEK Cassandra Nye has your new horoscope

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SECRET WESTCOUNTRY Where to go, what to do

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THE SOUND OF SILENCE Chris McGuire calls for hush, please

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STRAWBERRIES AND GIN Cocktail recipes for the new season

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THE MAN OF THE MOMENT

We meet rugby’s Jack Nowell

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16

MAKING THE MOVE

Lady Arran on her new home

[ welcome [

06.05.17

SPY STORY

Cornwall’s latest mystery

WIN!

Cashmere knitwear from Crew Clothing

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ways to eat well now

There is so much to be proud of here in the Westcountry NATURALLY INSPIRED ‘I sold my beauty empire

arly last year, the Countess of Arran and her husband decided it was time to leave their imposing family mansion and move into a smaller property on the Castle Hill estate in north Devon. The youngest generation of the family which has lived on the estate since 1454 are now settled in the magnificent Palladian house - which dates back to1730 - and their parents are able to relax and enjoy life in a smaller (albeit rather lovely) property. Lady Arran is not taking it entirely easy, however, as our writer Sharon Goble discovered on a tour of the 50-acre garden the Countess has

and bought a farm’

E

- pg16

Tweet

[

of the week

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cared for over the past 20 years (p16). Suffice to say, when you have 160 magnolia trees to look after, gardening is going to be more than just a hobby!

Elsewhere in the magazine I get the chance to meet a true Westcountry hero, the charming and modest Jack Nowell, rugby superstar. I can officially report that he is completely down-toearth and a really nice guy, someone of whom we can all be very proud as he joins the elite British and Irish Lions squad for their tour of New Zealand this summer. He talks about his Cornish childhood, marriage plans and French bulldogs (he has two) on page 12 today.

Have a lovely weekend.

[

Jack Nowell talks about marriage plans and French bulldogs today

@AnnaTurns

I interview the inspiring Romy Fraser OBE in @wmnwest - what a special corner of #Devon @trill_farm is!

TO ADVERTISE: Contact Cathy Long: 01752 293017 or 07557 576668, clong@dc-media.co.uk

Becky Sheaves

EDITORIAL: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk Tel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest

COVER IMAGE: Pinnacle Photo Agency

MEET THE TEAM Becky Sheaves, Editor

Phil Goodwin

Kathryn Clarke-McLeod

Gillian Molesworth

Cathy Long

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If you do one thing this week...

Why not make some fun Bank Holiday plans? New for 2017, the Royal William Yard Festival will take place on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday May 27-28 to celebrate everything the beautiful Westcountry has to offer.

The festival will showcase top South West musical talent and will bring the historic Plymouth ex-naval victualling yard to life with beautiful classic cars, motorbikes and boats providing the backdrop to six music stages, dotted around the yard. There will also be lots of locally-sourced food and drink on offer, including tasty treats from the Bigbury-based Oyster Shack and wine from the award-winning Sharpham Estate near Totnes. www.rwyfest.co.uk

Win

We have a family ticket for two adults and two children worth £50 to the Royal William Yard Festival to be won. For your chance to win, simply tell us in which city you’ll find the Royal William Yard. Send your answer, together with your name, address, email and phone number to: Royal William Yard competition, westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk to arrive by May 19. Alternatively, you can post your answer to Royal William Yard competition, West Magazine, Queen’s House, Little Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3LJ. Normal terms apply, West will not share your details.

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Suede sandals £70 Dune

Cocktail shaker £18 Debenhams

the

wishlist West’s top picks for spending your time and money this week

Retro metal chair £39.99 HomeSense

fave!

Soap dispenser £5 George Home

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Wishlist

Multi-coloured rug £29.99 HomeSense

Orange pitcher £55 Amara

Wooden bead necklace £19 East

Drawstring bag £35 East

Coffee table £246 Amara South American print nibble bowl £3 Sainsbury’s

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talking points Fenella Tobey

Story of my life...

Summer’s here - but a golden suntan is not f it’s May now, then that means it’s June next month and summer will be in full swing.

Bring on the men in socks and sandals, the bucket sunhats, and the alien army with skin striped red and white like a candy cane.

Oh, summer how I love you!

We Brits so seldom see the sunshine that we forget a) how into that of an Italian. Truth to dress and b) how to function. is, I was in such a hurry to beAll winter we have been so deslieve in my impossible tan that I perate for a dry day, a sunny day, forgot that I was wearing tinted that when those glorious rays sunglasses. Not only was I NOT hit our drizzly shores, we abantanned, I was so pale that my don our jobs, our houses, our legs were acting like a reflective clothes, and immediately plaster surface, dazzling like a 60 watt ourselves to any available sunlit light bulb. surface.

The reality of my paleness If you are a true Anglo-Saxon is nothing new, however, so I like me then your poor lily-white shouldn’t have been so deflated. limbs don’t know I slunk off the how to handle wall and traipsed themselves, and back into the The time for instead of soakhouse to begin my ing up the rare hunt for the sun wishful thinking bout of sunshine, cream. The time was over. The only for wishful thinkseem to go into panic mode and ing was over. colour I would do their upmost The only colour turn was red. to repel it.

I would turn was And only Po the Last week I was red. And only Po overly keen to the Tellytubby Tellytubby can sacrifice myself can pull off that pull off that look to the sun god, look. and ran, flinging People always clothes as I went, say, “at least to balance precariously on the you don’t have to deal with tan garden wall. lines”. No, that’s because I get After ten minutes I took a burns lines instead. Lucky me. sneak peak at my legs, and was So common sense is prevailsurprised to find that my they ing and when I’m not hopping had turned the colour of spun like a vampire from shady spot sugar, so deliciously golden I to shady spot, I am slathering could barely believe my eyes. I myself in white Factor 50 slime then proceeded to lift my sunevery 20 minutes. glasses for a better look. Oh. I To be honest, I’m quite gratehurriedly put my sunglasses ful for our fleeting and fickle back on. My legs had not tanned English sunshine. At least I don’t in record time nor had my gehave to be a slimy shade hopper netic make-up suddenly mutated all year round.

I

SHORT CUT

to style

At a state school fundraiser in Los Angeles recently, Prince Harry’s girlfriend Meghan Markle looked smart but cute in a co-ordinated shorts and blazer outfit, complete with crisp white shirt. City shorts are becoming increasingly chic (and acceptable) these days but if you’re worried about showing as much leg as Miss Markle, you could try cropped trousers instead.

Linen mix blazer £18 and shorts £9 Primark

steal her

style

OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN

OPTION B Fierce

Tiger short suit £70 Topshop

OPTION A Flowery

Floral suit jacket and trousers £55 Dorothy Perkins

Next week: Fenella on life back home in Devon after university.

Gillian Molesworth will return to West this summer.

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WHAT’S UP IN CORNWALL? Guess who was just spotted in Perranporth? Celebrity architect George Clarke stopped for a selfie with local surfer Sam Lamiroy, who then tweeted: “Funny who you bump into on a stroll around Perranporth on a sunny afternoon … @mrgeorgeclarke was in the parish filming some very small spaces!”

Just

We look forward to seeing Perranporth featuring in the next series of George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.

Do you know which property had caught the eye of the TV interiors guru? Let us know: westmag@ westernmorningnews.co.uk

between us Gossip, news, trend setters and more – you heard all the latest juicy stuff here first!

!

HOLLYWOOD CALLING

MICHAEL’S IN PLYMOUTH Yippee! Michael McIntyre will be playing four nights in Plymouth next year as part of a major world tour – and tickets for his March 2018 shows have just gone on sale. Michael says that, in the meantime, he’d be interested in appearing on the TV series Who Do You Think You Are? “I have no idea what’s going on in my heritage and I would like to find out why I look like this,” he says. “I think everyone wants to know why I look like this. These jokes I make

about looking Chinese… My mother’s from Hungary and my dad was from Canada. There’s a lot of immigration in my past.”

While at university, the young Michael - who is married to wife Kitty, with two small children - once went to visit a friend, only to find the door answered by a complete stranger. “Who is it?” shouted his friend from within. “It’s Hugh Grant, but he’s all Chinesey” replied the man at the door.

Believe it or not, A-listers Tom Hardy and Kate Winslet are tipped to play Sergeant Alexander Blackman and his wife Claire in a Hollywood film about Marine A’s court battles. Marine A, Alexander Blackman, 42, served 1,277 days behind bars for shooting a Taliban fighter but was freed just recently after Claire campaigned tirelessly on his behalf.

His lawyer, Jonathan Goldberg QC, could be played by Al Pacino and has spent time in Hollywood discussing film opportunities. “I was out there [Hollywood] two weeks ago to discuss it - there’s talk even of Kate Winslet to play Claire and Tom Hardy playing him and Al Pacino playing me, can you believe it?” he said, He also told the Telegraph: “Once they are fully decompressed I will meet them and we will discuss the interesting meeting I just had in Hollywood at the invitation of a famous producer from which it is clear that a major movie could be in the offing if they wish it.”

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Rain and shine: Just look at this beautiful rainbow over Haldon forest near Exeter

in pictures All aboard! Pupils from the Marine Academy, Plymouth, had a fun day out at Sutton Harbour

Say it with flowers: Senara Beason from St Ives School won a prize at May Day celebrations

Got any rum? Mike and Rachel Blyth got all dressed up for Brixham’s annual Pirate Festival 10

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talking points A HISTORY

of the

WEST in

100

objects 45: CORAL BY P.H. GOSSE

The best way to:

GET OUT IN THE GARDENS With warmer days and the flowers in bloom, now is the time to have a look at what the beautiful gardens of Devon and Cornwall have to offer. FenellaTobey finds out more...

Follow the trail: Want a great day out for your own little critters? During May half term kids can explore the gardens at RHS Rosemoor in north Devon. They can make their own wormery, and track their favourite creepy crawlies through the gardens. Adults £11 children £5.50 www.rhs.org.uk

Encountered at Ilfracombe, 1852 Julien Parsons is the Senior Collections Officer, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.

He says: Despite looking like visitors from a distant planet, these coral live in Britain’s coastal waters. They are shown in a drawing by Philip Henry Gosse, one of the Victorian era’s most famous naturalists. By the 1840s, Gosse had established himself as a successful author of popular natural history, but non-stop writing took its toll on his health.

Increasingly, he spent time at the Devon seaside where Henry (the name he preferred) became entranced by the creatures he encountered.

In 1852, he came across the scarlet and gold star-coral in a rockpool near Ilfracombe. Gosse stripped off “though it was blowing very cold, and jumped in”. After careful study at home, the specimen proved to be a new species which he described and named in 1853. The chalk drawing on black paper was probably used when giving illustrated lectures.

Gosse was a master at enthusing readers and his guide to constructing

a home aquarium in 1854 proved an instant best-seller. However, just three years later his scientific reputation lay in tatters after publishing a work called “Omphalos”. As a committed Christian, he struggled with new theories that contradicted the biblical account of Creation, and concocted his own unconvincing idea to explain the fossils of extinct animals. As Darwin’s theories were accepted, so Gosse’s were ridiculed. Henry Gosse spent the last decades of his life at St Marychurch, Torbay.

#45

Wild days: Saltram House and estate is just outside of Plymouth in Devon, and a perfect destination to get the kids out and about in the fresh air. Pick up a free National Trust 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 and 3/4 leaflet and off you go! Adults £11 children £5.50 www. nationaltrust.org.uk A fan of Japan: Why not immerse yourself in an oasis of tranquillity, at the Japanese Garden and Bonsai nursery in St Mawgan. Here you can feel like you have travelled to a different country and culture when in reality you are only six miles from Newquay. Open seven days a week, adults £4.50. www.japanesegarden.co.uk Perfect for pottering about: Open through the National Gardens Scheme, Riverside Cottage has a traditional garden on the Tresillian river estuary, near Truro. It has a lot to offer, from wildflower areas to a nut walk, an old Victorian vegetable patch and orchard, as well as fantastic views of the river.

Oh and some delicious cream teas! Open Sunday 21 May, 2-5pm £4 www.ngs.org.uk

On display in ‘Sea Life: Glimpses of the Wonderful’ at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter until 17 September www.rammuseum.org.uk

Competition winner: Congratulations to Mrs K Simmons of Tregony who wins VIP tickets to Ladies Night at Exeter Racecourse plus a bottle of Salcombe Gin www.exeter.thejockeyclub.co.uk

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Interview

The man of The momenT from newlyn to new Zealand, Jack nowell tells Becky Sheaves why he was so surprised to be picked for the British and Irish Lions tour “

honestly didn’t know I was going to be selected. I was standing there watching, waiting, thinking: ‘Oh well it probably won’t be me’. But then it was,” says Jack Nowell, smiling in the sunshine on a visit to Exmouth Lifeboat Station (of which, more later).

Indeed, if you get the chance to see the short film his team, Exeter Chiefs, released of Jack registering the TV announcement that he’d made the British and Irish Lions team for a summer tour of New Zealand, you’ll see the happiest smile ever on the face of the 24-year-old.

“It was just really special finding out with all the team around me, because they’re my mates and the ones who have helped me get to where I am today,” says Jack.

It’s all been a bit of a fairytale for the Exeter winger, whose England career has seen him score an impressive 11 tries in 23 appearances, leading to him joining the elite rugby squad

I

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Portrait: Pinnacle Photo agency

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the best players from England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland for a ten-game tour of New Zealand including three matches against the world’s best team, the All Blacks.

But it has taken a lot of hard work to achieve such a meteoric rise. Growing up in the small fishing community of Newlyn, Jack started playing rugby at the age of five. “I can remember Mum driving me up to a South West trial when I was a kid, all the way to Bristol. She’d be taking me to matches in Exeter all the time. Mum and Dad both really supported me.”

Even so, it was not until he was 18 that it dawned on Jack he could make a career out of the game he loved: “When I was at Truro Collage [studying for a sports qualification] I started to realise that I could maybe get a professional contract. I could actually do this for a living.”

If rugby had not come along, Jack has “no idea” what he would be doing instead - “I’ve never had a proper job”. His father Michael runs three fishing boats based in Newlyn, jointly with his brother, but his parents weren’t keen on a fisherman’s life for Jack. When he was a youngster, his father would be eight days at sea, followed by just one day at home. “It’s a hard life. That’s why I’m so grateful for the work the RNLI do – often quietly, day in day out, that no one gets to hear about,” he explains.

He is in Exmouth to present a cheque for £6,350 raised by St Austell Brewery’s special brew Cousin Jack, named in his honour as a fund-raiser for the RNLI. “I don’t do that much for them really,” he says with characteristic modesty.

“But it is my chance to put something back.”

He’s pretty delighted to be the face of St Austell Brewery, even though he can’t drink beer himself that often. “I think my dad managed to drink my allocation – and now my brother has turned 18 he’s doing the same!”

Jack’s family is a close-knit one. Mum Louisa and dad Michael have four children, of which Jack is the eldest. Then there’s Ella, 21, currently on a ski season in the Alps, which she will soon be swapping for a summer season in Sardinia. “Living the dream,” jokes Jack. Next comes Henry, just turned 18, who is planning on joining the Navy. Finally – but not to be forgotten – there’s Frankie who is only 13 but is showing signs of following in his famous brother’s footsteps. “He’s in the Chiefs’ training programme and comes up every other weekend to play at Exeter and then watch the home match,” says Jack. “So I see plenty of him, and Mum and Dad, because they all come and stay at our place.”

It’s just as well, because Jack doesn’t get the chance to go back to Newlyn all that often, despite it only being two hours away to the west. “Obvi-

Jack celebrates scoring a try for England against Italy in the Six Nations championship

ously I go back at Christmas and I do go down in the summer, but no, I live in Exeter now,” he says. He lives with his girlfriend Zoe Pearce, who works in Exeter as a spa therapist. “The irony is, I don’t like massages,” jokes Jack. “And she is honestly clueless about rugby. She comes to watch and she always says I played well, even if I didn’t,” he says with a big grin. In fairness, it would be hard to spot Jack not playing well, as he brings speed, drama and excitement to the already successful Exeter Chiefs.

He and Zoe have known each other since they

‘My girlfriend comes to

watch and always says I

played well - even if I didn’t’

were both 14 and at school together. The couple have been together for four years and live with their two French bulldogs - Boo, who is three and newbie Buddy, who is just one “but getting enormous, much bigger than Boo already”.

He and Zoe are just back from a ski holiday to visit Jack’s sister, although Jack’s not allowed to ski in case he has an accident. With his knees (he’s had surgery on one in 2014) it just wouldn’t be worth it. He’s had two lots of major surgery, on his knee and his thumb, but insists that pain never bothers him. “In the match with the adrenalin pumping, I just don’t feel it. Ask me on a Sunday morning though...”

He and Zoe have no wedding plans, he says when I ask, but he doesn’t seem at all displeased to be asked whether a proposal is on the horizon: “I’m just a bit busy at the moment.”

Which is fair enough, he really is - when we meet he has been up training since 8am. Besides,

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Interview

The Nowells (l-r): mum Louisa, Frankie, Ella, girlfriend Zoe Pearce, Jack, Henry and dad Michael their life together sounds lovely.

“We go out, have a meal, a coffee and then we like to go for a walk with the dogs.” In fact, the dogs thing is clearly huge with all the Exeter Chiefs: “We’ve all got dogs and we all love walking them.

That’s what we do!”

Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, who has also played for England, is one of his closest friends in the team. “He and I started out playing rugby together at the age of five. We went to school together, college together and when I bought a house in Exeter and he bought one two doors along. I can’t escape the guy!

“But in all seriousness, it has been great to have someone alongside me who knows where I am coming from.” Indeed, back when Jack and Luke were playing for England in the Six Nations in Paris two of their school friends turned

up from Cornwall. “They threw us two Cornish flags and we displayed them in the stadium. Our friends rip the mickey out of us at every possible opportunity and generally keep us down to earth.” And even though the Lions tour ten dates in June - is something he is looking forward to, he says he is most focussed on the chance of Exeter Chiefs winning the Aviva Premiership. “We’ve got a home semi-final in our sights,” he says. “We’ve been in the Premiership for quite a few years now, and that’s been great.

But now we want to be winning it. It’s time.”

He’s “trying not to dwell” on the Chiefs’ nearmiss last year in the Premiership final against

Saracens at Twickenham which they lost 28-20: “We were a bit overawed by the stadium and it took us 40 minutes to get into the game,” he says. “But then we came back really strongly. It gave us that taste, you know?

We want it now, we really do.”

He puts the Chiefs’ dazzling rise in recent years down to two things – hard work and team work. “We have a phenomenal work rate. We give it everything. And we also really do play as a team. We’re mates, and we really are a proper team.”

And they’ve got Jack Nowell playing for them, of course. Which helps.

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PhotograPhy: kilian hall

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People

making the move the Countess of arran tells Sharon goble how life is going now she has handed over her north Devon mansion to the younger generation wo miles off the North Devon link road and you turn into the drive of the Castle Hill estate and a vista of yellow and green. The daffodils, in full bloom along the winding drive, complement the ochre facade of the grand Palladian house beyond - all set within a gently undulating rural landscape. Picture perfect.

To one side of the main house is a single-storey dwelling, painted in the same warm yellow and with similar classical lines. This is the new home of Lord and Lady Arran. Known as the Garden House, it is considerably smaller than the couple’s previous home (but even so, it still boasts five bedrooms and five bathrooms). The “big house”, built in 1730 as Earl Fortescue’s family home in north Devon, is now occupied by their daughter Laura, who moved home from London in February with her husband James and their four young children, aged ten, eight, six and four.

In all, the Fortescue family has lived here for 15

T

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generations.

I notice small but subtle changes since my last visit just before what Lady Arran calls the “reshuffle”: a rope swing for the children now hangs from the branches of an ancient cedar tree and there’s a pretty pony in the paddock.

Little signs that life at Castle Hill is being quietly adapted to the needs of a young and energetic family.

It’s a situation that could be fraught with difficulty but it is clear this aristocratic family is handling the issue of who lives where with dignity and aplomb. Lady Arran is clearly delighted at the move to her new pad, which has been updated and extended since her own mother lived there.

There’s no butler to open the front door now, instead Lady Arran herself enthusiastically greets me with “Come in, come in and see what we’ve done,” and promptly gives me a mini tour of the grandest bungalow

I’ve ever had the privilege to nose around.

Lady Arran - like her new home - is warm and welcoming, stylish yet not at all stuffy. She ushers me from one room to another to show me pieces of furniture and curtains which have been adapted from her former home: “I’m very frugal, I don’t like to throw away things I can reuse. I love a mixture of old and new.” The style is subtle English country house chic with a contemporary twist.

All the principal rooms, including the master bedroom, face south with open views of the estate and the gardens.

The kitchen has been opened up with the addition of a bespoke orangery, creating an open plan living-dining space where the couple’s three dogs lounge around, woofing occasionally and generally keeping an eye on the comings and goings of the household.

Smartie Pants the Jack Russell nestles down

‘We have our grandchildren just next door and we have the familiarity around us of all the nice people on the estate’

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People

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People

in one of the newly-upholstered armchairs as Lady Arran and I settle in the drawing room to chat over tea and biscuits: “In many ways, not much has changed since we moved here. We are very lucky to be so close to the gardens. I walk the dogs every morning. We have our grandchildren just next door and we have the familiarity around us of all the nice people who have been on the estate forever. It’s perfect.”

She is on hand, when needed, to help out with the school runs and is enjoying having her grandchildren close by: “My ten-year-old granddaughter asks lots of questions about the history of the house, the estate and family now. They are like sponges at that age.”

She says the shooting parties who periodically stay in the main house seem to adore the children too. “They are the star turn. They come bouncing in from school and charm the guests staying there.”

Weekly trips to London are still a regular feature of Lady Arran’s life as her husband sits in the House of Lords. In Devon, she is busy with the many local causes she actively supports and by working in the Castle Hill Gardens, a spectacular 18th century parkland landscape punctuated with statues, follies and temples built by successive generations of her family.

Her interest in developing the estate’s grounds goes back more than two decades.

Twelve years ago, the gardens were opened to the public and they can now be visited year-round. They also make a romantic backdrop for weddings. The Holwell Temple, on a hill in the woods with panoramic views, is licensed for civil ceremonies.

With more than 50 acres of woodland gardens to explore, Lady Arran suggests we “hop in the buggy”. Minutes later, we are crunching across the gravel drive in a golf buggy with two Jack Russells and a

‘My ten-year-old granddaughter asks lots of questions about the history of the house, the estate and family now’

Labrador in tow, secateurs and gardening gloves at the ready on the dashboard, Lady Arran at the wheel. She fears that blight has killed off the box plants in the ornamental garden close to the house. Elsewhere, the garden is blooming with flowers carpeting the ground and the 160 magnolia trees in flower.

I discover that two of the dogs have names inspired by Lady Arran’s love of horticulture.

The labrador’s called Primrose and Jack Russell Stella, she tells me, is named after Magnolia Stellata. We encounter several groups of visitors as we drive behind the main house to a vantage point with amazing views towards Exmoor to the north, Dartmoor to the south and Lundy Island to the east. Lady Arran gets out to chat to each group of guests, asking them how far they’ve come, whether they have visited Castle Hill before and how they heard about the gardens. She takes great delight in their obvious enjoyment of the grounds and hearing their comments.

A Jack Russell briefly hops up onto the vacant driver’s seat, leaving muddy paw prints all over it. I quickly wipe them off with one of the gardening gloves before Lady Arran sits back down in her smart Anthropologie skirt. Then we’re off again… www.castlehilldevon.co.uk

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Interiors

A place to call home A former Cornish coaching inn where travellers would once have stabled their horses - and themselves - overnight has been transformed into a family home, discovers Sarah Pitt inding a gem can happen when you least expect it. That is what happened for Mark Jones the day he first spotted this former coaching inn in Ladock, mid-Cornwall.

At the time, Mark and his family were looking for a new home. And this property just “felt right” the moment he stepped inside, he says.

“I was looking around with my eldest daughter, who was all of seven at the time, and as soon as we walked in to Truck House she said: ‘Dad, this is the one we have got to buy’,” says Mark.

“It was just such a lovely old house which had a lot of potential and just needed some TLC. I fell in love with it at first sight.”

The elegant stone house is situated beside what was once the main route taken by the stagecoaches heading west and would have offered hospitality to weary travellers from as far away as London.

“It dates from 1836,” says Mark. “It sits right on what was once the old turnpike road that ran between Truro and Bodmin. Next door, I believe, is the stabling area which then became a garage.

We’ve converted it into a separate annexe.”

So Mark and his wife Fiona, a pharmaceutical sales rep, bought the house and it became their family home. Over the years, they have undertaken a gradual restoration, uncovering period features which hint at its former use, like the outline of a bar hidden under the plasterwork in the lounge. And over the past six months, with their family having flown the nest, the couple have given it a further makeover, ready for paying guests.

It has proved to be quite a tight schedule for the couple, who had just half a year to get everything ready before their first guests arrived at the start of April this year. Luckily, they had experience, having previously owned and done up holiday lets in the La Rochelle area of France.

F

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Interiors

They have brought some of this French flair back to Truck House.

“We’ve had to source furniture that looks right,” says Mark. “Quite a lot of the furniture I brought back from France, from sales and second-hand shops. The lime-washed exterior doors we’ve used for the kitchen came from France, too. They work really well.

“We have taken a lot of time and trouble to get things right. I used Gumtree [classified ads website] to find a lot of things; the things which people throw away may be rubbish to them, but they are sometimes treasure to us. That way, I found some old chandeliers which we put up in the bedrooms.”

Luckily, the gracious old house is blessed with good proportions, which lend themselves to the furnishings chosen. “We ‘It was just such a have retained the original fealovely old house tures as much as we can, so The whole house has been we’ve kept the flagstone floors, painted in Farrow and Ball which had a the slate floors and the origipaints, with many subtle shades lot of potential nal fireplaces,” says Mark. of grey creating a calm and luxand just needed “We have modernised in a way, urious feel. though, to make it comfortable There is now very much a some TLC. I fell for our guests.”

French feel to this solid Corin love with it at The central heating system nish home, from the shutters runs off the Irish-made bright in some of the windows to the first sight’ red Stanley range cooker in the elegant curves of the sofas, and kitchen, which was in the house a wooden bateau lit bed in one of when the Jones arrived. “We the bedrooms. In keeping with wanted to keep the Stanley, so we had to come up the theme, Mark and fiona decided to install a with a colour scheme that would fit with the red,” French-style slipper bath in one of the luxury en explains Mark. “That is why we went for grey in suite bathrooms. the kitchen.”

Over the years, the Jones have done a lot of

[[

paint-stripping, taking layers of paint off the doors and restoring the lustre of the wood. They have found Briwax, a traditional wood polish that comes in 14 colours, perfect for the task.

They’ve also had the handsome front exterior of the house sandblasted to reveal the beauty of the stone beneath. The stonework has been repointed with sand from a quarry near Godrevy on the north coast of Cornwall.

“It has all been put back as it should be, back to what it was,” says Mark. “It is a lovely house and just has a lovely feel to it. That’s what everyone always comments on. This property just has such a lot of soul to it.”

Truck House, Aspects Holidays, www.aspects-holidays.co.uk, 01736 754242

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09/05/2017 13:33:06

GET THE

Orla Kiely cushion £42 Amara

LOOK

Smart ways to get the elegant yet understated look for your home

Frou Frou glass chandelier £120 The French Bedroom Company

Tub chair £129 Modern

fave!

Lambswool throw £140 Kelly Hoppen

Beacon Hill coffee table £699 Houseology

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09/05/2017 11:26:12

Ask Gracie...

Want to look your best this week? Our styling expert Gracie Stewart of Exeter can help you fulfil your fashion potential in every possible way. All you have to do is ask...

The long and the short

Red maxi dress £35 M&Co

Do you think petite girls can wear maxi

Q dresses or should we stick to shorter styles?

ZA, Bude I speak from experience here - unfortunately, we petite women have to deal with certain fashion challenges that our long legged friends don’t, and one of those is how to pull off a maxi without looking shorter than we already are! The good news is, it can be done - as long as you follow these three simple rules.

Watch your length: If you’re short, you should look for a maxi that falls somewhere between the ankle and the top of the foot. Any longer and you’ll be lifting the extra fabric off the ground all day and any shorter will cause you to look boxy.

Plunge neck maxi dress £45 Figleaves

Avoid patterns: If you want to look taller than you really are, you should opt for a solid colour, which will create a continuous line, helping to elongate your body.

Pay attention to your neckline: If you can, try opting for an interesting neckline that will help draw the eyes up. An open neckline that shows more skin will feel less overwhelming on a small frame.

Black and white maxi dress £116.99 Navabi

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04/05/2017 15:44:46

High hopes Q

things you can do when walking in heels is to put your whole foot down at once, as you would when wearing flats.

Instead, try to put your heel down first, followed by your toe.

Do you have any tips for walking in heels?

No matter how hard I try I still can’t seem to master the art. MS, Exeter

I firmly believe that high heels are a girl’s best friend. They can make you stand taller, look slimmer and give you an extra boost of confidence. But mastering the art of walking in them does take time and practice.

• Size matters: If your shoes are too big, your foot will slide around awkwardly. If they are too small, your foot will feel cramped, which will make walking a pain - literally and figuratively. Your foot size can actually change over time, especially after having children, so you should get your foot sized by a professional.

Laser cut heeled sandals • Practice makes £180 Littlewoods perfect: To help you strut your stuff confidently, try wearing your high heels around the house for a few hours a day. The more you wear them, the more comfy and easy they’ll be to walk in.

• Pace yourself: If you’ve never walked in heels before, you shouldn’t jump straight to five-inch stilettos.

Start with something smaller and work your way up or try wedges.

•

Crossover heels £25 Dorothy Perkins

Heel to toe: One of the worst

Gracie’s shopping list

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil £24 www.escentual.com The water-soluble oil cleanser contains a rich blend of rosemary leaf oil and hydrating olive oil, which removes make-up, dirt and excess oil without making skin feel greasy. An additional infusion of antioxidant vitamin E tackles the build-up of free radicals that can occur throughout the day.

Strappy heeled sandals £32 Very

Bobbi Brown brush cleaning spray £16 John Lewis

Keep it clean...

fave!

M.A.C Brush Cleanser £12 M.A.C Cosmetics

The Pro Hygiene Collection makeup brush cleaner £10 www.cultbeauty.co.uk

How often should I wash my

Q make-up brushes? JK, Bideford Make-up brushes are an essential part of every woman’s cosmetic kit, but after many uses they become caked with dust, dirt, oil, and dead skin cells. Which, in turn, makes them a breeding ground for bacteria.

Most experts agree that washing your brushes once a month is perfectly fine, although if you use a lot of heavy products on a daily basis I personally think you should give them a clean every couple of weeks.

Using a good quality brush cleanser, spritz the bristles enough so they are damp and then wipe them against a clean, soft towel that you don’t mind staining. Repeat the process until you see no residue on the towel. Reshape the hairs while they are still wet and leave the brushes hanging over the edge of a table to dry.

Floral jewellery roll £15 Accessorize Keep your favourite treasures stored in style with this floral jewellery roll.

With its inner zip compartments and popper tabs, this neat organiser is the perfect combination of pretty and practical.

Kiehl’s Olive Fruit Oil Deeply Repairative Hair Pak £29 John Lewis Formulated for dehydrated, undernourished and damaged hair, this nourishing masque provides intense conditioning, helping to repair weakened hair fibres by restoring its moisture content.

Got a style or beauty question? Email Gracie Stewart at westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk with the subject Ask Gracie

27

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04/05/2017 15:45:24

Floral swimsuit £32 Cotton Edits

Geo print bikini £48 Figleaves

Castaway striped swimsuit £119 Figleaves

Colourblock shaping swimsuit £50 Figleaves

Life’s a beach es, it’s that time already. Beach season is well and truly on its way. And this year, the good news is that your cossie doesn’t have to be a teeny-weeny bikini.

Far from it - one-pieces are everywhere and, with a whole host of design options available, including helpful shape-control swimwear, you’ll be able to find a swimsuit that you’ll love. We really like this crossover swimsuit from Seaspray, with a figure-flattering design and a great block colour, especially with a tan. Off to the beach we go!

Y

Tummy control swimsuit £45 Figleaves

Halterneck bikini top £14 Simply Be

Printed swimsuit £29.99 Bon Prix Bikini bottoms £10 Simply Be

28

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04/05/2017 15:27:36

Fashion

Crossover swimsuit £60 Seaspray

fave!

This colour would look great with a suntan, flipflops and shades Bikini top £28 High-waisted bikini bottoms £20 both Debenhams

Halterneck plunge swimsuit £77 Seaspray

29

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04/05/2017 15:28:14

Wellbeing

the boost

Life just got better. Our wellness guru Charlotte Dear has handpicked the latest health secrets and expert advice to help you be your best self, every day

Smart way to good skin Could your smart phone help your skin? A new app promises to demystify our skincare regimes and point us in the right direction for that healthy glow we all yearn for. The Skin Matters app showcases explanations for more than 2,000 common skincare ingredients and demonstrates why we should be avoiding certain toxic components. So if you struggle to get your skincare just right, you could just consult the beauty expert in your pocket. www.skin-matters.co.uk

Run for it If you prefer the great outdoors to the confines of a gym when it comes to jogging, Dartmoor Running Holidays are for you. With tailor-made packages to suit all abilities, Katie and Colin are on hand to help you hit that training goal, achieve a higher level of fitness or simply offer you a welcome break in this stunning National Park. www.dartmoorrunningholidays.co.uk

DIET ALERT! As more and more 18 to 24 year-olds aim towards a “clean eating” diet, scientists are concerned about how this trend could affect bone health later in life. Swapping processed foods for raw, unrefined produce often involves cutting out dairy, gluten and sugar altogether, so youngsters could be putting themselves at risk of developing osteoporosis. While a more natural diet is still a good idea, it’s important to ensure we’re still consuming all the essential components of a healthy diet.

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Do your bit for dementia Next week is Dementia Awareness Week and this year the Alzheimer’s Society is asking everyone across the UK to unite against dementia. Set to be the 21st century’s biggest killer, dementia is still widely misunderstood, which is why next week is all about raising awareness, offering help and understanding and improving care for those affected. Get involved by attending or hosting an event near you such as a pub quiz or coffee morning. www.alzheimers.org.uk

Write stuff Enjoy a week long screen break by attending the St Ives Literature Festival. Taking place all over the town from today until Saturday May 20, this inspiring event promises something for everyone and is an excellent excuse to switch off, look up, listen and allow your mind to drift freely into the vibrant world of poetry and literature.

The diverse line-up includes the St Ives Comedy Walk, Poetry and Music in the Square and Free Speech, an opportunity to share your own writing. www.stiveslitfest.info

What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates

@WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 31

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04/05/2017 14:44:32

Wellbeing

Are you sitting comfortably?

When you’re stuck in a chair, our expert has some wise advice movement in a poor posture. The small nerves and the muscles in our bodies are very sensitive to decreased blood supply. We can all relate to this in an extreme way when we’ve sat for too long in one position and our leg has gone to sleep until we move it around again. In a similar Physiotherapist way, this is what happens with ‘Many aches Sarah Moore sustained (immobile) postures. and pains are says: Over the Less blood gets to the muscles due to poor last century, and nerves -and they start to with the complain. posture or lack mechanisation So how do we combat of movement.

Or, of industry and this? Think PERMS…… even worse, lack farming, plus developments Posture, Ergonomics, Regular in the IT sector, the way we Movement and Stress. of movement in work has changed significantly, Posture: Make sure you have a poor posture’ becoming more office-based. a comfortable yet supportWe can end up sitting in one ive chair, ideally one which position virtually all day unless you can raise and lower. If we are careful – from breakfast it doesn’t have lumbar suptable to car, to office chair, dinner table followed ports in it, then a rolled up towel or flat cushion by sofa to relax in front of the TV. In short, in placed in the small of your back would suffice. the 21st century we have developed a much more Have regular eye tests – if you are struggling to sedentary lifestyle… and our bodies don’t like it! see the screen this will affect your posture.

Many aches and pains are due to poor posture Ergonomics: By this I mean your work station set or lack of movement. Or, even worse, lack of up. Ideally you should be able to sit with your I’ve started a new office-based job sitting at a desk for most of the day. I’ve noticed that I get intermittent back, neck and arm pains, somethingI hadn’t been troubled with before. What should I do about this?

LE, Camborne

Q

[[

feet flat on the floor and your hips/knees bent at right angles. Arms should rest comfortably on the desk and you should not have to reach for items on it. Screen height should be level with your eyes. Not all offices are perfectly set up, so have a look around yours and see if you can make small adaptations to the environment to improve staff posture.

Regular movement: The best way to combat general aches and pains. Every 20 minutes or so, look over your shoulders, lean back over your chair to stretch your upper back, and reach your arms up in the air. Offer to make the trip to the photocopier or get some water. Outside of work, try to do some regular physical activity too.

Stress: This can impact on our nervous systems making us more aware of our pain, as well as causing tension in the muscles which gives discomfort. Try to find ways to manage it both within and outside of work.

If these small changes don’t improve your symptoms, then seek the advice of a physiotherapist who specialises in musculoskeletal conditions or can do a work station assessment.

Sarah Moore runs Cathedral Physiotherapy in Exeter www.cathedralphysiotherapy.co.uk

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Food

SMALL BITES

Our pick of what’s on in the Westcountry food world right now

Scrambled or boiled?

To celebrate the start of the new goose egg season, Somerset free range egg producer and supplier, The Traditional Free Range Egg Company, has partnered with multi award-winning local chef, Brett Sutton of The White Post in Rimpton, to create a set of recipes for its supersized free range goose eggs. All of the recipes can be found online including our favourite, huevos rancheros, which is an amazing Mexican breakfast dish served with soft tortillas. www.thetraditionalfreerangeeggcompany.co.uk

Devon’s got a new restaurant The Vineyard Kitchen is a new restaurant which has opened at the Sharpham Estate, near Totnes. The alfresco café overlooks the River Dart and the menu has been designed by chef Chris Sherville. The menu draws on local produce - fresh fish, Devon’s finest beef, lamb, pork and shellfish. Chris also uses plenty of the produce Sharpham has to offer - they make award-winning wine and cheese. The Vineyard Kitchen is open six days a week for brunch and lunch during the summer months. www.sharpham.com

Local loveliness If you love delicious, locally produced food and a host of live music, the Kingsbridge Food and Music Festival is for you. The free event is organised by a small group of volunteers, driven by a desire to unite the local community and showcase the wonderful home-grown food and musical talent the region has on offer. Friday June 2 – Sunday June 4, Kingsbridge, Devon. www.kingsbridgefoodandmusic.org

Festival fun in St Ives This weekend is the St Ives food festival, with surely one of the most beautiful settings of any foodie event in the country - on the harbour and the town beach!

Enjoy the finest flavours and tastes that Cornwall has to offer, see top chefs giving cooking demonstrations and browse stalls from all sorts of interesting food and drink producers. There are all sorts of events today and tomorrow, from food foraging walks to oyster and champagne tastings, plus live music. www.stivesfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk

Got some foodie news? Let us know on westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 33

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Enjoy

Your stars

by Cassandra Nye This week’s sign:

Happy birthday to...

Zara Tindall

Known for being reliable, practical, ambitious and sensual, people born under the Zodiac sign of Taurus often have an eye for beauty. They also tend to be good with money, and can make efficient financial managers. Generous and dependable, Taureans will readily lend a helping hand to the family, friends and the needy. However, they can be stubborn, self-centred and even a bit lazy at times.

Born May 15, 1981

The Queen’s granddaughter turns 36 on Monday. She studied Physiotherapy at Exeter University and then went on to become World Champion eventerbetween 2006 and 2010. In 2006 she was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and her silver medal in the 2012 Olyumpics was presented by her mother, Princess Anne. Married to rugby player Mike Tindall, she has a daughter Mia, who is three. Sadly, Zara recently experienced a miscarriage - we hope happier times are ahead for her this year.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) The love that you have of being stimulated physically and mentally comes to a peak this week. Booking up for concerts or arranging barbecues gets the mood right. Lovers find silent and sensuous moments irresistible and often. Why would you want to do anything but enjoy yourself ? Planning something different for a holiday together brings the thrill of the unknown.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) If variety is the spice of life, then your life is spicy indeed this week. It is easy enough to fall into enjoyable moments, both planned and spontaneous. A partner shows a side that is fun and stimulating. Bring together friends you have not seen for some time.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) With a strong family theme to the week you will be getting in touch with them and your mates as well. What are you plotting? The one thing that always floats your boat - a good old get-together! No matter how large or small the gathering, you can really show your love for others. Just being yourself brings all the pleasure you could desire.

LEO (July 23 - August 23) Socially, this one of the best times of the year, Leo. At your charming best, there seems no limit to the smiles that you share.

Most of this fun is, of course, because the love of partying never wanes with you! Boundless energy helps, of course, but this week sees the chance of someone special shining along with you.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) There is so much going on at the moment that getting organised is first on your ‘to do’ list. Does everyone seem to be looking to you to get things moving? Nothing new there, then! Even so, get that list going and it will make life so much easier. Busy? Yes, but

even so, look after your health.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) In an artistic and sensuous week, Libra, you will want to share. Those who feel the need for human contact can also book in for a foot massage or give a close friend the job instead. Walking in the countryside is something that will always please and relax you and it’s free! You try to make your surroundings perfect with scents, colour and company.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) With a sharp mind and some ‘get up and go’, this week certainly keeps you busy!

As you so love solving problems, look around for folk to help and mysteries to intrigue.

Sometimes a challenge to keep enthusiastic, your partner will certainly do their best to keep up. Involving a loved one in some kind of adventure (maybe of the mind) makes you both happy.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) You can’t bear being bored, so this week could be a time to look for those exciting new interests. The ones that give the most stimulation are usually done alone. To make sure a loved one does not feel left out, why not arrange something special for them, too?

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) A fun-filled week can only be achieved if you let others do the work. Fed up with

always having to be the leader? Say so and challenge someone else to take the reins. The most fun is to be had with very little forward planning and a lot of imagination. Stay flexible when it comes to venue.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Always up for something new, this week proves no different. Gadgets and toys vie with some serious work to keep that all-important balance. No, you are not easily bored simply because you have such an active mind.

Even so, remember to stop and chat once in a while! Take a step sideways at the weekend and do something entirely different.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Choose your words carefully and make them count this week. Being determined to get what you need is only the beginning.

Showing that you will not swerve or change your path is really important. Yes, there are those who would take advantage of any hesitation. Younger relatives in particular could do with guidance.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) A truly happy Aries is one who has something exciting to look forward to. Being involved with others only serves to boost enthusiasm and determination.

Nobody could find you boring. Even so, romantic moments are often best in a quiet place with the right atmosphere. Planning ahead means that you can be more in control.

34

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04/05/2017 15:37:53

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09/05/2017 10:45:48

Cook

mitch tonks:

Grilled Fish with Caper and Avocado Butter Mitch says: It’s hard to go wrong with some delicious white fish simply grilled but I’ve added in a great healthy addition of avocado to this dish too. It is mixed in with butter and lemon and provides a perfect topping for a nice thick piece of white fish - it’s very versatile. Salting the fish first removes the moisture and allows you to keep it for longer, whereas “short-salting” like this for up to ten minutes firms up the flesh before cooking.

Serves: 2

You will need:

Method:

2 x 200g chunks of pollock/cod fillet 2 tbsp salt 1 ripe avocado Juice and zest of 1 lemon 50g soft butter 1 garlic clove, crushed Splash of Worcestershire sauce Splash of Tabasco 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped 1 tsp dill, chopped Sea salt Black pepper

1.

Pre-heat the grill to maximum.

2.

Cover the fish in salt and leave for ten minutes. Make the butter by mashing the avocado with the lemon juice and zest. Then mix in with the soft butter then add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco to taste, add the capers and dill then season.

3.

Brush the cod with a little melted butter then place under a hot grill for five minutes.

Remove, then spread some avocado butter over each piece and grill for a further minute or so. Serve with curly kale or purple sprouting broccoli.

FISH by Mitch Tonks, Pavilion, photography Chris Terry. Eat out at Mitch’s Seahorse and Rockfish restaurants: www.mitchtonks.co.uk 36

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Drink

Happy h ur with drinks expert April Marks

April says: There’s a Westcountry gin that everyone’s talking about right now. Made in Tintagel, it represents the South West perfectly. I first heard about it in the summer of last year but it was extremely hard to get hold of a bottle. I finally had the chance to try it just recently after getting in contact with the guys at The Wrecking Coast Distillery to say that I really wanted to try their Cornish Clotted Cream Gin. Yes, I did just write that – a gin produced with fresh clotted cream!

I was intrigued to discover how they work with

a product like cream. When distilling, the co-owners Avian Sandercock and Craig Penn explained how they faced a few challenges, as cream separ a t e s w h e n heated.

Their solution is a hand-blown glass still, built to their specification, that distils very slowly at low temperatures, ensuring a velvety luxurious texture while retaining the cream flavour.

That’s not the only clever bit of kit they’ve acquired - a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled still manufactured by a Dutch company is

Yes I did just write

that - a gin produced with clotted cream!

used to distil all the other botanicals, which include juniper (of course), camomile flower, cinnamon, cassia bark and seven others. Small batches of both are distilled and blended, then left to rest for a minimum of two weeks.

Finally, after months of waiting I got to try the gin. It didn’t disappoint. A very worthy product of the week (see below)!

April Marks is co-founder of Regency Wines Ltd Exeter @regencywinesuk

Product of the week

Gin and tonic cream tea Afternoons will never be the same again. Freshly baked scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam – served with a glass of clotted cream gin and tonic garnished with strawberries! Amelia’s Pantry at Cofton Country Holidays in Starcross are serving this for £9.95 - definitely on this summer’s bucket list for me.

The Wrecking Coast Cornish Clotted Cream Gin

A must-try gin. The clotted cream contributes aromas of vanilla and butterscotch as well as a rich texture.

Warming spices soon take over, especially cinnamon and ginger which then give way to a smooth creaminess on the finish.

I suggest serving it with Fever Tree Indian tonic, strawberries and black pepper.

Available at Darts Farm in Topsham, Cofton Country Holidays in Starcross, Hidden Olive in Plymouth, French Lieutenant’s Bistro in Lyme Regis, Padbrook Park in Cullompton and The Phoenix in Chudleigh.

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08/05/2017 12:55:47

Drink

Darren Norbury

talks beer Beer of the week It’s one from upcountry this week – Nottingham, to be precise – but Black Iris Brewery’s Mother’s Ruin (7% ABV) is an IPA of immense beauty, infused with juniper berries. Yes, it’s essentially an IPA/gin hybrid, which ticks a lot of boxes for me. Well, two jolly nice boxes.

Nice gesture We were able to enjoy some pints of Skinner’s beer at very reasonable prices when the Cornwall CAMRA AGM was held in the brewery’s bar. But as if that gesture wasn’t enough, the company has now donated those bar takings back to the campaign. Cheers, guys!

t’s a sunny Wednesday morning and hop merchants and they do the best they can I’ve arrived early in Bude. Time to to get something similar.” grab some breakfast and have a sit With salesman Thomas Rooke looking after in the sun at Crooklets Beach before accounts as far afield at Clackmannanshire it gets too crowded. I’m here to visit and Leeds, you get the impression Bude BrewBude Brewery but, in common with most such opery is finally starting to flex its muscles on the erations these days, it’s on an industrial estate on national brewing scene. There’s more, though. the edge of town. It’s not chic - but then it doesn’t The reason that Bude range is so traditional have to be. is that this leaves space for Kreft – the comToday, Black Rock Porter is being created by pany’s new craft brewing venture. Kreft has lead brewer Liam Cook. Liam’s part of a small its own one-barrel plant and launched with team which has been in place a tap takeover at Bude’s since a change of ownership North Coast Wine venue and direction at the brewery this week. Recipes include last summer. This beer was the a raspberry milk stout and With accounts one which convinced me somea Baltic porter. as far afield at thing good was happening up You’ll find the Bude Clackmannanhere, close to the Devon border. beers in cask and bottle Having started out on the – when I was visiting, asshire and Leeds, dray – as a delivery man – with sistant brewer Thomas Bude Brewery Greene King, Oxfordshire-born Westlake was hand bottling Liam joined that great apprenand packing, with a pallet is flexing its ticeship scheme which is the of beer ready to go to pubs muscles on the Sharp’s brewing team, at Rock, in Guernsey. The brewery national brewing before coming to steer Bude in a also has a mobile canning new direction. unit which will be up and scene Telling me he has essentially running soon, although taken the old Bude recipes apart some trials of Porthbud and started again, he says: “I (the old Cornish name for want to brew all sorts of beer. But I want to stay Bude) pale ale have been undertaken and are true to our traditional values, with a modern tasting very promising. twist.”

If you haven’t tried a Bude beer for a while, So, for instance, with Pendeen American Pale they’re well worth revisiting now. Look out for (4.4% ABV) there is a hop list of four US varieties, the brews in a bar or shop near you, or drop but these vary each year. It’s as much about testinto the brewery, on the King’s Hill Industrial ing Liam’s originality in using new varieties as it Estate, where there are also guest bottled beers is about securing certain hops when there’s somefrom the likes of Castle Rock and Nethergate. thing of a global shortage. Liam says hop supply Darren Norbury is editor of can be challenging. “But we work closely with our beertoday.co.uk @beertoday

I

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Enjoy

culture vulture Our pick of the most interesting and exciting things to see and do right now in the South West Tea with the tigers If you’d like to see the animals of Paignton Zoo in a different way, the zoo now offers the chance to visit after hours. You’ll get to watch animals such as lions and tigers at their evening feeding time, meet their keepers and listen to a range of informative presentations while enjoying a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Wednesday May 24, 7pm – 9pm, tickets from £22 01803 697500 www.paigntonzoo.org.uk

Get inspired by this amazing woman!

A week of sheer drama The Plymouth Fringe Festival is returning this May half-term for a week-long celebration of theatre, dance and live performance. The third year of this drama festival will feature some of the most exciting theatre companies from across the UK as well as the very best in home-grown talent from the South West. Perfomances include the black comedy Siren by Over The Limit (pictured). The festival runs from Monday May 29 – Saturday June 3. Venues include the Theatre Royal Plymouth and the Barbican Theatre as well as some really rather different performance spaces. www.plymouthfringe.com

Beth French is the Somerset swimmer who is attempting to swim all Oceans 7 long distance channels in a single year. Beth, who trains in the sea in east Devon, has swum from Northern Ireland to Scotland (22 miles) and swum 26 miles in Hawaii - as well as between the north and south islands of New Zealand! To raise funds to complete her epic quest, Beth - who is a lot of fun - is holding a gala dinner of good food and live music to hear first-hand how Beth’s aweinspiring challenge is unfolding. Saturday June 3, The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. Tickets from £40. www.bethfrench.co.uk 39

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Older and wiser Think you can ditch the strength training once you're over 65?

Eddy Diget, 72, Britain's oldest personal trainer, says we all need to know the importance of keeping strong he importance of exercise is never out of the spotlight, with 150 minutes a week of moderate activity, like walking, often cited as the ideal. But how many of us are doing regular strength training as well?

A new survey by DW Sports found that 40% of over-65s do no strength exercise at all, while only just over half (56%) were doing the NHS recommended two sessions a week, giving major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) a boost.

What are strength exercises? Basically, it's exercises aimed at supporting, maintaining and improving strength - as opposed to, say, an aerobic or cardio activity, that's all about getting the lungs and heart working.

It doesn't have to mean lifting weights or

T

pumping iron in the gym, though. In the same way something as simple as going for a walk can

'Working with weights helps posture, strength, balance and joints' count as a workout, older people can find accessible and creative ways to work on strength too - such as digging or shovelling in the garden, activities like doing steps up and down on the first step of the stairs, jumping and dancing, carrying

shopping bags, or joining a yoga class. Of course, you could even do some push-ups and sit-ups on the carpet if you're able to.

Remember to check with your healthcare professional before embarking on any new exercise regime, and if you have health conditions that might be aggravated by certain activities - or make them harder - seek advice for how you can find suitable ways to build strength.

Why is strength exercise important?

Maintaining your strength as you get older is actually very important. The main reason is to avoid musculoskeletal conditions, such as osteoarthritis, and back, knee and hip pain, which are among the leading causes of pain and disability.

Britain's oldest personal trainer, Eddy Diget, 72, is an advocate of strength training for the

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older generation, especially for women.

"In my opinion, females aged 50-plus are most vulnerable to musculoskeletal conditions. They lose calcium in their bones and their joints become dry through lack of lubrication as they get older. This can give rise to various bone and joint problems, as they do not have much muscle density," he explains.

"If they fall, they are more prone to break a bone. Even more common is splintering of the bone, not unlike a glass breaking on a solid floor - it's very hard to repair and this can have devastating effects on the individual and/or family.

"Because of this lack of muscle density, the joints become 'sloppy' as the ligaments and tendons lose their elasticity and the bones/joints become unstable as age progresses, just like the elastic in a bra will go first, not 'holding' nor fitting correctly!

"But regular strength exercise will keep the muscles tight and joints lubricated, improving posture, flexibility, fitness and health, as it tightens these important elements within the body.

"Men, on the other hand, tend to already have muscle density, and because of this, they do have stronger muscles, ligaments and tendons to hold

the bones in check and help their flexibility, minimalising the risk of broken bones if they fall."

Also, in men, the presence of testosterone promotes generation of the myosin, a protein that plays a part in joint and muscle lubrication.

But that doesn't mean older men can take their strength for granted.

"Working with weights for both male or female, no matter what age, causes muscles to contract and expand, and will go a long way in avoiding loss of calcium, posture, strength, balance, and joint or bone problems," notes Eddy. So, what are you waiting for?

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08/05/2017 16:27:05

A life on my own Grief doesn’t get better - but it does ‘get different’. Actress and writer Nanette Newman talks to Hannah Stephenson about life after loss t’s four years since the death of Nanette Newman’s husband Bryan Forbes, but the pain of his loss still lingers for the veteran actress.

Their marriage was one of the most famous and enduring in showbiz, and Nanette nursed him to the end.

“People always say, ‘Is it getting better?’ Bryan has been dead for four years in May - it never gets better, it just gets different,” says Nanette, 82, star of 1960s British screen classics such as Raging Moon, The L-Shaped Room and Seance On A Wet Afternoon, and the Fairy Liquid adverts of the Seventies and Eighties.

She acted in nine films directed by her husband, including the 1975 version of The Stepford Wives and International Velvet, and has written more than 30 books, the latest of which is her new volume, The Importance Of Being Ernest The Earwig.

Just recently, Nanette sold the Surrey family home the couple shared for 50 years which, she says, was a terrible wrench. “But my life has changed. Moving was a good thing, because I was becoming like Miss Havisham, wandering from room to room with cobwebs in my hair. Now I have a different house and I love it. You suddenly have to make a life on your own.”

Just 17 when she met Bryan, Nanette was studying as an actress and got sent along for a job on a forgettable B-movie Wheel Of Fate, in which Bryan Forbes was starring. Bryan and Nanette married a few months later and had two daughters, TV presenter Emma Forbes and journalist Sarah Standing. Their marriage lasted 58 years.

I

Nanette with husband Bryan Forbes in 2006

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[[

Nanette with Bryan and their daughters Emma and Sarah as Bryan collected his CBE in 2004

‘My daughters were amazing.

The three of us were with him right up to the moment he closed his eyes for the last time’

Bryan, an actor, director and screenwriter, had it written into his film contracts that if he was away for more than two weeks, his wife would go out to join him.

“We lived and worked in a profession where you could have such long separations, which Bryan often did. When he went off to make The Madwoman Of Chaillot with Kate Hepburn in the South of France, he was going to be there about nine months. I upped the children and they went to school out there, so we could all be together,” Nanette recalls.

“We tried not to be separated endlessly, which was always a danger in this business, and we didn’t want the children to grow up not being with their parents. We went to live in Hollywood for nearly a year, we spent time in Spain. We went wherever we were working.

“Our profession is full of temptation because you are usually working with very interesting, attractive people and you are away from home.

But there are happy [showbiz] marriages. Look at Mike and Shakira [Caine]. They are divinely happy, but you only ever hear about the marriages that go wrong.”

Every wall in Newman’s work room, where she writes, is crammed with photographs, sculptures and paintings - she’s a keen artist.

She certainly hasn’t given up on life.

“You don’t want to sit down, become morose and feel like it’s the end of your life, but on the other hand, there are days when you feel like

that.

“There were days when I felt so low and missed Bryan so desperately.

If you’ve been married that long, been in love with each other and you’ve had a great marriage, you’ve lost not only a great husband and the person that knows everything about you, you’ve lost your greatest friend. It’s an indescribable thing. There’s no remedy.

“The important thing is to keep working and to find something that occupies you. You need distraction and things to look forward to.”

Her wider family has been tremendously supportive, she adds. She has four grandchildren and a great-grandson called Huck, aged three.

“My family has got me through the really bad times. I’ve been really lucky. My daughters were amazing. The three of us were with him right up to the moment he closed his eyes for the last time.

“Now, I can sit at Bryan’s desk. I love that. I can see pictures we chose together or paintings Bryan bought me as a present. I sense the happy times.”

The Importance Of Being Ernest The Earwig by Nanette Newman (illustrated by Lindsay Branagh) Templar, £6.99.

Nanette in the film Raging Moon

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Summerleaze Beach at Bude

Bayards Cove, Dartmouth

My favourite:

My Secret Westcountry

Walk: I’m walking the whole of the South West Coast Path in chunks - most recently Minehead to Bude. It’s an amazing experience and the perfect way to enjoy the stunning coast that we’re blessed with here in the Westcountry.

Beach: We are fortunate to have the most amaz-

Mark Godfrey Mark Godfrey, 44, is managing director of the Deer Park Country House Hotel in east Devon. He lives with his partner Sharon near Dartmouth in south Devon. They have a West Highland terrier, Hugo.

ing beaches, aren’t we? Our dog Hugo particularly loves charging round the beaches at Bantham and Burgh Island – he turns into a mad mutt.

Dogs are allowed all year round on the beach next to the estuary.

Event: Getting along to the Ottery St Mary Food and Families Festival (on June 3 this year) is a must. The Deer Park is a sponsor and our chefs get involved in cookery demos. It’s a lovely local event, well supported by the community.

Weekend: If

we get the chance, Sharon and I

like to hire a VW Campervan and drive to Dulverton on Exmoor. There are some unbeatable walks in the Barle Valley.

Place to eat: The Anchorstone Café at Dittisham is relaxed, informal and looks right over the River Dart. It’s a proper seafood fest in the summer, and I can’t get enough of the fresh local crab they serve.

View: Close to home for me, the view from Bayards Cove – Dartmouth’s only wharf - out to the mouth of the River Dart is hard to beat.

Icon:

I have a lot of time for Karim Hassan, chief executive of Exeter City Council. What he’s achieved for the city is simply amazing.

Drink: In my mind, you can’t beat a Thatchers Gold! It’s crafted in Somerset, is so refreshing and has a real Westcountry taste. It’s a perk to have a pint with the hotel’s garden team in our

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People

Bantham Beach and Burgh Island

Fred pla

The Pilchard Inn

The Ottery St Mary Food & Families Festival

kitchen garden on a Friday – just perfect.

Pub: The Pilchard Inn at Burgh Island is a great stop-off for a pint when we’ve been walking Hugo on the beach. There are plenty of seats and benches outside on a summer’s day to enjoy the view.

Secret place: It’s a real pleasure to sneak in a visit to Beer in east Devon. It’s still got the feel of a traditional Devon fishing village – the place that everyone thinks of when you talk about living in Devon. I love the fact that you can buy fresh fish right next to the beach.

Special treat: You’ll find me kayaking along the River Dart from Dartmouth to Totnes on a warm summer evening, past Agatha Christie’s house at Greenway.

Greenway, former home of Agatha Christie 45

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My life

CHRIS MCGUIRE

Silence is golden Chris McGuire really wishes everyone would just pipe down a bit

“

he jury,” he announced, tucking a 3: Being loud is not synonymous with having napkin under his second chin, “was a ‘big personality’, by which we usually mean impressed. Any fool could see that.” interesting and fun. Being loud is a sign of noth“Yes dear,” came an almost inauing more than being loud. Empty vessels and all dible reply. that…

“It was like shooting fish in a barrel… which I’d love to say that our romantic evening was is ironic.” the only one ever to be destroyed by others’ Since our son Sam’s arrival, his mum and I high volume territory marking. But far from it. don’t get out much (by “much” I It’s a regular occurrence – an mean “not at all”). So slipping out aspect of life the media has of the house, for a precious hour or never caught up with.

First, if you are two, to enjoy a nice romantic meal You never see a romana loud person was a lovely thing. Or, at least, it tic moment in a movie reading this, should have been – until we found ruined by a man ourselves sharing a tiny restaucalled Kevin boomplease, for rant with a bellowing Bristolian ing about the HP areveryone’s sake, Perry Mason. With his foghornrangement he’s set like voice, any attempt at romance, up on his new Ford do so in your or even conversation went out of Focus. Poirot was head. Ah… that’s the window. never stopped in a better already “Waiter, I don’t like anything on pivotal summing the menu,” Perry boomed, causup speech due to ing a symphony of rattling cutlery. his words being “Bring the chef out here and we’ll drowned out rustle up an idea together. Chef ! Chef ! I’d like a by the fella next door who’d chat!” bought himself a band saw Yes, this week, I’ve reconfirmed my suspicion to do a bit of carpentry. loud people are (officially) the bane of my life.

Bridget Jones never lost First, if you are a loud person reading this, beauty sleep because a please, for everyone’s sake, do so in your head. neighbour sits in their Ah… that’s better already. car and conducts business As a self-appointed representative of the (uncalls (on speaker phone) heard) quiet majority here are a few points that I outside her window at six feel are pertinent: am: “If I buy seven gross of 1: Being quiet (or quieter) is not a passive actoilet rolls, will you throw tivity. By which I mean I am not quiet simply bein the (paper) towel?” cause I have forgotten to be loud. Far from it. I I’m aware that most people am being quiet because I enjoy silence and the aren’t even aware they’re serenity that comes with it. doing this. Self-awareness and 2: I am not being quiet in order to blend in – to being loud aren’t traits that are fade into the wallpaper. My quietness is nothing usually found together. As such, to do with any third party, it’s a state I enjoy indethis is a fight I’ll never win, I might pendently of others. I am, believe it or not, a very as well scream at the wind. It doesn’t confident person. stop my frustration though.

T

[[

I did, however, come up with a solution, it’s far from perfect, but it might work – for me, at least.

I’ve decided to become hugely loud myself. That way I can control the arrival of blissful silence.

As the loudest person in a room, serenity will arrive any time I decide to shut up.

Genius - or what?

Chris McGuire is a writer and new dad. Can you guess his favourite Simon & Garfunkel track? @McGuireski

NEXT WEEK: Phil Goodwin on life, love and fatherhood in the Westcountry 46

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