West Magazine, October 22 2016 by DCMedia

22.10.16

Ready for a

GOOD

YARN?

Celebrating all things wool - pg 16

WIN! £160 spa day in Cornwall

Rescuing a wreck ‘Now it is a dream home’

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18/10/2016 13:33:31

‘I remember sitting in agony waiting for food in restaurants, while my father corrected the menus with red pen’ Gillian Molesworth on the perils of good grammar, p8

GEORGIAN SPLENDOUR Rescuing a wreck in south Devon

‘I’LL SEE YOU IN COURT!’ What Emma Thompson did next

[contents[ Inside this week... 6

THE WISHLIST Our pick of the best treats this week

JUST BETWEEN US... Sh! Thandie Newton tells it like it is

ON THE CREST OF A WAVE Cornwall’s champion wavesailor

TRUE COLOURS The smart way to steal Kate’s style

A TASTE OF THE WEST Award-winning recipes to try at home

A STITCH IN TIME Getting crafty in Totnes

GEORGIAN SPLENDOUR Rescuing a wreck in south Devon

JUST ASK GRACIE Our style guru solves your problems

MAKING A STATEMENT Jewellery that’s got something to say

BOOST YOUR WELLBEING Great ways to feel your best this week

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

HELLO, HALLOWEEN Fun things to do this October 31

BALLET AND THE BARD The Tempest in tutus at Theatre Royal

A TIGHT SQUEEZE Chris McGuire wears Lycra. Well, sort of...

TIME TO GET FRESH How to boost your wellbeing this week

BALLET AND THE BARD

Transforming Shakespeare in Plymouth

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Erika Knight comes to Totnes

[ welcome [

People

Made with Love

stylish alex and ali Cooke sell beautiful store homewares in their tell anna in south devon. they key to their turns why ethics are

What will you get up to this autumn?

business plan

inspired rom humble beginnings by their first round-the-world 2001, husband trip together in and Ali Cooke and wife team Alex business sellnow run a national world from all around the ing artisan products Lewis and Selfridges. to the likes of John their couple also opened A year ago, the a lifeinto face-to-face retail, own first venture in south just outside Totnes to style store based couple are on a mission Devon. And now the sellof their brand by uplift public awareness to become a housewant ing online too: “We Alex, 39. hold name,” explains 40, are her husband Ali, But while she and to a real sense of trying aiming high, there’s same time. enjoy the ride at the deli(with and part café Part showroom in by The Curator Café cious coffee supplied barns in HarbertonTotnes), the converted with an eclectic mix brim ford are filled to the furniture and original of one-off reclaimed handmade products. Ali and Alex’s eyes Anything that catches its way back to Devon to on their travels finds From old trunks on a shipping container. mention to not it all here, fire pits you’ll find freesuch as a massive quirkier one-off items been which had previously standing metal fan

CRAFTY LADY

of the week @nkukulife

A lovely write up on our ethical values and story behind the brand. Thank you @WMNWest @AnnaTurns

his time of year sees me first tailing off, then abandoning completely, my ventures into the sea. Even with a wetsuit, it’s too cold for me to contemplate now until things warm up again next summer. It’s just as well that Sarah Hilder from Saltash is made of (much) sterner stuff. She is heading west into Cornwall next weekend to see if she can become Britain’s top wavesailor when the UK Wave Tour stops off at Gwithian and Marazion beaches. Wavesailing, by the way, is windsurfing - but in huge surf. It’s dramatic, dangerous and very spectacular to watch. Read all about Sarah’s story in Nicola

[

Smith’s beautifully-written interview with her on page 12 today. After that, you might well feel like doing something a tiny bit cosier, so Stitch Fest South West could be right up your street. Founded by two craftobsessed friends from south Devon, this exciting new festival takes place on November 5-6 in Totnes, with everything you could possibly want for all things wool, including workshops with the renowned knitter Erika Knight. Erika is coming specially down to the South West from Brighton to inspire us - I can’t wait. Find out more on page 16 and maybe see you there.

[

Look out for workshops with the fabulous knitter Erika Knight

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

Becky Sheaves, Editor

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

COVER IMAGE: Steve Haywood

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 pay a visit Fistral Beach Hotel? Set on a clifftop, the hotel overlooks the famous Fistral Beach in Newquay. For the energetic, beautiful walks and world class surf are right on the doorstep For those looking to unwind completely, the spa has the essential ingredients for relaxation. We recommend the Essential Fistral treatment, which includes a blissful full body massage followed by luxury ESPA facial. Linger a while afterwards in the heated pool before towelling off and heading to the restaurant for an afternoon tea to remember. Bliss. www.fistralbeachhotel.co.uk

Win

Fistral Beach Hotel have an Essential Fistral treatment and afternoon tea for two to give away, to the value of ÂŁ160. To win, tell us in which town you can find this hotel. Send your answer, plus full contact details to: Fistral Beach competition, westmag@ westernmorningnews.co.uk to arrive by November 4. Alternatively, you can post your entry to: Fistral Beach competition, West magazine, Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House, Little Queen Street, Exeter, EX4 3LJ. Normal terms apply, West magazine will not share your details. 5

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Gaucho field chair £675 Houseology

Nautical flats £14.99 Deichmann

Retro tulip vase £25 House of Fraser

the

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

Elephant trinket plate £10 The Great Gift Company

Eclipse yellow mirror £178 A Splash of Colour

Autumn Birds mug £2.49 HomeSense

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Wishlist

GROOVY Tom Dixon ‘Melt’ pendant light-shade £600 Amos Lighting, Exeter

AUTUMN

Tassel belt hat

Colour-block check scarf £15 Very

£35 Oliver Bonas

Store we adore...

Sparkly dress £85 Topshop

STORE WE ADORE: Colourfence Cornwall Is your fence looking a little shabby? Now is the time to take action with a smart fence in a range of cool colours, built to last and installed by the wonderful team at Colourfence Cornwall. They provide storm-proof fencing, that looks great, needs no

painting and requires little to no annual maintenance. What’s more their fences are guaranteed for 25 years and in wind gusts up to 130 mph. For more information visit www. colourfencecornwall.co.uk or call 01840 537 547. 7

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talking points Gillian Molesworth

Story of my life... Grammar: that’s where it’s at

rammar police have a tough row to hoe. The world is out to get you when you care about punctuation and correct usage. I flinch every time I see a misplaced apostrophe, which is most days. Just for the record: you use an apostrophe largely in two situations. The first is to show POSSESSION, as in Sophie’s car that you’re not supposed to end a or Freddy’s hairstyle. The second sentence with a preposition (e.g. is to show CONTRACTION of before, with, by, on, in, about). two words and indicate missing This reminds me of a birthday letters: don’t, couldn’t, we’ve. card my sister once received: Virtuosos can even show off with “Happy birthday to someone out a double contraction: wouldn’t’ve. with whom I like to hang”. Apostrophes will also help Did you know that the singular distinguish abbreviations that “they” was named the 2016 Word would otherwise look odd: bcc’d, of the Year by the American Diafor instance, or p’s and q’s. lect Society? It’s true. A landslide When you must RESIST using vote by more than 200 linguists an apostrophe is clinched it. People for your standuse singular “they” ard plural noun. in place of “his I remember Apostrophes or her”, which is have NO PLACE technically correct, sitting in agony in words like tobut sounds cumberwaiting for food matoe’s, pasty’s, some. “Everyone Christmas wants their child in restaurants, party’s. (Unless to do well,” should while my father of course they technically be: corrected the show possession: “Everyone wants “The Christmas his or her child to menus with party’s drunk do well.” Now, howred pen guests were esever, gender-neutral corted outside by “their” is perfectly the manager.”) acceptable. Hoorah! Self-appointed grammar There’s even a motion to policemen and women have free the dangling preposition: the unpleasant task of pointlexicographer Catherine Soanes ing out where other people go says: “Once you start moving wrong, which never inspires a the prepositions to their supwarm fuzzy feeling. I remember posed ‘correct’ positions you find sitting in agony waiting for food yourself with very stilted or even in restaurants, while my father impossible sentences.... please corrected the menus with the feel free to go and end a sentence red pen he carried in his breast with a preposition!” So it seems pocket. we grammar police are having Sometimes, using correct our jobs made easier. I’m going grammar makes you sound like to focus my fire on an apostrophe a prig. For instance, we’re taught crackdown. So: watch out!

Gillian Molesworth is a journalist and mum-of-two who grew up in the USA and moved to north Cornwall when she met her husband.

RED, WHITE

and new

For the second day of the royal visit to Canada, the Duchess of Cambridge chose a striking embroidered £4,000 dress from Alexander McQueen. The dress (in the colours of the Canadian flag) is a modified version of a design from the Spring/Summer 2017 Resort Collection and really suits her slender frame. If you’re looking for something in a similar colourway but without the hefty price tag, try one of these high street options we’ve tracked down. Applique dress £69.99 Lipsy

steal her

style

OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN

OPTION A Pretty Floral dress £59 JD Williams

OPTION B Tropical

Palm print dress £59 JD Williams

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22.10.16

‘SEE YOU IN COURT!’ EMMA THOMPSON is visiting one of the UK’s most famous court complexes in preparation to play the role of a High Court judge. Emma is starring in the film of Ian McEwan’s novel, The Children Act and was spotted at the Royal Courts of Justice in London - where High Court judges are based - this month. “I’m playing the role of the judge in the film. I’m just here doing a bit of research,” she explained. The Children Act is about a High Court judge who specialises in family cases and has to decide whether a 17-year-old Jehovah’s Witness should

Just

between us Gossip, news, trend setters and more – you

have medical treatment against his wishes. Emma and her husband, the actor Greg Wise, have a daughter Gaia and adopted son Tindyebwa.

[[ ‘I’m 80 years old and still music mad’

MICHAEL’S ROCKING ON The founder of the Glastonbury Festival has revealed he was punished for listening to pop music while at boarding school. As a nine-year-old boy, MICHAEL EAVIS would secretly tune his crystal set into Radio Luxembourg and listen under his pillow in the school dormitory - until he was rumbled. “One night the housemaster caught

me and I was punished but I was crazy about popular music. I still am crazy about it,” he said. The 80-year-old was a boarder at Wells Cathedral School in Somerset. Things have changed, however – Michael recently opened the school’s new state-of-the-art music venue, named in his honour. They are all listening to music now!

heard all the latest juicy stuff here first!

THANDIE: I LOVE MY NEW JOB THANDIE NEWTON has revealed she considered retiring from acting before she landed her role in the new drama Westworld. The Bafta-winning star, who grew up in Penzance, said she was concerned she was not making a “contribution to the world” but struggled to find another career which would cover the cost of her family’s lifestyle. Thandie, 43, said her role as brothel madam Maeve Millay on Westworld has now allowed her to challenge the “objectification of women”. “I almost got to the point where I kind of wanted to retire - no really - and do something else but it’s hard to find something else like this that’s going to give you money for the rent and for the school fees. It’s tough. “In terms of satisfying a good contribution to the world, it’s difficult. Until Westworld. “Westworld, every day, I’m contributing not only to making the world better but also healing bits of me that have been affected as a woman, of colour.”

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Harvest: Fletcher, aged four, enjoyed Kehelland Apple Day near Camborne

Super chic: Plymouth fashion label ID Fashion held a catwalk show at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royal William Yard

in pictures Go for it: Matt Evans of the Cornish Pirates runs for the try line against Yorkshire Carnegie True love: Roy and Mary Pook of Plymouth are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary

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talking points A HISTORY

of the

WEST in

100

objects The best way to:

ENJOY HALLOWEEN Suzanne Barrett rounds up the best ways to have fun with all things pumpkin-related this October • Fright nights: The BIG Sheep’s annual Halloween Festival is a fun day out for families. From pumpkin carving workshops to Witches Flying School, there is a wide range of activities on offer for you and your children. Their Fright Nights offer a slightly more terrifying Halloween experience for adults, with live band and hog-roasts. This festival, in Bideford, will be running on October 29-31. Prices from £13.95 (adults), £6 for children. www. thebigsheep.co.uk • Creepy creatures: Newquay Zoo has organised a week full of activities including ghost hunts, face painting and encounters with some of their creepiest animals. This trip is suitable for all ages, so if you and your children think you can brave this experience, tickets range from £10.20 for children to £13.60 for adults. www.newquayzoo.org.uk • Spooky surprises: Devon’s adventure park Crealy, near Exeter, has put together a week of spooky activities to enjoy as a family during half term. The guests will be led through the Creaky Hotel, an interactive experience guaranteeing some frightening surprises, plus there is pumpkin carving, Halloween-themed live shows and a chance to meet the fearsome Treehouse Trolls. Tickets can be booked online from £11.16 (children) and £15.16 (adults). www.crealy.co.uk • Ghost stories: Join in with some spine-chilling activities this Hallowe’en at the National Trust’s Godolphin House near Helston. Learn gruesome and spooky facts about bats on a hallowe’en trail, get a scary face paint or venture into the undercroft to listen to spooky ghost stories. This event is free but normal admission charges apply for the venue. Halloween Happenings runs from October 22-31 at Godolphin House, Helston, for more details visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk

17: CARROT AMPHORA Found near South Gate, Exeter, about AD 55–75 Julien Parsons is the Senior Collections Officer, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter. He says: In response to your first question: no, it did not contain carrots. The name comes from the distinctive shape of this pottery storage vessel. The almost complete amphora was found in 1974 at Holloway Street, Exeter, outside of the city’s Roman fortress. Similar examples of carrot amphorae have been found across the Roman Empire, usually near military sites dated to the first century. The pointed shape may seem a little odd to us, but it proved highly effective in transporting food and drink in ships’ hulls, either stacked horizontally or stood upright in racks. The soldiers of the Second Augustan legion stationed at Isca (Exeter) were clearly well catered for. Excavations in the city have revealed fine pottery, glassware and amphorae which suggest all sorts of imported foodstuffs arrived there from Italy, Spain, France, the Rhineland and even as far as the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey is the likely origin for the carrot

amphora, which probably held dates or prunes. We may think of globalisation as a recent phenomenon. But the evidence shows us that in the South West – at the outer edge of the Roman Empire – soldiers and camp followers enjoyed similar luxuries to their comrades in Rome, Alexandria or Antioch. Who knows, perhaps the indigenous Britons even developed a taste for the new delicacies, too.

#17

On display in Gallery 3, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter www.rammuseum.org.uk

No, it didn’t contain carrots!

Competition winner: Congratulations to Sheila Russell from Colyton who wins a lunch for four at Tickety-Boo in Ottery St Mary worth £60, with thanks to Tickety-Boo Cafe www.tickety-boo.ltd

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Sarah Hilder is a rising star in the exhilarating sport of wavesailing. She has high hopes for her next challenge - which takes place next week in Cornwall, as she tells Nicola Smith

arah Hilder must be one of the few people looking forward to the wild storms that often sweep across the Westcountry from the Atlantic in October and Novem-

ber. “The British autumn is normally the best time of year for wavesailing as the wind really picks up. It’s great when the high winds and swell head our way,” she tells me. It is little wonder that the 29-year-old from Saltash doesn’t mind being buffeted by gales. She currently ranks tenth in the world in the sport of wavesailing which, to the uninitiated, is basically windsurfing over waves. Sarah is also currently leading the British Tour, having won the first of four events at Rhosneigr in Wales in May. When the third event, The Cornwall Wave Classic, takes place in Cornwall on October 28 she hopes to still be in pole position. “I’m aiming to win the British Tour this

year. I haven’t won the overall tour since 2011 because I haven’t managed to attend all the events but so far so good, and competing in Cornwall will be home from home.” Sarah’s passion began as a hobby on family holidays. “I began sailing and windsurfing when I was 16 and immediately loved it. I ended up giving up sailing and concentrating on windsurfing.” When she was 18 Sarah joined the British Army on a Gap Year Commission, a scheme which has since been discontinued. Her physical prowess was already in evidence. “I went through a selection process and about 40 of us were chosen. We effectively did the Territorial Army (TA) training and then got split into different regiments. I spent a year in Germany. It was brilliant - we got to do all sorts of sport and spent a lot of time on fitness.” It was while she was in Germany that Sarah began competing for the Army in windsurfing events, racing in Holland and in Britain,

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People

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MAIN PICTURE & ABOVE: JOHN CARTER FAR LEFT: COL LEONHARDT

although she is modest about her early talent. “There weren’t that many females to pick from when the Army was selecting its windsurfing teams for events so I think I was more of a default option.” But the thrill of competing cemented windsurfing as a priority in her life and played a huge part in her decision to go on and study at Southampton University. “I knew they had a good windsurfing association and obviously it was by the sea but my engineering course was a deciding factor too,” she laughs. Sarah studied aeronautics and astronautics but any spare time was spent on the water. “It was great fun. We went on weekend trips all over the UK competing in wave events and freestyle events, and it was a great opportunity to socialise with students from other universities.” It was the first time that she realised she had quite a talent. “I started winning a few student windsurfing competitions at Uni and realised I had a flair for it. I was also around other people who shared my passion for the sport and were just as committed. It gave me even more drive to do it every weekend.” It was while she was at Southampton University that she also discovered wavesailing, moving from windsurfing on flat water - or freestyling - to riding the waves. “I definitely prefer wavesailing now. Freestyle is very much about trying a trick again and again and crashing again and again before finally landing it. For me it is harder to get a buzz from that than wavesailing, where you are constantly jumping and riding waves and always improving. You might still be crashing but you’re also getting so much enjoyment from riding the waves in between.”

Crashing is not the only concern. Sarah once tore the ligaments in both of her feet simultaneously. “It’s not that uncommon because your feet are twisting in the foot straps so sometimes your feet can get caught in the wrong place.” It clearly hasn’t put her off, though. Despite being sponsored to return to the British Army after her degree, and attending the Officer Training Course during her first year as an undergraduate, Sarah decided to pursue a career in engineering, while also concentrating on wavesailing. Today she works as a marine engineer at Babcock in Plymouth, having switched career paths from air to sea. She has just finished project-managing the implementation of a new missile system on Argyll, the oldest Type 73 frigate in the navy. “I chose Babcock for its graduate scheme and its location,” she says. No surprise there then, although it’s not easy to pursue a challenging career while also being a top wavesailor, even if you do live and work by the sea. “It can be tricky because it’s always forecast dependent. You have to rely on the wind and waves and sail direction to get everything right, and if it’s high tide after work there isn’t any beach left so I’ll maybe freestyle instead. Even though my working hours are great - I start at 7.30am and

finish at 3.45pm - you can never predict what the sea and wind will do.” If the forecast looks promising for the weekend, Sarah and her husband, Stef - also a talented wavesailor - will pack up their converted Ford transit van and head west on a Friday afternoon. “I train most weekends in Cornwall and we just go to where the conditions are best. Gwithian is my favourite beach but I also like Whitsand and Marazion on the south coast, and Perranporth and Daymer Bay on the north.” Living out of the van at weekends has become a way of life for Sarah and she doesn’t mind the lack of luxury. “I’m happiest when I’ve had a really great day wavesailing and I’ve put some warm clothes on and I’m relaxing in the pub. I love the Red River Inn at Gwithian - it’s really cosy and they do amazing burgers. It’s a perfect place to recover.”It will also be the perfect place to celebrate victory if Sarah can triumph at the Cornwall Wave Classic and maintain her British Tour lead. She will certainly know what to expect. “Gwithian usually produces an offshore wind from the left side, which I am quite practised in, so I will feel pretty confident if the conditions line up.” Fingers crossed for those autumn storms…

‘I train most weekends in Cornwall. Gwithian is my favourite beach but I also like Whitsand, Marazion and Perranporth’

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People

Cornwall Wave Classic 2016 Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wavesailing? The spectacular sport of windsurfing over waves. The Cornwall Wave Classic: The largest event of the annual British Wave Sailing Association Tour with more than 100 windsurfers competing. Location: Gwithian Beach, near Hayle, Cornwall. Depending upon weather conditions, the competition can temporarily move to Marazion Beach, near Penzance, if required for that day of competition. Fleets: Professional, Amateurs, Ladies, Masters and Youths. Dates: Friday 28, Saturday 29, Sunday 30 October 2016. Competition starts at 9am each day. www.windsurfcornwall.co.uk

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People

CraftY & Cool Knitting and crochet are back in style. Sarah Pitt talks to four passionate crafters, all taking part in the exciting new event Stitch Fest South West Erika Knight Erika Knight is a highly respected knitwear and crochet designer and creator of her own eponymous yarn range. She will be sharing her passion for knitting and crochet at Stitch Fest South West Erika says: Knitting is something that I have just always done. I never really expected it to turn into a career – in fact I often still think of it as just a small evening job! But in the past four years, ever since launching my own hand-knit yarn collection, it has become all consuming, and indeed even my daughter Arabella is now part of the brand. As a child, I always had a craft project on the go, making clothes for my dolls, cutting and sticking collages from my granny’s catalogues. I remember smocking a dress when I was only about seven years old. I remember my mum and my grandmother knitting at home but I wasn’t really that interested until I taught myself when I was a student at art school. I would customise clothes and knit sweaters and sell them in the college refectory. I studied Fine Art

but a lot of my friends were in the Fashion department and I would help them with their catwalk shows. The idea of being a designer didn’t really cross my mind, it was just something I did. Most of my contemporaries made their own clothes to go clubbing at the weekend and there was much more of a “hands on” attitude to fashion back then. I love the fact that people are coming back to the idea of “slow clothes” now, as opposed to disposable, fast fashion. I have worked as a knitwear designer up and down the high street and as a consultant, predicting trends for brands. It was this that led me to the idea of a knitting book about 16 years ago. Ultimately I love the very basic simplicity of using just two sticks and a length of continuous thread to create a stitch; make a series of stitches to create a row and repeat this until you have a textile. When you are taking the time to craft something by hand it is important to use the best possible materials - but above all, to really enjoy the process of crafting as much as the final product. See www.erikaknight.co.uk 17

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People

Belinda Harris-Reid Belinda Harris-Reid, 52, is a knitwear designer who once appeared on Big Brother and knitted Union Flag cushions for the Royal barge at the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. She lives in Exeter with husband Alan, and has two sons Gus, 30, and Barnaby, 25 Belinda says: My mum was a knitter. She studied knitted textiles at the Royal College of Art and she once knitted a wedding cake for Bianca Jagger. The commissions she had were really out there, she’d use loads of needles! She taught me to knit when I was 16 but then I put my needles down and didn’t pick them up again until five years ago, when I joined a knitting group. That set me off again, and once I picked up my needles again I was hooked. I learned so much sitting around my friend Ruth’s kitchen table with all these experienced knitters, some in their 80s, who taught me so much. I started off designing very simple things, and it was brilliant to have this group of

people who would be critical and tell me if things weren’t right. I now design and also have my own range of yarn which is very soft, made from cashmere, silk and alpaca. I have it spun in Peru and dyed in a place called Paintbox in Harrogate in Yorkshire. I have got piles of yarn in every possible place you can imagine in my house, my workroom, in the drawing room, in the dining room. My children say “Oh my God, it is fluffy e v e r y where!” My favourite part is designing. I was walking in Exeter and the Roman ruins have arches in them, so I took the shape and put it into one of my designs. None of my patterns has seams, though – I think life is too short to sew them up! I have a very simple glove pattern and one woman came up to me at a show and said “Belinda, I have knitted 23 pairs of your gloves, everyone in my family has them”. It’s gone viral. Such fun! I’ll be at Stitch Fest South West, sharing the joy of knitting. See www.belindaharrisreid.co.uk

I have piles of yarn all

over the house. The kids

say: ‘It is fluffy everywhere!’

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this page: Steve Haywood

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THIS PAGE: SAM VOADEN

People

Caroline Voaden Caroline Voaden, 47, runs crafting shop Social Fabric in Totnes, the town where she lives with husband Stuart Voaden, her daughters Ellie and Laura, 17 and 14. She is co-organising Stitch Fest South West with her friend Saj Collyer Caroline says: I’ve always been a knitter. My granny taught me and I have knitted since I was at primary school. My geography teacher used to let me knit in the classroom because it kept me quiet. I have knitted throughout my life, the only time I think I stopped was when my children were little, after my first husband died. Although a lot of people do knit through difficult times, I didn’t. I went back to it, though, when I was living in a cottage near Totnes, working from home, stuck in front of a computer all day, raising two kids. I was not going out much in the evenings. I was, though, able to go to some knitting

workshops at Spin A Yarn in Bovey Tracey during the day when the girls were at school. I really enjoyed spending a calm, relaxing day with a nice bunch of women, learning something new, being made lunch and cups of tea and being looked after. I did it two or three times, and it made a big difference to my life. It stood out as something really positive and therapeutic. Then I wanted to learn to crochet and I couldn’t find a class locally, so I taught myself how to crochet from a YouTube video. That was one of the seeds that germinated into opening my shop, Social Fabric, because I could see there was a need for somewhere for people to learn these skills. I have been teaching people to crochet ever since! Stitch Fest South West has come about because there is nothing in the South West quite like the festivals my friend Saj Collyer and I have visited elsewhere, such as Wonderwool in Wales. We

‘Knitting, nattering and

eating cake will be a big

part of the weekend!’

know lots of small independent makers and designers who don’t have shops and this is a really good way for us to showcase them. The other big part of the festival will be the workshops. You can try felting, spinning, dyeing, weaving, knitting and crochet. Some of them are led by people who work with me regularly in the shop and others are coming especially for the show. It was one of Erika Knight’s books that inspired me to learn to crochet - she’s doing a workshop at the festival and I’m sure she will be inspirational. She’s good fun and knows her stuff and she’s really good with colour. There’ll be lots of lovely cake, too, and a knit and natter area where people can sit, eat cake and drink tea while they knit. That will be a big part of the weekend! Stitch Fest South West, November 5-6, The Civic Hall, Totnes, south Devon. Entry from £4.50 www.stitchfest.co.uk

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interiors

recipe

drink

explore 21

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Georgian glory Once home to the tropical plants of a grand country estate, this former palm house in Devon has been utterly transformed, discovers Charlotte Dear he Palm House at Mamhead was first built in the 1830s as a glorified greenhouse for the exotic plants of the grand Mamhead country estate, sited on the River Exe near Exeter. Since the days of orchids and extravagance, however, this beautiful Georgian building has had a somewhat chequered career. The property was initially turned into a home back in the 1960s and then later extended to add a second floor in the 1980s. During this time, unfortunately, it lost much of its period charm, says the current owners Jane and John, who nonetheless spotted its potential. “I’m not a professional designer but I’d done several interiors projects before, for myself and for friends. I had a clear vision of how the house could work,” Jane explains. Though the house was “perfectly liveable” when Jane bought it, it was dated in décor and crooked in design. “The kitchen was very tired; there was a brick fireplace in the living room that looked totally odd in a Georgian property. The staircase was positioned at one end of the

house so that you had to walk through bedrooms to reach the other end - where there was a rather questionable burgundy bathroom!” Jane remembers. It soon became clear to the couple that the most pressing job was to rethink the property’s heating, which was when they appointed Westcountry architect James Barnfield to help with planning negotiations. “The house had night storage heaters rather than central heating but, as the whole of the southern elevation is glass, this meant for a chilly house and also limited wall space for siting radiators. “After living here for a couple of years we realised that the house gets a lot of solar heat through the glass and if we could just keep that warmth in, we would have an efficiently-heated home.” So the couple replaced the windows with hitech but period-appropriate alternatives and now make full use of the sunlight through the southfacing windows. In the winter months, the low sun shines directly into the house, filling it with heat, while in summer the sun is higher overhead, which prevents the property from becom-

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Interiors

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Interiors

ing stifling. The solar gain (heat from the sun) is combined with a very efficient wood-burning stove and under-floor heating from a firm called Eco-NRG, based in Plymouth. The downstairs flooring comes from Westcountry firm Mandarin Stone - Jane opted for their Dijon tumbled limestone. Each room has its own thermostat, which means that Jane and her husband John aren’t heating rooms unnecessarily. To make the most of the stunning windows and achieve open-plan, sociable living, Jane and John decided to remove two walls on the ground floor to turn three fairly restricted rooms into

one impressive entertaining space. to one period,” says Jane. “Instead I source indi“I like to give an interior a neutral backdrop vidual pieces that I love and blend them togethand then add splashes of colour, which is why er.” The 1950s armchair was bought by Jane’s I chose these striking kitchen grandmother for her grandfacabinets from Magnet in Exeter. ther: “a month before I was born These are beautifully illumiin 1958,” remembers Jane. “Re‘I rescued the nated by LED lighting that upholstery by Fanfare Interiors fabric for the chair combines with up-lighters from in Newton Abbot transformed it Amos Lighting, also in Exeter, at into the focal point it is today. from a skip. I don’t each of the pillars.” The result “I rescued the fabric for anbelieve you have to is an atmospheric warm light other of the chairs from a skip. that’s perfect for entertaining. I don’t believe you have to go out spend a fortune on “When it comes to furnishand spend a fortune on somesomething brand ings, I don’t like to be restricted thing brand new - where’s the new - where’s the fun in that?” On the first floor are now a fun in that?’ study, bedroom, family bathroom and impressive master suite with a dressing area, freestanding bath and spacious shower room, all carefully designed by Jane to make the most of the striking windows. “I’m an avid gardener, so there’s nothing better than to sit in the bath and survey your day’s work outdoors.” On the second floor the rooms have been renovated to create a guest suite, complete with kitchenette and sitting room. “This is ideal for our daughter who is in her early 20s. She has an independent space to make a cup of tea, use the microwave and watch Made in Chelsea! It would work just as well for elderly parents, guests or a live-in nanny,” says Jane. Today, Palm House sits in 1.2 acres of spectacular grounds, bordered by the original Mamhead garden wall. And Jane and John’s work here is done. They are moving on to new design challenges, leaving this property in exceptionally good shape for some lucky new owners. The Palm House is for sale with Wilkinson Grant for £1.1 million www.wilkinsongrant.co.uk

[[

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GET THE

LOOK

Rolltop bath £599 Very

Striking designs plus a splash of colour create a style update

Baci Milano cocktail glass £9 Amara

Orla Kiely cushion £42 Amara

Checked cushion £16 M&Co

fave! Galaxite side table £150 Oliver Bonas

Riviera Maison console table £1,169 Houseology

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

Shop dilemma Q

Matchinsky narrow double breasted £279 Jigsaw

I’m 35 and I feel too old to be in Topshop but too young to be seen in M&S – where should I be shopping? GY, Exeter

There comes a day in every woman’s life when you’re waiting in line to try on clothes at New Look between an 18-year-old shopping for a bandage dress and a 12-year-old holding a pair of bedazzled shorts. It’s at that very moment you realise you no longer belong there. So if you’re a stylish lady who isn’t quite ready for cosy cardigans, here’s where to go: REISS With carefully considered fabrication, fit and craftsmanship, Reiss offers a thoroughly feminine collection. IRIS & INK Ideal for women who prefer to take a pared-back approach to dressing, the palette focuses on neutrals and the kind of classic wardrobe staples that really will never go out of fashion. JIGSAW British design, sustainable manufacturing, luxe knitwear and enduring quality are Jigsaw’s cornerstones. making beautiful, meaningful and lasting garments.

Etia lace top £120 Reiss Pleated crepe dress £155 Iris & Ink

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Hair today... Q

I recently read that dry shampoo can make you go bald, is that true? NC, Fowey

Dry shampoo has become a staple beauty product in bathroom cabinets everywhere. A saviour for dull, flat hair, dry shampoo promises to add volume, disguise grease, and freshen locks when you don’t have the time or energy to wash and style your hair. The problem is that dry shampoo is designed to soak up excess oil but, just like on the rest of your body, your scalp and hair need oil to function properly. If it’s used constantly, dry shampoo can dry If left on the hair out the hair and scalp too long dry and make it flake. If it’s shampoo can left on the hair too long it can also clog up pores, clog up pores, leading to spots, sore leading to spots, patches, and in extreme sore patches, cases, hair loss and baldness. and in extreme I’m definitely not saying cases, hair loss you shouldn’t use it, but if you do, don’t overdo it. Go easy on your locks and start off with a little bit of spray on the greasy areas you need to hide. Keep the can approximately 10cm away from your scalp while you spritz your hair, before massaging it into your roots to soak up the natural oils. Also, don’t rely on it. You should only be using dry shampoo two or three times a week at the most. If you’re opting for the product on a daily basis, then it’s time to Klorane Oat cut back. You also need to make sure you wash your hair thoroughly between appliMilk dry shampoo cations, so you can massage your scalp and £6 lift any residue. John Lewis

[[ Living Proof Healthy Hair dry shampoo £22 www. cultbeauty.co.uk

Rahua Voluminous dry shampoo £30 www. rahua.com

Trainer tamers Use white nail polish to cover scratches. Just take out your favourite white nail polish and do a little touch-up. Ever since the fashion set swapped 2. Spot clean with vinegar. To stilettos for sneakers, trainers in all get rid of small stains and blemshapes and colours have run ramishes, take a washrag and dip it in pant. But the style that continues vinegar and rub gently. to reign supreme is a classic pair of 3. Use shampoo on oil stains. whites. The only problem (as with Use your gentlest shampoo, warm any white clothing) is the high risk water, and a toothbrush or rag to of stains. But fret not, here’s how Stan Smith £69.99 Adidas gently wipe at the oil smudge. you can keep your new Stan Smiths 4. Store them in a cool, dark sparkling. place so they don’t discolour in the light.

How do I keep my white sneakers clean? SD, Dorchester

Gracie’s shopping list Laura Geller Easy Illuminating stick, £21, www.cultbeauty.co.uk Bestow ‘glow’ onthe-go with Laura Geller’s chubby Easy Illuminating Sticks. Apply the easy-to-use stick along the tops of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, on the cupid’s bow of your lips, or anywhere else on your face for a kiss of shimmering luminosity.

Kiki Health Organic Coconut Oil, £13.95 (500ml), www.kiki-health.com With an abundance of uses, Coconut Oil is a healthy alternative to traditional cooking oils, as well as being naturally anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and incredibly skin-strengthening, making it an excellent all-natural moisturiser for skin and hair, from top to toe.

Stella cropped roll neck, £295, Jigsaw This piece of knitwear from Jigsaw’s A collection has been made in the UK from British lambswool yarn. Fully fashioned, it features a roll neckline and a cropped silhouette with slightly oversized sleeves for a modern aesthetic. Layer with slim fit trousers.

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

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Mixed bead pendant £30 Wallis

Necklace £14.99 New Look Anya necklace £32 Oliver Bonas

Effervescence 18ct rose gold and diamond ring £795 Links of London

Agnes floral earrings £12 Accessorize

Cuff bracelet £6 Apricot

Beaded necklace £19 East

Vintage crest ring £8 Accessorize

Making a statement tatement jewellery is the perfect way to bring life to an outfit and enhance your best features. It only takes one piece to make your whole outfit stand out. The key is to keep it simple and either work your outfit around one big eye-catching piece or to work well-coordinated statement accessories into your look by striking the right balance. From cocktail rings to cuff bracelets and bib necklaces, statement pieces come in all forms, designs, colours and sizes - as you can see from our selection here. Have fun!

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Fashion

Beaded cuff £5 Primark

Cameo earrings £89 Boticca

Tanni sweater £55 panel necklace £22 bangles £12 each all Oliver Bonas

Fringing necklace £12 JD Williams

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Shop Velvet sparkle heels £27.99 New Look

Men’s brogue Chelsea boots £65 Next

FOOTWEAR SPECIAL:

Limited edition boots £18 Primark

It’s shoe

heaven

Blue heels £50 River Island

Put your best foot forward at Drake Circus s the weather turns wintry, it’s time to invest in some lovely new footwear and have some fun with your feet. With lots of top footwear brand names under one roof, such as Foot Asylum, Sole Trader, JD Sports as well as Next, Marks & Spencer and Primark, Drake Circus, the undercover shopping centre in Plymouth, is the perfect place to search for that perfect pair of shoes. For a great range of high quality, good value boots and on trend shoe boots, try Marks & Spencer. We love this pair of over-the-knee suede boots in stylish khaki, only available in the South West from Drake Circus’s Marks & Spencer. If it’s Chelsea boots you’re after, Next has some fashionable animal print boots or check out these stylish heeled Chelsea boots from Superdry, ideal if you like a little height in your footwear. For party footwear with a difference, this winter’s key look for boots is embellishment. Two great examples are these pretty ribboned, floral boots from Primark and these stunning embroidered ankle boots from Topshop. And while we’re in party mode, glitter and shine are everywhere for feet. Marks & Spencer are a sound bet for great party footwear and we also love these blue satin heels from River Island. Or how about these fabulous velvet pumps with sparkly heels from New Look? Men who need a decent new pair of shoes should pop down to the new Foot Asylum store at Drake Circus to check out some on-trend footwear. For a more classic style, Next has some good quality leather Chelsea style brogues. And as the football and rugby seasons kick off, JD Sports is a must-visit for sportswear. Finally, we mustn’t forget the kids. There is lots of great footwear around this season for youngsters. For wellies try Mothercare or Primark, or pop into Monsoon where they currently stock some adorable children’s pumps.

www.drakecircus.com

@drakecircusplym

Children’s pumps £23 Monsoon

Little Bird by Jools Oliver wellies £12 Mothercare

Embellished boots £115 Topshop

Heeled Chelsea boots £89.99 Superdry

Autograph khaki over the knee boot £125 M&S Ankle boots £55 Next

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To find out more contact us:

01752 875604

s y ch

P FRC n o rs

Have you or has someone close to you been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease? Are you concerned about your memory? To find out about the latest advances in memory assessment and Alzheimer’s research, and how to get involved, please contact us.

plymouth@re-cognitionhealth.com www.recognitiontrials.com

Dr Stephe

Memory Research Centre now open in Plymouth!

Unit 2, 5 Research Way, Plymouth Science Park, PL6 8BT

“Dementia is the most feared illness amongst those aged over 55 years. This research centre will enable everybody to have the chance to do something about it and together we will defeat this devastating illness. Research is hope for Dementia”.

Unit 2, 5 Research Way, Plymouth Science Park, PL6 8BT

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plymouth@re-cognitionhealth.com

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18/10/2016 13:35:00 19/09/2016 16:11:48

Wellbeing YOGA FOR YOU

the boost

Searching for a new way to unwind and free your mind of daily anxieties, while fortifying your body at the same time? Mature Yoga at St Anneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arts Centre in North Devon invites the over-30s to stretch, strengthen and breathe as your body fights stiffness, hormonal fluctuations and loss of bone density. The aim is relaxation, mindfulness and an improved sense of wellbeing. Gemma Peppiatt is hosting a range of sessions from October 31 to December 5. 01271 324242

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, everyday

ADD A LITTLE COLOUR Everyone needs a little down-time now and again and studies show there are fewer more effective ways to unwind and balance the mind than with a little therapeutic colouring-in! Faber-Castell has published a new set of colouring books that feature exotic birds, imaginative blooms and magical patterns. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re five or 65, discover inner peace as you bring life to forests, gardens and animals. www.faber-castell.co.uk

Dance in time Ever wanted to step back in time and experience life in a bygone era? Various locations across Somerset are offering just this in the form of dance sessions from the 1400s to 1800s. With no previous experience, partner or costume required, a historical dance specialist will guide you through the steps and leave you feeling belle of your medieval, Elizabethan or Georgian ball. www. northsquarehistoricaldance.wordpress.com 32

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RUNNING FOR FITNESS AND FUN What are you up to tomorrow? At 9am on Sunday (October 23) the National Trust is inviting you to run for free at the north Somerset estate at Tyntesfield. The Trust has devised a 5k loop around the tracks and trails in the grounds of this stunning Victorian Gothic Revival house, which you will run twice while taking in breathtaking views across the valley as you go. If you can’t make tomorrow, the event also takes place on November 27 and December 18. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Take to the water GETTING FRESH According to The Lancet, the top five healthiest countries in the world are Iceland, Singapore, Sweden, Andorra and, somewhat surprisingly, the UK, thanks to our love of fresh veg. If you’d like to sample some of the other winning countries’ secrets to success, then follow their diets: tuck into fresh fish with Iceland, sizzle ginger and spice with Singapore, ferment your food with Sweden and sip red wine with Andorra. What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates

Are you a family of water sports enthusiasts? You won’t want to miss this year’s Sennen Family Surf Contest, which returns to Sennen Cove on October 28-29 for its second year. Once again, Restaurant Ben Tunnicliffe has teamed up with Sennen Surfing Centre and other local businesses for an event that will see surfers of all ages and abilities take to the water at this top 10 surf spot before enjoying delicious food and drink overlooking the unspoiled Cornish bay. www.sennensurfschool.com

@WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 33

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Wellbeing

Time to sleep? How to settle your child into their own ‘grown-up’ bed She and her husband should create a calm and My daughter’s three-year-old still comes into relaxing bedtime routine and aim to be leaving her bed in the night and she and her husband the bedroom by 6.45/7pm. Aim to read two bedare usually too tired to return him to his own time stories, lasting no longer than 15 minutes room. He also can’t get off to sleep in his ‘big boy bed’ in total. without mummy being there too. When they say goodnight and How can she break this cycle, as I leave the room, the shouting can see she and her husband are will begin. As they leave the exhausted? WA, Lostwithiel ‘This bad sleep room, if they are followed by habit isn’t easy their son, they should simply Kathryn Mewes, author of The to break but it remain calm, turn their child’s Three Day Nanny, says: All chilback body to face their room dren tend to sleep solidly for can be achieved and guide them back to bed. Do around four hours when they over just three not speak to them. are first put to bed. After this, They should continue to they wake every 90 minutes, nights if they are return him to bed, this could coming into a light sleep or consistent and take up to 90 minutes, but only actually waking. focused’ if they remain silent. It could The way in which you put take longer if they speak. your child to bed is also what They then need to repeat this they will expect when they process when he wakes in wake in the night. This is why the night. your daughter’s child comes If they can be consistent with this programme to find her in the night, because he believes he and return your grandson to his bed for three needs her with him in order to fall to sleep. This consecutive nights, they should be well on the habit isn’t easy to break but it can be achieved way to the entire family sleeping solidly. Good over just three nights if they are consistent and luck! focused.

[[

Sleep secrets for tiny people Jo Tantum, author of Baby Secrets, suggests: Follow a bedtime ritual consistently. Children relish routine and ritual, and they like to know what’s coming next, they like certainty. Treat every hour between 7pm and 7am as night time, which means dark and quiet with no talking, no games or activities. Try not to let your child fall asleep in your arms or while feeding and always lay your baby or child down awake. Don’t rush to your child at every sound many of the noises they make are attempts to fall asleep. If you’re still feeding a small baby, set a base time for his middle of the night feed and never feed before it: stretch that time gradually until your baby sleeps through the night.

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SMALL BITES Our pick of what’s on in the Westcountry food world right now Bringing Lebanese cuisine to Exeter Comptoir Libanais, the Lebanese canteen associated with putting the glamour into fresh and affordable Middle Eastern cuisine has arrived in Exeter’s new Queen Street dining quarter. The restaurant sits in the new glass landmark building, overlooking the main square in the city’s Guildhall. If you’re in a rush, there’s a take-away menu to grab-and-go or, if you’ve got more time, then dine inside and also browse the Souk Shop, filled with a treasure trove of Lebanese gifts.

Learn Italian in Cornwall If you fancy learning some Italian recipes, Philleigh Way cookery school in south Cornwall is hosting an Italian cookery workshop on October 26. Learn to make classic breads, pasta, pizza and sauces but with a twist - you’ll be using the finest seasonal Cornish produce. Some of the cooking will be done in the school’s authentic Tuscan wood-fired oven. The course includes four demonstrations and four practical sessions. All food and drink is provided including a glass of Prosecco mid-morning and wine with lunch. The cost is £135 per person and you can find out more by visiting www.philleighway.co.uk.

Berry good fun

With trick-or-treating just around the corner, kids are in for an overdose of sweets and unhealthy snacks. These strawberry ghosts are ideal as good-for-you Halloween treats and a lot of fun, too. Visit www. berryworld.com for even more recipe ideas. 1. Start by melting the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. 2. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Use a teaspoon to spoon a dollop of chocolate onto a serving plate, trailing a drizzle off to one side to make a ghost/tadpole shape. 3. Hold the leafy top of a strawberry and dip it into the chocolate, right up to its leaves. Set it down into the chocolate on the plate with the pointy end towards the trailing drizzle. Repeat with all of the strawberries and chocolate then leave to set. 4. Once the chocolate has set, pipe small dots onto the strawberries to make ghostly eyes and noses. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Clavelshay Barn takes gold Clavelshay Barn restaurant in North Petherton has scooped the Taste of the West Best Restaurant Award – making it the best restaurant across the whole of the Westcountry. The restaurant, which has been going for 11 years, is set on a family-run Somerset farm that produces its own milk, beef, pork, lamb and eggs, which all feature on the menu here. Clavelshay Barn is open in the evenings from Wednesday to Saturday with dinner served from 7pm. It is also open for Sunday lunches from 12noon until 2pm, for details visit www.clavelshaybarn.co.uk.

Got some foodie news? Let us know on westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk 35

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Cook

Spice-crusted Cornish duck with creamy polenta Recipe: by Matthew Dale, head chef of The Boskerris Hotel, St Ives Matthew says: The spicy juices from the burnished duck breast soak into the superbly rich polenta. Sprinkle pistachio crumbs over the dish just before serving.

Ingredients:

Method:

½ tsp cardamom seeds ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp juniper berries ½ tsp madras curry powder 2 duck breasts from The Cornish Duck Company, fat side lightly scored with crosses Sea salt and ground pepper

To cook the duck

For the polenta: 500ml chicken stock 80g instant polenta 80ml double cream 50g gruyère cheese, grated 2 tbsp unsalted butter For the confit plum sauce: 1 tbsp duck fat, melted 3 shallots, chopped 200ml port 600ml veal stock

In a small, dry, heavy-based pan, toast the cardamom, cumin and juniper over a medium heat for two or three minutes, shaking occasionally, until fragrant. Transfer to a spice mill or pestle and mortar and cool before grinding to a powder. Transfer the spice mix to a small bowl and stir in the curry powder. Season the duck breasts with sea salt and pepper then coat with the spice mix, rubbing it in. The duck breasts can be refrigerated overnight or used immediately.

In a medium frying pan, cook the duck fatside down over a medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the fat has rendered and the skin is richly browned.

Turn the meat over and cook for three to five minutes until a thermometer inserted horizontally into the centre of the meat

registers 50°C for rare and 55°C for medium rare. Transfer to a board and rest the meat for five minutes. To make the confit plum sauce 5.

Heat the duck fat in a pan over a medium heat. Fry the shallots for one to two minutes, until softened. Add the port, simmer until reduced in volume by half, then add the stock. Simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool.

To cook the polenta 6.

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to boiling. Gradually stir in the polenta and return to the boil. Cook over medium-low heat for about three minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream, cheese and butter. Season.

This recipe comes from the new Taste of the West Country cookbook, now available on Amazon (We Make Magazines, £17.99) 36

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Drink

Happy h ur with drinks expert April Marks

April says: My relationship with Bordeaux was never love at first sight. Don’t get me wrong, the region is beautiful with the most immaculate vineyards you will come across. My issue was always with the wines, which I found to be austere and, quite frankly, I didn’t enjoy. Move forward two decades, though, and how things have changed; Bordeaux wine makers are producing sumptuous velvety wines which I adore. The region is divided into two halves by the Gironde River, with a distinct difference in style on

either side of the water, known as left bank and right bank. I’ve just returned from a stay in the 17th century Château Cantin in St Emilion, on the right bank alongside fellow appellations Pomerol and Fronsac. Merlot is the dominant grape here with a smattering of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, so these wines are soft and approachable even from a young age. Across the river they may be growing the same varieties but there Cabernet is king so the style is fuller and richer with great ageing potential from appellations such as Medoc, Saint Estephe, Margaux and Graves (to name a few), they’re also re-working with

These young wines

from Bordeaux are soft

and approachable

IT’S ALL IN THE GLASS! Ensure your wine tasting experience is enjoyed to the full by investing in quality crystal wine glasses. The shape of the glass is important to the taste of the wine, along with a thin rim at the top. Devon glass manufacturer Dartington Crystal have a ﬁne selection of glassware and Austrian based Riedel have created some of the best glassware in the world with a shape for every signiﬁcant grape variety (www.riedel.com) .

Petit Verdot and Malbec as summers are getting warmer. I now find myself returning to Bordeaux more than any other wine region. It really is true love! April Marks is co-founder of Regency Wines Ltd Exeter @regencywinesuk

WINE OF THE WEEK Château Patache, Pomerol Bordeaux 2012 An amazing wine from a very small property growing lovely mature vines, it’s a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. This voluptuous and silky red is viniﬁed and matured in barrels, the palate is powerful yet elegant with a lingering berry and vanilla ﬁnish. Enjoy at @Angela’s in Fore Street, Exeter with their shorthorn beef steak.

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Drink Beer of the week Got to love a port stout. Hanlon’s, from Exeter, is a long-time favourite, Penzance Scilly Port Stout is an annual winter treat, and now here comes another from the Black Tor Brewery, at Christow. It’s limited edition and vegan friendly – everyperson stout! Catch it if you can…

Darren Norbury

talks beer THE WAITING GAME Gyle 59 Brewing, you are a tease. A Facebook picture shows some hogshead barrels from Strathclyde, previously containing whisky. The Dorset brewer is going to fill them with Favourite Porter (6.6% ABV) and “possibly” some Elderbeery Stout (7.3%) for “maybe six months, maybe a year, or more…” Can’t wait!

Small is beautiful A micropub, Tucker’s Tap House, has been opened in the Tucker’s Maltings complex in Newton Abbot. The planned opening hours are Thursday and Friday evenings, and from lunchtime until late evening on Saturdays and Sundays.

here’s a big change taking place in tion of drinker, then good for them. brewing, and it’s all because of the Contrast this with Charles Wells. Wells has emergence of craft beer. The sucits own range of traditional bitters, such as cess of the sector, which seems to be Eagle IPA, which interprets the letters IPA in synonymous with small breweries the same way as Greene King, ie badly. It is the producing short-run, artisan brews, has unsetowner of the old Young’s brands after the Wandstled some of the big brewers. The question is, worth brewery closed and also contract brewer how do they respond? of Heineken-owned Courage Two interesting, and very difbrands. That’s as deep-rootedly ferent answers have emerged British and traditional as it gets. Adding not one lately, involving Harvey’s BrewIts answer to the march of craft but three keg ery, in Lewes, Sussex, and the beer is to stand its ground in a Charles Wells Brewery, in Bednew advertising campaign. The beers to its range ford. These two are far enough company explains: “The camis like Lorraine away from us that we can watch paign celebrates those who are proceedings without them afconfident in making their own Kelly suddenly fecting us directly, like two decisions, like those who choose announcing she’s schoolboys we are acquainted Bombardier because it’s beer taking up pole with scrapping over tuck money they trust and love, rather than in the playground. choosing the latest fads and fashdancing Harvey’s has announced that ions.” it is going to add three keg beers Fortunately, in the South West, to its range. Now Harvey’s is a our equivalent to these two scrapvery conservative regional brewery. Its Sussex ping schoolboys, St Austell Brewery, has got on Best Bitter is as fine an example of an easy-drinkwith taking both routes, underlining traditional ing, well-balanced, traditional session bitter as principles with Tribute cask bitter and showyou could hope to find. It’s typical of the brewer, ing modern versatility with Proper Job IPA and who wouldn’t normally do anything to scare the Korev lager. You can have the best of both worlds. shire horses. But adding not one but three keg Goodbye until next week. By which time, hopebeers to its range is like Lorraine Kelly suddenly fully, you’ll have lost that image in your head of announcing she’s taking up pole dancing. Lorraine Kelly pole dancing. There has been a lot of social media reaction Darren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk but, if this helps Harvey’s reach a new genera@beertoday

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Aﬀordability

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culture vulture Our pick of the most interesting and exciting things to see and do right now in the South West

A star is singing Beverley Craven became a household name back in the 1990s, thanks to huge hits such as Promise Me and Memories. She has been playing the piano since the age of seven and won a BRIT Award in 1992. Having made such a big impact, she then disappeared from the music scene for family and health reasons but is now back in fantastic form, showcasing her new album Change of Heart. You can see Beverley on Friday October 28 at 7.30pm at the Hartland Parish Hall, north Devon. Tickets are £20, call 0333 666 3366 or visit www.ex39.net/beverley-craven

Spooky!

Have fun this Halloween Next Saturday, the gates will creak open at the sixth Halloween Masked Ball. This outlandish event takes place at Flambards Theme Park near Helston in Cornwall and has grown to become Europe’s largest Halloween dance music extravaganza. This year’s event is styled on New York’s iconic Coney Island theme park, with live theatre shows, interactive venues, state-of-the-art lights, lasers and special effects, as well as more than 50 DJs and live acts. The Halloween Masked Ball takes place from 6pm to 6am on Saturday, October 29. Tickets from £42.50, further details including accommodation, coaches and to buy tickets online can be found at www.maskedball.net.

Celebrate Halloween this half-term at Exeter’s atmospheric Underground Passages. Between October 22nd–30 special ‘Witches & Wizards Tours’ run, where children are invited to explore under the city’s streets on guided tours and discover ingredients for magic spells. Using the ingredients found, the young adventurers are challenged to concoct their own magic spell and enter it into a competition with many fantastic prizes. Pre-booking is essential for all events. For more information phone 01392 665887 or email underground.passages@exeter.gov.uk.

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Making magic David Bintley talks to David Mead about his spectacular new ballet, The Tempest

avid Bintley, the artistic director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, has created a brand new ballet version of Shakespeare's play The Tempest. The ballet will be performed at Plymouth's Theatre Royal next week. Here, he tells David Mead about this exciting new production.

Q: What drew you to The Tempest? David Bintley: To me, The Tempest is a dream. All those terrific characters that Shakespeare drew, all completely believable, all with their instant little dramas that Prospero brings about. It’s magic; it’s impossible but it’s magic, so it is possible. Q: Why do you think there’s not yet been one definitive ballet production of The Tempest? DB: It’s a baffling play. It’s a maddening play. Shakespeare makes you mad because you think you’ve sorted it out and then you read something else and it sends another idea running. I’ve read every book about The Tempest over the past four years, I know every angle. Post-colonial attitudes towards racism don’t really figure in my Caliban, but they could do. My approach is to create a pretty linear version of Shakespeare’s play, but try to amplify what he is talking about. When I make drama, I try to make everything very clear because what we do, tell stories

without words, is ambiguous enough. I just want to do what Shakespeare did and let the audience solve some of these things in the way it wants to. Q: So tell us a bit about the choreography. DB: There are plenty of group and big ensemble scenes in the ballet. Right at the beginning I make a dance out of the shipwreck. In Act II, there’s the masque, in fact the biggest ensemble dance in the ballet, almost a ballet in itself. I’ve extended it to around 21 minutes from Shakespeare’s four! Q: And I hear there are some stunning special effects? DB: At the beginning, we have three of the biggest silk waves you have ever seen. It looks extraordinary. When we do it in the studio, you can’t see the room for silks. Then, new for the dancers, is some aerial work for which we worked with Freedom Flying, a specialist flying company. We use this to create the effect of Ferdinand drowning, the whole stage in effect becomes a giant, waterless, fish tank! Controlled swimming in mid-air proved challenging at first. Small shifts of weight can have huge effects, and of course the aerials can’t be rehearsed in the studios; the ceilings are just not high enough. Q: I believe you’ve also got an amazing puppet, representing the baby Miranda? DB: Everyone will love the lifelike puppet that is

baby Miranda in the flashback scene. There are magnets in her body and the dancers’ costumes to make her cling on and look more realistic. Working with her is more difficult than one might imagine, though. It’s particularly essential that the dancer controlling the puppet’s head gets its eye line absolutely spot on. If she is looking at something, she really does have to look. Even a little bit out and the effect is lost. Q: And what about the set designs? You’re working with Rae Smith, who designed the sets for War Horse… DB: Rae Smith's set is based on a photograph of the bottom of a very old wooden boat, all silvery grey planking and lichen. Its shape also suggests a wave. There’s glitter too – not the Vegas type, but that sparkle you get in sand and on the sea. It gets everywhere in the studio! Some of the costumes are Elizabethan, but the great thing about the island is that nothing is period, everything is supernatural. There is the great comedy, or tragedy, of these idiots wandering around the beach in pearls and coronets and things. That’s what Shakespeare was on about, the incongruity of these people holding onto the vestiges of their civilisation that are now in fact worthless. Rae treats period as a memory: if everything on the island except for Caliban, Prospero and Miranda is not really there, then it’s a

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Enjoy 'The Tempest is a dream all those dramas that Shakespeare drew'

construction of Prospero’s imagination and experience. So the spirits are dressed in ghostly versions of period costumes, and while the illusory banquet is like an Elizabethan court, the costumes are stylised. Q: Tell us a bit about the process of working with composer Sally Beamish on the score. DB: I was a little unnerved by Sally at first. Every composer works in a different way, but the first five or six minutes I got were in full score, which completely terrified me. I didn’t know her at that point and I thought that was it, the finished thing; and the thing was that in that five or six minutes she’d made every mistake and posed me every problem that, for ballet, newly commissioned, and 20th and 21st century music can contain. Thankfully, Sally explained that it was just the way she worked and that I could change anything and everything I wanted. The dancers respond to it very well too; the finished version has got tunes and wonderful colours. Q. So finally, how would you sum up what this ballet has to offer? DB: Well, it’s got a shipwreck, people flying, it’s got magic, and sharks and mermaids. It’s a family show! I hope anyone who sees it will think it’s what Shakespeare intended, especially in terms of characters. You know, I’ve really enjoyed this year! Birmingham Royal Ballet's The Tempest is at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, from October 27-29, tickets from £17, www.theatreroyalcom 01752 267222 43

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My Secret Westcountry Lynsey Sizer Lynsey Sizer, 38, is the PR director of the Dartmouth Food Festival which takes place this weekend. She lives in Thurlestone, south Devon, with her husband Kevin and their children Lily, eight, and twins Owen and Riley, both six.

Newton Ferrers

My favourite: Walk: I grew up in the coastal village of Newton Ferrers in south Devon so the walks there always hold a special place in my heart. But since working with the Dartmouth Food Festival, I have got to know this beautiful gem of a town and discovered a walk there which is now a firm favourite of mine. It is from Dartmouth Castle to Gallants Bower. At the top you can see up the River Dart one way and out to sea the other, it is just breath-taking. Then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back down the hill for a well-earned coffee at the Castle Tea Rooms. Place to eat: First and foremost it has to be

The Gastrobus at Bantham

the Gastrobus at Bantham beach. Every time we have friends stay, I challenge them to not fall in love with the Bantham Burger and a slice of Oreo Cookie Cake. I also love the Beach House Cafe on South Milton beach. Rockfish in Dartmouth is also so relaxed and the view across the River Dart is beautiful. Eating here in winter by the log fire feels just right, as does having

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People

MAIN PICTURE: ELLIOT LEIGH

Heron Valley apple juice

a drink on their little terrace as the sun goes down in summer.

Weekend escape: It’s got to be Bovey Castle

Bovey Castle

or go on the paddleboard. I never get bored of this view. And in a close second it has to be the views of Starehole Bay from the cliffs towards Starehole Bottom just past East Soar Farm on the south Devon coast. All you can hear is the sounds of the sea and you have the wind in your hair. East Soar Farm itself is where we spend time as a family while devouring the amazing homemade cakes of course!

up on Dartmoor. Winter or Christmas are my favourite times to visit here as the whole place is beautifully decorated and it really becomes that picture perfect postcard of a hotel. It is so warm, log fires crackle all over and the staff are so friendly and accommodating – you’re always greeted with a big smile. The art deco swimming pool has such a spectacular view, overlooking the sun terrace and the River Bovey and onto Dartmoor National Park. You can keep your city skylines, the great British countryside has my heart and always will.

Pub: The Millbrook Inn in South Pool. It manages to maintain a wonderful traditional, proper village pub atmosphere while having an incredible menu that always causes me problems because I don’t know what to choose. You’re always welcomed here like an old friend and nothing is too much trouble. I am a real fan of the chef here, J-P Bidart. His passion shines through in the dishes he creates and he and his team are always great at recommending what I should try/might like.

View: Firstly, sitting at the brook on Riverside

Plymouth. This has been a love of mine since first trying it at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth during an interval many years ago. It was such a treat. This was the first ice cream I could eat, due to an egg allergy, so I was hooked instantly. Their Thunder and Lightning flavour (cream and honeycomb) is my go-to choice always but

Road in Newton Ferrers overlooking the estuary and onto the neighbouring village of Noss Mayo. This is home to me, I breathe easy here. Happy memories of sailing with my primary school, paddling a homemade raft with my sister and now taking my children to feed the ducks

Food: Langage Farm ice cream, made near

The Beach House at South Milton

recently my loyalties have been divided as my daughter and I discovered their White Chocolate and Raspberry too. Either way, if there is a job going as chief taster, I would happily put myself forward!

Drink: It has got be Heron Valley’s Wild Nettle Fizz. This drink, mixed with some vodka over ice, is so refreshing and tastes a little like their elderflower but just has an added edge. I love the ethos of Heron Valley as well - they source the majority of apples from rare indigenous apple tree varieties on their Devon farm. It is all organic or sustainably grown and that, to me, means a lot. They don’t add any sugars into their juices and my children are big fans, so I am a happy mum knowing what they’re drinking is ok.

Secret place: Cellars Beach in Noss Mayo is a nightmare to get to, no parking, a steep cliff walk down and the tide comes in quickly and can cut you off, so you need to watch it. But once you get there and see the Mewstone out to sea in the distance, you know it was worth it. There are clear, crystal waters and every summer when the sand bar is exposed you’ll find my children playing cricket on it. It is a really magical place. www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com 45

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My life

Chris Mcguire

Storage wars Chris McGuire’s baby needs more space, right now

“ I

can’t believe we’re having this conIt wasn’t just my cycling tights that had gone versation.” astray. My model cars had retreated to the loft To be fair, neither could I. I was and my DVD collection made a one-way journey determined this wouldn’t turn into to the charity shop. All in the hope of making an argument. We’d only just got the “space”. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a baby off to sleep. Everyone, in my view, should baby? They’re quite small. Some would say have a baby, if only to learn how beautiful silence “tiny”. They do, however, bring with them can be. the largest pile of kit you could pos“Where did you see them last?” sibly imagine. My son Sam has much “They were in my drawer,” I replied, trying to more stuff than me. But, as the myssound as upbeat as humanly possible. tery of the disappearing tights Notice I said ‘drawer’, in the singular. shows, that’s not saying much. “Have you checked there?” my partner asked, “Can’t you just wear shorts?” with an eye on the baby. was my partner’s “Yes,” I replied. “It’s full of suggestion. baby clothes.” “But it’s cold!” I don’t know if My other half shrugged and As soon as I you’ve ever seen I sighed. You see, this week, I spoke I realised a baby? They’re learned that when a baby comes just how pathetic into a home you lose what little it sounded. quite small. They territory you ever had. Which “I told you do, however, bring meant, with the cold weather not to shave moving in, it looked like I’d never your legs.” with them the see my cycling tights again. I couldn’t largest pile of kit We’ve covered this territory argue you could imagine before: yes I’m one of those with people who clog up country that. lanes on our road bikes, or help For reduce carbon emissions by having a non-polthe next hour I rumluting hobby – depending on your perspective. maged through every There are lots of MAMILs (Middle Aged Men In nook and cranny of Lycra) across the Westcountry. You’ve probably our distinctly bijou seen our out-of-shape bodies attempting to break house. The tights were free from skin-tight Lycra – visions in pink and nowhere to be seen. orange parked outside coffee shops. What I did uncover was Well, since the arrival of my son, my ability to £3.37 in change, three get out on my bike has been (severely) depleted. teddy bears and the serving Between changing nappies, singing nursery tongs we lost last Christmas. rhymes and long, long, walks with the pram in “You could always borrow the desperate hope of getting the baby to sleep, some of mine,” said my other cycling has fallen way down the priority list. This half, in desperation. meant I’d put on (one or two) pounds that I’d deWith this I went upstairs to get cided to shift. Hence the tights. into my shorts. Safe to say I enjoyed

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my ride across the local Westcountry terrain but it was cold, very cold. So what have I learned? When you have a baby the idea of “mine” goes out the window. It’s a fact that I’m just going to have to embrace. And what about the cycling? I’ll order some new tights and keep them in the shed. Certainly not a sentence I thought I’d ever type. Chris McGuire is a writer who recently moved to the Westcountry. He still misses his DVD collection @McGuireski

NEXT WEEK: Phil Goodwin on love, life and parenthood in the South West 46

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Celebrate

of Join the party on the 8th & 9th October Visit our website for full details

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