At the heart of Easter Blue Gallery
Little You
Treetop Shoes
Selected Antiques
The Blue Gallery is a treasure trove of art and craft materials, selling an extensive range of acrylics, watercolours, paintbrushes, pencils pens and inks. Open for 69 years, it is now one of the largest art, craft and needlework suppliers in the South West, selling brands such as Daler Rowney, Windsor & Newton, Pro Arte, DMC, Dylon, Coats, Staedtler and much more from the same premises in Joy Street. It specialises in papier-mâché and decoupage materials, mod podge glue and even candlemaking. If you want to get crafting over Easter, visit Blue Gallery and get all the equipment you need to get started.
Little You is a toy shop in Barnstaple offering an extensive range of beautiful toys. It specialises in wooden and traditional toys for the early years, many of which you will have fond memories of from your childhood. Favourites include wooden doll’s houses, wooden kitchens, volcano making kits and dinosaur collections – the list goes on! Little You is a hands-on toy shop where children can interact with and test out the toys in the shop. This makes for a very fun shopping trip! This season, Little You have brought in a range of beautiful and affordable children’s clothing from ages 0-2, perfect for warmer weather. Also new is a range of mother and baby products including muslin, changing mats and baby bouncers.
Treetop Shoes is an exciting children’s shoe shop in Barnstaple, offering leading brands of stylish and practical footwear, from pre-walkers through to school children. It is a family run business providing a measuring and fitting service as well as a fresh approach to shoe shopping for families in North Devon. Treetop Shoes has now been open for a year, and has just welcomed its new Spring/ Summer stock including a wide range of brands such as Reef and Crocs. It also carries a large range of canvas and sandals perfect for the new summer term. It is the only stockist in North Devon of Lelli Kelly shoes, perfect for fun and funky girls. With a friendly and helpful service and expert knowledge, Treetop Shoes has the best in children’s shoes. Why not see for yourself this Easter.
Helen Chugg, a dealer for nearly 30 years is now in partnership with her son Rob in the newly formed Selected Antiques & Trinkets, situated in the stables of the former Golden Fleece (now the Fullam restaurant ). The shop stocks a wide range of unique, easily portable antiques and classic contemporary gifts, making it an ideal haven to browse for gifts and presents. There is always a changing stock of dolls house collectables, vintage fashion accessories, miniature boxes and interesting silver. If you’re looking for the perfect Easter gift, go and see what’s in store.
If you’re looking for a new toy for your little one this Easter, or a lovely new outfit for the Spring weather, pop into Little You today and see what’s in store.
Samuel Daw & Co Samuel Daw & Co, best known for its devotion to high-quality menswear, has launched a new website and online shopping service. At samdaw.co.uk you can browse its vast selection of menswear, including classic British brands such as Barbour, Magee and Barker shoes to name but a few. The web store has everything you need in order to make your purchases and enquiries a seamless process. There are size charts for all of the clothing as well as information on how to get the measurements you need to hire a suit if you are unable to go for a fitting. The Spring/Summer collection features bright checked shirts, stylish chinos and lightweight jackets, as well as wellingtons and umbrellas in case you need to dodge those April showers. As well as this, the website has all the necessary information for school uniforms around the region – perfect for doing some end of term restocking for the warmer months. While specialists in menswear, Samuel Daw & Co also stocks a fabulous ladies collection which can be browsed and bought on its website. Pretty floral dresses, quilted jackets and waterproof hats will keep ladies stylish this season. Everything on the website can be bought in a seamless and secure transaction and can be delivered to your door. Why not get online this Easter and see what you can find?
Welcome A d v e r t i sing Sales Manager
Fi o n a C l a r k e
E d i t o r i al
Ru t h K i n g Design Creative Hub creativehubs .co.uk
Easter is one of the most exciting times of the year, when we say goodbye to the cold and dark winter months and welcome in warmer and lighter days. This is reinforced by the flowers and crops we can see blooming at this time of year, lambs jumping around our North Devon fields and of course, Easter itself when we can spend quality time with the family and eat the first of the produce from the new season (not forgetting lots of chocolate!) In our Easter supplement, you’ll find everything you need to make the most of the season in North Devon, from activities and culture to home decorating and delicious food – everything that makes our region eggstra special at this time of year. If you’re looking for adventure this Easter, browse through our range of days out starting on page 5, including activities like abseiling and rock climbing, railway trips and theatre performances for all the family. If you want to use the good weather to spruce up your home, find our recommendations starting on page 11, or if you’re looking for somewhere to take the family out to eat, take a look at pages 13 and 14 for our guide to the best dining in North Devon. Happy Easter everyone!
Ruth King , editor.
St Johns
Garden Centre
Easter signals the beginning of spring and there’s no better time to think about planting your summer flowers and crops. St John’s Garden Centre in Barnstaple has everything you need to get growing this Easter. It has a wide range of bulbs for sale including Asiatic Patio Lilies, Crocosmia and Dutch Mixed Iris from the seasonal collection. It also stocks a wide range of fruit trees and bushes, plants and seeds, rose bushes, bird seed and feed, soil composts and vegetable plants to make your garden complete. After choosing your plants for the spring season ahead, why not take a well-earned break in the Conservatory Café? Offering everything from a refreshing drink and snack to a delicious main meal and even a Sunday carvery, the Conservatory Café is a light and airy space to relax and rejuvenate. If it’s a beautiful spring day, you can sit outside on the delightful patio, or alternatively visit Jungleland and marvel at the sub-tropical plants, flowers and trees. St John’s has earned a reputation for providing a quality service to local and regional customers through the 55 years it has been trading. The reliable gardening business is run by three Oliver Brothers: Nick, Simon and Tom. David and Patsy Oliver started the nursery as a smallholding and planted, harvested and sold flowers and vegetables from the site at the bottom of St John’s Lane. With a wealth and experience and knowledge and a vast array of garden plants, furniture, flowers, seeds, barbecues, clothes, homewares, gifts and seasonal items, visit St John’s this Easter for all things gardening.
North Devon Theatres
The North Devon Theatres have a jam-packed schedule this Easter. The Queens Theatre in Barnstaple and the Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe have something for all the family, from tribute acts, to vintage fairs and children’s plays to keep you entertained over the holidays. On Friday March 27 at the Queens Theatre is Country Stars, a musical tribute to the classic blues and rock ‘n’ roll acts Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. Backed by a first class live band, the show offers an insight into what it must have been like in the early days of good ol’ honky tonkin’! Already a worldwide phenomenon, Sing-a-long-a Frozen comes to the Landmark Theatre on March 29, with performances at 11am and 3pm. Although it’s too warm to build a snowman, you can relive the Frozen magic with lyrics on screen to help you sing along with Anna, Elsa and the gang. A live host will show you how to use your free prop bag, warm up your singing voices and teach you some hand actions to really help you “Let it Go”. Everyone’s favourite tea-guzzling tiger visits the Queens Theatre on April 1 and 2. Following a smash-hit West End season, the stage adaptation of The Tiger Who Came to Tea is packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos – expect to be surprised! On Good Friday 3 and April 4 is Honk! – an Easter eggstravaganza for the young and young at heart at the Landmark Theatre. Based on one of the world’s favourite fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling, Honk follows Ugly and it soon becomes clear that he is no ordinary Duck. He’s mocked on the farmyard, pursued by the ever-hungry Cat! Following huge demand after their performance here last year, Let’s Hang On returns to the Queens Theatre on April 4 to take you on a musical journey through the history of one of the most successful bands of all time – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons! Feature an anthology of hit songs such as Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, December 1963 (Oh What A Night!) and Working My Way Back To You, you’ll be dancing long before the night is over. In between guzzling chocolate and cooking a roast on Easter Sunday 5, why not take a trip to the Landmark Theatre for the Veritably Vintage Fair. There you will find quality authentic vintage clothing and accessories for men and women, vintage jewellery, homewares, decorative items, curios and collectables and a judicious selection of locally handmade crafts with a vintage flavour. Open from 10am – 5pm, there’s plenty of time to find yourself a bargain. For a family performance on April 8 that’s not too hot, not too cold but just right, visit the Queens Theatre for a thrilling adaptation of everyone’s favourite beary tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The performance promises a brilliant mix of ingenious puppetry, music and mischievous moments for everyone in the family aged two and above. For a performance that will make you say “Wow”, have you “Running up that Hill” but definitely not “Dreaming of Sheep”, visit the Landmark Theatre on April 10 for Dreaming of Kate. With a remarkable resemblance to Kate Bush in vocal style and appearance, the extraordinary singer and performer Maaike Breijman brings the music of Kate Bush to Ilfracombe. Dreaming of Kate is not just a tribute band: it is a live experience! For a hilarious end to your Easter break, visit the Queens Theatre on April 10 for Andy Parson’s fifth show Live And Unleashed - But Naturally Cautious. The star of BBC2’s ‘Mock The Week’ and ‘Live At At The Apollo’ has hit the road again and promises to deliver more sharp comedy in Barnstaple.
Days out
in North Devon
Castle Hill Gardens Castle Hill House and Gardens in Filleigh, near Barnstaple, are steeped in history and are, and have been for centuries, a home to the Fortescue family. Today they are loved and cherished by the Earl and Countess of Arran and are a wonderful North Devon visitor attraction. Castle Hill House is a beautiful Palladian home in a wondrous Grade I landscape in North Devon with highly romantic woodland gardens. You can wander through rare trees along tranquil paths where magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas grow in abundance together with profusions of daffodils, bluebells and carpets of Devon primroses. Then meander beside water where Tarka the Otter’s offspring gambol, with vistas to 18th century temples and bridges. Visit the Castle with all round views to distant horizons. A peaceful descent brings you to the Millennium garden, a summer haven of lavender and gentle colours. Castle Hill will envelop you in its mystical and magic beauty. There is always plenty to do for all the
family. Why not bring a picnic, let the children run around, explore and learn in the safe environment of the 50 acre garden. Younger visitors can climb on the Tanglewood Tree – one of the oldest trees in the garden. After walking and playing; enjoy a cream tea or local icecream at the garden kiosk. Four legged friends on leads are welcome too! On April 6, Castle Hill’s annual eggstravaganza, the Easter Bunny Hunt, is held around the gardens. Just follow the cryptic clues left by the Easter Bunny and you could win a chocolate prize! Prices are: adults £5.50, children (5-15) £2.50 and a family ticket (2 adults plus 2 or 3 children) £15 Plus it is now home to one of the best new festivals in the UK – Somersault which returns this summer bringing a whole weekend of music and adventure. A trip to North Devon would not be complete without a visit to Castle Hill to see the gardens and Easter is when the gardens truly start to come alive. Why not visit this Easter and see the magic and beauty for yourself?
Open Day Extravaganza at
Calvert Trust
On Bank Holiday Monday April 6 the award winning Calvert Trust Exmoor will be throwing open its doors and welcoming anyone and everyone to come and try their adventurous activities. Activities on offer include archery, zip-wire, abseiling and its giant swing, all of which are available to try for just £2 per activity. Horse riding and carriage driving are also available; you can meet the lovely friendly horses and enjoy a ride or a drive for just £3 per person for 15 minutes. Calvert Trust Exmoor has run several open days in previous years and they have proved popular with locals and holidaymakers alike. New for 2015 it will also have on site the awesome CardioWall from Rugged Interactive, which is a fun interactive fitness challenge; will you be the one to hit the most lights in the set time and win the prize? Working in partnership with South West Lakes Trust, Calvert Trust Exmoor will once
again be offering canoeing on Wistlandpound Reservoir as part of the open day. Canoeing is just £2 per person for 15 minutes, or £4 per person for 30 minutes. Other attractions on site will include a bouncy castle, glitter tattoos, face painting, refreshment stands, and an exciting visit from an as yet unrevealed children’s character. Doors open at 9:30am and last admission is at 1:30pm, with activities running until 3pm. There is plenty of free parking on site, why not combine your visit with a walk around the reservoir and enjoy a picnic too?
Combe Martin Join in the annual Dino Egg Hunt at Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park during the Easter Holidays, with treats to be won. The park needs help to find the missing eggs before they hatch, so are looking for brave rangers this Easter to search amongst this prehistoric valley! Lurking among the tropical trees are some of the latest in dinosaur animatronics. Come face to face with a ferocious spinosaurus, a family of triceratops and our very own British dinosaur, the vicious neovenator! Look out for the young T-Rex lurking round the corner, his mother is close behind! Watch the UK’s most realistic full sized animatronic T-Rex come to life, but don’t stand too close to the dilophosaurus, you may get wet! Visit the park’s Dinosaur Museum where you can see fantastic and rare exhibits including a complete allosaurus skeleton and one of the largest nest of fossilized eggs ever discovered. Plus, for all those who are wild about wildlife, the park is home to a variety of animals including African lions, wolves, gibbons, baboons, sea lions, penguins and meerkats. Combe Martin is one of only two UK collections where you can see rare white Hudson Bay
wolves on public display; learn more about these stunning animals in the daily wolf talk. Be enthralled by the fabulous sea lion show, have an encounter with a meerkat or take time to feed a wallaby in their walk through enclosure. If you want to pre-book an extra wild experience for the day of your visit, you can arrange to feed a lion, swim with a sea lion or shadow a keeper for the day. Details are available from the park’s website or information line. Coming soon is the grand opening of the Park’s gigantic themed Dinosaurus Playzone: the largest indoor soft play area this side of North Devon! Slides, tubes, scramble nets, rope bridges, ball pools and lots, lots more to keep the children entertained while parents relax over a coffee. Check the park’s website or telephone the information line for confirmation of the opening date. Remember, pay your entry once and return all year for half price, simply pick up a voucher from the park information desk on the day of your visit.
BIG Sheep Easter Eggstravaganza Festival Don’t worry if the Easter Bunny forgets to deliver eggs this Easter – all you have to do is hop to the BIG Sheep, famous family attraction, in Bideford, North Devon and join in the Great BIG Easter Egg Hunt and claim your very own FREE scrumptious chocolate egg. The BIG Sheep will be open to visitors for its annual Easter Eggstravaganza Festival from March 28 to April 12. As well as having over 30,000 chocolate eggs to find, there will be something for all the family to enjoy this Easter. There will be free Easter face painting at intervals throughout the day (March 30 to April 6), an Easter express train ride, and a chance to meet the Easter bunny who will be making personal appearances to meet everyone from March 30 to April 6 at timed intervals. A GIANT Easter bunny will be making a special appearance at the BIG Sheep family attraction on Good Friday April 3 to enjoy a very special holiday breakfast before taking children on a magical Easter egg hunt around the family attraction. As well as having the chance to find your
own delicious egg, visitors may also experience Spring first hand, because Easter is the time when many of our new born lambs arrive. Children will never forget the magical moment of seeing a new born lamb take its first steps and will love helping bottle feed some of our orphan lambs. Our animal barn is full of lovely friendly animals – baby chicks, rowdy roosters, pygmy goats, adorable pups, perky piglets and fluffy bunnies. Whatever the weather this Easter the BIG Sheep will be full of fun and laughter.
Days out in North Devon Rock and Rapid Life is an adventure, so do something incredible this Easter at Rock and Rapid in South Molton. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a mountainmonkey and you’re looking for a new challenge or you want to learn the basics of climbing, then visit North Devon’s largest indoor climbing wall. Experienced and enthusiastic climbing instructors will help you get the most out of your visit by teaching , supporting and challenging you throughout your climb. Unless you’d rather do your own thing – then feel free to be a climbing dare devil! Age and ability doesn’t matter. If you’re new and want to give it a go, have tried climbing before and want to improve, or are a rock climbing expert and want to train, the team will have the right challenges for you. There’s a steep lead wall, plenty of Top Ropes, a quality bouldering cave and a notorious steep training board. The best thing is, the climbing activities are tailored to each person. No matter what you’re after, whether it’s a taster session, a birthday party or a day out for all the family, Rock and Rapid can run the session just for you. If there are any family members who haven’t got a head for heights – don’t worry. There are ultra-comfy sofas and superb café facilities to keep them happy too. Rock and Rapid are open seven days a week so if you fancy learning to climb this Easter, pop along and have a go.
Southdown Adventure
Survival Paintball and Laser
If you want to get the adrenaline pumping this Easter then visit Southdown Adventure near Torrington for the ultimate in excitement. You can experience the thrill of quad biking on the longest track in the South West or emulate Katniss by learning archery. You can shoot an air rifle or master the art of clay pigeon shooting in a traditional countryside setting. You can even take a ride in a zorb ball! The activities can be booked individually, or two can be combined for an amazing and exhilarating day out. The team have all the necessary qualifications, provide all the equipment and for some activities take children as young as 8 years old – there’s plenty of fun for the whole family. All the adventures must be booked in advance, so call and speak to one of the friendly and knowledgeable staff for more information and make this Easter one that will take your breath away!
There’s nothing to do in North Devon in the Easter holidays – they’re so boring! Right? Wrong! Survival Paintball is the biggest and best paintball site in the South West and have been providing family fun in Yarnscombe since 1988 – so it knows a thing or two about having fun. The centre has just started to offer Splatmaster, a low-compact paintball game with spring-loading paintball guns which fire a small paintballs. This game is suitable for children of 9 years and over. You can play for one hour with 100 paintballs for £15pp or two hours for £20pp with 200 paintballs. As well as paintball, the team offer Laser Tag and Airsoft in their scenic woodland location close to Barnstaple and provide everything you need including high quality weapons, ammunition, full face safety goggles, and freshly laundered overalls. They have eight woodland playing areas featuring Aztec Temple and the Village. Land marks include a church, bridges, trenches, barricades, war pill boxes, towers, missile complex and even a satellite station so you will have plenty to explore in combat. So don’t get bored over Easter – visit Survival Paintball with the whole family and create memories that will last for years to come.
Exmoor Zoo Enjoy a day out in North Devon experiencing wildlife from around the world by visiting Exmoor Zoo! From the creepy crawlies of the Amazon to the wobbly wallaby joeys of Australia, there are plenty of hands-on activities with our animals for you to take part in. Easter at the Zoo runs from April 5- April 20. This is when our popular Easter trail quiz hunt takes place, as well as everything egg related. As well as this, you can see talks on lemurs, cheetahs, tortoises, gibbons, penguins, meerkats and even the Exmoor Beast! The Zoo was awarded both the Best Small Attraction in Devon and in the whole of the South West – a great achievement in 2013. Why not come and pay us a visit – you would be most welcome!
Milky Way Meet Thomas the Tank Engine and Storm Troopers this Easter
For a truly out of this world experience, don’t miss out on the fun at The Milky Way this Easter. Just ten minutes’ drive from Bideford, a full day of adventure waits for the whole family come rain or shine. On April 5 and 6, visitors to the park can look forward to meeting Thomas the Tank Engine. Thomas will be on site all day providing a great opportunity to get a photo with the perennial children’s favourite and the Fat Controller will also be making appearances at intervals during the day. Then, on April 11, characters from the iconic Star Wars films will be returning for their third annual visit. This is a character event with a difference, as visitors to the park will get the chance to mingle and get their photos taken with storm troopers and other characters from the films, as they walk around the site throughout the day. The park has invested over half a million pounds in upgrades and new attractions recently, including the innovative Little Stars play centre which offers some of the best facilities for babies, toddlers and young children in the area. Outside are two Jumping Jupiter bouncing pillows, with one dedicated to the under-fives and their grownups and the other, believed to be the biggest in the UK, for older children and adults. Of course there’s also a great choice of other popular attractions on offer. Take a ride on The Cosmic Typhoon roller coaster – enjoy the panoramic views from the top, but prepare to scream as you face the hair raising drop! The droid destroyer dodgems guarantee a bumping good time for everyone, including little ones with special gentle rides for smaller visitors. Another perennial favourite at the Milky Way is the Time Warp – North Devon’s biggest indoor play area, with assault courses and
slides built for adults as well as children. Squeeze through rollers, play hide-and-seek in the ball pools and for the more daring, dive down breath-taking, vertical death slides. To wind down, visitors can take a leisurely trip on the Milky Way railway, and then sit back and enjoy the shows which include Merlin from Britain’s Got Talent with his death defying escapology show and breath-taking displays from the North Devon Bird of Prey Centre. The park also boasts a 1,000 seat indoor arena, so you can be sure that the show goes on whatever the weather! Alongside this, there’s plenty to try your hand at including archery, golf and laser shooting for all the family. Thousands of people visit The Milky Way each year for its 110,000 square feet of undercover fun, as well as acres of outdoor space. The whole place is designed to be fun for parents as well as kids and there are no hidden extras as all of the rides, shows and play areas are included in the entrance fee. It’s no wonder the Milky Way has been voted ‘North Devon’s top day out with the Kids’ for the last three years! For more information, opening times and events call The Milky Way on 01237 431255, or visit www.themilkyway.co.uk.
RHS Rosemoor
Easter is traditionally a time for celebrating new life, from newborn lambs to hatching chicks. But nothing embodies Easter more than blooming flowers, signalling the end of the winter frosts and beginning of warmer months ahead. RHS Garden Rosemoor is an internationally renowned RHS garden in Torrington, where flowers bloom in abundance. Rosemoor is celebrating Easter with a magical programme of activities for all the family to enjoy whatever the weather. Young ones (or the young at heart) can hop around the gardens with the family this Easter, answering clues along the way and be rewarded with a delicious Easter chocolate treat. Find the Magic. Find the Lindt Gold Bunny. You can get crafty with Rosemoor’s Easter workshops.
It is holding drop-in family workshops where you can weave your own willow Easter basket using willow grown in the garden. Or perhaps make some bunny ears to hop round the garden in. There is also the chance to discover Rosemoor’s beautiful wildflowers on a family adventure walk – whatever the weather there is plenty to explore. With different activities every day and no extra charge it’s a perfect solution to keeping the kids entertained this Easter holiday. Just make sure you find time to enjoy the sights and sounds of spring as our gardens burst into bloom all around you and get into the spirit of Easter.
Days out
in North Devon Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
Lundy Island Lundy lies off the coast of North Devon, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel with nothing between it and America. It is a granite outcrop, three miles long and half a mile wide. In the hubbub of the modern world it is a place apart, peaceful and unspoiled and the perfect place to recharge this Easter. Catch the MS Oldenburg on April 4 to this tranquil island and discover the magic for yourself. The boat departs from Ilfracombe at 10am and returns at 6pm, allowing you to enjoy a day exploring the island. On April 4, the Easter Bunny will deliver a piece of magic himself, by leaving a trail of Easter eggs all over the island. The young and also the young at heart can follow the clues, answer the questions and complete the challenges to find your way to the prize! After completing the Easter egg hunt, you can enjoy the varied terrain of Lundy from the high and rugged cliffs on the West to the sheltered, grassy coastline of the East. The contrast provides a rich diversity of animal and plant life on the island as well as an attraction for walkers, climbers and divers. Why not see how many animals you can spot on the island? There are deer, sheep, goats, pigs, cattle and ponies as well as puffins which Lundy is famous for. You never know – you might even spot the Easter Bunny! With plenty to see and do on the island, it’s the perfect place to explore, discover and recharge while making lots of family memories this Easter.
This Easter why not take a trip down memory lane and ride the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway – the last narrow-gauge railway adventure! This Victorian steam railway will be open every day over the Easter Holiday so there’s plenty of opportunity to take a ride. Board the train at Woody Bay Station – 1,000 feet up on wild Exmoor to enjoy a two-mile round trip to Killington Lane Halt and back in lovingly restored Victorian carriages while taking in views of beautiful North Devon scenery. Your ticket is valid for all trains, all day so you can enjoy the ride as many times as you wish. It also have excellent tea-rooms and gardens. All parking is on-site and FREE. The railway is operated almost entirely by volunteers and is a non-profit organisation owned by its members, with the mission to fully restore the legendary railway. So do something unusual this Easter while supporting North Devon railway heritage and take a ride on the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway at Woody Bay Station on the A39 between Blackmoor Gate and Lynton.
Quince Honey Farm Quince Honey Farm is open every day from March 28, 9am – 6pm. Our Easter fun weekend will be taking place on April 4 & 5 with indoor and outdoor activities. LIVE bee beard shows, Easter egg hunts, lambs and bunnies to cuddle and visit our new outdoor play, plus so much more! The event is free for members or normal admission price.
Hartland Abbey There is plenty of fun to be had in the beautiful grounds and gardens of Hartland Abbey this Easter weekend. On Sunday April 5 and Monday April 6 is the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Children can have a wonderful time searching all over the woodland paths and walks for clues that will lead them to a hidden treasure trove of Easter Eggs. Then they can play traditional games like Pin the tail on the Easter bunny. This is an excellent opportunity for adults and children alike to visit the beautiful grounds of the wonderful 12th century Abbey. The daffodils and spring flowers will be looking at their best and provide ample opportunity to get into the spirit of the season. The fascinating house will also be open in the afternoon at an extra charge. The tea room will be serving delicious lunches, cream teas and scrumptious Easter cakes. Dogs are most welcome providing they don’t eat the Easter eggs first! Hartland Abbey is open 11.30 – 5pm. See www.hartlandabbey.com for further details.
HAPPY EASTER
Spring in the garden EGGESFORD GARDENS Easter is just around the corner so it is an exciting time of year for the gardener. The vigour and energy of spring combined with an extra couple of days to work outside means that you can achieve some great results over the Bank Holiday weekend. It’s time for planting in the veg garden and there is a great range of vegetable plants and seeds along with friendly help and advice available at Eggesford Gardens. Planting up hanging baskets and containers for your summer display can be a big job, especially as they need to be kept under cover until May to avoid being caught by late frosts. Why not take advantage of Eggesford Gardens planting service – just order your
containers or baskets in the style that you like and pick them up in May ready to go straight outside for a stunning display. Whether you are planting bountiful baskets, creating beautiful borders or designing perfect planters there is always a great selection of quality plants at Eggesford Gardens. Most of our plants are from growers based in Devon and the South West. Everything else you need is on hand too - from compost to containers, fertilisers to forks and wellies to wheel-barrows. With the Gardens Restaurant serving delicious home cooked food and well stocked shop selling great gift ideas and home accessories it is a great place to visit - even if you aren’t a gardener. Dogs and muddy boots are welcome!
HAPPY EASTER
Devon Outdoors A sure sign that summer’s on its way is when the tent and awning display goes back up at Devon Outdoor & Camping Supplies, at Wyevale Garden Centre, Ashford, Barnstaple. “So many people look forward to the display going back up” said Julie. “For many of our customers, it heralds the start of the summer”. Once again, this year sees an increase in the range of inflatable tents and awnings on offer from Kampa, Outwell, Sunncamp and Vango. Kampa are capitalising on the success of their Croyde and Hayling series of poled tents, with the same range now available in Air – these are great value for money. Outwell are still replicating their fantastic quality of family poled tents into their range of inflatable tents with a superb offering of poly-cotton air tents. We enjoyed our first year stocking Cabanon tents last year and look forward showcasing them again. The quality of these cotton tents was well received by those people looking for a strong, long lasting, natural product that will stand up to the worse type of weather.
Our range of poled tents this year, also include the brilliant Coleman Octogan 8 – a fantastic party tent, and the Easy Camp Image tents – the very contemporary designs will be a big hit with the festival goer. The increasing popularity of campervans has also increased the need to stock a good range of drive-away awnings. We have both poled and inflatable in stock. This season sees the introduction of a new brand of awnings from Outdoor Revolution and we continue to widen our range of caravan awnings and accessories too. We are really pleased with the range of products in store with co-ordinating furniture to compliment the tents and awnings, and a good selection of tableware, not forgetting the popular Outwell Collaps range in new colours. For the first time, we are now able to offer finance on selected products – please ask in store for details.
S & G Carpets
FR Way Long-established furnisher F.R. Way is a family business, delivering high quality products that have given the shop its superb reputation. Including quality furnishings featuring dining, bedroom and lounge furniture, chairs, wall units, bureaux, pocketed and open spring beds, carpets, rugs and wood furniture, you are guaranteed to find a wonderful addition for your home. F.R. Way stocks an outstanding range of wardrobes by German manufacturers Rauch. The vast selection of wardrobes displayed in the shop boasts ample space for your home.
What better time to invest in a brand new wardrobe than in the spring for a fresh start? The innovative design of these products allow for maximum storage in your home, with exceptional style. While you’re browsing the fantastic range of wardrobes, why not take a look at the top of the range Hypnos beds currently on offer? To refresh and rejuvenate your home for the spring season, visit F.R. Way and chat to their friendly and helpful staff, who offer excellent advice as a result of their product knowledge and many years of experience.
HAPPY EASTER
Established in 1948, S & G Carpets in Torrington has earned a respectable reputation as flooring specialists for North Devon. It works with domestic and commercial clients across the South West to design, supply and fit high quality home and contract flooring from UK- based manufacturers who are known to produce some of the best carpets and flooring in the world. As an independent family run business,
the team pride themselves in offering highly competitive prices alongside friendly and reliable customer service and offer a wide range of flooring from carpets and vinyl to wood and laminate, even flooring for wet rooms. If you’re looking to give your floors a facelift this Spring, visit S & G Carpets for an initial free measuring and estimation service.
Food & Drink
in North Devon Sands on the Beach
The Gurkha Established in 2009, the Gurkha restaurant is the original and best Nepalese restaurant in Barnstaple. It specialises in Nepalese and Indian cuisine with ten years of experience, offering a wide variety of dishes, both vegetarian and nonvegetarian but all cooked with a traditional mix of herbs and spices. It also offers discounts for NHS and military staff with valid identification. This Easter try something new and exciting and visit the Gurkha for mouth-watering and beautifully presented, authentic delicacies served by friendly and attentive staff.
Fatbelly Freds
Fatbelly Freds is a locally owned restaurant, nestled within Maiden Street in Barnstaple. The restaurant was previously in Boutport Street and with trade building, a decision to buy its own premises came a little over a year ago. Geoff Morton, the chef and proprietor, has a passion for seafood and is keen to show some of the more diverse, sustainable fish we have from around our shores. The menu had over 46 different species of fish last year from around the UK and all Devon landed. Geoff’s passion for all things fishy is quite clear – you only have to speak to him to see this. Education on seafood is prevalent within the restaurant so his clientele can gain confidence in trying new species of fish. He boasts that some of the best produce is right here on our doorstep and with a great network of suppliers, he’s happy to cook them for you. Fatbelly Freds hope to see you this Easter. Check out the website www.fatbellyfreds. co.uk to see what’s on offer.
R & S Ware
R & S Ware is a traditional family butchers in Great Torrington who will do its utmost to get you what you want, with a catering and delivery service available and no job too big. Reg & Steve Ware have been in the butchery trade since the 1960s and have got over 90 years’ experience between them with 2015 marking their 20th anniversary of opening the shop. R & S Ware has an extensive range of fresh meats, award winning sausages and burgers, offal and a large selection of BBQ meats. The dedicated team of staff have all the ingredients you need to make a delicious Easter Sunday roast, with fresh frozen turkeys, turkey breast, fresh ducks, free range chickens, pork, beef and Spring lamb to order. It is open seven days a week including Good Friday and Saturday, but are closed Easter Sunday and Monday. Orders are currently being taken so whatever your needs this Easter, visit Reg, Steve and the team for quality meat, a friendly service and expert advice.
Sands on the Beach is the sister café to the Saunton Sands hotel, offering an unrivalled location and a delicious menu. The café is open seven days a week throughout the Easter holiday, and provides fabulous food all day from its extensive menu with special starters such as Thai Crab Cakes with Asian salad and nam jim to lovely sandwiches, homemade burgers and spectacular sharing platters. Showcasing fine local produce including freshly caught fish served with chips, mushy peas and tartar sauce, Sands on the Beach is the epitome of our glorious North Devon lifestyle. Treat yourself to a relaxing breakfast for the Easter holidays with the Sands full English. Try the Sands homemade beef burger for a filling daytime meal, overlooking the beautiful Saunton Sands beach. If you’re visiting in the evening, a glorious array of seafood awaits from seafood linguini to pan fried seabass salad with pancetta, new potatoes, sun-blushed tomatoes and raspberry vinaigrette. For vegetarians there is a wonderful Mediterranean vegetable and feta salad or red wine poached pear, fig and walnut salad – delicious! For a festive Easter treat, why not try an afternoon tea with a selection of freshly baked cakes and pastries. Sands on the Beach is undoubtedly the place to be for a beautiful daytime or evening meal, or even just a relaxing drink over the Easter break.
The
Watersmeet Hotel Watersmeet Hotel is situated in one of the finest coastal locations in the whole of the West Country, above a quiet, sandy beach on Devon’s rugged North Atlantic coast. The high standards and traditional values of the hotel as well as the exceptional comfort it provides, along with the friendly and helpful staff will ensure your stay is relaxing and memorable. At Watersmeet, every bedroom except two has spectacular sea views. The seaward side of the hotel offers an uninterrupted panorama, giving the feeling of relaxing on the beach no matter which room you’re in. The hotel is perfectly situated for a traditional “Famous Five”-style family holiday this Easter. The South West coast path can be walked from the door of the hotel, one of the county’s top golf courses is on the doorstep, or you could get wet at Woolacombe while learning to surf. Your children can enjoy fresh air and freedom and those simple pleasures of holidays
of yesteryear. On Combesgate Beach, directly below the hotel, children can go rock pooling, shrimping, paddling, boogie boarding or play beach games. After enjoying the fresh sea air, you can relax in the award-winning restaurants where the dedicated kitchen staff serve well-cooked, classical English dishes with a few modern European influences thrown in for good measure. The Bistro is popular with nonresidents and the Table d’Hote is a wonderful fine dining restaurant. With the sea on one side and the North Devon countryside on the other, the chefs are spoilt for choice when it comes to high quality local ingredients. You can enjoy the beautiful sea views wherever you sit in the restaurant, and glorious sunsets over dinner providing the perfect end to an Easter break. For more information, call the friendly reception team on 01271 870 333.
HAPPY EASTER
The
Red Barn The Red Barn is a family owned surf bar and restaurant located right by the beach in Woolcombe. The Red Barn has proudly been serving Great British pub food to visiting tourists and the local community for 50 years. The team have been developing the menu as they go, ensuring they serve the best food they can offer. The professionally equipped kitchen, staffed by a brigade of trained chefs, means they can keep the food coming all day, every day to feed all the hungry customers! The Red Barn cooks all its own food on the premises so it serves all the dishes featured on the menu, as well as daily-changing “Chefs Specials”. Local butchers provide West Country beef for steaks, chilli and homemade burgers, the potatoes are hand chipped and cooked from fresh every day, and the beer batter for the cod is made with local ale. As well as this, the team are committed to serving local ales
and ciders, with St Austells ‘Tribute’ and other local ales always on tap, plus a great selection of imported continental lagers. The Red Barn also holds a large variety of music events, with a local band playing every week. From ska to rock’n’roll and Americana – there’s something to suit even the most diverse of musical tastes. The Red Barn has been home to Woolcombe’s surfers for years. Check out the collection of classic surfboards on display in the rafters – most were either made or surfed by local surfing legends at Woolacombe. This Easter, if you’re looking for fresh and local pub grub, local ales, great music and a friendly welcome, look no further than The Red Barn.