Posts

Easter in South Devon

/in /by

With Easter heralding the start of Spring, we believe Easter is about getting outside with the family and having fun together after those cold winter days indoors!

We will keep updating with local events so watch this space, but read on for our list of things to do this Easter whilst on holiday at Beeson Farm.

Pennywell Farm https://www.pennywellfarm.co.uk/ will be running their annual Easter Egg-stravaganza from the 1st April to 10th April. Pennywell is always an egg-stra special day out for families who will love feeding the animals, meeting the miniature pigs and going on the rides.   https://www.pennywellfarm.co.uk/easter-eggstravaganza

The Church House Inn at Stokenham (a few minutes drive from Beeson Farm)are hosting a free Sea Shanty Easter Event on the 8th April. With live music, traditional sea shanties, a bouncy castle, face painting, BBQ and pirate themed treasure hunt this sounds like a brilliant day out! Check their facebook page for details. https://www.churchhouseinnstokenham.co.uk/

South Devon Railway are running 3 family fun weekends, offering excellent value for money. Tickets include a ride on the Steam Train along the River Dart, free entry to the Dartmoor Otters and Buckfast Butterfly sanctuaries, free entry to Totnes Rare Breeds Farm, face painting, childrens entertainment, vintage bus rides and of course, an Easter Egg Hunt! https://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/visit-us/whats-on/family-fun-weekend/

Totnes Spring Festival on the 13th April is a free day out for the family with live music, street food, childrens entertainment (including bouncy castle and free crafts) and much more. https://www.visittotnes.co.uk/whats-on/totnes-spring-festival/

The Easter Bunny will be visiting Woodlands Theme Park near Dartmouth from Saturday April 1st to Sunday April 9th. Make your way through the rabbit warren into Bunny’s Easter Grotto featuring amazing Easter themed rooms and meet the Easter Bunny then go thrill seeking on their egg-streme rides!! A day ticket will let you explore all the usual rides and soft play, and woodland areas as well. https://www.woodlandspark.com/

 

Pop over the River Dart to Greenway House (Agatha Christies home) and explore their beautiful grounds while taking part in their Easter Egg Hunt. The trail takes place between 24 March – 30 April, from 10.30am to 5pm, with last entry at 3.30pm.  Prices are £3 per trail (usual admission prices apply) which includes an Easter trail sheet, pencil, bunny ears and chocolate egg. There are fun games along the trail including welly wanging and wheelbarrow racing! https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/greenway

Heron Valley Orchards  are hosting an Easter Egg Hunt in their beautiful grounds.  Grab a sheet from the bar and lead your little ones on an adventure through the orchard to win a chocolatey prize. The hunt can be done anytime between 9am and 5pm and can be taken at your own pace. The cafe will be open serving delicious lunches. https://www.heronvalley.co.uk/products/easter-egg-hunt

We have special offers and reduced rates available in the The Stables, Linhay or Trap House with weekly stays from just £480 per week. Check out our ‘Cottages’ page or contact us to book.

Year of the Coast

/in /by

2023 is the Year of the Coast, celebrating Englands coastline, and here in South Devon we have some of the most spectacular coastline in the UK.

Throughout the year there is always something new to see and do, from blustery beach walks in winter to the sun soaked days and turquoise, crystal clear sea of the summer. The South Devon coastline has beautiful estuaries, rolling hills, hidden bays and amazing seafood, making us a must-visit destination for all seasons.

Here are our top 5 things to do on the South Devon coast.

  1. Visit the local waterfront towns.

The town of Dartmouth was once a bustling port, with ships sailing off for the Crusades in the 12th Century, the arrival of the Mayflower and Pilgrim fathers in 1620 through to its role in WW2 preparations. These days, Dartmouth is host to the annual regatta in August, Dartmouth Food Festival in October and home to an array of independent shops, eateries and galleries. 

Salcombe, once a notorious haunt of pirates and smugglers made its name in the 1800s for its “fruit clippers”, which raced to bring exotic foreign fruits back to England.   Salcombe today is known for its beautiful scenery, as well as being a centre for sailing, making it a great base for messing about on boats (boat hire available in town), though if you prefer to stay on dry land you might want to pay a visit to the Salcombe Gin distillery or Salcombe chocolate factory instead!

2. Explore the Coastpath

The South West Coastpath runs for 630 miles in total, 125 of which take in the South Devon coast, offering walks ranging from the easy to the challenging.  The South Devon section of the coastpath boasts some of the most spectacular landscape, seascape, climate and vegetation to be found anywhere in the UK and a wonderful array of wildlife from whales, dolphins, seals to the rare Cirl Bunting.  Take a circular walk using the https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walk-coast-path/south-west-coast-path-national-trail/day-walks/explore-south-devon-project/

  1. Try Delicious Local Seafood

The South West’s biggest fishing port is in Brixham and our local area has a very active fishing industry, still bringing in the catch of the day.

Our local pub, The Cricket Inn at Beesands, is supplied by Beesands fishermen who have specialized in lobster, crab and hand dived Beesands scallops for generations. Visitors to South Devon will find excellent local seafood and shellfish on the menu of the local pubs, but guests may also like to buy local seafood to cook back in their holiday cottage. We can recommend “Catch of the Day” in Kingsbridge, Mark Lobb in Dartmouth and of course Britannia Shellfish at Beesands.

  1. Watersports

South Devon has a well deserved reputation as a watersports destination, with something to suit all ages and abilities. From paddleboarding to surfing and sailing, being on the water is a way to really get South Devon under your skin.

Paddleboarding is one of the most relaxing ways to explore the coastline or estuary and there is an excellent local hire/tuition at Salcombe Watersports in East Portlemouth.

Bantham and Bigbury on Sea are among the most popular spots in South Devon for surfing. With near perfect conditions all year round it is ideal for beginners and the RNLI have lifeguards on the beach during the busier, summer months.

Salcombe is the home of sailing in Devon, with sailing lessons and hire available from Salcombe Dinghy Sailing as well as boat hire from Whitestrand boat hire.

 

  1. Landmarks and Buildings

South Devon has a some beautiful historical buildings that are open to the public.

Start Point Lighthouse has guided boats along the English Channel for over 150 years and in our opinion, the walk to Start Point Lighthouse and around the headland is one of the best coastal walks in South Devon.

Since 1863, The Naval College in Dartmouth has been training Naval Officers from all over the world. Public Tours are available on most Mondays and Wednesdays from February through to November.

Dartmouth castle has watched over the entrance to the Dart Estuary and guarded the harbour town for over 600 years. It has stunning views out to sea and up the estuary and is a great family day out.

Burgh Island is an iconic South Devon landmark, accessible on foot at low tide by a strip of sand or by sea tractor when the tide comes in. With links to Agatha Christie, smugglers and pirates the island is well worth exploring, and the famous Art Deco hotel is open to non residents. Make sure to also visit The Pilchard Inn on the island, one of Devons oldest pubs which has been serving drinks since 1336.

If you are planning a UK holiday this year we hope that this has given you some inspiration of things to do in South Devon while you spend 2023 by the sea!

End of Summer Escapes

/in /by

The end of August and beginning of September are a perfect time of year to visit South Devon! Mild temperatures, quiet beaches, stunning clifftop walks, seal spotting and beautiful waterfront towns to explore….

An ideal time of year for couples who want to explore the local area, or families with young children who arent tied down to term time holidays.

With prices from just £320 a week (special offer) you can embrace all that South Devon has to offer!

A warm welcome awaits you…

Easter in South Devon

/in /by

On Easter Sunday morning join us on the farm to see what the Easter Bunny has been up too- we can guarantee that there will be plenty of chocolate easter eggs hiding around the farm, cottages and courtyard for our youngest guests!

Head over to the annual South Pool Easter Fun Day on April 20th (Approx 10 mins from Beeson Farm) The fun takes place alongside the estuary in the pretty village of South Pool, home to the fabulous Millbrook Inn. Turn up with your Easter Bonnet for the childrens egg hunt and bonnet competition from 12:15pm and then marvel at the South Pool duck race from 2pm, chose your rubber duck and cheer it on as it floats to victory down the estuary! There will be a BBQ and live music at the pub throughout the afternoon.

East Soar Outdoor Experience is situated on a National Trust farm in one of the the most breathtaking parts of South Devon on the headland, just above the picturesque town of Salcombe (approx 15 mins drive from Beeson Farm). Their yearly Easter family fun days are hugely popular with locals and guests alike and will runs over the Easter holidays. 11am daily, £3 per child.

The Tower Inn in Slapton are hosting their own mini Easter fair on the 20th April, with plenty of entertainment for the children and wonderful food and drink for the adults to get Easter off to a great start!

South Devon Diary 2019

/in /by

2018 was quite a year in South Devon! From playing in the snow (a real rarity here- the South Devon rolling hills took on a new thrill!) to endless days basking on the beach in the summer heatwave, there was something new to do in every season.

Below is a taster of whats on offer through 2019, but please check our facebook page for more! In addition we run our own activities on the farm throughout the year (including a childrens Easter Egg hunt and supervised pond dipping sessions in the summer holidays)

Endurance Life Coastal Trail Series (2nd February)

The original coastal trail series race, choose a 10K, half, full or ultra marathon along the the coastpath and countryside of our local area of outstanding natural beauty.

Big Day out on the Farm (28th April)

Head over to East Soar Outdoor Experience with the (National Trust) and meet the animals, explore the farm trail and join in with the family friendly activities on offer.

Blackawton Worcharming Festival (5th May)

The quirkiest of all our local festivals! Use any tactics you can to charm as many worms from your designated plot of earth as you can! Register at the event. Also includes dog show, music and beer festival and events for all the family.

Dart Music Festival (10th – 12th May)

This family friendly event is free to attend with over 100 live acts performing at various venues around the town.

Prawle Village Fete (26th May)

Devons most southerly village is full of quirky charm. The fete on the village green is one of the highlights of our year. Traditional family fun with everything from Maypole dancing to knobbly knees contests, skittles, swingboats and our favourite- the slippery pole! Refreshments available from the Pigs Nose Inn, a wonderfully unique village pub.

Kingsbridge Food and Music Festival (31st May – 2nd June)

The best of local food and drink combined with live music on the Quayisde. Free to attend

Kingsbridge Fair Week (20th – 27th July)

Kingsbridge Fair gets the holidays off to a great start! Events including the hilarious raft race, carnival procession and lantern parade, teddy bears picnic and 10K run there is something for everyone during the week.

Dartmouth Shakespeare Week (23rd – 27th July)

The Inn Theatre Compant bring Shakesepare to the open air in the stunning surroundings of Dartmouth Castle.

Salcombe Town Regatta (3rd – 10th August)

Salcombe Town Regatta is the biggest event in the town, with lots to do for all ages on an off the water, finishing off with a spectacular fireworks display.

Frogmore Regatta (11th August)

Held by the waterside in the local village of Frogmore there is lots of fun to be had for all the family (including events on the water!)

Dartmouth Royal Regatta (29th August – 31st August)

A popular and busy Regatta with rowing races, street food, childrens activities, fireworks and more.

Kingsbridge Show (7th September)

A wonderful event in our calendar, celebrating all that is great about South Devon life! A great for a day out for all the family with a full programme of activities, attractions, local crafts, agricultural equipment and animals on show. Our children absolutely love a day out at the show!

Dartmouth Food Festival (18th – 20th October)

The best of the South West is on offer during this weekend in the heart of the town. One of the UKs top food festivals you can attend cookery workshops, demonstrations and talks or just wander the town and sample the food and drink that is on offer.

Candlelit Dartmouth (29th November – 30th November)

Father Christmas arrives in South Devon (by boat of course!). Start your Christmas shopping in the market and watch the atmospheric lantern parade.
Kingsbridge Celebrates Christmas (7th December)

A one day Christmas celebration with shopping, craft market, street food and farmers market, rounding up with the lantern parade down the high street.

Festive Fun on the Farm (15th December)

Join in the festive fun at East Soar Outdoor experience (National Trust) and make your own natural decorations  and help the wildlife through the winter by making simple feeders.