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It’s spring! It’s spring! |
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We’re all set for Easter, with masses of daffodils nodding gently in the breeze, carpets of soft yellow primroses and some wonderful holiday homes ready to welcome you. Look at these great offers for the Easter holidays:
Just £239 for a week for two in a brilliantly located house (S18) in Cornwall; a week in lovely East Prawle (with a great village pub) from £62pp, based on 6 people sharing (L73); great views of Fistral Beach – only £103pp for 5 people sharing (Q4); and only £73pp for a party of 4 in a delightful barn conversion (B8) in the ancient hamlet of Olchard.
If you can’t get away for Easter, we’ve other tempting offers throughout April; how about just £43pp for a week (8 sharing) only 5 minutes’ walk from the excellent sandy beach at Exmouth (G90)?
London gets ever closer to the West Country...
From 20th April Air Southwest will offer twice daily flights from Monday to Friday (and one on Sunday) from London City Airport, the only airport actually in London, to Plymouth and Newquay. With fares starting from just £29 including taxes, charges and baggage, this will really open up Devon and Cornwall for those of you in London wanting a few days’ break in the South West.
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Food glorious food...
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Exeter Festival of South West food and drink…
For the 6th year running, this weekend of fabulous food, drink and live entertainment returns to Northernhay Gardens in the heart of Exeter (17th to 19th April). Rumour has it Matt Dawson MBE, recent England rugby star and popular Strictly Come Dancing and MasterChef contestant, is coming to help Mitch Tonks with his fish masterclass on the Saturday. There’ll also be two ‘after dark’ events in the Castle Courtyard from 6pm with music, regional ales and ciders and other treats.
Sleep it all off at B84
10 Rayners
Kennford, Torbay and the Red Cliffs
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Get well the Tudor way…
On Saturday 18th April meet a Tudor apothecary at St Nicholas Priory in Exeter with a variety of remedies and medical ingredients – some familiar, some exotic and some downright odd. Experience the weird smells of ancient lotions and potions but beware, some activities are messy so do wear clothes that can get dirty! Call 01392 665858 for further details.
Rest your bones at G619
Mallard Cottage
Poltimore, East Devon
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And all that jazz…
A great weekend at Budleigh Salterton, 23rd to 25th April, for jazz aficionados, with three full concerts at the Games Club. The main event features saxophonist Scott Hamilton with the Craig Milverton Trio. Take in the Sunset Cafe Stompers and the Devon Youth Jazz Orchestra at the supporting concerts.
Play it cool at G120
Queen Ann Cottage
Sidmouth, East Devon
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Are you ready boots? Then head for Ivybridge…
This year’s Ivybridge Walking Festival takes place from 25th April to 4th May and includes events in the Dartmoor National Park, the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and with The Devon Wildlife Trust, together with special events arranged in Ivybridge. Enjoy some great walking!
Cool your feet in the sea at L63
Cherry Cottage
Slapton, South Hams
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And then kick straight on to…
The North Devon & Exmoor Walking Festival, 30th April to 8th May. There are 73 walks altogether, ensuring a good choice of lengths and difficulty each day. Look out for red deer and Exmoor ponies or ramble on Croyde Beach and explore rock pools with the children. Join the owner of Hartland Abbey on a walk to the cottage used in the BBC’s production of ‘Sense and Sensibility’. Guides will share their knowledge and enthusiasm with you and make the walks come to life!
Treat yourself to some sweets at K8
The Olde Sweetshop
Hartland, North Devon
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Steam’s up for Trevithick Day, 25th April…
There’s dancing in the streets of Camborne, street stalls and entertainers, children’s fairground, vintage cars, model exhibitions, steam engines as well as the traditional Bal-maidens and Miners dance, with almost 250 local children taking part. In the afternoon is Trevithick’s Dance, when people dressed in traditional Cornish black and gold dance in procession behind the town band.
Put your feet up at Q6
The Designer's Loft
St Agnes, Newquay Coast
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Austin 7 Rally at Pencarrow…
Come along and see these wonderful old cars beautifully restored and maintained. The rally is open from 11am to 4pm on Sunday 26th April.
Tootle back to R394
Venton House
Millbrook, South Cornwall
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The Sailors Horse of Minehead, 30th April to 4th May…
Origins of this custom are lost in the mists of time – to frighten off Vikings perhaps? The arrival of a crewless phantom ship – or was it the ancient King of May? Heralded by a drum, the hobby horse dances round Minehead and on to Dunster Castle, accompanied by drummers and accordion. After 3 days of festivities the horse finishes in Minehead, where the ‘booty’ is performed on some luckless person who failed to make a donation…
Get away from it all at F27
Jubilee House
Timberscombe, Exmoor
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Songs for Cornwall…
The male voice choir in Cornwall has long been a significant tradition of county cultural life and male voice choirs/ensembles will gather for the Fourth British Male Voice Choral Festival in Truro, 30th April to 4th May. It’s a unique festival of male voice choir singing, workshops, competitions, socialising and sightseeing.
Jump on the ferry at S235
Seaview Farm Cottage
Feock, Cornwall's Med
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Padstow ‘Obby ‘Oss – ‘summer is acome unto day’, 1st May…
Nobody knows the origins of this custom for sure, but they are determined it will never die out. Celebrations start at midnight with unaccompanied singing around the town. During the day accordions and drums accompany Old ‘Oss and Blue Ribbon around the town. After the ‘Oss's are stabled until the following year, musicians and dancers end the day at midnight around the maypole.
P348 is just a few furlongs away
Primrose Cottage
Edmonton, North Cornwall
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Helen and Mandy hand over the money…
Last month Helen and Mandy popped down to Brixham and climbed aboard the lifeboat Seth Bell to hand over a cheque for £2,616 to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution), our charity for 2008. You generously donated £1,308, which we matched and was very much appreciated by the RNLI.
This year we’re supporting Farms for City Children, the charity which enriches the lives of children from urban areas by giving them the opportunity to spend a week working together on a real farm in the heart of the countryside.
Painting competition…
You can win a holiday worth £400 with Helpful Holidays! Send us your drawing, sketch or painting, lovingly created whilst holidaying in one of our cottages by the end of September to have a chance. Go on have a go - you never know, your next visit to the West Country may just bring out the creative genius within you and earn you another break courtesy of Helpful Holidays! Whether you win or not, we look forward to welcoming you here to the glorious West Country this year.
Best wishes,
Moray Bowater
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© 2009 Helpful Holidays, Mill Street, Chagford, Devon, TQ13 8AW Tel: 01647 433593 Email: help@helpfulholidays.com
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