November Highlight: Clovelly celebrates the Silver Darlings of the Sea.

This year Clovelly are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Clovelly Herring Festival, which is held to promote these tasty, nutritious Silver Darlings and support sustainable fishing.

The village once depended on the harvest of herring, which are caught in superb condition for a short season off its coast. Records go back over 400 years and in 1749, there were a hundred herring boats in the port. When fishing was good, 9000 herring could be landed at one time. Those days of massive catches are long gone and there remain just two herring fishermen who still employ sustainable fishing methods using drift nets and long lines.

There’ll be delicious herring specialities, cookery demonstrations, beer tastings, local food and craft stalls, live shanty singers, stiltwalker entertainment, face painting & henna tattos, a herring fishing photo exhibition, Herring Hunt and the National Trust event-themed children’s craft activities.

Maritime historian, Mike Smylie, will be returning with his “Kipperland” exhibition, which is devoted to the history of the herring. He will also be turning herring into delicate-tasting kippers and bloaters in his smokehouse.

There'll also be net making, flax processing and a Curragh on show provided by 'Flaxland' and a Herring Art Competition organised by The Small School, Hartland with the participation of other local schools. All the art will be on display on the day to be judged.

Clovelly Herring Festival 2015 - Photos copyright Pat Adams (All rights reserved)

History of the "Silver Darlings of the Sea" - Photos copyright Pat Adams (All rights reserved)

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Clovelly Herring Festival, 10th Anniversary
Sunday 20 November from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Clovelly Harbour, North Devon
Contact: Visitor Centre. Tel: 01237 431781Email: visitorcentre@clovelly.co.uk
Website: www.clovelly.co.uk