OLYMPIC TORCH - TORRIDGE & NORTH DEVON ROUTES

On May 21st, the Olympic Torch will be coming through Torridge and North Devon. Visit http://www.torridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=7769 for Torridge Routes and Times – Visit http://www.northdevon.gov.uk/london2012 for North Devon Routes and Times

BUMPER BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND AT THE BIG SHEEP BIDEFORD

Peppa Pig is visiting the BIG Sheep this Monday!! There are two options of how you can and your family can meet the world's favourite pig. Come along to our Special Peppa Pig Breakfastbetween 8:30amand 10am where you and your family can enjoy a yummy breakfast before having an exclusive meet and greet session with Peppa Pig. Limited spaces available to ensure each child gets exclusive time with Peppa her extra cuddles, high fives and perfect pictures. Price includes entry to the BIG Sheep for the rest of the day from 10am until 6pm so you can enjoy a whole day out. FIND OUT MORE - BOOK NOW 

If breakfast is too early for you then don't worry Peppa will be around at intervals throughout the day on Monday 7th May so everyone can meet her.

BOOK DAY TIME TICKETS NOW TO RECEIVE 20% OFF! (20% discount available for day time tickets for use between 10am and 6pm, this does not include the Peppa Breakfasts) 

SUNDAY Celebrate Punch's 350th Birthday! Help us celebrate Punch's 350th birthday with a special day of Punch and Judy Shows, Magic Shows and a Balloon Modelling Drop in Session. Forget computer games for the day and laugh out loud to one of the oldest childrens entertainment shows. Fun for the whole family as adults can recapture their youth and remember Punch and Judy from their own childhoods. 

SATURDAY 2 Full English Breakfasts for £10 Our Shepherd's Restaurant will be serving an All Day Breakfast on Saturday 5th May - Buy 2 scrummy yummy breakfasts for only £10! You do not need to pay admission to The BIG Sheep to use the restaurant. Entry to the shop and restaurant is free of charge.

Visit www.thebigsheep.co.uk

Swallows, squelchy boots and swollen streams

We set off for Hartland Abbey in torrential rain on Sunday.  Appropriately dressed for a wet  walk through the bluebell woods we were pretty confident the rain would ease up so we could get some pics. I especially wanted to get some shots of those pretty little curly black lambs with the long tails. We kept to the track and encountered a few puddles created by water streaming down around the trees from the uplands. Looked out across the bluebells and the now pungent wild garlic beneath dripping hats. Quite comically the sheep were all facing the same direction standing stock still while the cattle huddled together in a line at the edge of the long meadow under the trees. We could hear and see the turbid Abbey River as it thundered down then watched as it spilled out into a weirdly calm sea at Blackpool Mouth. Sadly the rain was relentless so the cameras stayed in the bag. Despite our bedraggled appearance and squelchy boots we really enjoyed our walk and  paused for a while to watch the recently arrived Swallows as they swooped and scooped in the newly formed pools in the meadow beyond the bridge. There was a warm welcome back for us from the guy in the kiosk and the ladies in the Abbey Tea Rooms.  Pat Adams 29^th April 2012.

There were 13 flood warnings in force in Devon, after the wettest April on record 

For the latest weather warnings visit  http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/sw/sw_forecast_warnings.html

Photos of Bluebells and Wild Garlic in the ancient woodland at Hartland Abbey 2011 by Pat Adams - Click here to see more of our Hartland Abbey posts