Thursday 12 May 2016

The Fallen State Headline The Factory in Barnstaple 28th May

The Fallen State play their biggest headline to date at 800 Capacity The Factory, Petroc, Barnstaple on May 28th. Local rockers One Man Boycott, Pretend Happy and Goose The Nun will be supporting.

This show comes ahead North Devon band The Fallen State opening for Multi-Platinum selling USA rockers 3 Doors Down on their UK tour this November, including a date at the world famous Hammersmith Eventim Apollo in London. The band will join 3 Doors Down and well known US rock band Pop Evil on 3 dates of their UK tour which include Birmingham O2 Academy, Manchester Academy and London Hammersmith Apollo.

The news follows a successful 18 months for The Fallen State who started out by playing shows at Bideford Palladium Club, Exeter Cavern and The Olive Branch and The Golden Lion in Barnstaple.

The successful sell out local shows led to the band being invited to open for US Grammy award winning band Halestorm on their UK tour in March 2015 followed by a tour of Ireland in June 2015 (including the legendary Ulster Hall in Belfast) with Arena headliners Black Stone Cherry. This, with shows with bands such as Puddle of Mudd and Trapt, have led to the band building a steady UK fan base and being invited to play festivals such as Camden Rocks in London (headlined by Bullet for my Valentine) and Planet Rockstock (headlined by The Darkness) in Wales.

The band have also had several features in UK publications and the first track on the cover mount CD of Classic Rock Magazine last June. Radio play on Kerrang, Total Rock and BBC Introducing was further backed up by a 5 week rotation of their latest single 'Sinner' on SCUZZ TV in January. 
The Fallen State to play The Factory Petroc, Barnstaple
Tickets for The Fallen State at The Factory, Barnstaple are £5 Advance and are available from Beatsworkin
Age 16+ any under 16s to be accompanied by an adult
For further information or digital tickets - www.thefactoryvenue.co.uk
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The Factory Petroc Brannams Campus Oakwood Close Barnstaple Devon EX31 3NJ 
M +44 (0)7446 692751
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The Fallen State Facebook
 

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Charity invites people to discover North Devon wildlife haven

A conservation charity is promising a day of discovery at one of its top North Devon nature reserves. Devon Wildlife Trust is staging a Nature Reserve Discovery Days at its Meeth Quarry, near Hatherleigh. The free event is open to all and takes place between 10.30am and 4pm on Sunday 22nd May. Devon Wildlife Trust’s Jo Pullin is the event’s master planner.

She said: 
“Each year we hold a series of Discovery Days to showcase the best of Devon’s wild landscapes and its most exciting wildlife. This time it’s the turn of our Meeth Quarry nature reserve to be the host. We’re expecting good numbers of people to join us to explore this beautiful part of North Devon.” Meeth Quarry only became a Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserve in 2013. It was formerly a clay quarry but ceased work in the early 2000s after 100 years of production. Despite its industrial past the reserve is a wildlife hotspot being well-known for dragonflies, butterflies, birds and deer.

Jo Pullin said: 
“The event will pick up on some of the local wildlife stars. We plan to construct a giant butterfly sculpture during the day. Everyone can come along and help in the building of this mega-beast! Our Discovery Days are designed to get people to connect with their local wildlife. They are a great, free way for families to explore their wilder sides. ”The event also features pond-dipping, a specially constructed nature quiz trail, kids’ crafts and refreshments. There will also be a series of guided walks exploring the nature reserve (leaving at 11.30am and 2.30pm), and special butterfly walks led by experts from Butterfly Conservation (leaving at 11am and 2pm).

At 150 hectares Meeth Quarry is one of Devon Wildlife Trust’s biggest nature reserves. It is also one of its most easily accessible. The Tarka Trail cycle route runs through its heart. Bike trails, footpaths and easy access trails allow visitors to explore. The reserve is also served by toilets and a large car park, located via an access lane from Meeth village and the A386, four miles north of Hatherleigh. To find out more about the Meeth Quarry Discovery Day go to the ‘What’s on?’ pages of www.devonwildlifetrust.org 

Meeth Quarry Discovery Day - Photo copyright DWT (All rights Reserved)
 Pond dipping at Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve
Meeth Quarry Discovery Day - Photo copyright DWT (All rights Reserved)
Meeth Quary Nature Reserve - Photo copyright DWT (All rights Reserved)
Meeth Quarry, Devon, EX20 3ER Map reference SS 547 078

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Haven with A History

Spring at last and we've taken the opportunity to explore the Tarka Trail between Bideford and Meeth.Today we're walking from Petrockstow to Meeth, a now tranquil tree-lined section of what was once the old railway, originally built as a narrow-gauge freight line to carry ball clay to Torrington from the Marland and Meeth clay pits. We step off the Trail into the light and the haven that is Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve. Nature, with a lot of help from the Devon Wildlife Trust, has reclaimed what was once a barren, busy, noisy quarry producing clay for export.

The Devon Wildlife Trust purchased the 150 hectres of Meeth Quarry in 2012 and it opened as a nature reserve in 2013. Today the lunar landscape has been replaced by two huge lakes, grassland and woodlands containing coppiced Hazel and Ash together with mature Beech and Oak. The trees today are just bursting into life and I can see that it will be wildflower rich in the weeks to come a  haven for bees, butterflies and all manner of countryside critters. There are also boggy marshy ponds, pits and gullies which will attract dragonflies and damselflies. We saw a Blackcap high in one of the trees, heard Robins and Blackbirds. Another visitor was excited about spotting a Grebe on the lake, I could just about make out it’s pointy head amongst the Terns.

This was a short sojourn and I hope to return to spend the day exploring the rest of this wonderful reserve which is open to all with bike trails, easy access trails and picnic areas, a perfect day out for families, birdwatchers and nature lovers like me. As we return to the Tarka Trail we walk across to view another DWT Nature Reserve, Ash Moor, according to the detailed sign posts there's a good chance of spotting Red Deer, Orchids, rare butterflies and dragonflies.  (Article P. Adams 24 April 2016)
Meeth Quarry 2016 Photo copyright Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)Peace and Tranquility at Glebe Lake
 Meeth Quarry 2016 Photo copyright Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)
 Devon Wildlife Trust's Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve
Meeth Quarry 2016 Photo copyright Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)
Coppiced trees springing into life at Meeth Quarry
Meeth Quarry 2016 Photo copyright Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)
Meeth Quarry April 24th 2016
Meeth Quarry 2016 Photo copyright Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)
Perfect for Dragonfly Watching
Meeth Quarry 2016 Photo copyright Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)
Meeth Quarry 24th April 2016 - A Haven for all
Ash Moor 2016 Photo copyright Pat Adams (North Devon Focus)
Devon Wildlife Trust's Ash Moore Nature Reserve 

About Ash Moor. "In 2002, at the height of the terrible foot and mouth crisis, Ash Moor was chosen to be a vast burial site for infected cattle. Plans were made and the landscape was hollowed out in preparation. Fortunately, the burial site was never used. Today Devon Wildlife Trust cares for what has been transformed into a wonderful network of meadows, ponds and wetlands. This is now a top spot for wildlife".
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About Meeth Quarry is a former clay works located close to Hatherleigh within the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area and the North Devon Biosphere. 'It incorporates six threatened wildlife habitats, supports 18 species of national importance and will provide a haven for a huge range of bird life, making it an excellent winter wildlife-watching destination for local communities '.