For the very best of the West Country head to award-winning Woodovis Park in Devon (www.woodovis.com), which re-opens for the season at the end of March. The independently run holiday park has recently swept the board with a string of awards, including beating off competition from 2,000 parks across 13 countries to be one of only two UK winners in the Alan Rogers 2009 Campsite Awards.

•Highly Commended winners in The Alan Rogers 2009 Campsite Awards
•Hoseasons Diamond Award
•Silver in the South West Tourism for Excellence Awards 2009/10 ‘Holiday Park of the Year’
•Ranked in the top 20 in the Practical Caravan Top 100 Parks 2010
•Dartmoor First Award for sustainable practice

Situated on the edge of Dartmoor in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a designated World Heritage Site, five-star Woodovis Park also took Silver in the South West Tourism for Excellence Awards 2009/10 ‘Holiday Park of the Year’ category. Other recent achievements include the Hoseasons Diamond Award for exceptional quality and outstanding customer service as well as ranking in the top 20 in the Practical Caravan Top 100 Parks 2010. Woodovis Park has been recognised with a Dartmoor First Award for its commitment to sustainable business on Dartmoor.

Owners John and Dorothy Lewis are delighted with the recognition. “This run of awards is incredibly gratifying,” comments John. “We work very hard to ensure Woodovis Park is a friendly, safe and welcoming site, combining the best standards of sustainable camping with a few creature comforts. We’re not one of the biggest sites but it’s nice to know we’re one of the best,” he adds.

Woodovis Park sits in 14 acres in the tranquil surrounds of the Tamar Valley on the Devon-Cornwall border, an ideal base for exploring attractions from Dartmoor to the Eden Project along with the West Country’s beautiful beaches. With a range of luxury holiday homes, holiday cottage, 50 spacious pitches (including all weather pitches) and the addition of a new camping ‘pod’, Woodovis Park is perfect for enjoying the great outdoors, whatever the weather has in store. And with on-site facilities including a heated swimming pool, spa pool, sauna and shop offering fresh daily baked bread, croissants and pain au chocolat, a great value holiday needn’t mean going without.

Visit before the end of May and enjoy some of the best weather, fewer people and excellent rates. Pitch fees cost from as little as £5 from 27 March to 27 May (excluding Easter and Bank Holidays) plus £7 per person. Children under five camp for free. The new fully-insulated camping pod costs from £40 per night and sleeps up to four people. A fully-equipped two bedroom luxury holiday home, sleeping up to six people, costs from £157 per week. Woodovis Cottage sleeps up to three people and costs from £233 per week.

Durham’s Outdoor and Active Week runs from April 5-11, as part of National Outdoor Adventure Week, and features more than 17 free and great-value events for visitors to pick from and construct their own bespoke activity holiday.

Events include guided mountain biking, orienteering, guided walks and hiking, landscape photography workshops and entry to high ropes activity courses.

Melanie Sensicle, chief executive of Visit County Durham, said: “Durham is sandwiched between Northumberland and Yorkshire and is often overlooked or forgotten about as a place for outdoor activity.

For many, the essence of true escape and outdoors exploration is the feeling of tranquillity, the awe of incredible natural landscapes and having the space, freedom and time to enjoy them – quite simply this is Durham.”

In 2007, the Campaign to Protect Rural England carried out a tranquillity mapping survey of the UK, looking for the least polluted, quietest and best preserved natural environments.

North East England was voted the most tranquil region in Britain and County Durham was voted its fourth most peaceful place.

Many events are taking place in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and European Geopark, an area known as “England’s last remaining wilderness,” and in the Durham Dales. The area is known for its high sweeping moorland ridges, heather clad uplands, powerful waterfalls and isolated reservoirs.

The AONB shares a boundary with the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the South and extends as far as the Tyne Valley in the North. Its western boundary follows the Pennine Escarpment and in the east it grades into West Durham

Maria Murphy, countryside information officer for Durham County Council, said: “Durham’s industrial past has left a massive footpath network which is great for outdoor leisure and recreational use. Old quarries and mining sites have been turned into nature reserves and many former railway tracks have become scenic footpaths, it’s a brilliant county to explore on foot or on two wheels.”

Top-5 Facts about the North Pennines AONB

1. It’s the second largest AONB in the UK behind the Cotswolds
2. It is Britain’s first UNESCO European Geopark, awarded 2003
3. 40% of the UK’s upland hay meadows are in the AONB
4. 80% of England’s Black Grouse live in the area
5. England’s biggest waterfall, High Force in Teesdale, is in the AONB

In addition to the organised events, many self catering cottages, guesthouses, hotels and B&B’s are offering special short break packages during Spring and into Summer, including three nights for the price of two, 25% off, or discounts on mountain bike hire and outdoor activities.

For full details about Outdoor and Active Week and accommodation packages, log onto: www.thisisdurham.com/active
See below for details of all Durham Outdoor and Active Week events:

Outdoor and Active Week Events Listings

April 5-11
Try Orienteering
Race against the clock to find the checkpoints around the 1km course in the Durham Dales.
Weardale Outdoor, Coves House Estate, Wolsingham, DL13 3BG
Time: anytime during opening hours, all day all week
Contact: James, 01388 529 354, or email: james@weardaleoutdoor.co.uk

Mountain Bike Taster Sessions
Weardale Outdoor, Coves House Estate, Wolsingham, DL13 3BG
Time: anytime during opening hours, all day all week
Contact: James, 01388 529 354, or email: james@weardaleoutdoor.co.uk
Price: £2 for an hours ride
Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.

April 5
Cotherstone and Deepdale Woods
Time: 10.30am (4.5 hours) 9 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: Ian Gray – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: Post Office, Galgate, Barnard Castle. GR NZ049166 OS map 92, Explorer OL31
Buses: No suitable service
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk

Outdoor Tennis at Crook Hall and Gardens
Learn to play tennis with coach Andrew Burn.
Times: 11:30am -1pm and 1:30pm till 3pm.
Usual admission to the gardens applies – tennis is free.
Web: www.crookhallgardens.co.uk
Tel: 0191 384 8028

April 6-11
Guided Mountain Bike Rides
Hamsterley Forest, Teesdale, DL13 3LN
Times: 10:30 -12:30am
Tel: 01388 488 222
Email: shop@woodnwheels.co.uk
Web: www.woodnwheels.net
Rides every day throughout Outdoor and Active Week

April 6
Mountain Bike Ride for the girls
The Hamsterley Trailblazers are running a female rider only guided mountain bike ride on green and blue trails for beginners and intermediates.
Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre, DL13 3LN
Time: 6:30pm
For more: Vicky Chilcott, vicky@century.gb.com or tel: 0191 4168200.

April 6
Deerness Valley reclaimed
Time: 1pm (3.5 hours) 4.5 miles MEDIUM
Contact: George Wharton – Countryside enthusiast
Start: Car park behind the Co-op, New House Road, Esh Winning. GR NZ 191417 OS map 88, Explorer 307
Buses: Arriva 43
£2.50
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk

April 7

Viewing the start of original Stockton and Darlington Railway
Time: 10am (3 hours) 5 miles MEDIUM
Contact: Derek S Newby – Local Historian
Includes a guided tour of the Railway Musuem
Start: Meet outside Timothy Hackworth Museum, Locomotion, use any car park, Shildon. GR NZ231256 OS map 93, Explorer 305
Buses: Any bus or train to Shildon
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk

Photography walk: Durham by twilight
Time: 8pm (2 hours) 2 miles EASY
Contact: Philip Nixon – Photographer
Booking only. Call 0191 384 5058. Bring a tripod
£2.50

April 8

Causey Arch and Beamish
Time: 10am (4.5 hours) 7 miles MEDIUM
Contact: Mike Munro – Countryside Ranger
Start: Causey Arch picnic area, on west side of A6076, near Stanley. GR NZ205562 OS map 88, Explorer 308
Buses: Go North East x30, x31 to Causey Arch Inn
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk

April 9
A tale of two reservoirs – Smiddy Shaw and Tunstall
Time: 10am (5.5 hours) 10.5 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: Brian Page – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: Waskerley Station picnic area, Waskerley village, off Castleside to Stanhope road. GR NZ051454 OS map 87, Explorer 307
Buses: No suitable service
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk

April 10
Waldridge Fell and No Place
Time: 10am (5 hours) 10 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: Steve Shippen – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: First car park on left coming from Waldridge Village, behind St Barnabas’ nursery. GR NZ253496 OS map 88, Explorer 308
Buses: Go North East 25
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk

April 11
Easter walk: Sunderland Bridge to Bowburn
Time: 10am (4.5 hours) 9 miles MEDIUM/LONG
Contact: David Spence – Voluntary Countryside Ranger
Start: Sunderland Bridge, old road over River Wear, off B6300. GR NZ265377 OS map 93, Explorer 305
Buses: Go North East 21, Arriva 7
£2.50, packed lunch needed
Tel: 0191 383 4144, or email: countryside@durham.gov.uk

April 11
Fencing for beginners
Introduction to fencing techniques – anyone welcome.
Booking only, please call 0191 383 4144 during office hours
Free of charge, no dogs.

Further events may appear on www.thisisdurham.com between now and Outdoor and Active Week.

Head to delightful, unspoilt Arnside in South Lakeland for a bay watch with a difference and a siren that will warn you about the incoming tide in a time-honoured Arnside fashion.

Arnside is the place to go if you wish to catch the awe-inspiring sight of a tidal bore racing up the Kent Estuary from Morecambe Bay, faster than anyone can run and a breathtaking sunset that will live in the memory for ever.

Warning sirens signal the arrival of the tide that waits for no man, but safe watching places can be found and it’s a phenomenon well worth experiencing for those who appreciate the power of nature.

Sunsets over Morecambe Bay are both serene and spectacular, but daytime views of the bay are equally stunning and easily enjoyed by those heading on relatively easy walks around and up Arnside Knott, a 520 foot high flat rock from which views of the Bay, Kent estuary, and sometimes even Snowdonia and Yorkshire’s three peaks, can be enjoyed.

Coastal walks are equally enjoyable all times of the year, whilst woodland strolls in Autumn take place against a backdrop of Yew trees in full fruit, with acorns underfoot, sightings of fungi sprouting from decaying wood and golden leaves all around.

Arnside’s Victorian promenade has its own history trail and an array of lovely shops, whilst the most famous man-made structure – the Arnside viaduct – is not to be missed, thanks to its impressive 50 piers and 522-yard long span over the River Kent.

Wildlife lovers can feast on a wealth of flora and fauna, the area being equally attractive to avid birdwatchers and those handling binoculars for the first time.

RSPB Leighton Moss, just a short drive away, is the home of the bittern, whose boom can be heard once the ear is trained, but the 75 km square Silverdale and Arnside Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has many birds to enjoy – 100 species living on and around the largest reed bed in the northwest.

A top accommodation choice is boutique, contemporary and sympathetically restored, five-bedroomed, Victorian townhouse Number 43.

A three-night Spring break at Number 43, can be booked inclusive of a two-course dinner at 2 AA rosette accredited eatery, The Wheatsheaf, in Brigsteer for bookings Sunday – Thursday up to March 31, 2010.

Two-nights taken mid week (Sunday to Thursday) to March 31, 2010 can be booked with the addition of a complimentary bottle of Proscetto on arrival. These seasonal offers need to be booked by phone and reference 4303 needs to be quoted.

Breakfast is quite an affair at Number 43, providing tastes of the best of Lakeland produce whether that is smoked fish from The Port of Lancaster Smokehouse, cheese from Churchmouse Cheeses, or bacon and wild boar sausages from artisan producer, Peter Gott.

Supper based on a variety of scrumptious local foods can also be served in your room, or in the dining room from which you can view the sunset. Alternatively, why not be decadent and order a midnight feast in your room!

Rooms here cost between £55 and £90 per person per night All are individually furnished and have internet connection, Bose music systems and flatscreen TVs. Visit www.no43.org.uk for more details.

Enjoying a bay watch experience in Arnside will not disappoint so head to this fabulous bolt-hole that provides the perfect place to chill out before enjoying a sundowner and sound slumber.

VISIT SOUTH DEVON IN 2010 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF AONB

The 2010 South Devon Holiday Guide highlights the region’s impressive environmental credentials, together with its glorious natural playgrounds of coast and countryside, and the numerous attractions and activities that may be enjoyed across the region. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of South Devon’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

In excess of two-thirds of South Devon is protected either by the AONB or as part of the spectacular Dartmoor National Park. What’s more, eight new cultural trails have been introduced, making it the perfect destination for walking, cycling, horse riding and wildlife spotting holidays.

Since it is said to have more ‘green’ businesses than anywhere else in the UK and has established the Green Tourism Business Scheme, holidaymakers can be sure that their visit will have minimal impact on the county’s breathtaking environment.

With a coastline amongst the most spectacular in the South West, complete with over 90 miles of the South West Coast Path, plus safe, award winning beaches, many of them such as Bigbury, Salcombe and Teignmouth offering popular water sports activities for all the family, South Devon’s natural allure is plain to see.

And, if that wasn’t sufficient, 180 miles of pretty country lanes wind through hilly agricultural land leading to picturesque hamlets, villages and towns, 13 of which are historic market towns.

Among them are the former wool trade centre of Buckfastleigh and Bovey Tracey, a cob and Dartmoor granite-built town which is home to the internationally famous gallery of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen.

Beyond the sea and the rolling countryside, the formidable heather clad moors stretch into the distance, with unique granite tors rising almost 2,000 feet above sea level. These provide stunning panoramic views from their tops over the dramatic landscape, with its famous Dartmoor Ponies and prehistoric archaeological settlements.

Other attractions include a model village, several National Trust properties such as Agatha Christie’s holiday retreat Greenway, adventure parks and several steam railways. There are also some fine English Heritage castles, including Totnes, one of the best surviving examples of an early Norman motte and bailey castle.

For animal lovers, there are farms, a zoo, sanctuaries and wildlife centres, and even a hospital for hedgehogs!

Whatever the time of year, there’s always a show or special event to enjoy, with options ranging from conservative to quirky, among them an Easter Egg Hunt, an air show, a walking festival, orange rolling, an apple pie festival and worm charming!

With milder winters than anywhere else in the UK, combined with long, warm autumns, South Devon is a perfect holiday destination all year round.

To obtain a copy of the 2001 South Devon guide, complete with map, events listing and information about accommodation and attractions call the South Devon holiday line on 01626 215674 or request online at www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk.

Romantics who whisk their loved ones off to Cornwall for a Valentine’s break, may be surprised to discover that the county is a well kept secret in winter. Deserted beaches, visitor attractions with no queues, and celebrity restaurants with availability for dinner will all appeal to couples in search of a peaceful stay in Cornwall when the countryside and the weather are arguably at their most wild and beautiful.

Dramatic, bracing walks along the South West Coastal Path, across moorland and through numerous Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Trust properties, may all be enjoyed without encountering more than a handful of other people. And it’s possible for dog owners to walk their pets along deserted beaches, from which they are banned during the summer.

Attractions such as The Eden Project are as fascinating in winter as in summer, plus there’s an ice skating rink for visitors to enjoy until 21 February (£5 for 40 minutes, including skate hire).

Couples can treat themselves to a meal in Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen in Watergate or one of Rick Stein’s restaurants in Padstow without having to queue!

And for cosy accommodation for couples, www.cornwallscottages.co.uk has a great selection of welcoming holiday homes in unspoilt locations across South Cornwall, the majority on the Roseland and Lizard Peninsulas, both Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

These include:

BEACH HILL COTTAGE: Complete with wood burning stove and cosy sofa, and situated just across from the AA rosette restaurant at The Lugger Hotel, this beautifully converted former fisherman’s cottage is located in the centre of the unspoilt village of Portloe and is perfect for a Valentine’s break. The picturesque harbour is just metres away and the South West Coastal Path is only a short walk. Three nights over the Valentine’s weekend cost £209.

VINEYARD COTTAGE: a tranquil retreat for two close to Philleigh on the Roseland Peninsula’s only working vineyard, close to walking trails and ideal for wildlife spotting. Drive to Pendower Beach in just five minutes, to the Eden Project in half an hour, or snuggle up in the first-floor lounge, complete with timber beams, and enjoy views over the vineyard while savouring a bottle of the local wine. A three-night short break over Valentine’s weekend costs £229.

WIGGY’S COTTAGE: This charming, 200-year-old cottage situated in a quiet street in St Mawes has been tastefully modernised to provide a perfect bolt-hole for Valentines. And, with a number of excellent pubs and restaurants just a stone’s throw away, as well as the harbour and ferries to Falmouth and Truro, visitors may leave their car in the allocated parking space for their entire stay. The price of a three-night break over the Valentine’s weekend is £223.

At the end of John Wyndham’s 1950s classic sci-fi novel The Day of the Triffids, shown on BBC TV over the New Year, the hero and heroine make their escape from the UK mainland and its man-eating plants to the safety of a new world colony on the isle of wight. Half a century after the publication of the post-apocalyptic novel, the Island remains a safe haven for endangered flora and fauna and a holiday playground for the eco-orientated. Wightlink’s free, downloadable Rare Plant Trail guide is one way to check out the safe locations for wildlife and its Green Getaways eco-holiday hideaways provide rural accommodation close to the wild.

WHAT TO SEE ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT:

ENDANGERED CREATURES: the red squirrel is undoubtedly the most famous of many rare fauna that have sheltered on the isle of wight, safe from mainland predators. Others include the retiring dormouse, the water vole, the vulnerable Glanville Fritillary, an orange and brown chequered butterfly that has virtually disappeared from the UK and 12 of 15 British bat species – including the nationally rare Bechstein’s Bat.

RARE FLORA: Extra-ordinary plants like the Early Gentian, Toothwort and Narrow-leaved Lungwort are hidden away on the isle of wight – and Wightlink’s Rare Plant Trail blows the whistle on where to find them. The guide traces a route around the isle of wight to spotlight 20 of the UK’s most noteworthy plants in garden collections, nature reserves and wild Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Some close to extinction on the UK mainland, the plants featured range from some of the country’s largest trees to its tiniest flowering species. Many were chosen because they encourage rare wildlife, like the endangered red squirrel and dormouse and a tremendous variety of rare birds, insects and butterflies.

TWITCHERS: should flock to the isle of wight to see rare birds like the Corn Bunting (indigenous at south coast Whale Chine), the Dartford warbler, Nightjar, Water Rail and a host of Little Egrets. The Island’s top bird sanctuary is, unquestionably, the national nature reserve of Newtown Estuary, a north coast paradise for migrating birds like the Golden Plover and Great Crested Grebe.

WHERE TO STAY:

GOTTEN MANOR: Couples can stay in deepest countryside at his romantic stone manor house, located in a sheltered hollow at the foot of St. Catherine’s Down in the south of the island with only cows for neighbours. There are footpaths in all directions, a woodland copse with bats, badgers and buzzards within the grounds and the beaches of south coast Wight are just a few miles distance.

Three-night Wightlink Green Getaway ferry-inclusive weekend packages are available in February priced at £160 per person (arriving 5th, 12th, 19th or 26th February) or in May at £165 per person (arriving 7th, 14th or 28th May). All dates include car ferry crossings from either Portsmouth or Lymington.

MERSLEY FARM: Families can stay on the isle of wight’s famous Garlic Farm in one of six cottages created from traditional outbuildings around Mersley Farm in the Island’s rural heartland. Kiln Cottage faces the Downs and offers two spacious bedrooms as well as kitchen, dining area and living room. The surrounding area is ideal cycling and walking territory, and guests benefit from free WiFi internet access, use of a tennis court, and easy access to beaches and famous resort towns, including Sandown and Shanklin. However, the highlight is the onsite Garlic Farm shop – a great place to find fresh local produce and sample a diverse range of garlic products including elephant garlic, smoked garlic, pickles, relish, and even garlic honey! It is also a haven for wildlife including tame red squirrels.

Departing on 19th February, a three-night Wightlink Green Getaways holiday in Kiln Cottage, Mersley Farm costs £260 for a family of four – or £65 per person including self-catering accommodation and return car ferry crossings from Portsmouth or Lymington. Alternatively a three-night break in May (starting 21st May) costs £400 for four people – or £100 per person.

From a private beach hut with its own hot tub, to Europe’s first surfing museum, Visit Devon’s hot-list 2010 has all the reasons you need to head west next year – click on www.visitdevon.co.uk/site/hotfor2010 for more.

Hut and hot tub

What: Is this the ultimate romantic mini-break? The Beach Hut from Carswell Cottages is, well, a beach hut in a secluded, private cove in South Devon available to rent for two-night weekend stays in warmer months. The hut hasn’t got electricity – there are wind-up lanterns for light – but it does have running water, double bed, gas hob, sink and a wood burner.

But don’t bother with that – outside there’s a hot tub to jump in if you two need warming up.

Where: Holbeton, South Hams

When: May-October

Find out more: Two-night weekend break from £245. www.carswellcottages.com

Board game

What: Memorabilia dating back 200 years including vintage boards will be on display in the new home of Europe’s first museum of surfing, due to open at Saunton Beach next year if all goes to plan. Former ITV news reporter and surfing fan Peter Robinson is behind the project, backed by the landowners, the Christie Estate.

Where: Saunton Beach, North Devon

When: Late 2010

Find out more: www.museumofbritishsurfing.org.uk

Welcoming the Welsh

What: Pop over from Wales in just 50 minutes instead of three hours, thanks to the new Severn Ferry Link between Swansea and Ilfracombe, launching in time for Easter. Up to five services a day will operate, bringing an all-year-round boost to North Devon.

Improvements to Ilfracombe’s seafront and infrastructure are also underway.

Where: Ilfracombe, North Devon

When: By Easter 2010

Find out more: www.severnlink.com

Bow-wow boutique

What: Babbacombe Bay’s new boutique inn, The Cary Arms, from Lana de Savary, wife of entrepreneur Peter, welcomes even four-legged friends – and they get their own bed and dog bowl. Kids, also welcome, get a net and bait to go rock pool fishing. The ultra-chic, sea-facing little bolthole has eight rooms and three luxury cottages, as well as a restaurant serving simply gorgeous gastro-pub food.

Where: Babbacombe Bay, Torquay

When: Open now

Find out more: Rooms from £150 per night, cottages from £300 per night. www.caryarms.co.uk

Crime wave

What:

The scene is set for celebration of criminal activity on the English Riviera – or at least writing about it anyway. Torbay’s Festival of Crime Writing will play host to eminent authors, talks, plays, poetry readings, murder mystery evenings and films as well as crime-writing workshops for budding Agatha Christies.

When: April 21-24, 2010

Where: Venues around Torbay

Find out more: www.englishriviera.co.uk

On your bike

What: Haldon Forest Park’s long-awaited, brand-new Ridge Ride technical bike trail is up and coming. The six-mile ride, which incorporates rock gardens, berms and steep descents, is suitable only for experienced mountain bike riders but Haldon Forest Park also has other bike trails, gentle strolls, horse-riding and wildlife spotting included in its 3,500 acres.

Where: Haldon Forest Park, near Exeter

When: Now

Find out more: www.forestry.gov.uk/haldonforestpark

Party on, pirates

What: Ahoy there, me hearties! Set sail for Brixham this spring for a celebration of seafarin’ shenanigans and swashbuckling skulduggery at the ever-popular Pirate and Shanty Festival. Last year a staggering 1,469 would-be Captain Jacks turned up in fancy dress, breaking the world record for the most pirates in one gathering. Can it be beaten? Expect more pirate-themed fun than you can shake a wooden leg at, including the Aargh Factor, a sea shanty talent competition.

Where: Brixham

When: April 30-May 2010

Find out more: www.brixhambuccaneers.co.uk

Under the pier show

What: See starfish, cuttlefish, sea anemones and cute seahorses up close at Living Coasts, in South Devon. The new exhibit, called Local Coasts, is themed to represent the underside of a seaside pier. Children will love the crawl-through tank that allows them to see the marine creatures from below. The tank, which also has a dump-bucket to make waves, is thought to be the first of its kind in the country.

Where: Living Coasts, Torquay

When: Now

Find out more: www.livingcoasts.org.uk

Summer of fun

What: Plymouth Summer Festival runs from May through until the end of August 2010, offering a huge range of exciting maritime, music, arts and food and drink events as well as a massive variety of free entertainment on offer. Events this year include the British Fireworks Championships, Big Screen live screening from the Royal Opera House and Wimbledon, Barbican International Jazz & Blues Festival, Lobsterfest and the Honda 4-stroke Powerboat Race.

Where: Plymouth

When: May-August 2010

Find out more: www.plymouthsummerfestival.com

Beautiful celebration

What: South Devon AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2010. Projects to mark the occasion will include research into how the AONB landscape has changed, a ‘Buy Local’ campaign supporting food producers, farmers, fishermen, and foresters, and events and activities such as rural crafts, demonstrations, visits, sports and the established South Devon Walking Festival.

When: August 2010

Where: South Devon

Find out more: www.southdevonaonb.org.uk

Quay decision

The Quay House Visitor Centre in Exeter is undergoing a redesign and refurbishment, ready for a spring unveiling. The new interpretation will tell the story of the development of Exeter’s Quay and Canal and highlighting the importance of the woollen cloth industry in the city’s development.

When: Spring 2010

Where: Exeter

Find out more:

www.exeter.gov.uk/quayhouse

Tournament two

What: Woodbury Park Hotel and Golf Club and East Devon Golf Club are hosting a new two-day, two-course golf tournament, The Jurassic Coast 500, this summer. Men and women competitors will play two full rounds of golf at two of the South West’s most prestigious courses.

South Devon self-catering specialist, Coast & Country Cottages, has invested significantly in a complete re-design of its already successful website www.coastandcountry.co.uk. Launched this week, the new-look website includes many updated features to make the site easier for customers to navigate, find the property that suits their needs and make the online booking process even quicker. The home page now also features sections to read Blogs, client Testimonials, as well as highlight New Properties, Virtual Tours and much more.

Karen Jones, Partner of Coast & Country Cottages comments, “With more and more customers opting to book their South Devon holiday or short break online, we are confident that our new simplified three-step booking process will result in a significant increase in online bookings over and above our already successful site.”

With dedicated, easy-to-use features for luxury, baby-friendly, dog-friendly and VisitBritain four and five-star rated properties, plus holiday homes ideal for couples breaks, the site also features advanced search and property quick search functions for quick-site navigation.

A Key Developments section showcases local groups of properties within the same complex or building, which are ideal for groups of friends or family get-togethers, including the seven luxury apartments and townhouses at the award-winning Dart Marina waterside development in Dartmouth. The New Properties feature highlights the latest additions as they arrive and is well worth keeping an eye on. With properties added to the portfolio throughout the year, late bookers can often find a fabulous holiday home is newly available to book, even at the last-minute and with tempting introductory offers.

For the very latest availability and special seasonal discounts, the site’s Special Offers section includes the latest deals, currently including sensational Christmas & New Year savings of up to £400, added value promotions such as ‘free seasonal organic hampers’ and reductions for those thinking of a break in early 2010. Watch out too for fabulous offers for Summer 2010 coming in January!

Highly visible online and No.1 Google-rated for many relevant searches, Coast & Country Cottages has worked closely with website experts to ensure the smooth transition to the new site.

With over 425 carefully selected properties, sleeping two-12, all within the beautiful South Devon coast and countryside, Coast & Country Cottages is the largest agency marketing properties exclusively within this area of outstanding natural beauty. With offices locally in picturesque Salcombe and the historic naval town of Dartmouth, and a successful and extensive national and international advertising and PR campaign resulting in another record year for the business, Coast & Country Cottages compete successfully in the national marketplace but also have a great reputation for a local hands-on service.

Visit www.coastandcountry.co.uk or call 01548 843773 for bookings and further information.

Day of celebrations for 60th anniversary of National Parks legislation

Award-winning novelist Berlie Doherty will be joined by Peak District school children to plant trees as part of a day of activities to celebrate national parks.

The events are being held on Wednesday 16 December to celebrate the day 60 years ago that the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act became law.

The legislation created Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Nature Reserves, National Trails, and National Parks, with the Peak District the first to be designated two years later in 1951.

To mark the occasion author Berlie Doughty will join pupils from Elton CE Primary School to plant trees – donated by the Peak District National Park Authority – in Exlowmere Community Wood at Elton Moor.

Berlie is helping the national park authority celebrate the 60th anniversary by being a cultural champion. The author lives in Edale, which is the inspiration and setting for several of her stories.

She said: “Where would we be without National Parks? We need them. They are special places for people to enjoy and for people to live and work in.

“I love to be surrounded by the natural beauty of trees, hills, mountains and rivers so it is very fitting to be planting trees to celebrate the reason we have National Parks.”

Other tree planting ceremonies will happen at:

• Bakewell allotment site – where Sustainable Bakewell and Bakewell Area Gardeners’ Action Group will plant eight fruit trees. The trees have been paid for by a £250 grant from the Peak District National Park Authority’s Sustainable Development Fund.

• Aldern House, Bakewell – staff and members will plant six trees in the grounds of the national park authority’s headquarters, one for each decade.

The day’s celebrations will end with a reception for individuals and organisations that have played a big part in the history of the Peak District National Park.

At the ceremony Narendra Bajaria, the authority’s chair, will announce the winner of a public vote to decide how to spend £5,000 on a legacy project to benefit the national park. Members of the public can choose their favourite from seven shortlisted projects by visiting www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/legacyproject The deadline for votes is 11 December.

Narendra Bajaria, chair of the authority, said: “Thanks to the Act passed by parliament on 16 December 1949 there are now 15 National Parks protecting Britain’s most beautiful landscapes.

“National parks have a responsibility to make sure these areas remain protected for the benefit of current and future generations, while ensuring that communities within them continue to thrive.”

The stunning Nonsuch House in Kingswear, Dartmouth, Devon is celebrating after receiving runner up for the Favourite B & B in the Alastair Sawday Reader Awards 2009 for the whole of the UK. Nonsuch House is a luxury bed and breakfast by the River Dart with breathtaking sea views it is simply unparalleled – its name dates back to Henry VIII’s time and meant there was “none such” anywhere else, an un-equaled paragon – how right they were.

Kit & Penny Noble owners of Nonsuch are obviously delighted, “Alastair Sawday is a well known publisher of excellent and very popular travel books, focusing on special places to stay throughout the world and we are thrilled to have been voted one of the best places in the UK.”

There are four individually styled, beautiful bedrooms with Egyptian cotton sheets, fat fluffy towels, flat screen televisions and sparkling bath and shower rooms with Molten Brown goodies. The house is set on a south-facing hill in Kingswear, South Devon with truly unrivalled views. From the moment you step into the house you feel at home as Kit and Penny have thought of every little nuance to make your stay as perfect as possible. Their particular attention to detail throughout the house and delightful garden is obvious to see – they have made their home your home. It is a special place to stay.

The conservatory and terrace are wonderful places to rest, read and dine whilst watching the constant hustle and bustle as lives unfold out on the river and continue on out to sea. Inside Nonsuch House there is a cosy, peaceful, intimate drawing room with log fires, lots of books and magazines – you might just feel a snooze on the sofa coming on!

As with any good holiday, food is of utmost importance and the superb meals – mainly organic – are prepared by Kit from the abundance on his doorstep of locally sourced food – from land and sea. Long lazy breakfasts (AA Best Breakfast Award 2003) with home made mueslis, jams, breads, fruit compotes together with their own smoked fish and eggs from the local farm, Dartmouth bacon and Totnes sausages, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms. They are even happy to provide picnic lunches for you in case you get peckish or homemade cakes and tea if you can’t wait till dinner!

Four nights a week they have superb relaxed dinners which are three or four courses for £35 and as they do not hold a liquor license guests are encouraged to bring their own wine or spirits and they are happy to provide the fridge, the ice, the lemon and even the nibbles for pre-dinner drinks – what more could you ask for?

Nonsuch House is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Devon in an area of outstanding natural beauty and there are plenty of activities to occupy your visit if you are able to tear yourself away from the comfort of the terrace, beautiful views and watching the activities on the river. It is only a five minute walk and ferry ride away from the beautiful port of Dartmouth which is host to several pubs, bars, restaurants, shops, galleries and arts centre.

There are some outstanding walks to be had straight from Nonsuch House – the South West Coast path is literally on the doorstep. Whether you want a full day’s walk or a short stroll they can provide you with lots of ideas and maps and are very willing to drop you off somewhere in the locality so that you can walk back in time for a delicious home made tea!

With the river Dart and the sea on the doorstep there are a tremendous amount of water bound activities you can do locally from sailing, canoeing, wind or kite surfing, surfing and boogie boarding or for the less energetic a picnic trip up the river to Sharpham or Totnes stopping at a couple of riverside pubs along the way or a day’s fishing out to sea.

At Nonsuch House you can just sit back and relax and let everybody else do it for you safe in the knowledge that you will be in the finest hands as there are nonsuch as good as the Nobles at looking after you! Nonsuch House a well-kept secret you might be reluctant to pass on!

For more information please contact Kit and Penny Noble at Nonsuch House, Kingswear 01803 752829 www.nonsuch-house.co.uk or email enquiries@nonsuch-house.co.uk