WildCurl

Hi all, it was my parents Birthday last week so we celebrated in style at the Broomhill Jazz evening, with sweet sounds, delicious food, great company and inspiring surroundings what more could we want! My sister Lolly came up from Tavistock to visit on Saturday so Mum treated us to lunch at Zena's in Barnstaple, yum! Joel made a really strudy shelter in the forest for his brother and friends to sleep in during his 17th birthday bash. Sunday saw Joel head in for a surf at Croyde with friends while i cycled from Woolacombe to Croyde to get back into the swing of full on excerise.
Now its back to work with lots to do, i am currently planning the next phase of my website www.wildcurl.co.uk, an online guide to North Devon. Check it out to find events, activities, accommodation, restaurants and much more!

www.wildcurl.co.uk

Keeping it local

We cycled over to the village next to us last week to visit Westhill farm to pick up some cream and eggs. It's a cool system where you can pick up what you want, such as milk, cheese etc... and put what it costs in a money box. www.westhillfarm.org

Westhill Farm

We went to RHS Rosemoor Gardens near Torrington on Saturday with family and friends. They were holding an open day focused around growing your own fruit and veg. The gardens were packed with people keen to pick up new tips on composting, planting etc... Below are a few pics from the day. Joel went with a youth club to Cornwall today to an indoor skate park called Mount Hawk, it is such as shame that we don't have an indoor skate park of equal quality here in Devon as we have so many skaters. I had an easy day today but braved the wind to cycle over to Croyde to see a few friends.

Rosemoor Gardens

Hello!

The results were announced last Tues in Exeter and as expected Anne took the prize, so well done to her!
No doubt we will meet again and perhaps team up in promoting our fantastic area.
We have already said a few thanks for help with our campaign, but here are a few more.



www.maniacfilms.com, www.wavedreamer.co.uk, www.loose-fit.co.uk, Tom Ball for the cool animation, plus Jacob Blackman and StevieRay Latham for the sweet tune 'Daisy'.

Thank you!

Many thanks to all who supported us in our lovemydevon campaign (promoting Devon in January this year). We could not have completed the task without the generosity and kindness shown by people in Devon; whose love for the county really spurred us on! We find out who will take the prize on Tuesday 3rd March. Win or lose, it has been a great experience and we are very grateful to all who supported us.



Thanks to: Visit Devon, North Devon Theatres, Farm & Cottage Holidays, Devon Attractions, Living Coasts, West Pusehill Cottages, The National Marine Aquarium, The CHICKS charity, Original Surfboards, Loose Fit, WaveDreamer, Broomhill Art Hotel, The Elmfield Hotel, Saunton Sands Hotel, Plymouth Pavillions, Plymouth Ski Slope, David Kennard, Jonathan Marshal, Johnny Kingdom, The Milky Way, The New Angel restaurant, Stuart Line Cruises, Adam Symons, and London Duck Tours.

Snowdrops at Broomhill Art Hotel

Snowdrops at Broomhill Art Hotel

The weekend run on Braunton Burrows

Run on the Braunton Burrows

Braunton Burrows is the perfect place to go for a run as it's soft under foot, with inspiring views to entertain along the way, plus you can go for a short or very, very long run as it extends for miles.  We normally do a 4 mile route, and being a middle distance runner i don't really go further than 6 miles, but today we ran 7 to get rid of the cobwebs.  Normally my Dad, friend Mike and I run together but Mike was doing a cycle route on road today due to injury.  My Dad, Ray (52), is one of the top Veteran Decathletes in the world, and at the tender age of 70 Mike is in the top 3 in Britain at the 800 metres.  They can both beat me hands down but when i've got back into my training properly i hope to give them a run for their money!   I'm just beginning a regular training routine after time out in preparation for a few events.

Have you seen Musica Surfica? Sounds weird...but my husband loves surf films so i gave it a go and i really enjoyed it. This is no ordinary surf film, it's special, very special...

MUSICA SURFICA is a documentary which involves a unique gathering of classical musicians and surfers, with a purpose to opening minds to new ideas by demonstrating the benefits of taking risks in their art.
Shot on King Island in Southern Australia, the documentary follows one man’s creative journey, Richard Tognetti, leading violinist and Artistic Director of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, as he seeks new inspiration from traditional and classical music.
He teams up with Derek Hynd, one of the world’s most influential surfers, who challenges him (and 2 time world champion, Tom Carroll, under 18 World No 2 Heath Joske and others) to ride an un-finned surfboard, which demands fresh thinking, or ancient methods, to keep control.

Musica Surfica is now available to purchase on DVD.

Keep the Bees alive

I'm not sure if this is a Bee or a Wasp in this picture i took a while ago, sorry i am no expert. However, I do know that Bees are disappearing at an unprecedented rate, this is a serious problem and one that we can help to solve by doing a few simple things.
The colourful blazes of wildflowers in our meadows and much of the food on our plates - would not be around if it wasn't for the Bees. They don't just make honey, they pollinate more than 90 of the flowering crops we rely on for food. Among them: apples, nuts, pears, avocados, soybeans, asparagus, broccoli, celery, squash, tomatoes, sunflowers and cucumbers... citrus fruit, peaches, kiwis, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and melons.

Help the Bees:

• join the Bumblebee Conservation Trust
  
• cultivate your garden with traditional cottage garden flowers such as Rosemary, Bluebells, Foxglove, Comfrey and Vipers Bugloss, which bees love. By planting the right flowers, gardeners could do a huge amount to help restore bees' lost habitats.

www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk

North Devon Festival

I am just proofing the Broomhill events for the North Devon Festival brochure and thought about the new logo. I have an interest in Art and design so i was quite intrigued to see the new logo appear. What do you think?

Eco Surfboards

Joel is researching eco materials for surfboards. The current materials are very toxic and therefore not good for the shaper or the environment. There are some really good alternatives out there such as biofoam, plant based resin, balsa wood, hemp cloth etc...
No one has yet found a high performance eco alternative to the current harmful materials so we are still searching.
Joel made this Fish board last year for a Surfers Against Sewage Raffle, it is as environmentally friendly as he could make it (I did the design work).

www.visitdevon.co.uk

Herbydrawers

We took our Nan and friends to the garden centre on Saturday to get some herbs for a mini herb garden. As the farm is still being renovated we are still working on the buildings before we get to the aesthetics of the land but we couldn't resist buying a few lush smelling herbs to plant by our kitchen window. As we use a wood burner, we have a lot of scrap wood waiting to be burnt, we managed to find an old pair of drawers to plant our herb garden in, they were perfect!

www.visitdevon.co.uk

Herbydrawers

A good gift...

I found this book at Christmas time and bought a few as gifts for a few friends. It was written in Devon by Una McGovern and has a great cover design by the increasingly popular artist Rob Ryan. This book is an introduction to a range of traditional crafts and activities. Almost 100 skills are described and illustrated, from trout-guddling to lacemaking, beekeeping to dry-stone walling. Whether wanting to learn a new craft, explore social history or reminisce about pastimes from a bygone age, readers of all ages will lose themselves in Lost Crafts. And with more of us choosing green and ethical lifestyles, there has never been a better time to rediscover these sustainable pursuits.

www.visitdevon.co.uk

Original Surfboards

Sally Parkin from Original Surfboards kindly donated one of their hand-crafted, Devon made, environmentally friendly, classic, wooden surfboards to give away as a prize in a London paper. Thanks Sally!

www.originalsurfboards.co.uk
www.visitdevon.co.uk

A Spring in our step

The Woolly hat and winter jacket stayed behind today when we took to the beach for a wander. Para-gliders were out in force, about 20 hung in the air above Woolacombe, bathing in the warm sun, what a sight! The wind was good for flying but less so for surfing, we went in for a dip none the less. I'm back on my short board which i haven't tried much for over a year, i fell in love with long boarding but i think there is room for both so i need to get back into practice! Back at Bradwell Mills, our new farm home that we are renovating with family and friends, we watched lambs hopping around in the lush fields, exploring their new surroundings. The Bradwell Mills project has an 'It's not easy being Green' feel to it. We aim to make the farm as environmentally friendly and sustainable as we can, it's our first year here so there's a long way to go but we'll keep you posted on our progress! We are making a herb garden tomorrow which should be fun.

Paragliders

Lambs

Snow in Devon!

Here is the video we made of our snow adventure on the North Devon coast and Exmoor. It turns a bit 'you've been framed' at the end...

Watch fun in the snow on Exmoor | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

www.visitdevon.co.uk

North Devon's What's on Holiday Guide
www.wildcurl.co.uk

Valentine's Day on a Devonshire coast path

The mild, dry weather drew us out of our cosy cottage yesterday and out towards Lynton way to trek a wee part of the dramatic Devonshire coastal path. We parked up at Woodybay to begin the short but sweet walk, through woodland, along cliffedge paths to the beautiful Heddons Mouth. It seemed that the previous fall of snow had fed the flora that clung to the cliff edge, it looked like Jurrasic Park, even the fallen logs had been junglfied! We stopped at one of the view points to perch on a rock and observe Gods creation. Cup of tea in hand and a digestive biscuit to dunk, simple pleasures are the most satisfying. The family dog, Billy the Welsh Border Collie, accompanied us on our lazy stroll, running back and forth playing fetch and providing us with entertainment. We were trying to think where else we would be able to trek along endless cliff top coastal paths, that provided such magnificent views. Apart from the odd place in Cornwall, we were stumped! This trip has inspired us to explore more of the coast with which we've been blessed. It's so exciting finding new places, many of our friends have walked the whole length of the N.Devon stretch and it's high time we did. Walking has so many benefits, it's healthy, fun, adventurous not to mention its free! Keep checking back to see our next adventures.
www.visitdevon.co.uk

North Devon's What's on Holiday Guide
www.wildcurl.co.uk

Valentine's Day on a Devonshire coast path

Daisy promotes Devon in London

Daisy the surfing Cow has made a fun-filled, celebrity-supported, nationwide road trip to promote more visitors to Devon, supporting the Love My Devon campaign! The tour ended in style at the end of January as Daisy was taken on a tour of London by road and river, courtesy of London Duck Tours. See her other adventurous video blogs below. 

Watch Daisy tours London, on an amphibious vehicle !!  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

www.visitdevon.co.uk
www.chicks.org.uk

Cream tea on the Beach? Yes please!!

Check out this short film made by our friend Richard Gregory from Wavedreamer. T.V wildlife expert Johnny Kingdom & top falconer Jonathan Marshall have a cream tea on Saunton Beach in January!

Devonshire fun in the snow...

We haven't seen snow like this in all the years that we've lived here! North Devon turned into a ski resort yesterday, we took full advantage of the rolling landscape. The countryside was covered in snow, glistening in the sun, what a picture!
www.visitdevon.co.uk
www.chicks.org

Snow in Devon!

Nationwide trip promoting Devon

Hi all, we left North Devon in mid Jan to head up North to promote Devon. We've had a great reception and we're having fun telling people about our wonderful county. Check out our pics of the tour below. This video blog shows Daisy the life size fibre glass Cow on a unique tour of Devon, surfing, Skiing, Ice skating, eating a cream tea on the beach with Johnny Kingdom (4 Star silver service), meeting TV favourite Todd Carty (EastEnders, The Bill and Grange Hill, Dancing on Ice), chatting to Celebrity chef John Burton-Race and much more! Daisy ended her nation-wide tour in style this morning on a London tour by road and river, courtesy of londonducktours.co.uk.

www.visitdevon.co.uk
www.chicks.org.uk

Country Tour

We Love Devon!!

Hi all, i am just having a rest from all the travelling around Devon, i am packing for my Country tour which i am very excited about! I've had so much fun in Devon this month, the more i learn about the county the more i love it! We've been surfing, had a cream tea on the beach, hung out with celebrities, been on a boat trip, seen Sharks at the Aquarium, fed Penguins in Torquay, tried Sheep Herding, skiing, ice skating and much more! This picture is of my friend Helen Blackman, she's helping me to show you all what Devon is all about! To see all the fun things we've been up to, including images and video just look below and at older posts. Check out a few of our last vids from the Devon tour below.

www.visitdevon.co.uk

Watch Daisy meets the Dartmoor ponies in Faith Videos, Entertainment Videos, and Webisodes  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com


Watch Daisy takes a boat trip on the Exe estuary in Animal Videos, Video Blogs, and Faith Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Bird watching Boat Trip on the Exe Estuary

I had a fantastic time with my friend James Chubb (The EDDC Education Ranger) today on the Exe Estuary exploring the Exmouth local Nature Reserve. Stuart Line Cruises took us out across the estuary to look at the birds that flock here during the Winter months. This is a spectacular experience, seeing all of the different types of birds that visit our shores. The Exe Estuary is the start of the Jurassic Coasts, it has blue flag beaches and is a great all year round destination. It's an internationally important nature site and the jewel in the crown of the South West's great wildlife habitats. About 25,000 birds winter here every year on the Exe!

www.visitdevon.co.uk
www.chicks.org.uk

Bird watching Boat Trip on the Exe Estuary

Celebrity chef John Burton-Race declares his love for Devon

I was in the picturesque town of Dartmouth today at celebrity chef John Burton-Race's restaurant The New Angel.  John told us what attracted him to Devon and how the county's local produce has inspired his creativity in the kitchen. Look out for the video of this coming soon.

We stayed the night in Dartmouth at The Royal Castle Hotel, a very friendly, comfortable and characteristic Hotel with wonderfull views of the river and harbour. 

There is lots of choice when it comes to accommodation in Devon, whether you are on a budget or are looking for luxury you will not be disappointed.  How about a Luxurious Castle or perhaps a campsite over looking a beach?  See the various accommodation options at...www.visitdevon.co.uk

www.chicks.org.uk

Watch Celebrity chef John Burton-Race declares his love for Devon! in How to Videos, Faith Videos, and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

John Burton Race - Dartmouth

Feeding the Penguins at Torquay

Helloo!! We visited Torquay today and met up with our Penguin friends at Living Coasts, Torquay's coastal Zoo and conservation charity. Here we saw amazing animals in specially designed habitats. My favourites were the Penguins which i got to feed, they were so cool!

There's plenty to do at Living Coasts, for all ages, whatever the weather, all year round. There is also lots to do in this area, you can see the National Trust Gardens, visit Paignton Zoo, or Woodlands Leisure Park, play a round of Golf, and of course check out the Beaches and rugged coastline!

www.visitdevon.co.uk

www.chicks.org.uk

Living Coasts Coastal Zoo

Watch Visit Devon - Daisy visits the penguins in Action & Adventure, How to Videos, and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Daisy visits the Charity CHICKS

Yesterday i visited my friends at CHICKS, a charity that provides Country Holidays for Inner City Kids. CHICKS are a Devon based charity situated near Tavistock, they aim to provide as many disadvantaged children as possible with the life enhancing experience of a free respite break away in the countryside. CHICKS do a fantastic job and really make a difference to children from a variety of different backgrounds. Me and the Love My Devon team want to help CHICKS by raising awareness for them as we travel. You can help them in many different ways from volunteering to holding fundraising events. Check out their website www.chicks.org.uk. www.visitdevon.co.uk


Watch Visit Devon - Daisy visits the charity CHICKS in Love My Devon | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Skiing, Skating and Dartmoor Ponies - Devon style

Wooow, what a day! We decided to hit the Plymouth Ski Slope for some morning fun, i had my first lesson and managed not to fall over once.

We've had lots of sun this January and today was no exception! Feeling energetic, we thought we'd then head to the Plymouth Pavillions Ice Skating Rink to carry on the Winter fun. I must admit, i'm not quite good enough for 'Dancing On Ice' yet, my hooves are killing me! We thought our day had ended as the sun was setting, we drove off across Dartmoor but then we stumbled upon a group of Ponies playing by the road. We stopped and went to meet them, what beauties! There's nothing like seeing animals in their natural habitat, they were so friendly, they came up to us, nibbling on our clothes to see if we were edible. This topped off our day. (Many thanks to all who helped us today!) www.visitdevon.co.uk
www.chicks.org.uk

Music Credit: Kevin Mcleod

Plymouth fun!

Watch Visit Devon - Daisy goes skating in Action & Adventure, Family Videos, and Travel Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Watch Visit Devon - Daisy goes skiing in Funny Videos, Action & Adventure, and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Daisy's Shark adventure

Hellooo everybody, I am now in west Devon in the beautiful town of Tavistock right on the edge of Dartmoor. Today i visited the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth to see their impressive sea creatures. I got up close to the Sharks which were swimming in Britain's deepest tank and managed to find a Nemo! Watch out for me in Plymouth tomorrow as i get my Skiis on to impress you all with my moooves on the slopes and then i am going to give my friend Todd Carty (who's on T.V. at the mo in 'Dancing on Ice') a run for his money as i take to the Plymouth Pavillions Ice Rink...Torvill and Dean mooove over! I'll put up my video blog tomorrow so please check back. Did you know that you can see a variety of sea creatures in the wild along Devons coast? I've seen dolphins here and i hear that Lundy Island is especially good for sea life and diving. www.visitdevon.co.uk

www.chicks.org.uk

Watch Daisy's Shark adventure in Animal Videos, How to Videos, and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Music Credit:  Kevin Mcleod

Surf's up everybody!

I decided to go catch a few waves after being at David Kennard's farm, i heard that it was a perfect, clean 2-3ft! Me and my friend Helen hit the surf for a few hours on our longboards at Saunton Sands beach until the sun went down...mmm..looovely!! Some people think that cows can't surf!! well check this out!! www.visitdevon.co.uk


Watch Visit Devon - Daisy the amazing surfing Cow! in Funny Videos, Sports Online, and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Surf

Daisy moooves to pastures new

I have had a wonderful time in North Devon this past week, meeting celebrities, local characters, visiting beautiful places and taking part in exciting activities. It's now time for me to leave this part of Devon to explore the rest of the county. I have so much more to discover, I’ve only just started my journey, i can't wait for what lies ahead!! The North Devon MP Nick Harvey and Andy Bell, the Co-ordinator for the Biosphere Reserve in North Devon wanted to meet me and wish me well as i moooove on to pastures new. I chatted with them both to find out what they love about our Green area. I learnt that North Devon is one of the finest unspoilt locations in the UK and is now home to Britain's first new style world class UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, where conservation and sustainable development go hand in hand. The Biosphere Reserve covers the entire northern half of Devon!!! Andy tells me that Biosphere Reserves aim to discover how people can enjoy a high quality of life based upon a superb natural environment. Local people and visitors can enjoy the special environment in a variety of ways, we can go rambling, cycling, surfing, climbing, para-gliding, wild-life watching, take visits to museums, or join volunteer groups that work for the country-side. We can contribute to protecting the environment in a variety of ways see www.visitdevon.co.uk/naturally-devon/home for more info. Many thanks to Andy, Nick, Adam and Pete for their time. Watch this space for more Devonshire antics coming soon...

www.visitdevon.co.uk

www.chicks.org.uk


Watch North Devon wishes Daisy well as she moooves on in Faith Videos and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Sheep herding and surfing, all in one day!

Oooh we've had some wonderfully sunny weather this week so i took the opportunity today to visit my friend David Kennard on his farm that over-looks Lee Bay on North Devon's breath-taking Atlantic Coast. David is a well-known Sheppherd who has written books like 'A Shepherd's Watch' which became a Sunday Times top ten bestseller, his films about the talented sheep dogs and farm life have been shown on T.V and are very popular. David told us a bit about himself and why he loves Devon, watch out for the video of this, it's coming soon!
I decided to go catch a few waves after being at the farm as i heard that it was a perfect, clean 2-3ft! Me and my friend Helen hit the surf for a few hours on our longboards at Saunton Sands beach until the sun went down...mmm..looovely!! www.visitdevon.co.uk

Watch David Kennard Shepherd at Morthoe in Animal Videos, Faith Videos, and Travel Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

David Kennard - Shepherd

The Green Green Grass of Devon

Hi all, i've been finding out a bit about how Green Devon is today, i am really interested to see what our county is doing to make sure we protect our looovely coast and country-side. Did you know that Devon is one of the Greenest counties, its aim is to be the Greenest and it is already the number one organic county, has fair-trade certification and has more community composting projects than any other county! You can find out all about how to have a Green holiday at www.visitdevon.co.uk. From Green accommodation to Green activities and attractions you can enjoy Devon with little impact on the environment. Devon produces some of the best food & drink in the world so make sure you sample these delights, you will find many fine restaurants that serve delicious local produce like beef, fish, cheese, cream...
Today i visited RHS Rosemoor gardens in Torrington, it has 65 acres of gardens and woodlands, i found it very difficult not to have a nibble on the plants, they were sooo gorgeous! I also met councillor Adam Symons to find out about what happens to the garden waste that i don't get my teeth into, i found out that you huooomans recycle it by composting it and letting farmers like mine use it. Did you know that composting is one of the best things you can do to help the environment? About a third of your rubbish is food and garden waste and this could be composted. www.visitdevon.co.uk.

Tomorrow we'll be chatting to the well-known shepherd David Kennard and his sheep dogs to see why they love Devon so much!

Watch The Green Green Grass of Devon in Faith Videos and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Johnny Kingdom declares his love for Devon!

We had some great fun today on Saunton sands beach where we met up with my friends Johnny Kingdom (well-known wildlife expert), and Johnathan Marshall (one of the Uk's top Falconers).

It was a wonderful sunny day with perfect surf rolling into the shore and magnificent clear views stretching out past the Braunton Burrows with Clovelly and Hartland Point in view.   You can watch the video of Johnny and Jonathan when we upload it tomorrow to find out what makes Devon their favourite place to be.   Jonathan Marshall brought his beautiful birds, including a Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Pure White Gyr Falcon (the only one in Britain). The stunning views that stretch along the dramatic coastline of Saunton Beach and across the fascinating World Heritage Site at Braunton Burrows (the only Unesco Biosphere reserve in Britain) have attracted names such as Robbie Williams and Pink Floyd in the past, and most recently James Cracknell and Ben Fogle for their South Pole Race training. We also had a scrumptious Devonshire cream tea up on the sand dunes over-looking the beach, kindly served to us by Brend Hotels.  We would like to say a big thank you to Christies Estates for allowing us to use their land for this meeting.

I will be bringing you more of our story about our Devon adventure tomorrow so check back soon.    www.visitdevon.co.uk

Fun on the beach

Watch Fun on the beach in Devon in Animal Videos and Travel Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Fun on the Beach with Johnny Kingdom

Hellooo, I'm back again, i've been busy all day preparing for the BIG road trip, i've been in make-up to spruce myself up ready for the cameras, you'll notice something different about me tomorrow so make sure you check back! You can find me on the beach at Saunton sands tomorrow afternoon chatting with my friends, wildlife expert Johnny Kingdom and top Falconer Jonathan Marshall. I will also be going for a dip in the sea and look forward to enjoying my favourite snack, a scrumptious cream tea!
Watch this space for the video clips of this eventful day which includes a Golden Eagle and a horse to boot!  www.visitdevon.co.uk

Chicks Charity

As well as showing the world why Devon is the number one place to holiday and hopefully winning the £10,000 prize, we will be using this tour to raise money and awareness for CHICKS (Country Holidays for Inner City Kids), a Devon based charity that aims to provide as many disadvantaged children as possible with the life-enhancing experience of a free respite break in the countryside. We want to say a big HI to CHICKS, we look forward to seeing you soon on our travels!
If you would like to find out more about CHICKS and how you can support them please visit their website www.chicks.org.uk.

Love My Devon - Day 3

Today we are preparing for our BIG Devon road trip where we'll be showing you all the best bits of this glorious green county. We've been packing and sorting out who we will be meeting and where we will be going. I am sooo excited because we have some very special people lined up for you this week, watch this space! Go to www.visitdevon.co.uk to find out more about my wonderful home.