Exmoor: What's happening in August 2013?

In Exmoor National Park there is always plenty going on. Here are some Exmoor events coming up this August:

Minehead and Exmoor Music Festival 1st - 3rd
National Parks Week 1st - 4th
Cutcombe village fete 3rd -one of the prizes in the Grand Draw is dinner for two at Exmoor House
Exmoor Explorer off-road cycle trial from Wheddon Cross 4^th – if you're taking part, you could make a weekend of it and stay at Exmoor House and enjoy our fab food
Exford Show 14^th  
Porlock Country Fair 11th
Minehead Summer Festival 14^th -  includes a display by the Red Arrows and Red Devils, also an arts, crafts & produce market & various other stalls)
Dunster Show 16^th - a great day out  http://thedunstershow.co.uk/
Exmoor Pony Festival 24th - 31^st to 1^st Sept - more info at http://exmoorponyfestival.wordpress.com/

There will also be lots of things happening at the National Trust properties in the area (for example on the Holnicote Estate, at Dunster Castle and in the Heddon Valley). Visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/whats-on/events/ where you can look up specific areas.

Exmoor National Park’s events in August include woodland and moorland walks to learn more about the area’s wonderful range of wildlife as well as to discover some archaeological sites; seaside safaris; Big Adventure days.

For even more ideas, have a look at...

http://www.activeexmoor.com/home

http://www.visit-exmoor.co.uk/must-see-and-do/events

http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/visiting/events

http://www.exmoorsociety.org.uk/Events.htm

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Somerset/Minehead/TA24

Inspired to pay a visit? Check out our dinner, bed and breakfast breaks at http://www.exmoorhotel.co.uk

Beech leaf gin

Talking to some twitter friends a couple of months ago reminded me that for the last several years I’d intended to make beech leaf gin – also called noyau – but had never got round to it. Our exchange of tweets was the nudge I needed to get going. Late spring or early summer is the time to make this drink, and on Exmoor we have a plethora of beech trees... tall beech hedges are a distinctive feature of this lovely area.


There are several recipes around; I used the one in Richard Mabey’s book Food for Free (an excellent read, by the way, as is his Flora Britannica).

You’ll need a large jar, which you pack about nine-tenths full of beech leaves. Pick the leaves when they’re young, soft and that delicious lime green colour. This year the leaves on the beech tree in our garden were at that stage in mid May (but everything’s been a little later than usual). I think some arriving guests were slightly bemused to discover me peering into the tree and snipping off small twigs into a colander. Make sure the leaves are clean, dry and free of bits and insects.

When you’ve packed the leaves into the jar, pour in enough gin to cover them completely. You need to keep pressing the leaves down while you’re doing this, so that there are no air bubbles. We didn’t have quite enough gin to cover the leaves, so I also used the remains of a bottle of Dutch genever (similar, but this was vintage stuff so our friends in Holland may not have approved) and a bit of vodka.

Leave the mixture to steep for about two weeks. Then strain off the gin, which will have taken some colour from the leaves. Add about 350g (three quarters of a pound) of sugar, dissolved in 284ml (half a pint) of boiling water, to every 568ml (1 pint) of gin. Add a dash of brandy, mix it all up well and bottle when it is cold.

I left the resulting concoction to mature for a couple of weeks before trying it, and can report that it’s rather good - makes a great after dinner drink. It has a unique flavour, which I found slightly nutty (Mabey describes it as ‘a thickish, sweet spirit, mild and slightly oily to taste, like sake, but devastating in its effects!’). Definitely worth having a go.

Business networking opportunities in Exmoor and West Somerset

Running a small business can sometimes be rather isolating – especially for those who work from home. We are all so busy with our day to day work that we literally don’t get out much. However, it’s good to talk (as they say) with people in a similar situation – and that is not the only benefit of business networking. Through attending a few networking meetings, we have made some really good contacts, discovered new promotional channels for our guesthouse and got access to some very useful training. Here’s some information about two local networking groups of which we’re members.

Clara Lawrie - who runs the very informative West Somerset and Exmoor news and events website http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Somerset/Minehead/TA24 - has been the driving force behind West Somerset Means Business, which started up in 2011 and is going from strength to strength. Local businesspeople meet once a month over breakfast at the Reading Room in Minehead. There is a visiting speaker and the opportunity for each person to briefly introduce themselves and their business to the rest of the group. For more details, and to book your place at the next breakfast meeting, email Maureen Smith: rismoch@hotmail.com

If you haven’t yet been to the Reading Room, then do give it a try. It’s a friendly café with a community ethos (e.g. books and crafts to buy, local information, internet access and a variety of events and courses): http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Somerset/Minehead/TA24/Businesses/Cafes-and-Coffee-Shops/The-Reading-Room

Earlier this year, Elke Koessling-Winzer of CultureLine set up Exmoor4all, which aims – through extensive use of social media - to promote Exmoor as a wonderful place to visit. Part of this project is a scheme called the Exmoor Club, offering discounts and special deals across Exmoor to visitors and local residents alike. More details, including information on how you can get involved, at http://culturelineuk.wordpress.com/projects/ 

There are now also regular informal Exmoor4all TweetUps (i.e. face-to-face meetings of people who have ‘met’ on twitter) for local businesses, over coffee and biscuits at The Culbone, near Porlock: http://www.theculbone.com/ (a very good place for a spot of lunch, by the way).

Exmoor has a vibrant business community, supplying a huge variety of products and services. These kinds of get-togethers (both on and offline) give us all the opportunity to learn more about what other businesses do and explore ways we can work together. They are a great way to bring in new custom for ourselves while supporting other local organisations and at the same time promoting this beautiful area where we live. Everybody wins!

Discovering the Old Mineral Line, Brendon Hills, Exmoor

It seems hard to believe now, but the Brendon Hills on Exmoor were once a centre for iron mining. Whole settlements were constructed for miners and their families, although most of the houses and industrial buildings have since disappeared or remain only as ruins. There was also the West Somerset Mineral Railway (or Old Mineral Line), which was built to take iron ore to Watchet Harbour, ready to be shipped to Newport in South Wales.

The route of the old railway included the Incline, a very steep slope down which wagonloads of iron ore were lowered by means of cables; the empty wagons were hauled back up again. The remains of the Winding House, which housed the machinery for this, are by the side of the road near the Beulah Chapel, shortly after you turn down the road towards Wheddon Cross.

Beulah Chapel is interesting in itself. Standing at the road junction of the B3190 and the B3224 near Raleghs Cross, it is all that remains of a mining village where at one time several hundred people would have lived. The congregation were Bible Christians, a North Devon and Somerset splinter group of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Some suggested Old Mineral Line walks

From the car park just off the B3190 near Raleghs Cross, you can take a short walk through the woods to see the Incline, continuing if you like towards Comberrow and Roadwater.

At Chargot Woods, a few miles from Wheddon Cross, there are walks taking in the Bearland Flue chimney (which was, literally, a lifeline for the miners) and the former site of Langham Engine House.

There’s an easy walk between Washford and Watchet along the route of the Old Mineral Line. In the Market House Museum at Watchet you will find a lot of historical information and a fascinating collection of old photographs.

To discover more about this amazing chapter in Exmoor’s past, visit http://www.westsomersetmineralrailway.org.uk/welcome/

Showing off!

I’ve been in the media recently, on behalf of Exmoor House. And, because I love to show off, I’m including the links here to a video and a podcast, both starring moi.


The video is a testimonial I did for telnames, the company from whom we bought our mobile website – www.exmoorhouse.tel  Of course, it promotes their services (which I find very good, as you’ll see if you watch the video) but it also includes some nice shots of our place and mini-tours of some of the rooms. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjxcrru1iOA&feature=youtu.be

The podcast is by Walks Around Britain, and it includes an interview with me about walking on Exmoor. Here it is:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/1244914-edition-015-a-walk-to-mam-tor-andy-leader-s-holmfirth-photography-exmoor-tom-heap-on-nettles

You can also download the podcast (and all the others they’ve done) free of charge to itunes. Walks Around Britain is an innovative video website; we’ll be working with them and West Country Walks shortly as they’re making a video about a walk on Exmoor near our place.

In the printed media, I did an interview for the February issue of Somerset Life magazine, as part of an article about Wheddon Cross and Snowdrop Valley. The magazine can we viewed here: http://somerset.greatbritishlife.co.uk/magazines/digital-archive/ (the article is on pages 52-53). And, late last year you may have spotted comments in the Guardian magazine, by Frank and me, about what it’s like to live on Exmoor: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/dec/14/lets-move-to-exmoor-somerset-devon

If you need an inexpensive, easy to edit mobile website, do check out http://www.telnames.com/ and for loads of useful info including walking routes in many different areas, see http://www.walksaroundbritain.co.uk/

I mentioned http://www.westcountrywalks.co.uk/ (also known as Combe Walks). They produce a range of excellent pocket-sized walking and cycling books covering North Devon and Somerset, and they also organise the Exmoor Walking Festival, which this year has a particularly good range of walks for all tastes and abilities. It starts on 27th April: http://www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk/

If any of this is making you feel that a visit to Exmoor is overdue, then we'd be delighted to see you! We've space for most dates at the moment, and there is even a special offer this month, if you hurry... take a look at our freshly-redesigned website for more details.

Snowdrop Valley 2013, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor, Somerset

Would you like to do something really special in February? How about a visit to Snowdrop Valley? It’s about a mile and a half from where we are and – as the name might suggest – is a place to see a host of snowdrops in a natural setting.
The snowdrops carpet the woodland floor and cover the banks of the river Avill, which flows through the valley. It’s a lovely, magical place at any time of year, whether or not it is the snowdrop season. You can walk from our place via a number of different routes, the quickest being straight down the winding path to the valley and back up again (aerobic exercise guaranteed; sensible footwear essential).

At snowdrops time, there is a park & ride bus service from Wheddon Cross, organised by our Parish Council. Parking is in the village car park (next to the pub), where there’s also a special information point with people to give directions and advice. The narrow road to Snowdrop Valley is closed during this time (otherwise there might be traffic problems as it’s single track and there are no passing places). So, you need to either walk or get the bus in order to see the snowdrops (people with disabilities can make special arrangements). In 2013 the park & ride operates from 2nd to 24th February and the road remains closed for an extra week after this.

For more details, including a bus timetable, an information leaflet to download and regular updates, visit the Wheddon Cross snowdrops page:
http://www.wheddoncross.org.uk/snowdropvalley.htm
Book dinner, bed and breakfast at Exmoor House and make a few days of it. You could stay over Valentine’s Day for a really romantic break (we’ll even order champagne and local chocolates for you if you like!).

As usual, we’ll be opening our lovely guest dining room (which has a great view of Dunkery Beacon, and by the way was once the village tailor’s shop) as a tea room for the whole of Snowdrop Valley season. Frank’s scones have become legendary and there’s a good choice of more substantial food too (e.g. mega ploughman’s lunches, hot soup, sandwiches. Everything is of course home-made, including all our bread. Home-smoked chicken and real corned beef are two popular sandwich fillings…

The West Somerset Railway’s Snowdrops and Steam excursion was such a success last year that they’re running it on more dates this time. Find more information at
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=58&xPage=1
If you are doing the train trip and would like to have lunch here at Exmoor House, it may be advisable to book, especially if there are four or more of you.

I was going to include some of my Snowdrop Valley photos in this post, but can't get them to upload: so here's a link so you can see them on our facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.224561347555559.66267.221803897831304&type=3

Food at Exmoor House: 'traditional with a twist'

One of the main things that makes Exmoor House a bit different is our food. Our guests tell us that it’s a highlight of their visit and a major reason why they come back and stay with us again. Generally about 80% of guests have dinner here; many book our multi-night dinner, bed & breakfast packages.


So, why is our food different? For a start it’s genuinely home-made, by an expert. Frank trained as a chef quite a few years ago but hadn’t cooked for a living for some time. He really enjoyed getting back in a professional kitchen again when we bought Exmoor House – something to get his teeth into, as it were.

We aim to be imaginative in our cooking without being too way out or fancy (traditional with a twist is how I describe it). Some recipes are our invention; others we’ve gleaned from various sources and adapted. Just a few of our specialities: proper pies; ice creams; breads; pickles and preserves. You’ll find a previous post about our pies here: http://exmoorhousewx.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/who-ate-all-pies.html

The menu changes every day. There are normally two or three choices for each course rather than a vast array of dishes (quality over quantity is the watchword). So that everybody has a good choice, we encourage guests to discuss any dietary needs and preferences with us when they book.

And that brings me to another Exmoor House difference: catering for special diets. Each day’s menu is designed around the guests who are eating with us that evening. We do some really good vegetarian food. To give you some examples, here’s a link to my summery guest post on Jane Alexander’s Exmoor Jane blog: http://exmoorjane.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/exmoor-house-vegetarian-barbecues-and.html

And other requirements? For example, if you don’t eat wheat, gluten, dairy, prefer to follow a low-fat diet, or there’s anything you are allergic to, let us know when you make your booking and we’ll see if we can devise menus to suit. Of course, do tell us if there’s something you’d really like to see on the menu, too! You can find a review by some of our regular guests here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1370522-d1509595-r131599478-Exmoor_House_Wheddon_Cross-Exmoor_National_Park_Somerset_England.html

We insist on good quality ingredients, and wherever possible we use local producers and suppliers, both from an environmental point of view and because we want to support other local businesses. I blogged about this a while ago: http://exmoorhousewx.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/food-glorious-local-food.html

Most of the suppliers we use are the still the same people as in the above post (we have a good relationship with them and they’re consistent and reliable). There is one significant change, though – our previous wine merchant has retired and we now get most of our wine from the equally excellent Vitis Vinifera, based down the hill in Dunster.

By the way, you don’t have to be staying here to enjoy dinner at Exmoor House – although, for reasons which will be apparent from this article, you do need to book a few days in advance.