Tag: Exmoor National Park

Media Release: Exmoor Food Fest celebrates local food & venues during February 2015

 

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Exmoor.– The first Exmoor Food Fest will come to Exmoor in February 2015, celebrating everything Exmoor has to offer.
For a whole month, outstanding restaurants across the region will be offering 2 courses for £10.00 and 3 courses for £15.00 to give locals and visitors alike the opportunity to sample dishes prepared with excellent local produce.

Customers will be able to pick up vouchers for the Exmoor Food Fest “Tenner Deal” at participating restaurants or download them online. As an extra incentive to visit as many of the restaurants as possible, customers will receive a passport which will be stamped every time they order an “Exmoor Food Fest Deal”. Once the passport is full it will be entered into a draw for a Taste of Exmoor hamper.

The Exmoor Food Fest will be launched on 28 January 2015 at The Combe, a training restaurant based at the Skills and Enterprise Centre in the grounds of West Somerset College Minehead. Local chefs Mark Dodson (Masons Arms Knowstone), Thomas Carr (The Olive Room, Ilfracombe), Andrew Dixon (The Cafe Porlock Weir) and former student Richard Boggie (now Chef de Partie at Bath Priory) will be cooking a five-course-menu with the hospitality students for invited guests.

The grand finale of the Exmoor Food Fest is taking place at Minehead Harbour on 28 February in conjunction with the first Family Angling Day. Street Food Traders will give the harbour a village feel, inviting people to stroll around the harbour, watch the anglers and taste delicious food. A local produce and craft fair will take place at The Beach Hotel in Minehead where chefs like Mark Dodson will do cooking demonstrations throughout the day. Other venues along the seafront will also join in the celebration. Street artists and entertainment complete the recipe for a great family day out.

Andrew Dixon, owner and Chef at The Café at Porlock Weir, came up with the idea of the Exmoor Food Fest to promote the many outstanding food venues across the region.
“Exmoor has so much to offer, but February tends to be a very quiet time for us. The ‘Tenner Deal’ is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase what we can do while making it affordable for our customers,” explained Andrew.

Kentisbury Grange is one of the Devon-based venues taking part in the Exmoor Food Fest, where renowned Chef Michael Caines MBE has recently become involved.
“We are delighted to join this promotion of local food and Exmoor as a region,” commented Peter Farquhar, General Manager. “Michael’s involvement is very exciting as it will enable us to move to a whole new level in all aspects of our hospitality offering.’

The Exmoor Food Fest is organised and run by Exmoor4all, an internet platform based on sharing photos and stories of Exmoor with people all over the world as well as providing a network for local businesses. Andrew Dixon, who now is also a tutor at The Combe, and Werner Hartholt, the Combe’s Chef Lecturer, are co-organisers and technical consultants for the Exmoor Food Fest.

A total of 15 restaurants will take part in the first Exmoor Food Fest. A list is available on www.exmoorfoodfest.com, complete with contact details and days when the special Exmoor Food Fest deal is available.

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On the Run

Photo by Mike Watson

Photo by Mike Watson

69 Entries in the Exmoor4all Photo Competition in June

To vote for your favourite photo(s), please go to our Facebook page.

The top ten photos with the most votes will go through to the final. In October a panel of judges will choose their top 13 amongst all the finalists to feature in our very first Exmoor4all calendar.

Art exhibition inspired by 60 years of Exmoor National Park

Mark O'Brien - PaintingMore than 30 artists have contributed works to an exhibition of art inspired by the 60th anniversary of Exmoor National Park.

The exhibition, at the Loughrigg Gallery in South Molton, is the brainchild of owner Michael O’Brien who says: “The gallery often features images of Exmoor in one form or another amongst the other works so I thought in this special year it would be an opportunity to invite local artists to contribute something featuring the National Park’s fantastic landscape.

“I’m pleased to say that there has been an enthusiastic response and we have some wonderful pieces on display including sculptures, oil, water colours, pastels, and photography.”

The exhibition runs from 1 – 31 July, entry is free and all the artwork will be for sale – 5% of the proceeds will be donated to CareMoor for Exmoor, the Exmoor National Park environment support fund.

Commenting on the initiative Andrea Davis, Chairman of Exmoor National Park, said: ”We are very grateful to Mike for setting up the exhibition which will showcase our wonderful area and I am looking forward to having a look around it myself.”

The Loughrigg Gallery from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

Multinational effort to restore Exmoor’s historic mires

NEWS FROM EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK

Multi-national teams consisting of students from Germany, a volunteer from as far away as Switzerland and of course, the invaluable participation of those from Exmoor and the wider South West area have carried out essential restoration maintenance work at a number of sites.

A team of The Simonsbath Volunteers, the crew from TCV (The Conservation Volunteers)  and returning landscaping students from the Continent joined forces to complete quality-control checks and maintenance work, using spades, on the ditch blocks at Great Vintcombe which was first restored in 2009, looking at nearly 7000m of ditch across an area of 50 hectares.  This boosts the Volunteers’ grand total to a whopping 1017 days.

The skilful volunteers installed new wooden blocks and plugged up leaks in existing ones at Comerslade and at the well-known mire site of Blackpitts, where they also improved access by constructing a gate and building a new pathway across an eroded section. The work at Blackpitts in particular is very important as it is host to many guided walks looking at mire-specific wildlife and vegetation; the success of events such as Bogtastic (17 August 2014) depend on the ease of access and quality of bog this site now boasts.

Volunteers are central to the Exmoor Mires Project and the Project team would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their time and efforts.

If you feel inspired and would like to get into the wild moors of Exmoor to do practical restoration work, or inspire the younger generation by volunteering at events such as Bogtastic Days, please contact David Rolls on 01398 322164, or email drolls@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk. There is also information on how to get involved on the Exmoor National Park website. Help is always needed and always appreciated.

The Sound of the Exe

Celebrating Exmoor’s 60th Anniversary

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A special Conference called ‘Discovering Exmoor : People and Place’ to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Exmoor’s designation as a National Park is to be held in Dulverton Town Hall on Friday, 11April from 10am to 3 pm approximately and all are welcome. The Exmoor Society in partnership with Exmoor National Park Authority has teamed up with Exeter University and the Centre for Rural Policy Research to raise some of the important issues about Exmoor, to discover what has been found out about them, and to influence the debate on how to manage this complex landscape.

Sixty years ago Exmoor was designated a National Park because of its dramatic coastline, extensive tracts of moorland inter-mixed with ancient woodland and upland farmland, the whole establishing a mosaic of contrasts providing recreational opportunities for walking and riding in particular. The Hobhouse Report stated that “here is a potential national park which is happily free from problems”. This statement could not have been further from the truth.

From the beginning there was fierce opposition to the designation and robust debate over loss of moorland, afforestation proposals, changing hill farming practices, dealing with extreme weather conditions, and with little known  about the archaeology, other local businesses, and an only embryo tourist industry. These issues are very relevant today in different ways, and underline the need to discover more about Exmoor, its people and the place.

 The Society is delighted that a range of speakers from Exeter University will be dealing with these aspects, with plenty of opportunity for delegates who are concerned about the different demands we put on Exmoor, to join in the debate. Academics from Exeter University and their research will be covering the following topics:

· Dr Lee Bray – New archaeological discoveries on Exmoor

· Professor Richard Brazier – Can we create resilient landscapes? Understanding the effects

· of moorland restoration on the Exmoor Mires project

· Dr Matt Lobley – Exmoor farming in a changing policy environment

· Dr Stewart Barr – Flooding and Communities

· Discussion with panel : Dr Nigel Stone, Dr Helen Blackman, Meriel Martin & Professor Chris Binnie

· Dr Keith Howe – will conclude on the day’s presentations and debate

A place at the Spring Conference costs £15 per person including refreshments.  To book and for further details contact: info@exmoorsociety.com. Tel: 01398 323335.

COOL rural tourism experiences on Exmoor

New videos launched

A series of new web videos promoting some of the fantastic experiences available in rural Somerset and Exmoor National Park have been launched to celebrate English Tourism Week (29 March – 6 April). The videos, introduced by Rural Affairs Minister Dan Rogerson http://youtu.be/vyqk-DViTlM highlight a range of experiences including watching wild Exmoor ponies, discovering great local produce, bird watching on the Somerset Levels and exploring the area’s deep history and heritage in a bid to tempt more visitors to come enjoy the countryside offer.

Tourism is a huge economic driver, and in rural areas is often the mainstay of the economy. Research has shown that visitors today are seeking deeper experiences over and above visiting a particular destination and so the videos will help to bring alive the Somerset countryside and all it can offer including popular activities such as rock pooling, fossil hunting and  wildlife watching.

The new videos have been welcomed by Defra which is working with partners to support the rural economy following the effect that the extreme weather experienced over the winter has had on people’s perception of the region and the consequential impact on tourism.

Speaking about the new videos Dan Rogerson said: “Following the extreme weather over the winter Exmoor and Somerset are very much open for business. Tourism is worth over £1.2 billion a year in Somerset and the county has a very strong rural offer where tourism is one of the largest economic sectors.

“I welcome these videos which highlight some of the great experiences that can be enjoyed in the rural areas of Somerset, including Exmoor National Park and I hope that they will inspire people to visit the area to enjoy the stunning landscapes, rich wildlife and to experience England’s countryside at its best.”

The videos, ranging from 1 to 3 minutes are intended to provide an inspirational taste of what is on offer in the area and are available via You Tube for businesses and tourism organisations to embed within their own websites and promotional activity.

The videos have been produced as part of the COOL tourism project which has seen local partners (including Somerset County Council, West Somerset Council, Sedgemoor Council and Exmoor National Park Authority) working alongside partners in England (Kent, Essex and Norfolk) and France (Somme and Pas de Calais) to promote rural tourism based on the experiences offered in these areas. The COOL tourism project was selected under the European Cross-border Cooperation Programme INTERREG IV A France (Channel) – England, co-funded by the ERDF.

 

Happy Birthday Exmoor National Park!

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Sixty years ago today, the first steps towards creating Exmoor National Park were made when The National Parks Commission made a Designation Order that set the boundaries for the proposed National Park, recognising that it was a special place and worthy of protection for the nation.  Time was then allowed for comments and decision by the then Minister for Housing and Local Government, Harold Macmillan. His Confirmation Order came on 19th October 1954.

A 60th Anniversary edition of the free Exmoor 2014 (where to go and what to see) publication (previously titled the Exmoor Visitor) has just been printed and contains information about the National Park and details of hundreds of events that will be taking place across Exmoor this year.

Clare O’Connor, editor of Exmoor 2014 said: “There seems to be more happening in the National Park than ever this year with something to do all year round. Due to limited space we couldn’t fit everything in Exmoor 2014 but there are even more events to be found on our website http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/visiting/events . People are welcome to upload their events and can do so at anytime throughout the year.”

Free copies of Exmoor 2014 are available to tourism providers. The publication is packed in bundles of 75 copies so if anyone would like a supply please contact us via email: info@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

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News from Exmoor National Park

603 Clayton Jane Exmoor Pony

 

The welfare, breeding and management of the free-living Exmoor Ponies within the National Park is the subject of a new, independent report commissioned by the Exmoor Moorland Landscape Partnership Scheme, the Exmoor Pony Society and Exmoor National Park Authority.

 

The report, The free-living ponies within the Exmoor National Park: their status, welfare and future, compiled by local veterinarian Peter Green MRCVS, confirms that the free-living Exmoor ponies are in good health, are a distinctive local breed and a valuable asset to the amenity and heritage of the National Park.  It seems likely that there is a need to adapt current arrangements to safeguard the future of the Exmoor pony breed and the famous free roaming moorland herds.

 

Sarah Bryan, Exmoor National Park Head of Conservation & Access said: “The key to success is the different organisations working together with the moorland herd owners and land owners to improve the situation and this report will be used to inform an action plan.”

 

The full report is available at: http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/environment/wildlife-and-ponies/exmoor-ponies  and anyone with an interest in the future of Exmoor ponies is welcome to comment via the form provided.

Jason Ball, manager for the moorland partnership said: “This is an excellent independent report – the moorland herd owners have discussed Peter Green’s findings directly with him at a presentation evening and Exmoor National Park Authority will be collecting their feedback.”

Sue McGeever from the Exmoor Pony Society commented: “The society is delighted that the Exmoor Moorland Landscape Partnership commissioned this report to look at the long-term future of moorland herds and is looking forward to continuing its working relationship with the Exmoor National Park Authority, the Rare Breed Survival Trust and the moorland farmers to ensure that it fulfils its role as ‘Guardians of the Breed’ whilst working within the current EU/DEFRA legislation.

“The Exmoor Pony Society was founded in 1921 by a group of moorland farmers with the aim of keeping the free-living ponies living on Exmoor ‘true to type’ and in their words ‘without foreign blood’.  In order to do so, they introduced a studbook and an inspection process which has continued throughout the decades – the low point was post the Second World War when just 50 ponies remained on the moor and there are now nearer 500 registered ponies running in 21 herds.”

PS:  The study was commissioned as part of the Empowering Moorland Managers project on the Heart of Exmoor Scheme, and the findings will help shape future management practices on the moors. The scheme is grateful to the Leader Funding from West Somerset Local Action and from Leader for Torridge and North Devon; also the Heritage Lottery Fund.