Tag Archive for: Exmoor

, , , ,

Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition

The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2023 sees the return of the popular Children’s Writing Competition.

The competition is for children aged 12 and under – with prizes donated by our friends at Waterstones Barnstaple to be presented on the stage on Sunday 19 November to the Winner and Runners Up by Michael Morpurgo himself!

Entries are now open and will close on 31 October; the organisers have mentioned to many local schools across Exmoor, Devon and Somerset that this could be a great writing project for this term’s English curriculum and over the October half term break.  The theme this year is to write a story about farming, farm animals or farm life, with the story to be written in no more than 500 words.

The Competition Judge is historical fiction writer, Kate Lord Brown.  Kate has said “We don’t mind about perfect spelling and grammar, just let your imagination fly and have fun! If you enjoy pictures, you can illustrate your story too. Why not think about the incredible landscape, animals and people who live on our local farms here on Exmoor? Enjoy writing something original with a great plot, characters and language. Write a story you’d love to read!”

See the poster below for the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition 2023 Rules of Entry and email your story to hello@visitdulverton.com. Alternatively, pop your entry in the special box in Dulverton Post Office. Remember to leave your name, address and contact details – and that final entries to be submitted by 31 October.

Poster illustrations kindly provided by Rebecca Day, The Toad Hall Company.

For full details of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2023 – including the creative writing workshops specifically for children – visit here.

Good luck and happy writing!

/by
, , ,

Tickets for the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2023 go live!

The programme for the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2023 is complete, packed with top name author talks across Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November in Dulverton Town Hall.  Tickets are NOW ON SALE HERE and the printed programme is available to pick up from locations across Exmoor, Devon and Somerset.

 

Michael Morpurgo needs no introduction as one of the UK’s most celebrated writers – he will be conversing with writer Alice Thomson on his new book about life on his Devon farm.  Rachel Johnson will talk about her fascinating life in the political arena, with writer Rachel Campbell-Johnston.  Historical biographers Andrew Lownie and Catherine Ostler will discuss their biographies of two very different duchesses involved in scandals, interviewed by historical novelist Kate Lord Brown.  This year’s ‘Book Club’ fiction panel will include best-selling novelists Janet Ellis, Sarah Turner and Hannah Richell.

 

Restaurant critic and MasterChef judge William Sitwell will be with award-winning wine writer Henry Jeffreys on the remarkable revolution of British vineyards. Julian Glover, writer and author of the Government’s Landscapes Review: National Parks and AONBs will be with Exmoor farmer and writer Victoria Eveleigh discussing ‘What is our countryside for?’  Another fascinating session will be celebrity photographer Harry Borden and writer Albert Read in conversation with travel editor Miranda Taylor on the subject of enhancing creativity.

 

Dulverton will also welcome British explorer Belinda Kirk, UK top survival expert John Hudson and travel writer Hilary Bradt discussing survival and adventure.  Well-known ITV sports reporter Dennis Coath will recount some funny anecdotes from his many interviews over the years; and local railway historians Freddie Huxtable, Ian Coleby and Amyas Crump will talk on the subject of our local lost railways.

 

Festival Director, Ali Pegrum said “There is already a huge buzz about the 2023 Literary Festival right across Exmoor and tickets are selling fast!  Our thanks to the amazing group of writers for taking part in the event and creating a literary celebration of which Devon and Somerset should be very proud.”

 

The popular Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition returns, with prizes donated by Waterstones Barnstaple to be presented this year by Michael Morpurgo.  Waterstones will again provide a popup bookshop in the Town Hall with author book signing.  Creative writing workshops for adults and children will be held in Dulverton Library on the Saturday.  All information and tickets can be found via visdulverton.com.

 

The event has been generously sponsored by local businesses Tozers Solicitors, The Exclusive Cake Company, Exmoor Character Cottages, Exmoor News, First Design, Friendship & Sons, Hedley Price, Jeff Pegrum Landscaping, Maitland Walker, Osteo & Physio, Risdon Hosegood, The Sip Shed, Stockham Farm Exmoor, Town Mills, Ware Construction, Wellhayes Vineyard, Winsbere House, The Bridge Inn Dulverton, James Pryce Tractors, Masons Kings, Rothwell & Dunworth and Fabula Arts.

 

/by
, , ,

The Dulverton Antiques Valuation Day is back – with a competition!

Following the success of the first Dulverton Antiques Valuation Day in March, Adam Partridge (from the TV’s Flog It!, Antiques Road Trip and Bargain Hunt) and his team of auctioneers are returning to the beautiful market town of Dulverton for another valuation event – and a fun competition for all to enter!

Visitors will be invited to bring along their antiques, jewellery, fine art & collectors’ items.  For a donation of £5 (for a maximum of three items) the specialists on hand will give a valuation and history of the items that are brought along.  All items must be portable – in other words, small enough to carry! No appointments necessary, first come, first served with a simple ticketing system at the door. Refreshments will be available and the bar will be open.

There will also be a new fun competition at the event, when visitors will be asked to guess “WHAT IS THE ITEM?”  Three unique antique items will be displayed and competitors will be invited to write down what they believe the item to be and what was its original intended use.  The first person to guess all three correctly will win a bottle of wine donated by Dulverton’s Town Mills B&B! Thinking caps on! Will we need Fiona Bruce from The Antiques Roadshow to help us?!

Visit Dulverton is also promoting the message of “repair, reuse, repurpose, recycle” with other stalls at the event – including Oggies Music Shop, Tim Venning’s Workshop and the team from the Somerset Waste Partnership who will take donations of unwanted smart tech to recycle.  Somerset’s bright blue Fixy Van will be parked right outside the door!

Visit the event page to learn more.

/by
, , ,

Entries coming in for the Dulverton Trail Fun Run and Canicross

Running across the beautiful countryside around the pretty moorland town of Dulverton in the Exmoor National Park is clearly very popular – as entries for this year’s Dulverton Trail Fun Run and Canicross are coming in thick and fast!

 

For the third consecutive year, runners of all ages and abilities are invited to enter the event which will take place on the morning of Sunday 17 September.  With the start and finish taking place on the Exmoor Lawns alongside the River Barle in front of Exmoor House, the routes of 5km and 10km guide runners across beautiful Exmoor countryside.  Who will be brave enough to tackle the steep woodland track that has become known as the Dulverton Demon?

 

Dulverton is known to be a particularly dog-friendly town and there is the opportunity to run either the 5km or 10km routes as a traditional canicross race – with all the fun of letting your dog(s) help you along the paths and up and down the hills!

 

Numbers are strictly limited so runners are advised to book their places well in advance to avoid disappointment.  Full details and booking links can be found here: https://bookwhen.com/dulvertonevents

/by
, , ,

Dulverton Fun Run & Canicross is back in September!

The Dulverton Fun Run & Canicross is back in September!  Runners of all ages and abilities are invited to enter for the third annual event to take place on the morning of Sunday 17 September.

With the start and finish taking place on the Exmoor Lawns in this delightful moorland town alongside the River Barle, the routes of 5km and 10km guide runners across beautiful Exmoor countryside around Dulverton.  Who will be brave enough to tackle the steep woodland track that has become known as the Dulverton Demon?

 

Dulverton is known to be a particularly dog-friendly town and there is the opportunity to run either the 5km or 10km routes as a traditional canicross race – with all the fun of letting your dog(s) help you along the paths and up and down the hills!

 

With the environment at the top of minds, the organisers invited local business Exmoor Engraving to create some unique wooden medals for all race finishers.

 

Numbers are strictly limited so runners are advised to book their places well in advance to avoid disappointment.  Full details and booking links can be found here: https://bookwhen.com/dulvertonevents

/by
, , , , ,

Summer events taking place in Dulverton in July!

The next couple of summer weekends will be full of outdoor fun in the pretty Exmoor town of Dulverton, the Southern Gateway to Exmoor.

On Sunday 2 July ten gorgeous gardens will be opened by Dulverton residents from 10am to 4.30pm for the ‘Secret Gardens of Dulverton’.  This is a rare opportunity to visit some of the delightful gardens that are normally hidden away. The gardens are of all shapes, sizes and stages of development, and are all located within walking distance of the centre of the town, making it easy to visit all of them during the day.  Refreshments will be served at Dulverton Town Hall throughout the day. See the website for ticket information. Dogs are welcome in most of the gardens.

Then on Saturday 8 July the Dulverton Artisan Food, Drink & Crafts Festival returns to Dulverton’s picturesque Exmoor Lawns beside the River Barle in the heart of the town.  Free to attend from 10am to 4.30pm this excellent event celebrates the many artisan producers located across Exmoor, the Quantocks and Devon.  The perfect opportunity to shop truly local and support many local small independent businesses.

You’ll discover over 35 stalls from local producers – a selection of gifts, leather goods, textiles, ceramics, soaps, homeware and of course home-produced meat, beer, cider, bread, spirits, cocktails, cakes, preserves and more. Treat yourself to a bunch of cottage garden-inspired bee-friendly flowers from the fabulous Jessica’s Gardens of Cullompton (pictured above)!

Go to the Visit Dulverton website to discover more about all of the town’s forthcoming events https://visitdulverton.com/events/   Supported by Dulverton Town Council.

/by
, , , ,

Visit Knackershole Garden Theatre in Dulverton!

Make 2023 the year you visit Knackershole Garden Theatre in Dulverton!  Located a mile from Dulverton, this unique garden theatre will be open again in July and August, with some old friends returning and bookings from new companies. 

Guests arriving for an evening of open air theatre at Knackershole, Dulverton

On Tuesday 18 July we welcome back our friends from Cygnet Theatre, Exeter with William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Directed by Amanda Knott, the grounds will be open from 5.30pm for a 7pm start.
 

Rehearsal under way at Knackershole Garden Theatre

Saturday 5 August brings firstly another Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet from Sun and Moon Theatre. The feud between the Montagues and Capulets has been reimagined as a rivalry between two family-run movie studios in the 1930s. Again the grounds open at 5.30pm for a 7pm start.
 

Romeo & Juliet reimagined at Knackershole Garden Theatre

The same timings apply to Wednesday 9 August when Calf to Cow, who entertained so well with The Wind in the Willows, return to us with their new production of Lewis Carroll’s The Jabberwocky and Other Nonsense.
 
On Sunday 13 August, Tethered Wits Theatre Company from Gloucestershire are bringing us a double header.  Dr Doolittle, a one hour show for all the family starts at 2pm and The Great Gatsby is at 5pm.  Grounds will be open from 1pm.
 
Friday 18 August marks the return of The Last Baguette Theatre Company with Pandora’s Box, written by Sunday Times award-winning playwright Tiff Woodsmith & directed by Susana Alcantud.  Starting at 7pm the grounds and bar will be open from 5.30.

Pandora’s Box at Knackershole Garden Theatre

The final offering is on Saturday 26 August when Up Close Theatre from Bideford present their production of The Day of The Triffids, a vintage radio play live on stage..  Their last production in Dulverton was their adaptation of The War of the Worlds, a play about the production of the famous radio broadcast which was superb.  We expect nothing less!  Note that this play is one hour earlier than others and starts at 6pm.
Please remember that, generally speaking, the garden is open for picnics and bar purchases about one and a half hours before the show starts.  We ask that you look out for local signposting when coming to Knackershole because strict adherence to satellite navigation devices can easily encourage you to approach from a direction which makes it impossible to turn into the car park and where you will be face to face with other traffic in a narrow lane. 
Tickets for any of these performances are available here :- Exmoor Studios
/by
, , , ,

The Dulverton Artisan Food, Drink & Crafts Festival returns on 8 July!

Back by popular demand… the Dulverton Artisan Food, Drink & Crafts Festival returns to Dulverton’s picturesque Exmoor Lawns beside the River Barle on Saturday 8 July.

Free to attend from 10am – 4.30pm this excellent event celebrates the many artisan producers located across Exmoor, the Quantocks and Devon.  The perfect opportunity to shop truly local and support many local small independent businesses.

You’ll discover over 35 stalls from local producers – a selection of gifts, leather goods, textiles, ceramics, soaps, homeware and of course home-produced meat, beer, cider, bread, spirits, cocktails, cakes, preserves and even dog treats… to name just a few!

There’ll be Exmoor Tea, Exmoor Fudge, Exmoor Horn Wool, Exmoor Distillery, Exmoor Engraving, Exmoor Feasting and Exmoor Pizza Pod – we’re very proud to be Exmoor’s Southern Gateway here in Dulverton!

Bring the family and the dog for a warm, friendly atmosphere – with hot food served by the Frisky Pheasant, artisan coffee from Mr B’s Coffee, and crepes and ice cream from Chill Out Devon. Make a day of it!

Visit the event’s webpage to discover who will be attending in 2023!  Supported by Dulverton Town Council.

/by
, , ,

The Secret Gardens of Dulverton to open on 2 July!

Only 4 weeks until the pretty Exmoor town of Dulverton opens its ‘Secret Gardens’ for all to enjoy!

 

On Sunday 2 July ten gorgeous gardens will be opened by Dulverton residents from 10am to 4.30pm.  This is a rare opportunity to visit some of the delightful gardens that are normally hidden away. The gardens are of all shapes, sizes and stages of development, some being established for many years, while others are more recently started. They are all located within walking distance of the centre of the town, making it easy to visit all of them during the day.

 

The entrance fee of £5 (in advance) or £7 (on the day) includes a map showing each garden’s location, together with a short description written by the owner. Tickets can be bought in advance from Dulverton Post Office or the Tantivy shop.  Alternatively tickets will be available to buy on the day in Dulverton Town Hall, along with delicious refreshments.

 

Known as the Southern Gateway to Exmoor, Dulverton is one of the main towns on the moor.  It is situated on the River Barle in West Somerset on the southern edge of the Moor and has the oldest mediaeval bridge on Exmoor. There are pleasant walks along the riverbank and the meandering leat which used to power 4 mills. Located in the main square is the National Park Centre, behind which is the Heritage Centre which houses exhibitions about the heritage of the town. This thriving community town has a wide range of independent shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs.

 

The event is organised by Dulverton Town Council and Visit Dulverton and a donation will be made to local charities.

 

/by
, , ,

The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2023

Dulverton is delighted to announce the return of the popular Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival in November 2023. Following the success of last year’s event, the 2023 festival is packed full of author talks across Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November in Dulverton Town Hall, with an invitation-only Festival Drinks Party too!

The festival programme is almost complete with a great mix of talks on many diverse topics. Look out for the online and printed programmes with online tickets due to go on sale later in the summer.

Well known names, including Sir Michael Morpurgo!

Top names will be attending, including Sir Michael Morpurgo with a brand new book about life on his Devon farm due out this autumn, in conversation with writer Alice Thomson. Historical biographers Andrew Lownie and Catherine Ostler will discuss their recent biographies of two very different duchesses involved in very different scandals – Lownie’s Traitor King – the Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson) and Ostler’s The Duchess Countess (18thC Duchess of Richmond, Countess of Bristol) interviewed by Dulverton’s historical novelist Kate Lord Brown.

This year’s ‘Book Club’ fiction panel will including best-selling novelists Sarah Turner (Instagram’s @theummumsymum) and her debut novel Stepping Up; former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis The Butcher’s Hook; and Hannah Richell with The River Home and The Search Party to be released in January 2024.

Local celebrity and MasterChef judge William Sitwell returns to the 2023 festival interviewing award-winning writer Henry Jeffreys Vines in a Cold Climate on the subject of British wines. Former SPAD to David Cameron, Julian Glover OBE and author of the Government’s Landscapes Review: National Parks and AONBs will be talking to Exmoor’s favourite farmer and writer Victoria Eveleigh discussing ‘What is our countryside for?’  Perfect for an Exmoor audience! Another fascinating session will be celebrity photographer Harry Borden Survivor: A portrait of the survivors of the Holocaust & On Divorce and writer Albert Read with his newly released The Imagination Muscle in conversation with travel editor Miranda Taylor on the topic of creativity.

Dulverton will also welcome British explorer Belinda Kirk, UK survival expert John Hudson and travel writer Hilary Bradt.  Welsh vet Sion Rowlands will tell tales from his hilarious book Letting the Cat Out of the Bag and well-known sports reporter Dennis Coath will recount some funny anecdotes from his many interviews over the years.

Other writers are being confirmed for the event, not least local railway historians Freddie Huxtable, Ian Coleby and Amyas Crump on the subject of Exmoor, Somerset and Devon’s lost railways. Plans are also being made for creative writing workshops to be held in Dulverton Library during the event.

Get ready for the Children’s Writing Competition 2023

The festival will also see the return of the under-12’s Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition, with prizes donated by our friends at Waterstones Barnstaple to be presented this year by Sir Michael Morpurgo.  Waterstones will again be providing a popup bookshop at the festival with author book signing.

Keep an eye on the Festival page of this website for all the information.

/by

Tag Archive for: Exmoor

Dulverton Antiques Valuation Day

After the success of the Dulverton Antiques Valuation Day in March, Visit Dulverton and Adam Partridge Auctioneers again invite you to bring along your antiques, fine art, jewellery and more to this friendly valuation event in Dulverton Town Hall with live music and refreshments.

For more information, visit the Dulverton Antiques Valuation Event page.

/by

Dulverton Farmers Market

Visit Dulverton’s Farmers Market on the last Saturday of the month – April to September – from 10am to 2.30pm in the Lion Stables Car Park in the heart of the town.

Showcasing the best produce and crafts from Exmoor, Devon and Somerset – including home-reared meat, local cheese, Exmoor-brewed ales, delicious jams and chutneys, and even Dulverton-distilled spirits!  You’ll find local craftspeople here too, selling belts, bags, baskets, books, photographs and more. Refreshments and live entertainment too. Treat yourself to a great day out and discover Dulverton Farmers Market!

For more information visit the Farmers Market page

/by
,

The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival

The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival is back for 2023!

Head to the Literary Festival page to learn who will be attending this year’s event and to book your tickets.  The 2023 festival features a great lineup of author talks across both days of the weekend of 18/19 November in Dulverton Town Hall; with more creative writing workshops for adults and children taking place in Dulverton Library on Saturday 18 November.

We have Michael Morpurgo, Rachel Johnson, Janet Ellis, William Sitwell, Sarah Turner, Andrew Lownie, Catherine Ostler, Albert Read, Julian Glover to name a few….  Tickets are selling like hot cakes, so book early to avoid disappointment.
Encourage your youngsters to take part in the Festival Children’s Writing Competition – with prizes to be presented by Michael Morpurgo no less!  Full details on the Literary Festival page.
/by

Dulverton by Starlight

Dulverton by Starlight is a magical event held every year, open to all free of charge. Every December the pretty Exmoor town of Dulverton is decorated with Christmas trees festooned with lights, and for one Sunday many of the shops are open for people to do some local Christmas shopping. Festivities take place all afternoon and into the evening, including street entertainers, live music, festive stalls and a fabulous fireworks display to conclude the evening! Don’t miss this traditional, festive occasion – marking the beginning of Christmas every year in Dulverton, Exmoor.

For more information, visit Dulverton by Starlight

/by