Wray Valley August Newsletter: Out and About
Family Bushcraft Weekend
Last weekend we hosted a family bushcraft event in association with Red Fox Bushcraft. Families could choose between sessions including ancient basketry, spoon carving, sling making and whittling. The spoon carving proved particularly popular, with high levels of intense concentration demonstrated. We hope to hold more events later in the year. Follow us on social media to keep up to date.
Another Day off to Explore
Spotting a gap in our B&B booking schedule early in the month we went off to explore another circular walk before our next guests arrived in the evening. Being short of time we started from the hamlet of Barne at the top of the hill on the way to Manaton, but you can easily start from here. We then walked up past Peck Farm to Hunters Tor, down through Lustleigh Cleave crossing the River Bovey at Horsham Steps (7 second video).
After crossing the river successfully we headed up to the Kestor Inn at Water for lunch. After lunch we walked up through Manaton, hoping to find cakes in the cake cupboard. But being a damp Monday before the school holidays had started we were disappointed. Continuing on we climbed to the top of Easdon Down to enjoy the view. We then walked on down into North Bovey but unfortunately we didn’t have time to enjoy a drink at the Ring of Bells before heading back to the car. The total length of our walk was 14km with 477 m ascent. If you start from here its 19km with 600 m ascent.
Follow in our footsteps or create your own adventure with the help of public transport. We have lots of ideas for walks and other activities during your stay with us.
By the way, we only got back about 15 minutes before B&B guests who came an hour earlier than expected. This is why we kindly request that you provide us with an approximate arrival time. This allows us to explore the stunning Dartmoor landscape while ensuring we’re here to welcome you. If you’re staying in the B&B and arrive significantly earlier than anticipated, please be aware that we may not be on site. Feel free to relax and enjoy the grounds until we return. For campers, we will leave a message and map indicating your campsite. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation, as it helps us make the most of this beautiful location!
Sustainability Activity Trail
Progress on the Sustainability Activity Trail has had to take a back seat as we are busy looking after all our campsite and B&B guests. The summer season is definitely in full swing. Hopefully more news next month.
Devon Bat Survey – the results are in
At the beginning of July we again took part in the annual Devon Bat Survey. We borrowed the equipment from the nearby collection point at Becky Falls and installed it for 3 days on Water Meadow (SX7783) and for 3 days in a glade at the north end of Lower Moor Wood (SX7784) which is just in the next map grid square to the north of the campsite.
We could analyse the stats for hours as we are both geeks at heart but here are the highlights:
Despite the bad weather there were many more bat echolocation calls recorded in July 2024 in both locations than in May 2023. Baby bats are typically born in June and can fly at 3 weeks old.
In both years a greater variety of bat species is recorded by the river than in the wood but this year the total number of calls is similar by the river and in the wood.
By the river, common and soprano pipistrells are present in equal numbers but the soprano dominates in the wood.
A higher number of species with very low call counts but high probabilty was recorded last year than this – there may have been an improvement in the algorhthym for the analysis software to eliminate these. Alternatively the 1 individual bat from each species we recorded in May last year was feeding somewhere else this year and didn’t fly past the detector!
We seem to have a healthy population of the Barbastelles living in the wet woodland by the river.The diversity of habitats here at Wray Valley is great for wildlife. Come and see for yourself, book your stay at www.wrayvalley.co.uk
Do you want to do your own surveys? Why not download the i-Naturalist app and record any observations you make. Once you’ve done that join the LookWild project and your observations can then be used by other organisations too to benefit wildlife. Lets try and make Wray Valley an observation hotspot!
If you live outside Devon why not see if there is a Bat Survey organised by your local wildlife trust. Don’t forget to take part in the Big Butterfly Count before Sunday! Taking part in Citizen Science projects can be very rewarding.
Eating In at Wray Valley
Have you been to one of our Pizza Evenings?
We’ve been making the most of the dry, sunny weather in the last week. We had a pizza evening last weekend and hope to have another this Saturday. Our pizza evenings are run as social events, where you can choose the toppings you want while relaxing and meeting other campers and B&B guests. All our pizzas bases are hand made from organic flour and hand stretched when ordered. No dough rollers here…..!
But don’t forget that you can book our pizza making experience for your group whenever you like. You’ll try your hand at all stages of pizza production from chopping the wood, and making the dough, through to lighting the fire and making your bases. All we ask is a couple of days notice….
It takes a couple of hours and quite a bit of wood to get the pizza oven up to cooking temperature (over 400C). So unfortunately we only run them on dry weekends when we are busy, and likely to sell enough pizzas to cover our time and costs.
Delicious Evening Meals and Drinks
Our on-site evening meals are a very popular choice for families seeking a relaxing night in after a hard day of sightseeing or travelling or simply looking to break up their dining out routine. We make our hearty, home-cooked meals with locally sourced and home grown ingredients whenever we can. As we are not a full service restaurant with a chef and waiting staff, we do ask that your group chooses the same meal option where dietary requirements permit, just like you would at home. This will also help to minimise food waste and support our eco-friendly efforts. Please place your orders at least a day in advance, to give us time to discuss your requirements with you, shop for ingredients and prepare your dishes. We may be able to accommodate you at short notice if you are happy to eat what we’ve already prepared.
Don’t forget we only serve Devon made drinks on our bar menu and they go perfectly with our evening meals.
Something to nibble with your drinks
Looking for the perfect accompaniment to your Devon drink from our bar? We’ve got that covered! Indulge in our homemade focaccia bread made from organic, unbleached stoneground flour, served with olive oil, balsamic, and olives. Pair it with a glass of Huxbear wine from the local vineyard for a truly delightful experience.
Eating Out Nearby
Shortly before you arrive we’ll send you an email with lots of useful information including directions and where to eat out. At this time of year its a very good idea to make a reservation for your evening meal to avoid disappointment and a wasted journey. Also check the opening and serving hours as these change at short notice based on staff availability. If you are not confident or are unable to phone them we are happy to do it for you. We’ve had very good reports recently about food at the newly reopened historic White Hart in Moretonhampstead, and being a larger restaurant it is likely to be able to fit you in when the smaller places are full. We’ve not had a chance yet to try it out ourselves.
If you are here in the Autumn check out the delicious gourmet food at the Gateway Restaurant run as a pop-up at the weekends by our friends Laurie and Sam. It is very small so pre-booking is absolutely essential.
Lunch and Afternoon Tea in Lusteigh
Take a stroll down the Wray Valley Trail, wander about the village, pop in the church, let off steam in the community orchard and explore the adjacent hamlet of Wreyland. After all that stop in the Primrose Tea Rooms for a bite to eat at lunchtime or for afternoon tea. I had the cheese sandwich “with everything” and Kevin had the ham ploughmans. The Primrose Salad that accompanies the dishes includes a lot of fresh fruit which make a perfect end to the meal.
Devon Open Studios @ Wray Valley
7 to 22 September 2024
Artists all over Devon will be throwing open their doors and inviting people to look behind the scenes of an artist’s studio. The county’s creative people will be demonstrating and showcasing their work in attics, sheds, galleries and other creative spaces. The art and craft on display will include drawing, painting, sculpture, tapestry, ceramics, jewellery and glasswork. Open Studios are all free to attend, and visitors are encouraged to support local artists and makers by buying their work – anything from a large sculpture to a small greetings card. Artists range from new talent to experienced professionals, all keen to share their inspiration and creativity with visitors. Many of the artists have taken their inspiration from the natural world – flora and fauna, coast and countryside.
Here at Wray Valley we will be hosting the work of Jacqueline Seviour, winner of the Devon Artist Network Emerging Artist Bursary award. Jacqueline is a glass artist crafting jewellery using layers of glass which incorporate scenes from Devon’s coast and countryside. Each piece is individually crafted and given its own unique name. She says: “Glass is a perfect medium to interpret landscapes with its ability to capture depth and celebrate the beauty of colour and light. The mix of science and art nurtures my passion, creativity, and curiosity to hone my skills as a maker and artist.”
We still have plenty of availability in September in the B&B and campsite so why not make us your base for an arty getaway?
New FAQ page
Just a heads up, we’ve got our FAQ page up and running on the website. Please give it a quick look-over before reaching out with your questions, because even those “quick questions” add up and can really take a chunk out of our day. But if you can’t find what you need or something isn’t clear, we’re still here for you! We’ll do our best to answer your questions and add them to the FAQ so it can help others too. Thanks for understanding.
Events this Month
Lots happening during August….
- Manaton Show and Fair – Saturday 10 August – traditional village fete. Last year we won first prize for our strawberry jam, blackberry jelly and sweet peas, with several second and third places for the vegetables. Why not enter your dog in the fun dog show
- National Sheep Dog Trials at Princetown – Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 August
- Dartmoor Folk Festival – 9 – 11 August in South Zeal
- Chagford Show – Thursday 15 August – in previous years there has been a shuttle bus from Moretonhampstead
- Moretonhampstead Carnival Food Festival – first day of carnival week on Saturday 17 August – lots of artisan food and drink producers showing off they wares. Best not to drive if you want to try the free samples!
- Moreton Carnival – a week of fun with a parade on Thursday 22 August
- Lustleigh Show – August Bank Holiday Monday 26 August – a traditional country show includes a 10k cross-country race (enter in advance or on the day before 11:15am), two show rings, lots of stands and entertainment. Its advisable to buy your ticket in advance to avoid the queues. NB. If you live locally why not volunteer to man the gates for an hour and get free entry.
- Chagford Music Day – 31 August, 1 – 11pm, Free live music at 5 venues
More dates for your diary
There’s something happening throughout the year so why not plan your stay around a local event. Here’s a few of the regular fixtures to get you started….
Some, but not all, of the links below are on Facebook
- Bovey Festival – Food & Drink – 7 September
- Widecombe Fair – 10 September (always the second Tuesday)
- Devon Open Studios – 7 – 22 September 2024
- Lustleigh Boxing Day Duck Dash – December 26
- Lustleigh Orchard Wassail – January 2025!
Thanks for Reading
As always, thank you for your support and for choosing Wray Valley. We hope to see you soon, creating new memories and celebrating the beauty of Dartmoor together. As we wrap up this edition of our newsletter, we hope that you’ve found it an enjoyable read and encourage you to share it with friends who might also appreciate the insights and updates from Wray Valley.
Your support means the world to us, and we’d be truly grateful if you could take a moment to like and follow us on social media (@WrayValley) and subscribe to our YouTube Channel. By doing so, you’ll stay connected with our latest news, events, and developments, as well as help others discover the beauty and excitement of Wray Valley.
We wish you a wonderful time ahead, filled with unforgettable adventures, memorable experiences, and precious moments with loved ones. We look forward to sharing more stories and updates with you in the coming months and hopefully seeing you here. Until next time!
