Wray Valley January Newsletter: Happy New Year
So, grab a warm drink, curl up in front of the fire, and catch up on all things Wray Valley.
Celebrating Our Award Successes
In the last newsletter we told you that we were in the finals of the Devon Women in Business (DWIB) Awards and the Devon Tourism Awards . Well we’re thrilled to now tell you that Michelle won Eco-Friendly Business of the Year at the DWIB awards. This was followed less than two weeks later by winning gold at the Devon Tourism Awards. We are officially the Devon Tourism Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Business of the Year. That means we now go through to the Visit England awards in 2025 for that category.
We also won Bronze in the B&B and the campsite categories. Unfortunately, we couldn’t attend the awards dinner due to a family emergency. So the organiser made a special trip to give us all three awards here at Wray Valley. All the awards are on show in our reception area. Kevin has had to make a stronger shelf as the Gold Award is really heavy!
Riverside B&B becomes Wray Valley B&B
🌿Experience the Unique Stables Eco-Bothies at Wray Valley🌿
A Winter Transformation
This winter, we’re transforming our old stables into two eco-friendly accommodation units – the “stables eco-bothies”. There’s still quite a few things left to do to finish off the first one, and we’ll be starting the second shortly. We’re doing regular updates on social media on the progress as we go along.
The eco-bothies bridge the gap between camping and the comfort of our B&B, offering you a distinctive and authentic experience. While they won’t be glamping, our eco-bothies provide a significantly more comfortable, sheltered and warmer alternative to camping. These unique lodgings are completely off-grid, fully insulated and feature 12V solar-powered lighting and a cosy log burner stove to ensure a warm and inviting atmosphere during your stay.
How many does it sleep?
Each bothy is designed to sleep three people, but you can add an extra camp bed or airbed if you wish. Remember to bring your own sleeping bags and pillows, as we aim to minimise our environmental footprint by encouraging guests to embrace a more sustainable approach.
Cooking during your stay will be a fun and immersive experience, taking place either on the stovetop or in an adjoining covered outdoor area. This offers a perfect opportunity to reconnect with the simplicity of preparing meals in a natural setting.
Our eco bothies reflect our ongoing commitment to sustainability and providing our guests with unforgettable experiences in the heart of Dartmoor. We’re excited to share this new addition with you, as we continue to find innovative ways to connect visitors with nature while ensuring minimal environmental impact.
How do I book?
Book your stay in one of our unique eco bothies and discover a whole new way to enjoy the beauty of Wray Valley. We can’t wait to welcome you!
We’ll be launching these officially before Easter but our newsletter readers can get an early bird discount of 20% off if you make a booking before the 1 March. They are not described on the website yet but you can book online via the booking system or send us an email.
Congratulations to Our Prize Draw Winner
We’re delighted to announce that we’ve drawn the winner of our annual feedback survey prize draw and they have been informed. We want to thank everyone who participated and provided feedback. We read every single one of your forms and have implemented changes based on your suggestions. Some of the improvements we’ve made include new mattresses in the small twin room, adding informative signs, enhancing the path to the river, and many other small details.
Your input is incredibly valuable to us, and we appreciate your help in making Wray Valley B&B the best it can be. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to share your thoughts with us!
We’ll be running the draw again next year. All you have to do to enter is fill in one of our survey forms during or after your visit. Please note that the draw is only open to people who have stayed or visited us here, but all members of your group can enter the draw.
Sustainability Activity Trail Update: Only the Nest Boxes to Go
We’ve only one more milestone to go – the making and erection of at least 6 wildlife boxes. That’s 1 large box suitable for owls, 2 medium boxes e.g. bat maternity roost, and 3 small, e.g. blue tit, sparrow, robin etc. The volunteers at the Community Shed in Moretonhampstead have agreed to make the boxes if we supply the wood.
Once again, we’d like to thank the Dartmoor National Park’s Farming in Protected Landscape Team and the University of Exeter. Without their financial assistance, developing the trail would not have been possible.
More Tree Planting
In September we applied successfully for one of the 50 landowner free tree planting packs from Devon County Council. The pack contained 45 native baby trees – 15 each of oak, birch and rowan, mulch mats and pegs, bamboo canes and rabbit guards.
It arrived in time for planting during National Tree Week (23 Nov – 1 Dec). Unfortunately that also coincided with 3 days of ice, snow and Storm Bert so we heeled them into the veg patch and waited for the weather to improve. At the end of November we finally got out and planted them in the far side of the Hay Meadow. It will extend the woodland edge of Lower Moor Wood. Watch our short YouTube video here.
Did you know that woodland edges in the UK are important for:
- Biodiversity – they support a variety of plant and animal species, and help create a transition between open and woodland habitats.
- Wildlife – they provide shelter and food for a wide range of wildlife, including birds, invertebrates, and pollinators.
- Wind management – they help reduce wind damage by slowing the wind down and warming it up as it passes into the wood.
Green Tourism Award: Assessment Time Again
Did you know that to keep our prestigious Green Tourism Gold Award we have to submit lots of evidence online for assessment at least once every 2 years?
Our business is assessed against 15 Green Tourism sustainability goals, under the pillars of People, Places and Planet. For each of the 15 goals there are several criteria which have to be met and evidence supplied. This varies slightly depending on your business but in total we had to supply evidence for 64 different criteria. Its one of the reasons there is so much on our website about sustainability.
Michelle has been working on the resubmission over the last couple of months and hit the “Submit” button just after Christmas.
Heartfelt Thanks for Your Generous Donations
We’re incredibly grateful to our guests for their generous donations to Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Ashburton (DSRT Ashburton). Your donations over the year have raised an impressive £180, which will support their vital work both on and off Dartmoor.
DSRT Ashburton is a dedicated team of over 50 volunteers who provide search and rescue services 24/7, assisting the emergency services in locating missing, injured, or vulnerable individuals, particularly in remote and rugged areas. Did you know Kevin has been part of the team for nearly 15 years. He is a Hill Party Leader and currently Chair of their committee. If you want to know more about what they do then he is definitely the best person to ask.
At Wray Valley, we’re committed to promoting sustainable tourism and supporting local organisations like DSRT Ashburton. We offer our guests the opportunity to make a donation at the time of booking or in the collection tin in our hallway.
We can’t thank our guests enough for their kindness and support of this essential community service. Your generosity makes a difference! 
Why not give a bit more now? https://dsrtashburton.org.uk/donate
Winter Storms at Wray Valley: Nature’s Challenges and Our Responses
This winter has certainly kept us on our toes! Despite the storms that have swept through the region, we’re thankful that the damage to Wray Valley has been minimal, so far.
Storm Bert brought heavy rains, causing the Wray Brook to swell significantly. Although the brook didn’t break its banks, it did manage to snatch up the oak sleepers we’d laid as a bridge to Oak Pitch. Luckily, they didn’t travel far and were caught by the weir.
When Storm Darragh arrived, it took down some of the fence panels near the main road. Anticipating such an event, we’d already laid the hedge behind the fence last winter, making it easy to remove the damaged panels without compromising the border.
The unnamed New Year’s Eve storm also left its mark, bringing down a large tree onto the path by the river. It was one of the trees growing on the bank beside the Hay Meadow. Normally we let fallen trees lay where they fall as they are great for biodiversity but we do remove them when they cause a blockage or a safety hazard. Clearing this one took a couple of days, as it was obstructing the path and access to Fruit Cage pitch.
Whats On Locally in 2025
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, the dates for some are still to be confirmed (tbc) and we’ll update them in future newsletters and send out reminders on facebook.
Many, but not all, of the links below are on Facebook
- Turning of the Year 2025 – 10 January in Moretonhampstead Parish Hall, musicians and storytellers celebrate the end of 2024 and the start of 2025 all for charity
- Lustleigh Orchard Wassail – January 2025 – date tbc!
- Bovey Tracey Green Man Festival – Last Saturday in April (26 April), pagan merriment, music and stalls
- Lustleigh May Day – first Saturday in May (3 May)
- Moreton Mini Music Day – 5 May – Free little music festival celebrates musicians, aged 18 and under.
- Bovey Craft Festival – 6 – 8 June, over 200 makers, workshops over 3 days
- Moretonhampstead Flag Festival – tbc usually last 2 weeks in June
- Moreton Music Day – tbc normally beginning of July – day of free music (noon till midnight) at several locations around the town in aid of local charities.
- Bovey Tracey Carnival – starts last Saturday in July ending with the parade the following Saturday
- Dartmoor Folk Festival – 8-10 August, South Zeal
- Moretonhampstead Carnival Food Festival – first day of carnival week on 16 August
- Chagford Show, 21 August
- Moreton Carnival – a week of fun with a parade of floats on 21 August
- Manaton Show and Fair – 9 August, traditional village fair
- Lustleigh Show – August Bank Holiday Monday 27 August
- Dartmoor Outdoor Festival – 29 August to 5 September, celebrating community and the best of what Dartmoor has to offer
- Bovey Festival – Food & Drink – tbc normally first Saturday in September
- Widecombe Fair – 9 September (always the second Tuesday)
- Devon Open Studios – 6 – 22 September 2025
- Lustleigh Boxing Day Duck Dash – December 26
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. We encourage you to share our newsletter with friends who might also appreciate the insights and updates from Wray Valley.
Your support means the world to us. 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 soon. Until next time!
