South Devon Walking Festival 2009

There is a great festival programme lined up for you with nearly 50 walks to enjoy throughout South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty! This year there are walks featuring wildlife, history and heritage, wild food, coastal farming, geology and much more! Here’s a taster of the programme to whet your appetite: 

• Walk 76 miles of South Devon’s South West Coast Path over 6 days!
• Capture stunning scenery on one of the photography walks. 
• Eat for free with wild food walks. · 
• Have a private tour of Start Point Lighthouse. · 
• Walk from Dartmouth to Agatha Christie’s Greenway Estate. · 
• Discover the land of Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility. · 
• Unearth Slapton’s history including WWII exercises and evacuation. · 
• There’s even a family toddle waddle!

All this and more on routes through stunning coastal, estuarine and rolling green countryside. Give yourself space to breath this Autumn in the clean South Devon air! Let the bus or train take the strain. Travel green and use Travel Line to plan a journey by public transport to the start of your walks. First South Devon’s No.93 service connects with many of the walks. Download the 2009 programme,

Dartmouth’s Food Festival  

Dartmouth’s Food Festival, taking place from Wednesday 21st to Sunday 25th October 2009, looks set to be a real celebration of the diversity, success and pleasure that is South Hams food and drink, with cookery demonstrations, workshops, tasting sessions and more attracting visitors to the town and area for this out of season weekend.

If you're new to the event, then it's a celebration of all that's great about our local producers, restaurants, and pubs. The heart of the Festival will be the historic Market Square where a marquee will be erected to provide a weather proof environment for a rolling series of cooking demonstrations, farmers market, wine tasting and much more.

Cooking shacks will give visitors a chance to meet local chefs and producers and try recipes that will be designed to stimulate your taste buds.  Take a look at the  to find out more.

If you're a regular, then you'll be glad to know that this year it's an even bigger and better outpouring of foodie passion.   Celebrity Chefs, John Burton-Race and Mitch Tonks, are back to work their culinary magic, alongside many of our local restaurants and suppliers.  

Plus, hot off the press, Michael Caines MBE is joining in to get the party started on Wednesday, 21 October.  Other Festival events will be staged around the town and in the surrounding area. Participating restaurants will host individual events ranging from specially devised tasting menus to food and wine matching.

Special Offers for Dartmouth Food Festival.

All Guest booking a full week at Hillfields during the Dartmouth Food Festival will receive a ‘Riverford Organic Farm Welcome Box worth over £20’ which would include a;

• Mini Vegetable Box containing 8 seasonal vegetables including potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms and other items
• 1 litre Semi Skimmed Milk 250g Butter 450g Free Range Chipolatas 6 Eggs
• Pure Devon Apple Juice.

This will apply to all full weeks booked from W/C 15th, 16th, 17th October 2009.

National Hunt Horse Racing at Exeter Racecourse

Set in a stunning location overlooking beautiful Devon countryside, Exeter Racecourse prides itself as being one of the UK’s most progressive tracks, with excellent facilities and transport links to match competitive racing throughout the National Hunt Season.  Exeter holds 16 jump fixtures between October and May, with November’s William Hill Haldon Gold Cup Day and the popular New Year’s Day fixture amongst the highlights.  Accompanied children aged 17 and under can come racing for free.

Exeter Racecourse is also a popular and fully-established Conference and Events Centre, open throughout the year to provide the perfect setting for any corporate or private event.  An exciting £2 million redevelopment scheme, due for completion in November 2009, will nearly double the size of existing conference facilities at the racecourse whilst adding to raceday hospitality and members’ facilities.  

Exclusive Offer to all Hillfield Guest's

Go Racing for Less!!!!!!

£3 off a Premier ticket (normal price £18)

£3 off a Grandstand & Paddock ticket (normal price £13)

Christmas and New Year at Hillfields

Treat yourself to an extra special 'Devon Christmas & New Year this year and enjoy fine dining, peace and quiet, long walks, lots of sparkling bubbles, music and dancing Christmas at Hillfields Village can be whatever you want it to be, in fact everything that adds up to a Christmas celebration you’ll remember long after the last streamer has been thrown!

The more active can work out on the tennis court, or go for a testing run. Children can wrap up snugly and burn off some energy in the outdoor playground and on the swings.  You can all explore the grounds and local country walks.   Santa will be able to find all the children with their presents because we provide a Christmas tree in every property.

There’s so much to see and do here, even at this time of year, with top class Restaurants (such as John Burton Race's New Angel restaurant and Mitch Tonks' Seahorse restaurant in Dartmouth), pantos galore, carol singing, ice skating at the Eden Project or in Exeter.  Stop off for a steaming mug of hot chocolate at Blackpool Sands after a bracing stroll on the beach, or you could have breakfast there, or for brunch at the ever popular,  lively and European style Al Frescos - they serve up a great English breakfast with fantastic coffee! Join in or just watch the revellers in traditional fancy dress costume in Dartmouth on New Year’s Eve, an experience not to be missed!

"Dickens of a Christmas" event in the Old Market 11th - 12th December 2009.

The Candlelit Dartmouth Festive Weekend, including spectacular lantern processions which light up the main shopping streets for an evening of late night shopping. Including music and street entertainment. Candlelit Dartmouth also plays host to seasonal markets, as well as The Children's Hospice South West "Dickens of a Christmas".

"Ideas for dining out over the Festive Season";

The Laughing Monk Strete

The Royal Castle Christmas Menu Dartmouth

The Royal Seven Stars Totnes

The Durrant Arms Ashprington

The Turtley Corn Mill Avonwick

The New Angel Dartmouth

The Tower Inn Slapton

Bickley Mill Stoneycombe

Riverford Field Kitchen Buckfastleigh 1st - 22nd Dec

The Perfect Gift for Christmas

At a loss for what Christmas present to give to that special couple, how about booking an off season short break at Hillfields, that could solve your problem, also would be a great treat for the whole family!

What on in South Devon in October - December!

• Walking Festival Sun 2nd to Mon 11th Oct

• Dartmouth Fishing Festival mon 4th to Wed 6th Oct  A three day event open to all anglers. The competition takes place from boats, shore and wreck. Secretary Mr J. Read 01803 835431

• Robert Powell - A Celebration of Dickens at The Flavel 17 Oct  Bringing to life Dickens’ universally loved characters from Mr Pickwick, Mr Micawber and Mrs Nickelby, to Mrs Gamp, Uriah Heep and Scrooge, is the charismatic and wonderful actor Robert Powell.
  

• Dartmouth Food Festival Thu 21st to Mon 25th Oct
  

• Dartmouth Galleries Week Sat 23rd to Sat 30th Oct

• October Half Term at Pennywell (27th – 31st October) If you prefer grins to grimaces, fun to frights and smiles to spooks then forget Halloween and join us at Pennywell  Jollyween. We promise to bring light into October’s darkest day and will celebrate the lighter side of life for the whole of half term week. Brighten your day with a first class performance from either Ben Cornish or Billy Wiz in the Pennywell theatre and join in with a full day of hands on activities, shows and displays.
• Riverford Organic Farm Sat 24 Oct Pumpkin Day Come and celebrate our annual Pumpkin Harvest with tractor rides, apple pressing, pumpkin carving and much more
• End of British Summer Time 25th Oct
• Halloween Happenings   at Woodlands 26th to 31st Oct 6 Creepy days of Halloween, Spooky party with Spangles the Clown, Trick & Treat Hunts,  Workshops,  Ghost Train, Free pumpkins & Pumpkin carving competition, Wicked Witch of the Woods lantern procession, Fancy Dress competition

• Riverford Organic Farm Children's Pick and Cook. Tue 27 Oct The perfect day out for the young budding chef and gardener. Learn all about organic growing in the fields and try your hand at cooking in the Field Kitchen using our fresh seasonal produce. Practical and fun hands on learning for all children 7 - 16 years. The day starts at 14h00 and finishes at 18h30. £24.00 per child

• Riverford Organic Farm   Early Supper & Tractor Ride for Kids Wed 28 Oct A short introduction to Riverford for the children including a tractor ride to see where and how we grow our vegetables. Followed by a child-friendly two course supper in the Field Kitchen. Tour at 16h. £16 adult / £10.50 child.
• War of the Wizards at Woodlands Firework Festival 7th Nov Best Wizard, Witch & Warlock competition and Parade to the lighting of the bonfire at 6.30pm Devon’s Monstrous Firework display 7.15 BBQ, Sideshows, Live Band Ben the Master Juggler & Spangles the Clown Come for the day and stay for the evening Free!
• Dart Drama Festival 10, 11, 13 & 14 November 2009 At The Flavel Theatre, Dartmouth Featuring one act plays by local drama groups
• Dartmouth Christmas Lights switch on ** Nov 2008

• Firework Festival at Woodlands Park.  Jurassic Inferno Bonfire, Devon’s Monstrous Firework display, BBQ, Bar, Sideshows, Benco the Master Juggler,  Spangles the Clown from 6.00 - 8.30pm OR come for the day - stay for the evening party Free
• Tar Barrels    5th November  Ottery St Mary;  The World Famous Tar Barrel carrying and Bonfire – Every year on November 5th for reasons lost in antiquity, the Flaming Tar Barrels are carried through the streets of Ottery St Mary to the delight of thousands of visitors.
• Dart Drama Festival 10, 11, 13 & 14 November 2009
• Candlelit Dartmouth, Sat 12 – Sun 13 Dec, Candlelit Dartmouth and late night shopping
• Dartmouth Golf & Country Club   Christmas Party Nights Many dates in December, phone for more details.   Why not bring your party to our party!   Join us for one of our Christmas Party nights on a Friday and Saturday night in December.  Enjoy a five-course dinner and then boogie the night away.
• Dartmouth Players Flavel ** December 2008
• Totnes Christmas Festival Evenings Dec (usually the first three Tuesdays) Totnes provides lovely late night Christmas shopping evenings each December when the High Street and Market Square are decorated, the shop windows have illuminated Christmas displays and stay open late and the place is transformed into a fairyland of old-fashioned entertainments and street traders.
• Robin Hood  at The Flavel 28 to 31 Dec. Brighten up Christmas with the fabulous pantomime ROBIN HOOD!
• New Year Street Fancy Dress Party - 31 Dec

A Big thank you to all who supported Chris in the Great North Run

On the 20th September 2009 Chris Eagles and his brother  Adam took part in the Great North Run to raise funds for Caroline & Michaels Son Simon Edwards who passed away on the 11th April 2008.  The Simon Edwards Guide Dogs Tribute Fund which is hoping to raise £5,000 to name and sponsor a puppy in Simons memory, this amount goes towards the costs to fund the puppy from birth, up to the time it goes into training at 12 to 14 months of age. 

20mins before start a fitness instructor up on a crane being projected on to the big screens and 54,000 runners all went through warm up exercise, stretching, bending and jumping all in perfect harmony was great fun! Biggest motivation before the start would be the playing of 'Abide with Me' over the loud speakers before the start to remember all the loved ones that people were running for.  We felt fine up until 10miles and were enjoying all the fancy dress.  Including a man dressed as a trees, 3 people dressed a the 'Loc Ness Monster', and bravest runner, 'Man in Thong' who I think had DAVE written on his back!
 
The last mile or so the legs really started to burn but all the cheering on the home straight really dragged us to the finish line and was ecstatic with the 2:11min time, the atmosphere was fantastic throughout with support from not only the sidelines but between all the runners helping each other along the route. We finished just in time to see the 'Red Arrows' over South Shields beach which was fantastic, and worth all the blisters and aches and pains!!
 
If you missed out, there's still time to donate click here!

Looking forward to seeing you again very soon!

Michael & Caroline

                                                       The Hillfield Village Team.

Check out the "Special Offers and Availability" on the Hillfield Web Site or View the Visitors Book