19.03.16

Fresh & feminine fashion picks

26

+ THE WILD WINE CLUB

PLUS:

+ ASK ANNE SWITHINBANK

+ SPRING BEDROOMS

INSIDE:

Happy Easter

+ GIFTS + PARADES + EGG HUNTS

+ HIGH TEAS

+ LUXURY GLAMPING

ESCAPE

WIN:

Cover_March19.indd 1 15/03/2016 14:36:08

E S C A P E T O T H EDRIF T WOOD SPARS

THE BREWERY, PUB AND B&B BY THE SEA

A wonderful restaurant and even our own micro brewery! A seafood takeaway, the pub which hosts a range of live music,

wedding and conference facilities.

WONDERFUL SEA FRONT LOCATION IN THE HEART OF ST AGNES.

W W W. D R I F T W O O D S PA R S . C O . U KTrevaunance Cove, Saint Agnes, TR5 0RT

For reservations and bookings call: 01872 552428

WE HAVE IT ALL!

Driftwood Spar - West Full Page.indd 2 15/03/2016 11:40:15Untitled-1 2 15/03/2016 12:00:44

33

5 WIN A £295 GLAMPING TRIPEnter our fabulous competition

9 JUST BETWEEN US...Sh! We have the latest gossip!

12 EASTER ADVENTURESWestcountry days out that you’ll adore

16 THE WILD WINE CLUB Al fresco alcohol on a Cornish beach

22 AND SO TO BED...How to create a super-chic bedroom

26 ANNE SWITHINBANKThe coolest � owers to plant today

28 BEAUTY GIFTS FOR EASTERPretty delights to give (and receive)

32 CHECKING IT OUTHow to wear the new checked shirts

34 CULTURE VULTUREWhat’s on and where to go right now

36 BOOST YOUR WELLBEING Great ways to feel your best this week

41 SPICING IT UPTim Maddams had fun with fenugreek

42 A WEEKEND IN... Discovering beautiful Branscombe

contents[ [Inside this week...

28 EASTER DELIGHTSThe gi� s you’ll really, really want

22 AND SO TO BED...How to create a super-chic bedroom

CHECK IT OUTThe plaid shirt grows up32

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEV! Why Ms Knight is celebrating this week35

9 ALL THE GOSSIPWhy Laurence is coming to Cornwall

40 IT’S ALL ON TAPThe new way to love beer

‘Our resistance was feeble. Yes, we know

it will end up being us that cleans out the cage

and buys the food’

Gillian Molesworth’s son wants a new pet, p8

Contents_March19.indd 3 14/03/2016 17:51:48

Becky Sheaves, Editor Sarah Pitt Kathryn Clarke-McLeod Catherine Barnes Lynne Potter

4

[[ [[welcome[ [

e had some relatives to stay with us last weekend and, as luck would have it, the Westcountry smiled on them - and us. All day long the sun shone, busily nest-

ing birds sang gaily in the sky and, when we went to the beach for a walk, it was so warm we actually took our coats off. What’s more, we sat in the garden to read the weekend papers over a coffee. I do hope you, too, are enjoying this early spring sunshine we’ve had lately.

With Easter just around the corner, we have put together this week’s magazine with holiday events in mind. On page 12 today you’ll fi nd our

superb Easter Days Out guide, with something for everyone from bonnet parades to egg hunts and roast lamb lunches. Meanwhile, on page 28, our beauty guru Abbie Bray selects her favourite

Easter beauty gifts - a lot less fattening than chocolate.

Also in the magazine today, I think you’ll probably be as fasci-nated as I was by the account of former Fif-teen Cornwall somme-

lier Debbie Warner’s new venture in Cornwall. It’s a wine appreciation society with a difference - they always meet (for a seriously gourmet feast) outdoors. Read all about The Wild Wine Club on page 16 today - and have fun this Easter.

[ [Have fun this Easter, from bonnet parades

to egg hunts

Becky Sheaves, Editor

Looking forward to Easter? We are...

[

OUTDOOR FUNBeach feasts in Cornwall 16

EDITORIAL: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.ukTel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest

@lilywarnewoolLily Warne lambs

enjoying the Devon sunshine

MEET THE TEAM

Becky Sheaves, Editor Sarah Pitt Kathryn Clarke-McLeod Catherine Barnes Lynne Potter

Tweetof the week

TO ADVERTISE: Contact Lynne Potter: 01752 293027 or 07834 568283, lynne.potter@dc-media.co.uk

W

COVER IMAGE: Lace top, £25, David Emanuel

[

EdsLetter1thing_march19.indd 4 15/03/2016 14:33:31

55

We have a three-night weekend family stay to be won, worth £295, at Cuckoo Down Farm near Sidmouth in east Devon. To win, tell us what phrase “glamping” is short for. Send your answers to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk to arrive by

Friday April 1 2016. Normal terms apply, West will not share your details.

Why not try glamping this year? Cuckoo Down Farm is a beautiful 30-acre family farm in east Devon, set in lovely countryside and close to the World Heritage coastline of Branscombe and Beer. The farm has two safari tents and three yurts, each with cosy woodburners making your glamping break both comfortable and cosy. Expect proper beds, sofas, rugs and lots of home comforts, with lambs, chickens and baby sad-dleback pigs to see, plus children’s pony rides. Prices for a three-night stay start at £295 and there is currently a 20% discount on last-minute Easter stays. Visit www.cuckoodownfarm.co.uk to book and � nd out more.

one thingIf you do

this week...

Win

EdsLetter1thing_march19.indd 5 15/03/2016 10:25:44

6

the

Here are West’s top picks for an enjoyable Easter

wishlistSTREET

STYLE STAR

fave!

Heal’s ink dots jug £25 www.amara.com

M&S Collection bright pink slip £22.50

Marks & Spencer

Seasalt Cornwall caramel sea salt Easter egg £7.95

or £10 for two www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk

YUM

Pour!

Pretty

Alex StylesWe spotted Alex Styles, 23, shopping in Plymouth on an early spring day just recently. We approve of the way she keeps warm and cosy, yet gives her out� t a shot of spring freshness with her pastel baby-blue coat. And we love the boots! “Even though I’m quite tall, I love wearing high-heeled

shoes – I get the chunky kind so I don’t topple,” she tells us.

Scarf: New LookCoat: New Look

Polo neck: PeacocksGloves: New Look

Jeans: AsosBoots: New Look

Send your stylish snaps of you or a friend looking fab to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

Wishlist_March19.indd 6 14/03/2016 13:24:42

7

Jo&Co Home is run by Joanna Eldridge, who handpicks Scandinavian-inspired items, pairing modern young designers with collections from more established labels such as Sophie Conran and Linum. Conveniently on the A39 between

Padstow and Wadebridge, the newly renovated store is full to the brim with covetable treats.Jo&Co Home, Hawks� eld, www.joandcohome.com, 01208 895058

STORE WE ADORE:

Jo&Co Home

Wishlist

Porcelain vase with ash handle £40

www.black-by-design.co.uk

Meet the Yolk Folk, cardboard cutouts for Easter £6.50

www.clareloves.co.uk

Patterned Moroccan leather slippers £27.95 www.decoratorsnotebook.co.uk

Petal earrings £12 reduced from £15

www.monsoon.co.uk

Leather shoulder bag £110 www.piajewellery.

com

BRIGHT

CHIC

Wishlist_March19.indd 7 14/03/2016 13:26:07

8

talking points

A� er Stephen Fry so rudely told costume designer Jenny Beavan she looked “like a bag lady” at the Ba� as, we wondered what this redoubtable woman would wear to the Oscars a few days later. Lo and behold, Jenny dressed again in comfy black leather and bangles. You know what? We approve. Jenny was probably the only woman at the Oscars who wasn’t a) starving and b) anxiously awaiting a cleavage malfunction. So here’s to you, Jenny, for giving all middle-aged, middle-sized women permission to be comfortable. Did we mention she won both the Ba� a AND the Oscar this year? Clever lady.

BAG LADY - or brave?

OPTION BPinkJacket £120 River Island Scarf £35 East

stealherstyle

OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN

’m sure you’re all wondering about the state of the Molesworth menagerie these days.

Well, we’ve moved on from stick insects. Having successfully bred and sold the babies each in their own mini-terrarium (translation: large plastic cup), we felt we had hit the pinnacle of stick insect ownership.

Plus, the kids were getting yelled at too often for not clean-ing out the cages. So Holly, Twig-let, Log, Stick Whittington and Charles Stickens have moved on, providing a gratifying expanse of shelf space.

We still have the rabbits Misty and Beauty, as well as Pirate the dog. I bought a hen house at an agricultural show this year but after a spate of stoat attacks in our area have not been brave enough to fi ll it.

Freddy, now 11 and loaded with pocket money, announced recently that he was going to buy a conure. Appar-ently, it’s a type of parrot.

James and I were barraged by conure facts, illustrated by live YouTube clips of cute little birds talking. Our resistance was feeble. Yes, we know it will end up being us that cleans out the cage and buys the food – just as we clean out the fi sh tank, rabbit hutch, etc etc. But if your kid’s really into something and it’s not an illegal substance, you want to support them.

We did plenty of research and discovered that conures, though personable, can be screechy. They

tend to pick one person as their “pet” and can show hostility towards everyone else. Of all the things I would like to have in my house, a brightly coloured bird shrieking at me as I do the house-work is not one of them.

A cockatiel is much more the thing: a little grey or white bird with red cheeks and a yellow crest. In order for them to be really domesticated though, they

have to be hand reared. Freddy found some for sale online but the majority seemed to be either in Wales or Staffordshire.

“Look Mum, it’s within 60 miles,” he’d say. Yeah – across the Bristol Channel. Finally we found a reputable source in Devon – and, the woman told us, a new clutch was

just being raised. Freddy would have to wait a while, but he’d be sure of a good bird.The prepara-tions are mighty: we have cages, toys, and lots of literature.

We just received the fi rst pic-ture of our little chick the other day. A baby bird can’t be called a piece of art: it’s splay-footed, naked and bug-eyed. But, cupped in the hands of its human parent, it’s unquestionably sweet.

ETA of bird is three weeks. I’ll keep you posted.

Story of my life...

Gillian Molesworth

Pet dilemmas and how to solve them

Gillian Molesworth is a journalist and mum-of-two who grew up in the USA and moved to north Cornwall when she met her husband

I

Our resistance was feeble. Yes, we know it will

end up being us that cleans out

the cage and buys the food

OPTION APerfectLeather jacket £150 Very Scarf £22.50 Seasalt Cornwall

OPTION CPrettyLeather-look jacket £45 La Redoute Silk scarf £145 Bottica

MoleyGosspi_March19.indd 8 14/03/2016 13:36:22

CRASH

LANDING

9

Justbetween us!Gossip, news, trend setters and more – you

heard all the latest juicy stu here � rst!

19.03.16

Best known as Detective Sergeant James Hatha-way in ITV detective drama Lewis, actor Laurence Fox has been con� rmed as part of the star-studded line up at this year’s Looe Music Festival on September 25. But don’t expect to be able to read too easily between the lines, when he sings self-penned songs from his debut album, Hidden Patterns. He says: “I think if people do that, they will get it wrong,

most of the time. But there are de� nitely enough clues in there.”Laurence married Billie Piper in 2007 and has two children with the singer-turned actress: “I am proud of what I have done, and I want people to hear it. At the same time, I am relatively private. You don’t see me or the wife nowadays, � ouncing around going to parties.”

Green Wing actor Stephen Mangan reveals he was given a highly unexpected role model while preparing to star as Sherlock author Arthur Conan Doyle in new ITV crime caper Houdini & Doyle. “I was given a picture of Tom Selleck in Magnum and told to ‘grow that’,” he says. “It took me six weeks - in the � rst

episode or two you can see it’s still being cultivated. It gets more bushy as the series goes on. My wife [Holby City actress Louise Delamere] nearly divorced

me. She hated it!”

‘My wife absolutely

hates my new

moustache’ [[FACIAL HAIR DILEMMA

SKIPPING TO

LOOE

Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington has never been afraid of a challenge, but her dramatic crash landing as she competed in Channel

Four’s winter sports show, The Jump, was traumatic. “I’ve never su� ered pain like that - it was worse than childbirth,” says

the 27-year-old, who has previously said that giving birth to daughter Summer in June last year is her greatest achievement to date.

She’s still recovering a� er she lost control hurtling o� an icy 100 metre slope at more than 30mph while practising an air jump for the celebrity reality series. Rebecca dislocated her shoulder so badly she required an operation two weeks ago and she’s one of six celebrities that have been

forced to quit the show because of injury.

MoleyGosspi_March19.indd 9 15/03/2016 12:35:26

10

in pictures

Toot toot: The Golowan Band warm up before the St Piran’s Day parade in Penzance

Mum’s the word: Erica and Mia Catworthy celebrate Mother’s Day at a fun event in Heavitree Park, Exeter

In character: Charlotte, Maisy

and Emily and Mrs Churms dress up for

World Book Day in Mevagissey

Hello: The St Piran’s Day

parade in Penzance was a

lot of fun

WIP_Top10_March19.indd 10 14/03/2016 13:33:52

11

Name change

talking points

Remember?

Principled

10 famous vegans

1 Jessica Simpson2 Natalie Portman3 Mike Tyson4 Woody Harrelson5 Alanis Morissette6 Russell Brand7 Morrissey8 Pamela Anderson9 Jack Monroe10 Prince

DID YOU KNOW?

This week:

Famous faces with links to the Westcountry

ONE OF US

80s pop star Howard Jones, 60, lives in Creech St Michael, near Taunton

Howard Jones

The happy list

10 things to make you smile this week1 Hot cross buns toasted

2 Pink the colour for spring

3 Bird watching Seaton Tramway, April 1

4 Sunday roast lamb or pork

5 Lulu live at Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple March 31

6 Snowdrops so pretty

7 Dr Thorne terri� c telly

8 Peter Pan on Ice Hall for Cornwall March 30-April 3

9 Wild garlic to pick now

10 St Endellion Easter Music Festival March 26-April 3

10 much missed favourites:

1 Treets

2 Cabana

3 Nutty

4 Pacers

5 Spangles

6 Trio

7 Texan

8 To� os

9 Fry’s � ve centres

10 Pyramint

Celebrities who have changed their names

1 Demi Moore (Demetria Guynes)

2 Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Johnson)

3 Audrey Hepburn (Edda Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston)

4 Lady Gaga (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta)

5 Helen Mirren (Ilyena Lydia Mirono� )

6 Tom Cruise (Thomas Cruise Mapother IV)

7 Dido (Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong)

8 Katy Perry (Kathryn Hudson)

9 Miley Cyrus (Destiny Hope Cyrus)

10 Michael Caine (Maurice Joseph Micklewhite

Hits: Howard Jones had many hits in the 1980s, including Like To Get To Know You Well in 1984.

Childhood: He was born in Southampton, to Welsh parents, the eldest of four boys. “My dad was a college lecturer, my mum worked in Marks & Spencer.”

Family: Howard has three children – Osheen, Mica and Jasper – with his wife, Jan. Now 60, he still performs and creates new music and lives in Creech St Michael near Taunton, Somerset.

Music: He took piano lessons from the age of seven, then studied classical music. “I signed my record deal in 1983 when I was 28, which is quite old for a pop star.” His � rst single, New Song, got to number three and his � rst album, Human’s Lib, went to number one.

Hair: He was known for his spiky and extravagant 80s hairdo. “I think my hair might have helped,” he admits. “I had a loyal teen following and my parents ran my fan club.”

Marriage: He credits his wife with keeping his feet on the ground. “I married Jan when I was 21, so she was with me that whole time... that helped

me to survive without destroying myself with drink and drugs.”

Live Aid: Howard played at the charity concert Live Aid in the summer of 1985. “I was incredibly nervous. I got to the chorus of the song Hide And Seek and the whole audience joined in. It

was an amazing, upli§ ing moment that I’ll never forget.”

Change: In the late 80s and 90s Howard tried other careers: “I did di� erent things. I opened a vegetarian restaurant in New York.” He now performs and creates music from his home in Somerset: “Some of it is quite classical and it’s quite ambitious.”

Image: Howard says he never minded his somewhat “uncool” image: “I wasn’t fashionable. I never got good reviews. But I’m proud of the fact that I wasn’t liked by the media... pop music is so reactionary and bigoted. And I found that what’s ‘cool’ is o§ en very shallow and transient.”

Howard has been married to his wife Jan since he was

just 21

WIP_Top10_March19.indd 11 14/03/2016 13:34:20

12

Words: Viki Wilson Photography: Lewis Harrison Pinder

wild wine club

lovers of fine wines can now indulge their passion in the great outdoors at the

WildWine_March19.indd 12 14/03/2016 13:41:19

13

People

he heavens have decided to put on a particularly enchanting sunset display on Whipsiderry beach, near Newquay. A group of casually dressed guests have gathered on the

sands to sample offerings from Chateau Civrac, a winery in Bordeaux.

As they sip their carefully selected wines and enjoy a maritime-inspired fi ve course menu, at-tendees of the fi rst ever Wild Wine Club can hear the soft swoosh of waves brushing over the sand and breathe in the scent of the sea air as the ce-lestial light show slowly gives way to the inky blue sky and stars.

“I have always believed that wine is best en-joyed outdoors,” says Debbie Warner, founder of The Wild Wine Club and former assistant som-melier at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall restau-rant in nearby Watergate Bay.

“Wine is an agricultural product and when you learn about it, you discover how much each wine is infl uenced by the soil, the climate and the envi-ronment surrounding the vineyards.

“Whenever I think of my favourite moments enjoying wine, I tend to think of wine I have en-joyed on holiday, often sitting outdoors, by the sea perhaps. It just makes sense that the experi-ence of enjoying wine is enhanced if you are out-side in beautiful, natural surroundings.”

Cornwall has so many wonderful landscapes;, says Debbie, and she plans to hold events in mining country, beaches, on moorland and on the contrasting coastlines of the north and south of the county. “Holding outdoor wine events in Cornwall is something I have been wanting to do for some time.”

Debbie’s ambitions hark back to her origi-nal career vocation as a marine biologist. She trained at Plymouth University before rethink-ing her career choices and fi nding work at Fif-

T

‘It makes sense that the experience of enjoying wine is enhanced if

you are outside in beautiful

surroundings’

WildWine_March19.indd 13 15/03/2016 12:40:04

14

teen Cornwall.“Unexpectedly, my marine biology train-

ing blended well with studying wine at Fifteen Cornwall,” she explains. “I took the required Level One and two exams and went on to the higher level four diploma.”

Her passion for wines led Debbie to be appoint-ed assistant sommelier at Fifteen and such was her love of sharing her knowledge, she began to host events in her free time at the popular Jam Jar Cafe in Newquay with friend and owner Elsie Pinniger. “We wanted to make wine ac-

cessible to everyone,” explains Debbie. “Many people are interested in tasting new wines and learning more about them but there is a great

deal of snobbery and a misconception that good wine must be expensive. I wanted people to be able to enjoy wine in a relaxed and sociable environ-ment and to discover that, if you know a little

about wine, there are many affordable options. You can drink really good wine all the time if you wish.”

When the Jam Jar events became too popular

for the small venue, the natural evolution was for Debbie to move her tasting suppers to a new venue. She opted for the great outdoors and the Wild Wine Club was born. Other events have in-cluded a sleepover event at Cornish Tipi Holi-days where guests enjoyed biodynamic wines by the light of the moon, with a feast based on biodynamically-farmed Cornish ingredients to match. There has also been a candlelit tour of North Cornwall organic winery Trevibban Mill with a fi ve-course feast to match fi ve selected wines. Food was prepared by chef Adam Banks, a friend Debbie met while working at Fifteen Cornwall.

“The events have been amazing, and what is particularly lovely is that it is not the sort of

‘There is a great deal of snobbery and

misconception that good wine must be expensive’

WildWine_March19.indd 14 15/03/2016 12:40:59

15

People

dinner where you have to wear a posh frock or a dinner jacket. Guests arrive in hiking boots and warm jackets and that gives the evening a much more relaxed and enjoyable feel.”

Future plans involve wild cocktail nights. And in the spirit of making wine something everyone can enjoy and discover, Debbie keeps the prices for her dinners at the incredibly rea-sonable £45 mark.

“That’s in keeping with our ethos,” says Debbie. “It’s all about sharing the knowledge and the love of wine and just enjoying time to-gether talking about it all. We are so lucky to be here, and this is a wonderful way to enjoy wine.”www.facebook.com/WildWineClub

A candlelit Wild Wine Club event at

Whipsiderry

WildWine_March19.indd 15 15/03/2016 12:41:45

16

EasterfunThere’s so much to do in the Westcountry this Easter whether you’re on a budget or planning a special family day out, writes Catherine Barnes

fave!

Easter egg safariHunt for shells with a difference in an Egg Case Safari on Easter Monday (March 28) at Langdon beach at Wembury, south Devon.It’s free to join in from 1pm. Keep your eyes peeled for mermaids’ purses, which are actually the eggcases of sharks, skates and rays. The meeting point is at Wembury Marine Centre, which is running a variety of rockpool safaris and beach trails aimed at various age groups, throughout the Easter holidays. www.wemburymarinecentre.orgSee page 18 for more Easter egg hunts.

Food and cra� fairThe beautiful Trereife House in Penzance, west Cornwall, is hosting an Easter Bank Holiday Food and Craft Fair from March 25-28. The historic manor house and its spectacular grounds will be packed with local food and drink producers, plus quality art and craft from Cornish designers. 10am-5pm, £3.50 adults. www.trereifepark.co.uk

EasterEggs_Feature2.indd 16 15/03/2016 12:52:18

17

Easter exploration on Wembury beach

MA

IN P

ICT

UR

E: S

TE

VE

HA

YW

OO

D

Days out

EasterEggs_Feature2.indd 17 14/03/2016 14:01:25

Get cra� yWool artist Claire Packer is leading two crafty felt workshops at Buckland Abbey near Yelverton on March 30 and April 6. It costs £3 per person to take part, on top of the historic house’s regular admission feewww.nationaltrust.org.uk

Join the paradeDon a home-made bonnet and join the fun at Liskeard’s Easter Parade, which begins at 11am next Saturday (March 26). And while you’re there, why not pop into the town’s museum in Pike Street and explore the old Victorian schoolroom, too.

Bake starsBudding Bake Off contenders aged fi ve to 11 will love Jo Dunbavin’s Easter Fun to Cook Club on April 1 at her Two Tarts Cookery School at Bratton Fleming, near Barnstaple. Bake and create sweet and savoury dishes at this morning workshop and sit down for lunch together at the end! Jo also offers Jelly and Giggles parties, where youngsters and their guests can make a birthday tea, as well as regular family and children’s cookery camps.www.twotartscookeryschool.co.uk

18

A� ernoon tea

Enjoy an Easter-themed afternoon tea at the Boringdon Hall Hotel in Plympton, from £19 per person. Served in the boutique hotel’s historic Great Hall, treats include freshly baked cakes and scones plus (if you want some!) champagne. www.boringdonhall.co.uk

Something jazzyEnjoy a three-course Easter Monday (March 28) lunch at the lovely Buckland Tout-Saints country house hotel near Kingsbridge in south Devon and chill out to the sound of live jazz. The cost is £23 per person. www.tout-saints.co.uk

EasterEggs_Feature2.indd 18 15/03/2016 12:54:00

19

Days out

Easter Egg HuntsThere’s a clutch of Easter egg hunts and treasure trails taking place across the Westcountry this holiday. There’s so many to choose from!

1 Hop along Visit the Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt trail at RHS garden Rosemoor in Torrington from today until April 10 and solve lots of clues to be rewarded with a yummy chocolate treat. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor.

2 Crack clues Complete trails and win a prize at Tintagel and Pendennis Castles, both operated by www.english-heritage.org.uk

3 Hide and seek Search among the displays at Torquay’s nostalgic Bygones Museum, which also has a wonderful replica Victorian shopping street to wander (www.bygones.co.uk).

4 Eyes peeled Take part in the St Michael’s Mount’s Easter egg trails (£2 per child). The Easter Bunny’s visited and hidden treats around the village and harbour. Will you � nd them? www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk

5 Clues Hunt for treasure and win a treat at Hannah’s at Seale-Hayne, near Newton Abbot. You’ll � nd the quiz sheets (£2 per child) which will give you all the clues you need, at the gi� shop. Hannah’s, which supports young people with learning disabilities, has a lovely laid-back bistro for lunch, too. www.discoverhannahs.org.

6 Spot the chicks They’re perched among the cottages along the pretty High Street at Clovelly from now until March 26. If you spot ten, you’ll win an Easter egg. Pick up a map at the vistor centre. A bigger prize awaits if you spot all 15! There are admission charges to Clovelly (£18.40 per family) www.clovelly.co.uk

Outdoor adventuresThere’s a host of exhilarating activities to try at the Mount Batten Adventure Centre in Plymouth. Kayaking, dinghy sailing, orienteering and climbing are among the pursuits to try this holiday, with taster sessions for Stand-Up Paddleboarding just £19.95. Adventure days for children cost £34.95 per child (including a packed lunch), or they could try a variety of sports in an adrenalin-packed fi ve-day activity week (£169.95). www.mount-batten-centre.com

Outdoor adventuresThere’s a host of exhilarating activities to try at the Mount

Roast lamb for lunchTrebah Kitchen, at the lovely gardens near Falmouth, is serving up a specially-prepared Easter Sunday Lunch on March 27. It costs £13.95 for two courses, and includes slow roasted leg of lamb studded with Trebah Garden rosemary and garlic. Puddings include almond and chocolate cake with Rodda’s Cornish cream. Yum! To book call 01326 252200.www.trebahgarden.co.uk

Bonnet makingDrop in at Penlee House Gallery in Penzance between 2.30pm and 3.30pm next Saturday (March 26) and make an Easter top hat or bonnet, decorated with the colourful materials supplied. www.penleehouse.org.uk

Festival funFalmouth’s Spring Festival runs until March 28, celebrating Falmouth’s beautiful open and green spaces. With guided walks and talks in and around Falmouth, garden spring clean events, a fl ower show, foraging and so much more, there is something here for everyone. www.visitfalmouth.com

Down on the farmThere’s so much going on at Pennywell Farm, near Buckfastleigh in south Devon, this Easter. Children’s entertainers Matt Pang, Mr Phil and Dan the Hat will be putting on shows, while a visit from TV’s Muffi n the Mule on March 25 will be a trot down memory lane for grandparents. There’ll be Easter egg hunts too, and of course, Pennywell’s adorable animal babies to delight you. Tickets £13.95 adults, £9.95 children. www.pennywellfarm.co.uk

fave!

EasterEggs_Feature2.indd 19 15/03/2016 12:54:27

20

Days out

Don’t be late!Head to the Royal William Yard in Plymouth on Easter Sunday, when Alice and her Wonderland friends will be staging a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, courtesy of experimental theatre company The Invisible Circus. There’ll also be fi nger-licking good local food to

buy, arts and crafts stalls, a face painter, chocolate giveaways and an indoor craft space for children to get cutting and sticking. The free fun runs from 10am to 3pm.royalwilliamyardnews.wordpress.com

Cra� y capersGet crafty at a crazy chocolate factory in the old servants’ hall at Powderham Castle, led by kookie characters from the Devon performing arts company Pocketwatch. There are morning and afternoon arts and crafts sessions available to book and taking place between Good Friday and April 8. The activity is included in the castle’s general admission price (£11.50 adults).www.powderham.co.uk

Catch a showWhy not go out and catch some live performances over Easter? There are two family-friendly shows taking place in Exeter, both under an hour long. See The Tales of Beatrix Potter at Exeter Corn Exchange this Thursday and Friday, March 24-25 (visit www.exeter.gov.uk/cornexchange). The Northern Ballet brings The Tortoise and the Hare to the Northcott Theatre in Exeter for three shows taking place on Wednesday March 30. For grown-ups, the fun high-energy musical Legally Blonde, also at the Northcott Theatre, runs from April 4-9.www.exeternorthcott.co.uk

A day at the racesIt’s Family Day at Exeter Racecourse, Haldon Hill, on March 30. Besides regular races, there will be two pony events, Shetland ponies to pet, face painting and the chance to don racing

silks and pose for a selfi e on a model racehorse. Under 17s go free and pre-booked adult tickets are just £15 for two. exeter.thejockeyclub.co.uk

Story walkStory book characters including Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland will be dotted around the grounds at Kilver Court Designer

Village in Shepton Mallet from next Saturday, until April 6. The bronze sculptures are on loan from Charmouth based artists Robert Ellis and James Coplestone.www.kilvercourt.com

Browse aroundLocal crafts people and artists will be selling their high quality, locally made crafts at the Landmark

Theatre’s Easter Craft Fair in Ilfracombe, north Devon. The event takes place on Easter Sunday, March 27, from 10am-5pm with the theatre’s Rendezvous Cafe serving traditional Sunday roasts.

www.northdevontheatres.com

EasterEggs_Feature2.indd 20 14/03/2016 14:02:49

Coming Soon at Boringdon Hall100 Limited Edition FoundingMemberships

Now Available

Visit www.gaiaboringdon.co.uk

or Telephone01752 344455©LW

Enjoy a complimentary stay when you collect your caravan!Northam Farm Caravan Sales Ltd, South Road, Brean, Near Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA8 2SENortham Farm Caravan Sales Ltd, South Road, Brean, Near Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA8 2SE

www.northamfarmcaravansales.co.uk

01278 751244 (Opt 3)

OPEN7 DAYS100+

PRE-OWNED CARAVANSPART EXCHANGE?JUST ASK!

NEW‘PEGASUS 4’ ON DISPLAY!

2016MODELS HERE NOW!

LOW RATE FINANCE AVAILABLE!

Caravan Sales Ltd

BREAN SANDS, SOMERSET

SELLINGYOUR CARAVAN?TOP PRICES PAID!

TRY US FIRST!Experience the difference!

Untitled-1 1 15/03/2016 11:05:45

22

ith March being National Bed Month, there couldn’t be a better time to drift into comfortable slum-ber and design the bed – and bed-room – of your dreams.

We spend a third of our lives in bed, so having fun with fabrics and bedlinen will not only en-hance your sleep experience but also help you unwind and relax in style. The sky’s the limit when it comes to making this space your own, with ornate headboards, lux-urious thread counts, cosy throws or contemporary furnishings.

If you lead a busy life, there is all the more reason for your bedroom to be a calm space, says Samantha Parish, interior design account manager at Hypnos beds.

“If you’re someone that has a hectic work schedule or social life, then your bedroom space should be a sanctuary of clean lines, light colours and soft shades, and completely free from clutter,” she says. “This bedroom style will help a busy mind to relax, and begin to calmly process the day’s thoughts before it’s time to sleep.”

Samantha suggests a mattress with intuitive

W

March is National Bed Month – which is a great excuse to breathe new life into your bedroom decor, says interiors expert Sam Wylie-Harris

And soto bed...

pocket springs will offer maxi-mum support and help to re-lieve pressure in the spine and

muscles, allowing your body to relax fully and your mind to unwind.

Contemporary, clean lines complete the look and neutral tones will add a designer hotel bed-room vibe. Try the Heritage President Supreme

Bed in Tweed White with Euro-Slim Victoria Headboard also in Tweed White, from £3,927 for a double bed (this includes mattress, divan and headboard), see www.hypnosbeds.com.

Or you could go for classic elegance, which Sa-mantha says can make for the most soothing of bedroom spaces.

“A timeless, classic style has a regal feel and

‘Your bedroom space should

be a sanctuary of clean lines,

light colours and so� shades, and completely free

from clutter’ [[ This calm bedroom features Brompton bed linen, from £26,

www.thewhitecompany.com

Interiors_March19.indd 22 14/03/2016 14:04:20

23

Interiors

Cool elegance is achieved in this bedroom with Boston ivy bedlinen

from £15 clarissahulse.com

Interiors_March19.indd 23 14/03/2016 14:04:39

24

is subtle, formal and elegant,” she says. “It’s suited to the sleeper who likes to drift off to sleep in a calming environment, without any form of chaos.

“Incorporate curved French furnishings and soft feminine touches into your bedroom for a space that is both soothing and beautiful.”

Although more expensive than cotton, linen and velvets are on-trend now – try a sumptu-ous satin throw, ornate chandelier or a boudoir cushion. A grand, curved or winged headboard always looks lavish or you can recline in comfort against a headboard dressed in silk satin with gorgeous button details.

“For more traditional bedrooms, look towards headboards with an interesting shape or luxu-rious detailing such as stud work,” says Adam Black, co-founder of bed company Button & Sprung. “Divans work well in these environ-ments and offer the luxury of extra storage.”

Top of the range is a handmade, bespoke mat-tress, fi lled with organic cotton, British wool and silk, and tailored with genuine hand side stitch-ing for additional edge-to-edge support.

Button & Sprung’s Foxtail double bedspread, upholstered in Harlequin Tembok satin blush, costs £1,280, made to order with a delivery time of four to six weeks (www.buttonandsprung.com).

Or you could try a local company: Vi-Spring makes top-of-the-range mattresses and beds in Plymouth. Vi-Spring beds are bought by the likes of David Beckham and can cost as much as £25,000 (www.vispring.com). A reputable West-country bed retailer is Peter Betteridge (www.bedexpert.co.uk) which has stores in Honiton

and Kingsbridge. Another local bed manufac-turer well worth investigating is Naturalmat, which creates organic, natural mattresses in Topsham, near Exeter. Using luxury materials such as cashmere and mohair, their adult mat-tresses start at £675 and they also make bedroom furniture and children’s mattresses, too (www.naturalmat.co.uk).

For furnishings, one new range that looks good is by TV’s Lorraine Kelly, who has launched a

bedroom collection which features an array of checked fabrics alongside a grey, taupe and plum colour palette. Her knitted throws and cushions are easily layered to create an easy, natural look that sits well in many Westcoun-try homes: “These are all pieces I would have in my own home and a lot of the collection is very much a refl ection of beautiful landscapes,” says Lorraine. Check it out now, online at J D Wil-liams (www.jdwilliams.co.uk).

InteriorsOrthos cashmere mattress

with deep pocket sprung edge divan and Olivia headboard

from £2,448 for a double, www.hypnosbeds.com

Heritage President Supreme bed in tweed white with Euro-Slim Victoria headboard, from

£3,927 for a double bed (includes mattress, divan and headboard) www.hypnosbeds.com

Interiors_March19.indd 24 14/03/2016 14:05:04

25

GET THELOOK

Add luxurious touches for a relaxed and serene bedroom

Fleur chandelier £539 www.chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk

Fern tealight holder £10.50 www.tch.net

Diana bust £115 www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

Chateauneuf rustic wooden trunk £550 www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

St James pink stool £125 www.one.world

Manila green rug £409 www.modern-rug.co.uk

Interiors_March19.indd 25 15/03/2016 13:15:06

26

Gardens

ANNE SWITHINBANK

Holiday owers [[[[

y husband is currently on a ‘boys’ trip to Tenerife, an annual bonding event with friends from his native Oldham in Lancashire. They used to visit Torquay, as a nod to the Yel-

loway coach trips taken during ‘Wakes Week’. Mills and factories would close for maintenance and everyone went on holiday at the same time.

Blackpool was a favourite destination but the more adventurous favoured Torbay and I imag-ine this is what fostered John’s love of the South West. We’d rather like to visit Tenerife togeth-er one day, for a different sort of holiday. The Canary Islands have a unique fl ora and we’d be off ‘botanising’ to locations such as Mount Teide, where echiums grow in the wild.

These showy plants have big personalities and seem to attract a large band of enthusiastic growers, many of whom struggle to provide the right conditions but persevere regardless, until they succeed in showing off towering spires of fl owers.

Of course we have our own native hardy biennial Echium vulgare (viper’s-bugloss) reaching 60cm/2ft and slightly taller, annual E.plantagineum. Both thrive in sun and dry, sandy soils and like the rest of the tribe, are great bee plants. Anytime now, when the soil is work-able and warm enough for weed seeds to start showing, sow these direct or into modules under glass.

Top of most want lists is stately Echium pini-nana, native to La Palma though quite rare in the wild. This magnifi cent plant is described as ‘tri-ennial’ as from seed, it often takes 24 months to form handsome, hairy rosettes before rising up to bloom in the third summer. Towering spikes

M

Devon’s Anne Swithinbank, panellist in Gardeners’ Question Time on Radio 4, is inspired by travel plans to try planting some exotic echiums this year

ANNESWITHENBANK2.indd 26 14/03/2016 15:44:29

27

This week’s gardening tips

• Try an old-fashioned straw mulch for rasp-berries and black-currants. Pile it on 30cm/12in deep around the roots, then leave for worms to pull down. This smothers weeds and as it rots, entices roots into the airy, decaying mass eventually forming ridges along the rows.

• Start planting first early potatoes. If soil is still a bit cold, delay or dig trenches 60cm/24in apart and add compost to the bases. Pile soil in ridges

either side of the trenches. Plant tubers 30cm/12 in apart and 10cm/4in deep along the base and stretch two layers of horticul-tural fleece over the tops of the ridges.

• Train the stems of climbing roses as horizontally as possible to even the sap flow and encour-ages growth and flowers all along instead of just at the tips.

• Plant evergreens before the soil dries out too much. Water dur-ing droughts.

Sowpeas like ‘Early Onward’ but not until the soil is workable. I get better results from direct sowings made 5cm/2in apart into wide, double drills. But if we continue with a cold spring, sow into pots or guttering under glass.

Planting this week

of blue flowers can reach 5-6m/16-20ft tall. After flowering the plant sets seed and dies. A fun way of starting a colony is to befriend someone with flowering plants, wait patiently for these to bloom and seed, then beg a stem and lay it on some well-draining soil. Nature should do the rest.

E.pininana is hardy to about – 5 C/23 F but more often killed by waterlogging than freez-ing temperatures. Sheltered, coastal regions of the south west suit it well and you’ll see them at Trebah, Trengwainton, Overbecks and many other gardens. They look most at home on the rocky outcrops of St.Michael’s Mount and ter-races of Tresco Abbey Gardens. There is a white form and some attractive hybrids.

Those of us with colder gardens and claggy soils often grow them in pots to move under glass for winter. Size can be an issue here but Plant World Seeds of Newton Abbot (01803 872939 www.plant-world-seeds.com) list ‘Blue Dwarf’ thought to be a hybrid between Echium pininana and E.candicans (syn.fastuosum), a shrubbier type known as pride of Madeira. This dwarf hybrid reaches a much more manageable 1-1.2m/3-4ft.

Arguably the prettiest is E.wildpretii, a plant

I used to grow regularly from seed in a cool greenhouse. It was quite normal to start with a dozen plants and be delirious with pleasure if only six flowered. They were devils for suddenly rotting during winter and needed the most care-ful ventilation and watering. Native to Tenerife and often known as the Mount Teide bugloss or tower of jewels, the spike of red flowers reaches to 2m/6ft (mostly shorter under glass), usually in the second year. In the wild, they inhabit volcan-ic rock and rely on mists and rain for water and nutrients. This species is not really frost hardy and you would be extremely fortunate to coax it through winter outdoors.

Now is the time to get sowing, into a well drain-ing compost under glass (I’d use 50:50 soilless and John Innes Seed composts with added pot-ting grit and sharp sand). Transplant carefully to single 9cm/3.5in pots and then into 15cm/6in pots, or a sunny, sheltered border best backed by a wall. In the meantime, I wait patiently for my spring visit to Tenerife but feel that for now, there’s not a lot of botanising going on out there beyond the local bar.

Question time with Anne

Q QIn my tiny garden I would like to spe-cialise in very small plants – alpines. Any advice on how to get started?

Alpines are a fascinating and rather overlooked group of plants, defined as growing in an alpine climate above the tree line. Most are hardy and prefer a well-drained soil but not all are sun-lov-ers, as there are plenty of woodland alpine plants suitable for shady areas. Join the Alpine Garden Society (01386 554790 www.alpinegardensociety.net) and go to meetings, lectures, sales and shows put on by your local group. Start by planting up containers using a well-drained compost and perhaps a few rocks. Try to mimic how rocks sit in wild landscapes. As you learn, decide how to landscape your small garden for alpines and if possible, plan a small greenhouse with sturdy staging to take pots of plants that don’t like winter wet, or cold frames. I have Pulsatilla vul-garis and Phlox subulata in a pot, plus a stone sink full of different rhodohypoxis (cloched to protect from winter wet but so air can circulate). Some tufa rock is home to various saxifrages growing in the nooks and crannies.

What can I plant on a small bank under a magnolia?

My top three would be evergreen soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum), Helleborus foetidus (unkindly called the stinking hellebore) and Ruscus aculeatus (butcher’s broom) a curi-ous but tough little evergreen. Try to link them with sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) which spreads via rhizomes and makes a sprinkling of scented white flowers in late spring. Condi-tion the soil with well rotted compost and water plants in well.

West reader queries answered by Anne Swithenbank

ANNESWITHENBANK2.indd 27 14/03/2016 15:44:51

28

Beauty

Expert advice from beauty guru Abbie Bray of Newton Abbot

Beauty box

Abbie’s

‘Now that I am (apparently)

‘too old for Easter eggs’ , I have found

the perfect alternative

gi� s...’ [[

With Easter just around the corner, there is more to this time of year than chocolate bunnies and Easter egg hunts. When I was younger, Easter was my favourite time of year (apart from Christmas!) and I would always have a competition with my brother

as to who had the most Easter eggs. I won, of course. But now that I am apparently “too old for Easter eggs” I have found the perfect alternative –Easter beauty gifts. And they have zero calories too – what could be better? This week I have looked for the best beauty buys on the high street – from skincare and fragrance to luxury body products, there is something for everyone. My favourite beauty product this week? The Jo Malone Body Scrub. Yes, it is a little pricey but it is worth every penny, the scent is gorgeous and my skin has never felt so smooth. What will you choose this Easter?

RadiantClarins Duo Skincare Set (Debenhams £23)

You’ll � nd everything you need to keep your skin clean and radiant is in this pretty kit bag, containing three luxury products – cleansing

milk, toning lotion and eye-make-up remover.

So cuteBronnley Chick Orchid Soap Gi� £3.99

I love this fragranced orchid soap, enriched with Sweet Almond Oil and Shea Butter, in an

adorable Easter chick tin.

Happy bunny

Marc Jacobs (The Fragrance Shop £50 50ml)Get into the swing of springtime with this

deliciously sunny and ­ oral fragrance. Top notes of green pear combine with vanilla and

orange blossom and, of course, honey for a scrumptiously feminine scent.

Sweet thing

Lush Bouncy Bunny gi� set £18.95 This gi� set contains four upli� ing bath

products, each enriched with natural citrussy oils. Just the thing for Easter!

The luxury choiceJo Malone Vit E Body Scrub 100g (John Lewis £70)Yes, it’s pricey but this scrub is utterly gorgeous. The Vitamin E restores and protects, thanks to powerful anti-oxidants.

Beauty_March19.indd 28 14/03/2016 14:09:33

Scufflette sheepskin slippers

£70 www.amara.com

29

Shop

+

The Collection negligee £25 Debenhams

Towelling slippers £18

www.kellyhoppen.com

Nine by Savannah Miller chemise £28 Debenhams

Nine by Savannah Miller chemise £28 Debenhams

Soft lace edged floral dressing gown £16 BHS

The editYour straight line to style: nightwear with a springlike vibe

B by Ted Baker butterflies kimono £39.50 Debenhams

+

+ + +

+

Emma Bridgewater for M&S nightshirt £18 Marks & Spencer

Cosy boots

14.99 Getting Personal

Beauty_March19.indd 29 15/03/2016 13:22:15

es, we know Easter is early this year. And yes, we did wake up to a fairly serious frost the other morning. But nonetheless, our thoughts

are turning to the new spring fashions. So even if you are not taking part in an Easter bonnet parade next weekend, here are some fresh and colourful pieces that you could wear for a special Easter Sunday lunch or party.Gerry Weber is a new fi nd of ours. It’s a German label but available here online (www.house-of-gerry-weber.eu), selling stylish items such as this pretty fl oral coat, which can also keep you warm, just in case. Nice, isn’t it? Happy Easter.

30

Easter parade

Y

Floozie by Frost French bag £25 Debenhams

Sheath dress £75 floral coat

£170 Gerry Weber

Aquamarine earrings £99 www.cadenzza.co.uk

Flower headband £2.99 New Look

Fashion_Mar19.indd 30 14/03/2016 14:16:28

31

Fashion

Finola straw hat £29 Dune

Daisy umbrella £14.95 www.dotcomgiftshop.com

Lace scarf £12 M&Co

Floral midi £41 Glamor-

ous.com

Katy dress £85 www.peopletree.co.uk

Taifun dress £85 Gerry

Weber

Lace-up sandals £27.99 New Look

Fashion_Mar19.indd 31 14/03/2016 14:17:05

32

Trend

he last time I donned a checked shirt involved a rather checkered memory. While in our late teens, a friend of mine and I spent a

wonderful evening getting ready to paint the town red. It’s the type of evening I miss now that I am in my thirties. Cheap wine, top 40 hits on a CD player, clothes strewn on every available surface and not a care in the world except whose turn it was to wear the black skirt (the skirt was lucky, possessing the almost magical quality of ensuring the wearer never had to pay for a drink). I miss the skirt too.

The time came when we were preened to perfection, eyelashes were curled, layers of foundation were caked on and wonderbras were on the tightest setting. All that was left was the walk to the club. Just one problem, it was cold and dark and we had been shall we say, economical, about the amount of fabric we were wearing. The solution lay inside her brother’s cupboard, a bountiful supply of fl annel check shirts (known as blanket shirts back in the day). These were perfect for the walk, and easy to bundle under a bush before turning the corner to make our grand arrival at the back of the queue.

A bottle of wine was liberated from the fridge for the walk and as we got closer the decision was made to spread the blanket shirts out on a grassy shoulder and enjoy it picnic style. Ah, to be young again.

The result is a soft spot for this particular trend. These days my life is more deadlines than discos, but I still like to make an entrance where I can. The checked shirt has made the leap from casual comfort to enviable ensemble. But when something has been an off-duty favourite for so long, it

can be tricky deciding how to style it for the offi ce or date night.

Here are some ideas. I’m head over heels for any plaid shirt with a white pencil skirt and heels. The tomboyish top half is wonderfully playful when paired with the unabashed femininity of a classic pencil, especially in soft white.

Did your eyes roll heavenward at the mention of a tight white skirt? Then reach for leather. A leather midi skirt, voluminous if possible, is universally fl attering and the fabric has the wonderful ability to be wiped clean should any sticky fi ngers come nearby. Leather trousers also work a treat.

Remember, this season’s checks offer plenty of opportunities to break away from the nostaligic prints. Quintessential colourways included red and black or blue and grey, but a quick browse will reveal offerings in pastels, neutrals and even monochrome.

For the offi ce, button your blouse primly all the way to the top and twist your hair into a chignon. Behold, the lumberjack

is a lady. Got a date? Add black skinny jeans and whip on a pair of heels.

One of my favourite interpretations was a stroke of street style genius in which a blogger donned a black low-back slip dress, some great patent ankle boots and then tied a red plaid shirt around her waist. The overall aesthetic was New York model goes backpacking.

I’ll channel that when getting ready for my Sunday brunch. The process has certainly changed as much as the destinations. They’re usually defi ned by me having a supergreen smoothie in hand, iTunes on shuffl e. But, I will admit, still with clothes over every surface, some things will never change.All fashion on this page is from Princesshay Shopping Centre, Exeter, www.princesshay.co.uk

The checked shirt has made the leap from

casual comfort to enviable ensemble

Kathryn Clarke-Mcleod checks out plaid’s possibilities

HOW TO WEAR IT:

T

Checked shirts

MA

IN P

HO

TO

HA

IR: L

ILY

AT

SA

KS,

EX

ET

ER

MA

KE

UP

: CL

AR

INS,

DE

BE

NH

AM

S (B

OT

H P

RIN

CE

SS

HA

Y) P

HO

TO

GR

AP

HY

: ST

EV

E H

AY

WO

OD

STIL

L-L

IFE

PH

OT

OG

RA

PH

S: P

R S

HO

TS

Navy trousers, Karen Millen, Princesshay, £90

Bag, Next, Princesshay, £20

Shirt, River Island, Princesshay, £28

Boots, River Island, Princesshay, £45

TrendChecks.indd 32 15/03/2016 11:27:46

33

GET THE

look

MONSOON Ilinca mini fold

over tassel cross body £39

NEW LOOK Cut out ankle boots

£24.99

NEW LOOK Black skinny

fray hem jeans £24.99

NEXT Lock detail bag £26

LA REDOUTE Checked shirt £35 (sale price

£14)

NEXT Utility shirt £36

TrendChecks.indd 33 15/03/2016 11:28:55

34

culturevulture

Our guide to what’s on in the South West by woman-in-the-

know Sarah Pitt

Fans of David Walliams’ deliciously anarchic books for children will not want to miss Birmingham Stage Company’s top-notch production of Gangsta Granny, showing at the Hall for Cornwall in April before it transfers to London’s West End. So what is it all about? Well, our hero Ben is dreading Friday night with Granny, who feeds him cabbage and more cabbage. What he doesn’t know, though, is that Granny has a secret life – and Friday nights are about to get more exciting than he could ever imagine. For everyone aged � ve to 105, this is a cracker of a show.Gangsta Granny is at Hall for Cornwall, Wednesday-Sunday, April 13-17, tickets £18.50-£16.50, www.hallforcornwall.co.uk or call 01872 262466.

Gangsta Granny

Irish artist Saidhbihin Gibson is a collage-maker, o en using natural materials such as this beech husk and paper origami creation (pictured). She is one of � ve artists featuring in a touring show called What Do I Need To Do To Make It OK? The exhibition opens today (March 19) at the Devon Guild of Cra smen in Bovey Tracey. It features specially commissioned work exploring ideas of damage and repair, disease and medicine, healing and restoration – both in nature and in our own lives.

What Do I Need To Do To Make It OK? runs until May 8 at the Devon Guild. See www.cra� s.org.uk

The super-cool singer PJ Harvey is heading our way in June when she returns to the Eden Sessions, 13 years a er playing her � rst magical show there. She’ll be joining ASUS in headlining a show on Monday, June 27. The only artist to win the Mercury Prize twice, in 2001 and 2011, the Dorset-born musician is due to release her ninth studio album The Hope Six Demolition Project in April, recorded during a month-long residency in London’s Somerset House.

Tickets are £40 with £5 booking fee, from www.edensessions.com.

PJ Harvey at Eden

Cure with art

CultureVulture_Stars_March19.indd 34 15/03/2016 10:53:42

35

Enjoy

Your starsby Cassandra Nye

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21)By concentrating on your social life rather than just work, the most exciting

path will become apparent. New ideas pop in and out of your mind, topping up your enthusiasm. From Wednesday go over long-term plans and fi ne-tune them. Who have you not seen since last year? Why not? Don’t accept excuses and have some fun!

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)If someone seems to be fussing about nothing, maybe they know something

you don’t! Take care of your health and have any checks that you feel are necessary. When things slow down, take the opportunity to have those loving conversations you never seem to have time for.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22)Be willing to enrol someone into a pet project. Putting two brains together

can make all the difference. Energy is up and down but, on those down days, get plotting and planning. Rather than throw money at a situation, consider taking things more slowly to save both cash and energy.

LEO (July 23 - August 23)Just when you thought that things were not going your way, along comes

someone to help. Discuss your long-term hopes and dreams without putting a

price on them. The time is not yet right. The course of true love can have its bumps, that’s for sure. Keeping yours on an even keel means being extra charming.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)Speaking to the right person about your

plans can turn things around for you this week. You have the ear of a very important person, make your pitch brief and heartfelt. Try not to over think what is really a very simple situation.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23)Great communications are not restrict-

ed to work this week. Someone you have been trying to get close to is all ears! Consider what they want from you and make it clear that you value your talents. An opportunity that you feel is not in your usual comfort zone could be just what you need to grow.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22)Be dynamic, organised and enthusi-astic. Even if a plan is still in its early

days you can move it forward in your mind. Are you able to talk to someone who has been there before? So much the better! Com-munications clearly tell you this is the time to make life-changing moves and decisions.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21)The chance to shine in the eyes of

someone who is important to you comes along this week. Don’t be shy. Gather your talents and bask in the limelight! Someone needs you to be fun and inventive and that is something that you are very good at.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20)There is much to gain both socially and at work from being cheerful and

optimistic. A romantic response could well depend on what you say rather than what you do. Do you really know what they want? Do some background searches on someone you want to impress. What are their hobbies or childhood haunts?

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)Don’t feel like making decisions or being too serious? That is fi ne as long as

you are concentrating on your social life. Business-wise, someone is looking for words of wisdom to fall from your lips. This weekend it is impossible to be too serious. Someone wants to see you smile. It is something that comes easily to you.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)A liaison midweek may see you making some special arrangements for the week-

end. Although this may not be in your comfort zone, it brings personal growth. Having the cour-age to try new things brings great satisfaction. It also spurs you on to do even better next time!

Beverley Knight

This week’s sign: Happy birthday to...Those born under the sign of Aries are independ-ent, o en leading the way. They have no di� culty enticing others to follow their lead because they bring excitement into others’ lives. If confronted, the Ram will � ght back and they are known to have temper tantrums if they don’t get their own way. Above all, Aries are dynamic. If an idea comes their way, they tend to plunge right in – they are more than willing to take a gamble and follow their dreams.

Born March 22 1973Soul singer Beverley Knight turns 43 this week. The Bodyguard star was born in Wolverhampton but her in� uences are very much Stateside, Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke among them. Beverley was made an MBE for her charity work in 2007 and campaigns for good causes, including Christian Aid. She sang at Peter Crouch and Abigail Clancy’s wedding in 2011, then got married herself in 2012, to James O’Keefe. As an Aries, Beverley is the � rst sign in the Zodiac, and will tend to being an independent go-getter.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20)The more organised you are this week, the more progress you will make. Your

mind is buzzing with ideas and enthusi-asm. Teamwork reveals possibilities not consid-ered before. Will you give yourself the chance to succeed? All it takes is the will. Have you been thinking of making new social contacts? Maybe asking someone out? You stand a good chance of success.

CultureVulture_Stars_March19.indd 35 15/03/2016 10:56:03

36

Wellbeing

the boost

Life just got better. We’ve handpicked the latest wellness trends,

best-body secrets and expert advice to help you be your

best self, everyday

Leotards at the ready girls and get set for a session of forward rolls, star-jumps and cartwheels. Plymouth Life Centre’s Thursday morning Fit-Nastic classes (£5.15) will take you back to the gym lessons of your school days, great for getting in shape. A creche facility’s on site, for mums on the lookout for a fun way to get � tter. www.everyoneactive.com

JOIN THEGYM CLUB

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year, according to

MIND, but many of us still keep our anxie-ties to ourselves. Now celebrity ambassadors

including CBBC presenter Ben Shires are back-ing the mental health charity’s social media campaign #TakeOffTheTape, to encourage

more of us to open up about what’s getting us down and ask for support without fear of being

judged. To get involved, simply get a piece of paper, post-it note or tape and write the one

thing that makes you most anxious. Take your selfi e with your message over your mouth in-

cluding the message: Don’t be silenced! #Take-OffTheTape, then share it with your friends

on social media.

Speak up

It’s in the bag...Here’s quirky alternative to bubble bath: Run Lush’s new Flowering Tea Bubble Bar, (£4.95) under hot water and the ‘bag’ bursts, releasing blue cornfl owers and a divine neroli and rosewood oil fragrance. Bliss! (www.lush.com).

TheBoost_Mar19.indd 36 15/03/2016 12:55:16

37

She’s a survivor

Get-� t kit Up and about?

Happy news: BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire bid chemotherapy farewell in an emotional video diary.The 47-year old former Newsnight presenter, who discovered she had breast cancer in July last year, said she couldn’t stop crying a­ er completing her last session and was looking

forward to “having a cuddle” with her sons to celebrate.Victoria also made a video diary during her treatment last year, when she had a mastectomy, saying at the time she hoped sharing the clips would reassure other women that having treatment for the condition is “do-able”.

What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates @WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

Relaxing bath secretsIt’s believed that lots of us are low in mag-nesium, a mineral which can help us sleep. These magnesium bath fl akes (£8.99) could

help counteract stress and help you prepare for a restful and reviving night’s sleep, as well as combat dry skin. www.westlabsalts.co.uk

More than half of us now own a fi tness gadget, according to a new survey.Fitness bands top the list of the most popular health-focused tech-nology plus downloading diet and nutrition and personal training apps on our smartphones. Many of us are also monitoring our own wellbeing with sleep qual-ity tracking gadgets, according to sports supplements brand Adapt Nutrition.

The alarm may have gone off hours ago, but how long does it take you to really feel awake? According to Quaker Oats, most of us don’t really feel we’re fi ring on all cylinders

until 9.40am, while its #Super-Start survey revealed we don’t

start feeling truly produc-tive at work

until around 11.22am.

TheBoost_Mar19.indd 37 14/03/2016 14:48:23

Wellbeing

I aim to be healthy inside and out and eat organically where I can. I also look out for skincare products containing natural ingre-

dients which cost a little more. Am I getting value for money? FD, Moretonhampstead

Cosmetic chemist Sam Farmer from Tiverton says: The two words that are the most misunderstood in cosmetic science are, surely, “natural” and “synthetic”. Over the past few years there has been a dramatic rise in the use of

these words to sell cosmetic products, “natural” usually being used to the detriment of synthetic. This can be an emotive subject for some people, so I’ll just talk about a few areas of the industry that I find interesting.

So, what’s a natural ingredient? The best defini-tion I have come across is from Dene Godfrey, one of the most respected and experi-enced cosmetic scientists in the UK. He defines a natural ingre-dient as “a substance that must exist in nature and must also be extracted from nature without any chemical modification”.

In cosmetics, ingredients are selected with varying levels of purity, to ensure safety and per-formance. Many plant and nut oils are described as natural, however these go through a fil-tration process to reach the high cosmetic grade we demand in formulation.

So, using Dene’s definition, are these oils still really natu-ral after this chemical modification? In reality, most cosmetic ingredients go through some sort of “chemical” process to be suitable for use in products.

A widely held belief is that natural is somehow

Q

safer than synthetic. Yet plants such as deadly nightshade or poison ivy can cause serious damage to skin. On the other hand, paracetamol is a synthe-sized chemical that most of us are happy to ingest in the right dose, to help with pain relief. So you can see how natural and synthetic compounds can vary enormously.

Cosmetic formulations on their own can sometimes smell unpleasant, so we use fragrance to make them smell nice. Natural essential oils provide a complexity of fragrance that is hard to replicate with synthetics. How-ever, they are are far higher in allergens such

38

NaturalbeautyIs organic skincare worth the money?

as limonene, citral and cinnamyl alcohol. In fact of all the fragrance allergens legally required to be listed on products, more than half of these are naturals. Manmade fragrances allow for a wider number of notes to be used and increase the stability of the fragrance. The world’s clas-sic perfumes would not exist without synthetic fragrance and, from a sustainability viewpoint, synthetic fragrance avoids depleting the limited supply of rare and protected plants, such as san-dalwood.

I’m often asked about ingredients used in the skincare products I formulate for teenagers. Put simply, I use the best I can find whether natural or synthetic.For more information on the Sam Farmer range for teenage skin visit www.samfarmer.co

A widely held belief is that

natural is somehow safer than synthetic

but some plants can cause serious

skin damage [[WellbeingQandA_Mar19.indd 38 14/03/2016 17:53:11

MARINESPECTM

THE ANTI CORROSION HARDWARE

British Made

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. AGS Home Improvements Devon Ltd, Teign Foundry, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 4PB (company number 8506501) act as a credit broker and not the lender, and only offers credit products from Hitachi Capital Consumer. Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in Cardiff no. 1630491. Registered office: Hitachi Capital House, Thorpe Road, Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, TW18 3HP.

Buy today with NOTHING to pay for 6 months & then a fantastic rate of 5.9% APR RepresentativeAGS Home Improvements Devon Ltd act as a credit broker and not the lender. Credit is subject to application and status. Terms and conditions apply.

45%OFFUP TO

selectedwindOws & dOOrs

save

Call 0800 0933449www.agswindows.co.uk

GA

LL

ER

Y THE ART OF DEVON

EX

HIB

ITIO

N

This Spring, the gallery is playing host to a remarkable array of artists living and working here in Devon.A celebration of the creative talent that we are fortunate enough to have all around us, with truly exceptional works of art from James Bonstow, Andre Daniel, Sophie Gregson, James Portsmouth and Wendy Chudley amongst others…

Call us on 01548 853 848 or email info@maynegallery.co.uk if you would like more information or to attend the exclusive Private View.

www.maynegallery.co.uk info@maynegallery.co.uk 01548 853 848 14 Fore Street, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 1NY

Mon 4th - Sat 23rd April Private View: Sat 2nd April

16 Fore Street Ivybridge PL21 9AB

www.jazinteriors.co.uk

01752 894012

inspired

accessories

French

interiors

and home

jazinteriors

NewIn

©LW

Untitled-1 5 15/03/2016 12:02:58

40

Tim Maddams is a Devon chef and author of Game: River Cottage Handbook no. 15 (Bloomsbury £14.99)

nce again I have fallen prey to a little too much attention from the editor (Sorry, Becky!). Apparently West’s design team is threatening strike action if I keep sending words for

which they have to fi nd elusive images. Such as wild three-cornered leeks, for example. So, this week, here’s something I am certain most people have at home, whether they have ever used it or not. Fenugreek.

The spice fenugreek (Trigo-nella foenum-graecum) is most commonly found in seed or ground powder form. If you have ever used it, you will know that it needs a little careful handling. Add too much (or at the wrong time, in the wrong way) and it will impart a not entirely pleas-ant bitter note to the overall fl a-vour of a dish. Something like a jazz saxophonist sneaking into the Philharmonic and trying to make a name for herself. It’s not a bad thing but it can seem out of place. A little too jaunty, if you catch my drift.

We are unfortunate in this country that the green leafy version of fenugreek isn’t more widely available. It has one heck of an aromatic punch to deliver, either as a vegetable or a herb, and makes the most wonderful chopped addition

to any curry dish you care to mention. I have tried growing it myself from seed and it’s well worth a go but can be tricky to get right. It’s one of those plants that seems either to bolt or die – mind you, I could kill most plants simply by look-ing at them for too long. I’m a sort of anti green fi ngers kind of guy, despite my best intentions.

Fenugreek is a native of Iraq and Egypt. Ar-chaeologists even found seeds inside Tutankha-

mun’s tomb and some charred seeds in Iraq have been carbon dated to 4000 BC.

The main cultivator of the plant these days is India and it is in the cuisine of India and the Middle and Far East that you will most commonly fi nd it used. Although I recently had a fenugreek ice cream that was pretty special, it is more at ease in curry-like surroundings.

So, back to the seeds and the ground seed powder. Whenever possible I like to grind my own spices from whole seeds. You tend to get a better fl avour and you get to toast them fi rst to

wake them and really liven things up. It’s also nice because you are in control of the grind, so if you want it a little coarse you can do that. And if you want it as a fi ne powder, well, simply keep grinding.

O

Fenugreek with Tim Maddams

Archaeologists have even found some fenugreek

seeds inside Tutankhamun’s

tomb [[

Eat

Fun with fenugreekFenugreek works very well in an oily spice mix. Make yours in a small dry frying pan by toasting a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds with half a teaspoon each of fennel seed, coriander seed and cumin seed.

Grind these in a pestle and mortar then add fresh chopped chilli or chilli � akes and bash with a little olive oil all together. Use it to � avour mashed potato fritters - you’ll � nd the bitterness of the fenugreek is balanced with the other � avours but still it’s the star of the show, warming, wildly di� erent and charming in a bitter-sweet kind of way.

I also like to add whole fenugreek seeds to quick pickles, along with turmeric, and vinegar. It’s particularly welcome with onions and beetroots in this way, where the natural sweetness of the veg shows o� the bitter characteristics of the spice exceptionally well.

@TimGreenSauce

Tim_Beer_Mar19.indd 40 15/03/2016 13:01:35

41

Drink

The Easter Beer Festival returns to the Red River Inn, Gwithian, near Hayle next

week. From March 25 to 27, the venue will o� er 25 real ales, ten ciders and live music.

Always a good vibe at this one.

Mussel-boundDay two today of Rick Stein’s Beer and Mussel Festival at The Cornish Arms in St Merryn. The excellent beer menu includes 40 or so ales from the likes of St Austell, Bristol Beer Factory, Dartmoor and Tintagel. Well worth a visit.

A GOOD FRIDAY (AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY)

Darren Norbury

talks beerpattern for the exponential growth of brewer-

ies. It’s a local produce thing and it’s working very well. America’s a big country, after all, and who needs massive transport costs when there’s a big potential audi-ence for your beer on your door-step?

I was reminded of this as I took a short, but very informative tour of Dynamite Valley Brewery at Ponsanooth, near Falmouth. Here, friends and business part-ners Dom Lilly and Ross Kessell have built up a successful small brewery operation which serves a number of local freehouses and bars, although they are particu-

larly proud to have just sent their fi rst batch of beer up to the infl uential Craft Beer Bar group in London.

Their industrial unit – next door to another up-and-coming outfi t, Verdant Brewing Company – is laid out with space enough to convert into a weekly Saturday afternoon Beer Café, from noon until 6pm, where a selection of Dynamite Valley draught beers are combined with an interesting list of British and foreign bottled beers. When I visited, it was a St Piran’s Day celebration and wild food experts Matt Vernon and Stuart Wood-man were cooking up pulled venison, wild boar hog dogs and vegan black bean burgers, all served with various foraged sides. Stuart, incidentally,

has already collaborated with Dynamite Valley on a damson ESB (Extra Special Bitter) and he, Ross and Dom told me they were more interested in working with food producers than, as is often the case, collaborating with other breweries.

Their Beer Café has a great atmosphere and seems to attract a group of people that I don’t normally see on the mid-Cornwall beer circuit. As well, of course, as giving the brewery a useful revenue stream as it fi ghts for bar space in an ever more competitive world. Much as I love pubs, the brewery tap in an industrial unit will do for me because, if there’s good people and good beer, what more do you need? More and more the old proverb is being disputed – it seems many people can organise an, er, event in a brewery...Darren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk @beertoday

Headlamp, created by Verdant Brewing Company, of Ponsanooth, Cornwall, in collaboration with Le� Handed Giant

Brewing, from Bristol, nails the Belgian pale style with aplomb at just 3.8% ABV. It’s

a yeasty, spicy, slightly tart, fruity (citrus, pear hints) delight. A great introduction to

Belgian beer for the novice.

Beer of the week

[[Who needs

massive transport costs

when there’s a big potential audience for your beer on

your doorstep?

hich came fi rst – the brewery or the tap? It can go either way, really.In case you weren’t aware, the tap is

a bar where a particular brew-ery’s beers are available on ‘home ground’. It’s usually, but not always, a premises that is owned by the brewery, but it need not be on the site of the brewery. At Coastal Brewery, in Redruth, where I mooch around for a few hours a week, the tap is next-door, in the Cornwall Spe-cialist Beer shop and bar. For Skinner’s Brewery, in Truro, The Old Ale House, close to the city’s bus station and about half a mile from the brewhouse, is the main public tap.

In America, the brewpub is very much the

W

Tim_Beer_Mar19.indd 41 14/03/2016 14:12:22

42

Enjoy

ranscombe in east Devon is one of the Westcountry’s prettiest villag-es. It is blessed with beautiful cot-tages, a large, unspoilt beach and two lovely pubs. Much of the sur-

rounding coastline and countryside is owned by the National Trust and it is set within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Branscombe is well worth a weekend visit in early springtime, with the hedgerows full of daf-fodils and countryside walks in every direction.

Stay: The gorgeous thatched Great Seaside Farm is a National Trust owned B&B and dates back to the 16th century. It is situated just 200 yards from the beach and is steeped in charac-ter, with an inglenook fireplace, flagstone floors and beamed ceilings. Double rooms cost £90 a night in the low season, rising to £115 in high summer, visit www.greatseaside.co.uk to book.

Eat: The 14th century Masons Arms earned its name from the once-thriving quarries herea-bouts, which provided stone for St Paul’s Cathe-

B

a wEEkEnd in

Branscombe

AWeekendInMar19.indd 42 15/03/2016 13:03:39

43

Discover: The Donkey Sanctuary is nearby on the edge of Sidmouth, a short drive from Brans-combe. Free to visit, the charity-run sanctuary has lovely walks, lots of cute donkeys to meet and a great café, all in a glorious clifftop setting. For details, visit www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

Walk: Branscombe is ideally situated for walk-ing, with the South West Coast Path passing right

along the beachfront here. It’s steep uphill on either side, but worth the hike for the sea views. A really nice walk is to head from Branscombe to the next village along, Beer, over the clifftops. Or you could just stroll along the grassy beach front, if you are feeling less energetic, pausing for lunch or a coffee at the excellent (and dog friendly) Sea Shanty Beach Café – visit www.the-seashanty.co.uk for details.

dral. These days the pub is owned by St Austell Brewery and serves up great food, superb beer and also offers accommodation, too. Good qual-ity traditional favourites are the order of the day here, such as mussels and fries, sausages and mash and beer battered fi sh and chips. Call 01297 680300 to book.

Visit: Branscombe has a number of historic, still working buildings, including The Old Bakery and Forge, both owned by the National Trust. Inside the old bakery you are surrounded by the open fi res, baking tins and storage jars from centuries before. The charmingly quaint – and still working – forge is the only thatched one of its kind in England.

Days out: Nearby Pecorama is a family attrac-tion with working light railway, model railway exhibition, indoor children’s play areas and beautiful gardens. It opens fully for the summer season on March 21 and costs from £9.35 for adults – visit www.pecorama.info or call 01297 21542 for details.

Branscombe beach

Pecorama

Branscombe church

Great Seaside Farm B&B

The Donkey Sanctuary

The Masons Arms

The Masons Arms

AWeekendInMar19.indd 43 14/03/2016 14:14:49

44

My Secret Westcountry

Matt Robinson

44

ton Farm and join the coast path just opposite the farm entrance. The cove is usually very quiet, as families prefer Gunwalloe Church Cove a little to the southeast. The name Dollar Cove refers to a Spanish boat (San Salvador, lost in 1669) which was apparently shipwrecked just off the coast, laden with silver dollars. According to legend, occasionally coins still washed up after storms – I’ve never found any!

Arts venue: The Tolmen Centre is a rural arts venue near us in the village of Constantine. They run fi lm nights, theatre performances, music and talks. It’s a fantastic resource for the local community and has become a hub for my wife Louise and I to meet friends and enjoy

Architect Matt Robinson designs eco-friendly houses from a studio in his garden, and builds using sustainable, local materials. He is married to artist Louise McClary and they live in St Martin, close to the Helford River on the south coast of Cornwall.

My favourite...

Walk: We are lucky enough to be surrounded by beautiful walks in the Helford area. I love escaping across the fi elds and heading towards the river at lunchtime in the summer. A little further afi eld, the walk between Church Cove and Kynance Cove on The Lizard is spectacular. On a bright, sunny day the scenery is unbeat-able with amazingly blue sea and sandy beaches. When the sea is rough it becomes a dramatic setting for wave-watching.

Beach: Dollar Cove near Gunwalloe on The Lizard is my pick of the beaches locally. You can park at the National Trust car park at Winnian-

Tarquin Leadbetter of Tarquin’s Gin

Tremenheere Garden

MSW_Mar19.indd 44 15/03/2016 13:10:14

4545

People

entertainment together.

Activity: I’m a really keen gardener. It’s an activity I fi nd both restful and stimulating. A lot of my architectural work incorporates local materials, including cob, straw, mud, and (of course) wood, so the difference between gardening and visualising buildings sometimes becomes a bit blurred! My garden is home to some of the landscape features I enjoy creating, including a 54ft bridge that I designed and built.

Food: My whole family really loves Yarg cheese, which is made in Ponsanooth near Falmouth. We buy industrial quantities of the stuff and it always disappears very quickly.

www.mattrobinsonarchitecture.co.ukwww.louisemcclary.com

Matt’s garden bridge

Tipple: I am a big fan of Lizard Ales – made at a craft brewery near me with a few different cask and bottled real ales, produced using quality ingredients on the Lizard Peninsula. You can fi nd Lizard Ales in a handful of pubs and independent retailers in the South West. I thoroughly recommend you give them a try, they’re great!

Pub: The Star Inn in St Just, close to Land’s End, is a proper Cornish pub, with a good selection of Westcountry ales. It has a history interwoven with the local fi shing and mining industries here. These days, it is a centre for the folk music scene in these parts, with wonderfully rowdy weekly sessions.

Restaurant: The Greenhouse in St Keverne is a great bistro not far from us offering local, sea-sonal and organic produce. The food is always fresh and delicious. Cornish fi sh and game (when the latter is in season) are real highlights. The restaurant is run by a husband and wife team who do a great job, both front of house and in the kitchen.

Way to relax: To relax, I spend time in my garden, usually doing jobs but occasionally sitting back and enjoying the peace and quiet. I also enjoy topiary. It’s a bit of a niche hobby but more people should try it – it’s creative and very calming.

Weekend away: I tend not to go too far be-cause we are spoilt for choice here in the West-country. One place I would love to go back to soon is Talland Bay Hotel near Fowey in south east Cornwall. It’s luxurious but has more per-sonality than many other hotels I have visited. The terrace overlooking the bay is a great place to spend an afternoon.

Shop: As someone who loves buildings and gardening, I would have to say Macsalvors DIY store in Redruth – it stocks everything you could possibly want, for pretty much every imaginable task. Heaven!

Treat: A special treat for me would be a leisurely day visiting Tremenheere Sculpture Garden on the edge of Penzance. As a gardener, the exotic and sub-tropical planting is fascinat-ing. The views of St Michael’s Mount are also very special and to top it off there are several in-spirational artworks – including those by James Turrell, Tim Shaw and David Nash. Tremen-heere Kitchen is great for coffee and cake or a light lunch.

Cornish Yarg cheese

Talland Bay HotelSculpture by Tim Shaw

Gunwalloe beach

MSW_Mar19.indd 45 15/03/2016 13:12:44

46

man and boy

a trip to the beach [[

my life

discovered a new beach recently when my father-in-law was over visiting from Russia – the lovely Teignmouth. In fact, we liked it

so much we took half of it home with us (of which, more later).

I know, the Devon resort has been there for many years but it was new to me. I have seen it on TV, written about it for the paper and, of course, whizzed past countless times on the train to Plymouth. But I had never actually set foot there.

It got me thinking about how quickly you get blasé about the place where you live. Having been around the Westcountry a fair bit as a roving reporter, I tend to think I have been eve-rywhere – seen it, done it, been to the magis-trates’ court… you know the story.

Between Sidmouth planning rows and the Dawlish rail track disaster I thought I had nailed most of the east Devon coastline. So when my wife suggested a trip to show her Rus-sian dad the place, I was less than enthusiastic.

“Teignmouth? What for?” I think were my exact words, followed by: “Do you know how cold it is outside?”

As usual, she was right, I was wrong. Despite the Arctic temperatures and biting winds, I was persuaded to drive the family down there for a spot of beachcombing. To be honest I was quite taken by the place. Admittedly, it feels like a bit of a poor relation to some of the prettier Westcountry beaches – the bonus of free parking all day Sunday kind of suggested they were keen to attract visitors. But for the lad there was dinosaur crazy golf (what’s not to like?) and for the

grown-ups there was hot coffee and crab sand-wiches - and, more importantly, not a tourist in sight.

First, we took a stroll round the back beach around the old wooden huts and boats and it was there that Granddad found the shells – so many shells. Where he lives, in Sochi, it might be 35C in the summer but the beaches – which by the way he never goes to – are just pebbles. So, dazzled by all the crustaceans, he toddles off with the lad, two pairs of eyes down scour-ing the sand, while my wife and I huddle behind a wind-break.

At the start, Gramps has a handful. There is the odd loud “Ooh” as he spots a special shell, and waves it aloft at us. We nod back, shivering. When his hands and pockets are full, he scut-tles off and returns with an old carrier bag. Soon it has a deep, saggy bottom.

“Is it okay to take so many?” I ask the wife. She shrugs. I decide there are probably enough shells left to cope with the enthusiasm of one grandfather.

James, meanwhile, is overjoyed at the dis-covery of a dead crab and two stray crab pin-cers, which are now in a plastic bucket on our veranda and starting to smell.

It was a great day, even though I nearly froze to death. I am now drawing up a list of shame – all the places I have not been to. Bigbury for one. I can’t believe I haven’t been there. No more same-old for me. On Skype a few days later Granddad presents his handiwork – a nest of clam shells, lovingly glued together and now taking pride of place on his table. A little piece of the magical Devon seaside, now at home in

southern Russia.

‘Teignmouth? What for?’ I think were my exact words, followed by: ‘Do you know

how cold it is outside?’[ [I

Phil Goodwin and son James, six, set off to the seaside for a family day out

NEXT WEEK: Chris McGuire on starting his new, very different, life in the South West

March19_ManandBoy.indd 46 14/03/2016 17:18:52

Find us in Oaktree Place, 100 yards behind Carrs Ferrari & Maserati.

Hearth & Cook brings a new experience to home lovers and makers. Expertly gathered together in our showroom in Exeter is a selection of the finest products designed to transform homes and inspire wonderful culinary creations, including a touch of je ne sais quoi from the renowned French cooker specialists, La Cornue. Visit our showroom now to see many of these appliances in action or browse our website for more information.

• RANGE COOKERS FROM LA CORNUE AND ESSE• MORSØ STOVES & OUTDOOR LIVING RANGE • ASHGROVE BESPOKE KITCHENS

C’est magnifique!

Call 01392 797679 www.hearthandcook.com

14 Oaktree Place Manaton Close, Matford,Exeter, Devon EX2 8WA

Our La Cornue Design Studio - one of the most

comprehensive in the country - is now ready to

explore!

Ads.indd 4 15/03/2016 12:43:20

15 Stuart Road, Pennycomequick 01752 222003 • Plymstock 01752 492122 • Totnes 01803 863448 • Kingsbridge 01548 853116

FREE DELIVERY* 263 Beacon Park Road, Plymouth, PL2 3JP

01752 787600www.beaconelectrical.co.uk

PROFESSIONAL+ 90

• Cranberry • Dual Fuel

BEACON PRICE

£1460.99

ELAN 110

• Royal Pearl • Dual Fuel

BEACON PRICE

£1941.99

Range Cooker Showroom has relocated to our Beacon Park branch

14 different models and styles on display

LOWEST PRICES GUARANTEED

PROFESSIONAL+ 90

£1460.99

£1941.99

Untitled-1 3 15/03/2016 11:03:52