No hosepipe ban in 2024

No hosepipe ban in 2024

South West Water says it is confident there will be “no need for hosepipe bans” in Devon this year, even if we see prolonged periods of hot and dry weather.

David Harris, South West Water’s Drought and Resilience Director, told Molton Monthly, “While it may seem obvious that recent heavy rainfall has led to increased reservoir levels across the region, more than one-third of the additional storage has come from our own supply interventions and customers reducing how much water they use.”

Roadford Lake, which supplies most of the water to North Devon, is now full. This time last year it was at 63%, at the height of the drought in 2022 it was only half full, while other local reservoirs were as low as 20%.

After a series of exceptionally wet months, including the wettest February on record, water bosses say Wimbleball, Whistlandpound and Burrator are all now full. South West Water says it is investing more than £125 million to increase water storage resources in Devon by 30% and over the border in Cornwall by 45%.

It was a different picture this time last year when Roadford was only half full

The Met Office in Exeter says Devon experienced a total of 562mm of rainfall across winter 2023-2024, 43% more than the average. A whopping 237mm (9in) fell in February compared to just 20mm last year.

“In 2022 we saw climate change unfold before our eyes as Devon experienced one of the hottest and driest years on record. As visitors arrived to the area in their millions, our reservoirs hit their lowest ever levels and we fought hard to protect river health,” added David Harris from South West Water.

“Our management plan is looking 25 years ahead to make sure there is secure, sufficient and safe supply of water for everyone, while guaranteeing the environment and the wildlife that live here are not just protected but can thrive” South West Water

“Our winters are getting warmer and wetter. As the atmosphere heats up, it has an increased capacity to hold moisture.

The top 10 warmest winters on record for the UK include 2024, 2022, 2020, 2016, 2014.

The top 10 wettest include 2024, 2020, 2016, 2014.” Met Office Senior Scientist, Mike Kendon

2022 - worst drought for 130 years, with reservoirs at record low levels

2023 - hosepipe ban in Devon from April to September as the region struggles to recover 2024 - water bosses say ‘no hosepipe ban’ even if we have a long dry spell

Roadford Lake is now full in April 2023, holding 8 billion gallons of water

The train (not) stopping at platform 1

You’ve hopped on the train to go to a meeting in Exeter. You’ve parked right next to the platform and checked that your return train also stops there - what can go wrong? If the station concerned is Kings Nympton, if you are delayed and miss your return train, there’s no guarantee the next one will stop at the station where you left your car.

Now, the four parish councils that feed into Kings Nympton Station have started a co-ordinated campaign to get all trains to stop there on request. “Almost everyone makes the same point,” says Kings Nympton councillor Martin Pailthorpe. “It makes no sense to drive to Eggesford or Umberleigh to park, involving an extra round trip of up to 15 miles, when doing so means driving past a perfectly good station with plenty of designated parking.”

A Facebook group ‘Friends of Kingsnympton Station’ has already gathered almost 150 members. “I live so close to Kings Nympton station but have to drive to Eggesford to commute to Exeter,” said Lisa Tate. The group wants more people to share their local train travel stories.

“I’m horrified to see the amount of roadside parking at Eggesford with no decent car parking available. Surely making smaller stations like Kings Nympton more accessible to the travelling public would alleviate this,” added Ian Blewett. There’s been a railway station at Kings Nympton since 1854, now campaigners are calling for a service that’s fit for 21st century travel.

A spokesman for GWR who operate the Tarka Line service said, “We always work with our local communities to see what improvements can be made for rail users.”

“Unfortunately, at this stage without significant enhancement to the infrastructure or affecting performance of the existing hourly services, we are not able to add more request stops.”

You can catch a train from Kings Nympton, but you might not get back - photo by Martin Pailthorpe

“We continue to work with partners through the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance to develop the case for longer term upgrades to the route,” the spokesman added. GWR says demand on the line is at an all-time high with more than 750,000 journeys made last year, mostly between Barnstaple and Exeter, but only “two or three” daily at Kings Nympton.

Exmoor Pony riders are British champs!

Riders from Umberleigh and South Molton have scooped top honours at a British dressage championships, on locally reared Exmoor Ponies (pictured right).

Eleanor Lunn, and her teenage South Molton junior teammate, rode Anchor Buckthorn and Anchor Brown Ale to victory at the British Riding Clubs National Introductory Pairs Championships, which is run by the British Horse Society.

“It was a dream come true and it seemed quite incredible that a couple of ‘scruffy’ moor ponies could beat some much fancier horses!” said Eleanor, who lives in Umberleigh. “It was especially wonderful to win as we’ve had them since they were six months old and my sister and I have done much of the work ourselves.”

The 18 year old ponies, affectionately known by their stable names Galahad and Cookie, are owned and trained by Eleanor and her sister Verity Goss from South Molton. Sheralee Matravers at the Exmoor Pony Society said, “It’s wonderful that two moorland ponies have not only been able to compete at national level in dressage, but have shown horses considered to be of much higher breeding how it should be done!”

Eleanor paid tribute to her instructor Cheryl Mundy, “I couldn’t have succeeded without her”, adding that she is incredibly proud of their two Exmoor Ponies.

Proud winners - Eleanor Lunn (left) with her junior partner from South Molton & District Riding Club

Photo courtesy Action Replay Photography

South Molton’s popular carnival is set to return to the town in October, after a break of six years.

Last held in September 2018, the event fell foul of the weather in 2019 and then the Covid restrictions hit in 2020.

A team of volunteers is now setting about arranging entrants and details for the big day, and are looking to appoint a Carnival Ambassador. The Carnival Committee is being backed by South Molton Town Council and the Rotary Club of South Molton.

Molton Monthly has offered to support the 2024 carnival, and the organisers are appealing for sponsors to get in touch.

“We’re looking for sponsorship or donations to enable us to put on this wonderful event,” said spokesperson Kim Maxted. “We plan to publish a pocket sized carnival brochure which will be delivered to local homes.”

Advert spaces will be available in various sizes. Alternatively, if you would like to make donation directly to the South Molton Carnival Fund, please contact Claire Bracher at Bar27 on Broad Street or email: info@bar27.co.uk

South Molton Carnival 2024 will take place on Saturday, October 12th with the parade setting off at 6pm.

Carnival scenes from 2017 - photos by Peter Robinson

Jobs to do in May

1. Plant out summer bedding towards the end of the month, these plants will give you a wonderful display of colour until the first frosts.

2. Plant up hanging baskets and keep them protected until later in the month when the risk of frost has passed.

3. Earth up potatoes as they grow, to protect the early shoots from frost damage and ensure the developing potatoes aren’t exposed to light, which turns them green.

4. Prune spring flowering shrubs such as Chaenomeles, Choisya and Ribes after flowering. Evergreens such as Viburnum tinus can also be trimmed this month.

5. This time of year is nesting season, check for nesting birds before clipping hedges.

May is our busiest month of the whole year. After the wettest spring ever our customers can finally get their borders, pots and baskets planted. We will still be making baskets and potting up the last of the plug plants.

We have three more hanging basket workshops early this month, so please give us a call if you would like to join us. There are more details on our website.

Until next month, Jenny Howells

May Opening Times

Monday – Saturday 9-5

Sunday 10-4