Issue 2 Woolacombe & Mortehoe Voice

Issue 2 June 2015

Woolacombe & Mortehoe Voice A magazine for all those who love this beautiful coastline

The People Behind the Names Mortehoe War Memorial Harry Howard Karslake

Lynton & Lynmouth Picturesque twin towns

The National Trust Events on this beautiful coast

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Things to do in the area whilst on holiday

“Walkies!”

Poppy shares her favourite coastal walk from Mortehoe to Bennett’s Mouth with us

Planning a North Devon Wedding?

Anneka & Matthew Share their special day with us

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CONTENTS Stephen Ring Photography Contemporary artist and photographer.

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Stephanie Dreams, lifestyle blogger

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A true icon - history of the VW bus

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The People behind the Names

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‘Walkies’ Mortehoe - Bennett’s Mouth

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My Mortehoe, My Woolacombe

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National Trust Events

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Wedding by the beach

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Reader’s letters

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Stephanie Walton and Sev the dog share their blog on dog friendly things to do whilst in Woolacombe.

Matt Weston writes about the history of the VW camper van.

We continue our look at the Mortehoe War memorial in the series ‘The People behind the Names’. In this issue we take a closer look at the life of Harry Howard Karslake.

Poppy the ‘Westie’takes us on one of her favourite walks.

Debbie Finney shares her memories of holidays at North Morte Farm, and visits to Rockham Beach.

Learn about the work of the National Trust in the area, and the events being held in the coming months.

Anneka and Matthew Phillips share their special day with us.

Local memories and requests for research assistance.

Reader’s Gallery

Photographs from our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites.

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So here it is, Issue 2. I want to say a big thank you to everyone who sent such lovely feedback about the first issue. As a new venture, it is always a bit of a nervous time, so I was overwhelmed with the positive and kind comments that I have received. We rely on the people who love this area to contribute to the magazine, and it is wonderful that so many of you have come forward with ideas, articles and photographs, please keep them coming!

In Issue 2, we focus on some of the dog friendly things that can be done in the area. Everybody who has a four legged friend, knows that holidays can sometimes be tricky, knowing where to go or what to do. We hope we have given you some inspiration. Stephanie Walton, lifestyle blogger, has shared one of her blogs about dog friendly places to visit and eat while in Woolacombe, and who better to follow but the gorgeous ‘Westie’, Poppy who shows us one of her favourite walks from Mortehoe to Bennett’s Mouth.

The stunning North Devon coast is an ideal setting for a wedding, and in this issue Anneka and Matthew share their memories of their special day with us. We hope their recollections inspire you to make North Devon a place to host your big day and we would love to hear from you if you are planning a wedding in the area.

We continue our look at the Mortehoe War memorial, with a fascinating insight into the family and life of Harry Howard Karslake. Researching the ‘People behind the names’ has been an emotive process, and finding out about the people who gave their lives during the war has been a privilege. We would love to hear from you if you have family from the area who served during the war years.

Happy Reading

Lorna (editor)

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Dog friendly Holidays

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Things to do

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Lynton & Lynmouth

A selection of places that you can take your four legged friends whilst on holiday.

Stuck for things to do on holiday in the area? Look at our handy guide.

A look at the beautiful towns of Lynton & Lynmouth, known by many as ‘Little Switzerland’.

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Sandcastle Fun

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Get in touch

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Woolly & Molly

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Pirates

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Glyn Pollington shares his photographs of Woolacombe’s past sandcastle building competitions.

Details of how to get in touch with us.

Follow the adventures of our two favourite mice.

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Pirate fun, quizzes and colouring in 3

Stephen Ring Contemporary Artist & Photographer Stephen produces all art works in his own print studio to the highest standard and quality and all works of art are treated as fine art prints and not photographic reproductions. This includes framed prints, canvases and one off orginal works of art which are second to none. They are produced to the highest standards and exude quality.

His work has enhanced the living and working environments of many establishments and his craft has been used in corporate sales, ranging from BAA to P&O as well as local Businesses. Stephen’s work is exhibited in many local Galleries This amazing coastal village is a hive of activity for many months of the year because of its popularity with surfers, walkers and visitors. It has everything; shops, pubs, restaurants, a fantastic beach and a superb landscape.

The golden sands stretch for 3 miles and the rolling surf pounds the shore creating an atmosphere which is truly invigorating. Lying between Baggy Point and Morte Point there are far reaching views out to Lundy with prominent sandy hills and the Woolacombe Downs making this a truly remarkable place to visit.

Unspoilt and dramatic with its rugged coastal cliffs and rock pools, this idyllic location gives me plenty of opportunity to explore and photograph. One of the most motivating things for me is the awe inspiring sunsets which emanate such powerful colours in the sky towards Lundy and beyond.

www.stephenring.co.uk

www.northdevonphotographycourses.co.uk

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www.beautifulnorthdevon.co.uk

Stephanie Walton My name is Stephanie Walton and I’m a Lifestyle blogger over at Stephanie Dreams. I have a 1 and half year son cocker spaniel, called Severus, and am married to my lovely Husband, Sam. As a fur-Mummy I’m always on the look out for pet friendly places to eat, sleep and play- you’ll find a lot of our adventures on my blog.

www.stephaniedreams.com Thank you to Tom Mills for letting me use some of his photographs. http://tomsphotoblog.co.uk

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ogs are allowed in the glass atrium, which is lovely, light and filled with sun on a not so gloomy day. Sev was happy to chew his bone and relax while we made our way through pots of teas, scones and even some cocktails.

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e recently had a long weekend in Woolacombe with friends of ours, we’d been previously and knew of how dog friendly it always seemed and finding a place to stay that would allow Sev was fairly easy thanks to Holiday Home Hunter.

We had a perfect little flat, close to the beach and near all the pubs toogreat for what we needed.

Woolacombe Bay is a gorgeous beach, part of it is dog friendly all year round, but as we were out of season we had run of all the sand.

Sadly we never ventured too far, but there are some gorgeous coastal and beach walks taking you to near by towns and coastal villages.

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n high season the streets of Woolacombe are filled with families with dogs, which is just lovely to see. Chip shops, ice cream parlors and even waffles are available to buy as take away or street food.

We also visit a few establishments that were great for us and 4-legged one.

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e popped to the Red Barn on our first day, while we were waiting for our holiday home to be ready. Dogs are allowed anywhere that isn’t carpeted, and there were a fair number of tables and chairs scattered around that we could of sat at. It did seem very busy, and I can imagine it’s popular both day and evenings. The theme is surf bar come cafe, hosting a lovely menu of food and great drinks too. This would be perfect for lunch or a casual dinner with a pint, or two.

On the Saturday we visited The Woolacombe Bay Hotel, Bay Brasserie. I scouted this out in our planning some time before our visit, and knew we had to go there for the cream tea- my absolute favourite.

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Our last visit on the Sunday was to find a roast dinner, and at the Tides Inn, we certainly found one made for kings. A lovely seaside pub, with an open fire and decoration for the perfect beach get away. The staff were lovely, and the roast didn’t disappoint.

It was so cosy and lovely, I think we will definitely be returning on our next visit.

A True Icon A Brief History of the VW Bus.

by Matt Weston

The VW camper van is still a common sight around the coastlines of the UK, as it is all over the globe.

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ften characterized as the ‘Hippy’ transport of Woodstock and the 60’s generation, the VW bus has gone through a number of modifications and although the familiar front design of the Split-Screen is now long gone, the VW van lives on in it’s newest guise; the T5.

Most who are familiar with the VW Beetle will know that the car was actually commissioned on orders from Adolf Hilter, to produce a cheap, reliable car for the ‘Volk’ (The People) – The original Type 2 (The official name given to the VW bus) was based on the same technology, although the first vans were not available commercially until 1949.

Unveiled at the Geneva motor show, the vehicle was produced at the same factory, Wolfsberg, in Germany.

The initial idea of the VW type 2 had come from Ben Pon, a Dutch importer, who noticed that many of the motorized trolleys around the Wolfsberg factory were made from stripped down Beetle chassis and running gear. His sketches put the wheels in motion for a beetle-based van, which was noted to look like ‘a box on wheels’ – And so, the VW van was born.

“People the world over fall in love with its quirky iconic charm”

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y 1950, up to ten vehicles a day were being produced at the plant, and the basic design would remain the same for the next four decades. This first generation, known as the ‘Split Screen’ is the most popular (and by far the most expensive variation of the van today!) The Split was produced from 1950 to 1967.

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he unique design of the VW bus meant that the rear seats could be removed in order to transport greater loads. Due to the design being simple and cheap to produce, VW were able to turn out approximately 90 different body combinations over the first few years.

These included buses, pick-ups, fire engines, ambulances, beer wagons, refrigerated vans, milk floats, mobile butchers/bread vans, delivery vans and of course, the well loved utility camper.

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ith 1951 came the introduction of the ‘Westfalia’; it’s name coming from Westfalia-Werke, the contractor commissioned for building the interior conversion, located in the Westphalia region of Germany. This variation proved popular, with many features added, including a longer dashboard with radio and clock, and chrome body trim.

The Split-screen 1950 - 1967

When the VW Camper was released in the USA in the mid 1950’s it was remarkably successful, with over 150,000 sold by 1963!

1979 saw the last bay produced for the UK and European markets. A variation of the Bay Window was By 1952, single cab pick-up variations produced in Brazil (Along with the VW Beetle) until only as few years were made available, with an engine ago; although the latter had lost its sizes increasing by 1954. Production air-cooled engine, to be replaced with of the VW bus was then moved from a water-cooled lump (based loosely Wolfsburg to Hannover, and by 1960 on the 1.4 VW Golf engine) the wide-bed pick-up trucks became available on special order and the he T25 van (Or the ‘wedge’ as it high roof delivery van was also came to be known) was available produced. Flashing indicators (Front from 1980, keeping a 2.0 litre air and rear) also replaced the somewhat cooled until until 1983, when watererratic semaphores! cooled engines became the standard across the range (The latter suffering By 1963, engine sizes increased to somewhat with head gasket problems) 1500cc from 1200cc, and sliding The T25, again, was a completely doors were made available as redesigned vehicle with a more an option. This year also sadly ‘square’ shape all together, proving marked the end of the Split, with an estimated 1,477,330 buses sold and in as popular as it’s predecessors. ‘T4’s’ were produced over the following circulation. years, and the subsequent, current model, the ‘T5’ is continuing the he Split was replaced in 1968 by massive success the of the VW the ‘Bay Window’. This new bus camper. The most common models was based on a radical rethink of the seen around the coasts of Devon these vehicle as a whole, with suspension days are by far, the T25 and the T4 – changes and a one-piece windscreen.

Wind down windows were also added both being the more affordable and reliable options.

(A nice added extra at the time!)

By far the most popular and iconic variation of the VW van to date.

The ‘Splitty’ gets its name from its split screen windscreen, it became an instant hit, especially with the US market.

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The Bay Window 1967 - 1979 The second-generation Type 2 lost its famous split front, being produced slightly larger and heavier than its predecessor. Its common nickname is the ‘BayWindow’ or ‘Bay’ for short.

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Although this was still a VW bus, this version had been changed both mechanically and visually. In 1973, the design of the Bay was changed again, with larger bumpers added, larger indicators (Forced on VW by the American market).

Larger engines were also made available; 1600cc, 1700cc, 1800cc – reliability and ‘drivability’ was now better than ever.

The VW Bus has been one of the most popular vehicles of the last few decades, and for whatever reason has become a massive part of the surfing community across the world. So, the next time you walk past that battered van parked up on the sea front, with it’s slightly shabby arches, dinked bumper and driver’s door sporting a different colour to the rest of the van, try to remember this machine’s proud heritage and the legacy it has given to millions the world over.

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The Wedge - T25 1980 - 1992 The T25, or ‘The Wedge’ has only become more popular in the last few years due to the rising cost of its predecessors. T25 models were also produced in 4x4 variations and proved popular with both the German and Dutch military.

Compared to earlier models, the T25 was larger and ‘square’ looking, the rounded edges of previous models now gone.

The People behind the names Mortehoe War Memorial A series of articles ‘The People behind the names’ will run in each issue of the magazine, we hope to find out a little more about the people whose names are engraved on the Mortehoe War Memorial in St. Mary Magdalene Churchyard.

Please visit our website www.woolacombemortehoevoice.wordpress.com to read previous articles.

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Harry Howard Karslake 1880 - 1917

ichael, Harry Howard’s father, son of John Karslake married Harry’s mother, Prudence Emily Howard in 1879 in Barnstaple.

By 1881 the family are living in Pursbrook, Axminister. Harry is just a baby, and Michael is working as a railway porter. Their second son Herbert James Karslake was born on the 16th May 1882. By the time the 1891 census is taken the family have moved to Mortehoe, and are living in the railway cottages, sharing their home with Prudence’s widowed father, Charles Howard.

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arry Howard Karslake was the eldest son of Michael and Prudence Emily Karslake. He was born on the 8th February 1880 in Axminister, Devon.

Harry Howards’s father, Michael was born in 1853 in North Molton, and was the son of a carpenter and leading figure in the Wesleyan faith.

Michael’s father, Harry’s grandfather was John Karslake.

John Karslake, worked as a carpenter on the Simonsbath estate from 1857-1875, having left school at 15, he would initially work on a farm before being trained as a carpenter and wheelwright. He married Ann Burgess in 1850. Following their marriage, they had their first son William, and in 1852 they would have Harry’s father, Michael.

Methodism was thriving at the time, and when John converted to the faith in 1844 he would start to work in the local Sunday School, even becoming a preacher. John would go on to preach in many of the local chapels, and later was a Superintendent at Sunday Schools , he even opened his own house for religious services to accommodate the growing faith. John Karslake was pivitol in establishing the Wesleyan Chapel and reinstating services in Woolacombe and Mortehoe.

By 1884 John and his wife had moved to Mortehoe. On the 20th January 1905, following complaints of pain he passed away at his daughters house in Lynmouth.

Michael worked for the London and South Western Railway on the branch line between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe. The station opened in 1874, and closed to passengers in 1970.

“Methodism and Nonconformity, generally of Morte-Hoe and Paul Karslake has captured Michael the Ilfracombe Circuit have in his wonderful painting ‘Last sustained a great loss by the Signalman’. If you look into his eyes death of Mr John Karslake.”

The interment took place in Mortehoe Cemetry on Thursday January 26th.

Prior to this a service was held in the Wesleyan Chapel, this being deeply draped for the occasion. During the service the choir sang “Peace, perfect, peace” and “Now the labourers task is o’er”. The high esteem in which he was held was shown by the large number that gathered at the funeral to pay their last tribute to his memory, the spacious new Chapel being full, while many others assembled around the grave side.

John worked as a carpenter at the Simonsbath Saw Mill. His life is well documented on their website, which is certainly worth a read at: www.simonsbathsawmill.org.uk

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on the painting you will even see a train. To see this painting visit: www.paulkarslake.co.uk

Pictured above: Michael Karslake

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arry Howard would enlist for war service in December 1916 and was posted to the 3rd Devons, he would later be attached to the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. It would only be a few months later, in January 1917 that Harry Howard would go to France, and some 5 months after signing up for war service, on 23rd April 1917 he would die.

In a letter to his sister-in-law, written on 25th February 1917 while he was serving in France, Harry thanks her for her previous letter. He explains that the letter had been delayed because it had been sent to the 3rd Battalion Devon’s and that he was only there for a week and his address is now 1st DCLI BEF (First Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry – British Expeditionary Force). “a taste of the trenches and am quite an expert now at dodging bullets and shells”

In the same letter he says “he has had some trying experiences”. He goes on to say that he has ‘had a taste of the trenches and am quite expert now at dodging bullets and shells’ At this time the letter was written he was at bombing school with another week to run, which, he says, was quite a nice change from the trenches. He describes how they ‘are choked with the most awful mud at present’ and describes it as being ‘like walking in treacle’.

On the 25th April 1917, his parents would receive a letter from Lt Col Harold Fargus, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, saying ‘we regret to inform you that your son is missing. The battalion had to carry out an assault west of Lens on 23rd April. Your son was with the left assaulting company which was practically annihilated, very few of the men got back and non of the officers.’

Lt Col Faragus would then write to inform the family of the sad news that their son had died. (letter above)

hilst in Mesopotamia he invented an ingenious fly trap which was universally adopted by the British authorities in that part of the world, and for which he received recognition from the Government. He returned to the UK on 9th March 1919.

noon is after h t l i t n U no we had out tion ab a m infor t he ept tha him exc hree ssing. T was mi oday t me in men ca ine. They el from th d your son’s n u had fo hole a shell n i body had em. He near th through ot been sh nd from a the side rance must a e his app st d almo e i have d . ” y l iate immed

above: Letter sent to Michael and Prudence and Harry Howard’s memorial in Mortehoe Church

Harry is commenrated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais and has a grave at Score Cemetry in Ilfracombe.

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arry’s youger brother, Herbet James would serve during the first world war, however unlike his brother he was fortunate enough to return to his family.

Herbert enlisted into the R.A.M.C. (T.F.) on 4th September 1915, and was embodied into the Wessex Divisional Sanitary Section. He was 33 years and 4 months old, and was living at 1 St Peters Terrace, Ilfracombe at the time. On 18th September 1915, he gained promotion to temporary acting Sergeant, and then gained further promotion to Staff Sergeant on 9th October 1915.

Herbert left the UK for Mesopotamia on 17th September 1916, he spent three years in Mesopotamia and during most of that time was in charge of the sanitary arrangements in Baghdad.

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Herbert had trained prior to war as a plumbers apprentice.

He had married Linda Fry Pile in 1908 and would live in Ilfracombe with their son Harry Howard (named after Herbert’s brother) and Bessie Winifred Karlsake, their daughter. Herbert would be employed as the Sanitary Inspector for the district council when he joined up for war service.

A few years later, Herbert was still busy inventing things. In 1922 he invented a ‘Magic Kettle’. He also built a fantastic model railway which he exhibited at a Wesleyan Church sale, the railway is reported to have covered a 60 square feet area, and was quite a sensation.

Herbert Karslake would die following a year of ill health in 1928.

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ichael Karslake would continue after the death of his eldest son to work at Mortehoe Station, retiring after 48 years of service. 40 of which were spent in Mortehoe. His retirement was reported in the local press: Mr Michael K retired, carr arslake has ying with hi m the respect and esteem , of his colleagues and the pu blic generally.

Of a cheerf ul and obliging di sposition, an d ready to he lp in any go ever od causes, reli gious and so cial, Mr Karslak e will be m uc missed by the commun h ity.

As Preside nt of the P. S.A he took a grea t in organisation terest in that . It is propos make a publ ed to ic presenta tion of appreciation of his serv ices.

opposite: Michael Karslake above: Michael Karslake’s retirement notification.

In Memoriam Harry Howard Karslake 1880 - 1917 by Rev. C. H. Macartney Clayton North Devon Journal, 7th June 1917

It was with a pang of genuine sorrow that we read the sad intelligence that Harry Howard’s Karslake, Second Lieutenant, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, had been killed in action. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Karslake of Mortehoe, North Devon. He received his education in Ilfracombe, and those who knew him in those early days tell us that he was a bright, intelligent lad, cherishing high ideals, and ever selecting for companions those who were likely to exert a helpful and uplifting influence upon his life. He was a great favourite with his school associates. At an early age he went to London, and entered the employment of the Junior Army and Navy Stores.

His agreeableness of manner, strict attention to business duties, unswerving integrity, and gentlemanly bearing soon attracted the notices of those in authority, and he was rapidly promoted from one position to another. A few years later the Manager offered him a position in the Dublin branch of the firm, and after consultation with his parents to whom he was devotedly attached, he decided to take the appointment. As in London, so in Dublin; his abilities and fidelity soon procured for him promotion and for many years he held the important and responsible post of Secretary of the Junior Army and Navy Stores, D’Oller street, Dublin. He joined the Methodist Church, Dolphins Barn, S.C road and became one of its most valued members, having a place upon the Church Board. For many years he discharged the duties of voluntary organist and choirmaster with a fidelity and zeal which contributed much to the efficiency and inspiration of the ministry of praise. He was a delightful man to work with, and the ministers who were privileged to be associated with him in Church or musical matters will never forget the splendid assistance which he so willingly and graciously gave to them.

A more agreeable and attractive personality the writer has never met and to write of him as one would like at the present is an impossible task. He was beloved by the children of the congregation and was held in the highest esteem by every member of the Church. Possessed of a somewhat retiring disposition, he shrank from public notoriety, but once he felt it was his duty to undertake a task, he discharged it with a ability and a graciousness that could not be surpassed. He was a loyal follower of the Lord Jesus, and his presence at the communion services of the Church was a splendid testimony and example to the young men of the congregation. He loved the Church, and esteemed it a high privilege to further to further its interests. Towards the close of 1915 he was recalled to London, and appointed assistant manager of the firm. When leaving Dublin he was the recipient of an illuminated address, and gold wristlet watch from the members and friends of Dolphin’s Barn Church. He was not long in London until his sense of duty and patriotism led him to join the Artisits Rifles as a private. In December, 1916 he gained his commission and was posted to the 3rd Devons. A little later he was attached to the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. In January 1917, he went to France and on April 23rd he made the supreme sacrifice for God, King and home.

In a letter to his parents the Commanding Officer says: - Until this afternoon we had no information about him, except that he was missing. Three men came in this afternoon from the line. They found your son’s body in a shell hold near them. He had been shot through the side, and from his appearance must have died almost immediately. The Company, through me, offers its genuine sympathy. We mourn a valuable and popular officer.”

Thus Harry Karslake died with his face towards the enemy, alone.

As I gaze upon his photo which lies before me, I find it hard to realise that he will not return to his native land with the heros coming back victorious from this awful conflict.

I esteem it a very great honour to have been associated with him in Dublin, and in paying this tribute to his life and work I recognise how very inadequately it does justice to the beauty of his character, and nobility and usefulness of his life. To his sorely stricken parents and other relatives, on behalf of a wide circle of friends, I tender our heartfelt symapathy.

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Circular Walk Mortehoe to Bennett’s Mouth es y tak Popp her us on ite r favou walk

This is Poppy she is a beautiful 4.5 year old Westie. Her favourite place for a walk is around Woolacombe and Mortehoe and there are so many routes to choose from.

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ne of her favourite walks is a loop which takes her from Mortehoe, down to Bennett’s Mouth, up to Bull Point, past Rockham Beach and back up into Mortehoe.

Like most dogs though, Poppy enjoys running, exploring, smelling things and playing. This route allows her to do all of this.

After walks she enjoys a bit of a snack and finally a nice snooze but always likes to visit the pub before going home.

Bennett’s Mouth

Bull Point Lighthouse

Bennett’s Mouth is a hidden treasure, a cove away from the busier beaches providing a perfect get away. Popular with those walking the coastal paths, it is a perfect place to explore rock pools, or enjoy the stream that runs through the valley which is ideal for a paddle on warm summer days.

Bull Point Lighthouse was first built in 1879, and was used to guide vessels along the coast. In 1972, the keeper at the time reported ground movement, and as a result 2” fissures were reported to have opened in the ground. On Saturday 24th September 1972, 15 metres of the cliff face crashed into the sea, this event left the lighthouse in severe danger. A temporary lighthouse, the Old Trinity House Light Tower, was subsequently borrowed and used for nearly two years. The new lighthouse was built in 1974 using equipment from its predecessor. The lighthouse today is fully automatic with equipment set to operate at designated times.

The area around Bennett’s Mouth, is particularly pretty in the summer months when Bluebells and wild flowers can be seen in the woodland areas.

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his was her walk, in total around 4 miles. It took 2 hours 30 minutes, which included running about, exploring and climbing over the rocks and rock pools at Bennett’s Mouth.

All the things she enjoys.

There are a lot of ups and downs as you would expect from the Devon Coast.

This area of coastline is used to graze sheep. Dog owners are asked to be mindful of other animals in the area.

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This is where the fun starts, and where Poppy shows us the way....

1. We start at the main Mortehoe car park and head North West for about 1/2 mile along the North Morte Road, through the Bull Point Lighthouse gate, then walk for about another 1/2 mile. Turn right off the road following the sign to Bennett’s Mouth, there is a beautiful wooded walk steeply down which joins a stream at the bottom. So if your dog likes to cool off on a hot day they can go for a paddle or have a refreshing drink.

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2. Following the path, eventually you come to Bennett’s Mouth where the stream reaches the sea. It’s very rocky, but there is lots for dogs to investigate and climb on.

Poppy found sticks and seaweed to play with while climbing over the rocks.

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3. Heading away from Bennett’s Mouth through the gate, make the climb up towards Bull Point, there are some great views up here which dogs can appreciate.

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4 4. After the climb up there is a flat stage with lots of opportunity for dogs to run about and lots of gorgeous views to enjoy. On a clear day you can easily see over to Wales. There are plenty of seats around here to sit and enjoy the views and Poppy likes to have a few treats after the steep climb.

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3.( 5. A steady decent takes you down towards the stand out landmark of The Bull Point Lighthouse which sits on the top of a set of cliffs. This seems to be somewhere Poppy gets some more energy and always seems to sprint downwards.

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6. Carrying on past the lighthouse along the coast path there are a few steep climbs up and down. It seems that at this point it is the dog that is always waiting for you to catch up.

7. After about a mile you will come to Rockham beach (currently closed because of a land slip), but you may still be able to make out the remains of the SS Collier towards the right of the beach.

Also if you are lucky you may see a seal!

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Just beyond Rockham beach and over the hill, we turned away from the coast path signposted to Mortehoe and headed back up towards the village. We found a small stream where Poppy decided she could do with a drink.

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8. Carrying up the path, you will again join the North Morte Road and turn back towards the car park. Rather than going back however, Poppy decided she fancied a drink and snack in the Chichester Arms. They allow dogs in the pub, but not in the restaurant area. If you’re lucky enough with the weather though you can sit outside. We enjoyed a cheese Ploughmans and Crab sandwich. Of course we had to give Poppy a bit of crab.

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Poppy decided she would show her joy and appreciation of the great walk like this...

“My Mortehoe, My Woolacombe”

by Debbie Finney

Debbie tells us why Woolacombe & Mortehoe mean so much to her and her family.

If you would like to tell us why this area is important to you, please get in touch: woolacombemortehoevoice@gmail.com

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t all started when my Mum and Dad came here for their honeymoon in the early 60’s. They fell in love with the place and we have been coming here ever since. In the early 70’s my Dad would drive us to North Morte Farm Caravan Park, in his camper van, it would take us nearly all day to travel here. We would hire a caravan for the week and for me this was paradise. The minute we arrived we would pester mum and dad to take us to the beach.

Rockham of course, we would run as fast as we could, from the top of the caravan site to the very top of the steps, buckets and spades flailing, paddlers on our feet, only pausing at the top of the path when Rockham would come in to view, we would stand for a while taking in the view, while the view took our breath away and still does to this day. We would wait for my dad, a fit roofer in his day, to take us down to the beach, he would run up and down those steps with kids on his back and bags on his arms, or might have been the other way around! We would spend long hot sunny days on Rockham, eating pasties on the beach, rock pooling collecting winkles to take back to the caravan to eat, scrambling over rocks to reach the ‘drum’ and walking to Bullpoint Lighthouse from the beach.

At night I would be wrapped up in my sleeping bag in my bunk bed, whilst the foghorn of the lighthouse would be blasting, although scared of the noise and its eerie echo, which I always thought was another lighthouse, I was secretly reassured as I assumed the lighthouse was protecting us from smugglers and pirates!

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e would often take a late night walk to the lighthouse after a curry and a montyfrank hotdog from More-t-eat. I remember walking to the bakery every morning to fetch rolls, pasties, and donuts for our lunch on the beach, always stopping to drop pennies in the wishing well. My older brother often helped out at the bakery with my uncle and he used to help out milking the cows on the farm. All my family loved Mortehoe and we would travel in convoy, grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins and friends to be in this beautiful place.

On our last night, we would always have a meal in the Red Barn, although as kids we were happy as we got to play pinball, secretly we were all sad as we knew it was our last night. I would always cry when we had to hand back our caravan keys and start the journey home.

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oll on thirty years, and now I visit with my own family, sometimes only for the day, a four hundred mile round trip! We visit the beach, the pub, and then into Ilfracombe for fish and chips by the harbour. If we stay for longer we always walk from Bullpoint to Mortepoint. I will never tire of this place or the stunning views. In fact last September my husband and I renewed our Wedding Vows at St. Marys in Mortehoe. This place is under my skin, in my bones and in my blood, My wish is to live here one day.

Paradise.

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Anneka & Matthew When my partner ever so romantically proposed to me in the Sand dunes on Woolacombe Beach, finding a location for the wedding couldn’t have been easier.

I have been coming to Woolacombe since I was knee high to a grasshopper and it really is my favourite place to be. I call it my happy place, where I feel all my problems disappear and I just want to smile.

My partner naturally fell in love with the place as much as I had, so he felt very much the same way.

There are so many wonderful wedding venues in and around the area, but Tunnels Beaches in Ilfracombe really stood out to us.

I had visited the beach as a child and never would have thought I would be getting married there one day.

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It’s such a magical place, with so much character and charm and it suited us and our laid back personalities perfectly. We wanted a low-key ceremony but with the added wow factor and that is exactly what we got.

Most of our guests had never heard of the venue before and as my Husband’s family mostly live nearLondon, they had never even been to this beautiful part of the country before.

I love the fact that from the outside of the venue, you would not expect what you find on the other side of the tunnels - the “wow” factor I wanted.

Being in the place I love so much, in a gorgeous VW, with the family I have shared so many memories with there was just phenomenal. I will never forget how I felt that day The night before the and how special that was. wedding, I stayed in We stopped by the lovely Woolacombe Woolacombe beach and Bay Hotel. I had always had some pictures taken wanted to stay there and by the sea. It would have thought, what a perfect been rude not to really opportunity and what wouldn’t it?! We were so could be a better reason? lucky with the weather.

So why not push the boat For mid-October it was out for once? I’m so glad unseasonably warm and I chose to stay there. The although it appeared to be staff were fantastic, the dark and gloomy to begin suite we stayed in was with, the sun eventually gorgeous, the breakfast came out and it was as if it was perfect and the views was a summers day. were sublime. One of my After we arrived at the favourite memories from venue, I was surprisingly my wedding day, was calm. Perhaps it was the the moment we stepped calming nature of the outside of the hotel, to the venue? Or just the fact view of the vintage VW I was so happy to be campervan coming down marrying the man I love in the high street, past all of such a beautiful place. the shops I know so well We all walked through coming to pick us all up. the stunning tunnels and A perfect memory. Once when we got to the end, I we had been collected, I was greeted by the sounds felt like royalty. The locals of the waves crashing and visitors all waved and which automatically got cheered as we drove around me emotional! When ‘The Woolacombe.

Sea’ by Morcheeba started playing, off we went.

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Saying our vows in such a beautifully dramatic location, with waves crashing around us was truly atmospheric and being able to share that with our friends and family was an honour! Once the ceremony was over and we were officially married, after a bit of bubbly and some canapés, we had our pictures taken on the beach. To keep in with the laid back theme of the day, we had a few pictures taken so it didn’t take up a lot of time, then just made sure everybody had drinks and enjoyed themselves.

The atmosphere was just amazing. The music, the waves, the location and seeing everyone so relaxed and happy and enjoying themselves was unforgettable.

We eventually settled down to a fabulous gourmet barbeque and the food was just fabulous – the best barbeque I’ve ever had!

Most of our guests had 2nds and even 3rds!

After speeches, toasts and ice creams, the evening party started. We had the best dancefloor – the outdoor terrace that we had earlier got married on. What a place to make some shapes! We had a first dance there, whilst our guests all watched from the outside of the venue.

Under the moonlight, with the sounds of the sea and the cliffs were beautifully lit up making it such a perfect and magical experience.

The fire was roaring outside, the waves were crashing, there was laughter, dancing, happiness and the general atmosphere was amazing.

The comments we had in our guest book just say it all. Most commented that it had been the best wedding they had been to and this was probably due to the venue itself and the laidback fun day it was thank you to the amazing staff there.

I was devastated when it ended and I had to leave!

After flagging down a taxi in my wedding dress, we went to Woolacombe Bay Holiday Village, where we had our farmhouse waiting for us. Everything was so amazingly magical. I think about it every day!

Although most people may not want to stay at a holiday park for a honeymoon, we loved it. We usually stay in a caravan, so staying in a farmhouse was a treat for us, plus we had a hot tub which was just lovely for those Autumn October evenings.

We loved it so much, we’ve even booked it again for our anniversary and we can’t wait to come back!

Would I recommend North Devon as a place to get married? Absolutely!!!

We obviously cannot predict the weather, but we would not change a single detail from the day.

Perfection.

Sidney Dennis of Mortehoe

WOOLACOMBE CORRESPONDENT by Stephen Brown

Can you help?

I refer to a lovely old tome in my possession, namely The Automobile Association Handbook, this one for 1939 -40, which must have been a turbulent time indeed.

Nonetheless, dear Woolacombe & Mortehoe are rightfully listed and we learn that we are two hundred & eight and a quarter miles from London.

The preciseness is interesting and leads me to wonder exactly from where the measurements are taken. In the back of my mind I recall being told that it is from the main Post Office, which, in our villages, would not be difficult to locate, but where exactly would that be in the capital? Perhaps a reader can let us know.

I am writing with reference to the photo of Sidney Dennis on the Morthoe Road (shown above). He was a butcher’s boy, but who is in the photo with him?

His daughter Barbara Tucker is still alive but sadly blind and although she has told me some lovely stories there are still a lot of blanks.

Returning to the book, we are told that Licensing hours are 11–2 and 5-10 weekdays, and early closing, as we know, is Wednesday. (Does anyone observe early closing day anymore?) The post is collected at 8.00 a.m. and 8.30 p.m., which seems a very long day for somebody. (Jimmy Smith?)

I have time in my life now to explore my family tree with the aid of ancestry.co.uk and turn some of the stories into facts. My father in law was Philip John Dennis and his father was known as Archie Dennis.

He was the youngest of 13 siblings and grew up in Braunton sometimes catching rabbits to be sold in the butcher’s shop of his older brothers William and Sidney. William moved to Bideford and Sidney moved to Littabourne House in Barnstaple.

Turning to the hotels, and leading the field, as you would imagine, is the Woolacombe Bay, with it’s telephone number Woolacombe 7! It has 78 bedrooms, all with H & C running water, and a single bedroom will cost the princely sum of 7/6 to 10/6 per night (around 37 – 54 pence in today’s currency).

However Sidney had a butcher’s round in Woolacombe and a lock up shop at Barton Farm where he made sausages.

Those looking for cheaper accommodation have a choice of the Rathleigh (older readers will not be surprised to see this listed as Station Road); Atlantic, Headlands, Beach, Cliffside, Hartland and Crossways. Curiously, the latter four are listed as ‘Sea Front’, ‘The Parade’, ‘Esplanade’ and ‘Parade Road’ respectively, despite all being situated on the same Sea Front.

He also sold milk, cream and cheese and won awards in London for the dairy products he sent up there by train. He supplied the hotels of Woolacombe rather like Philip Dennis Foodservice does in present times. In my research I have come across this lovely photo of him as a young man and would love to know more about his life and career.

Hope this sparks someone’s interest and look forward to hearing some more tales.

Oddly, there is no mention of the Watersmeet.

Visitors preferring to stay in Mortehoe have two choices – the Mortehoe Hotel, or Hillside Cottage where a single room is 4/- - 7/6 (20p – 37p) per night – taking a bath will cost an extra 6d (2.5p), breakfast 2/6 (12.5p) and high tea 2/- (10p).

from Elizabeth Dennis If you are able to help please email us: woolacombemortehoevoice@gmail.com

Publications from Barricane Books, including Sue Hill’s “Woolacombe and Mortehoe in Old Postcards”, a re-printing of Alice Trebble’s “A Woolacombe Childhood”, My Life in Morte” by Ray Easterbrook and “On My Home Ground” by Steve Brown are available locally. Any enquires to suehill@barricanebooks.co.uk

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A snap shot of memories from growing up in Mortehoe in the late 50’s early 60’s. by Viv Moule Ex The Barton North Morte Road

The Red Barn, formally The Bungalow Cafe

Viv & his friend David.

Overlooking Morte.

Viv and his sister Paddy outside ‘ The Barton’

I wonder why childhood memories become more precious as we get older? I left Morte station in 1970 at the age of 18 for a new adventure in New Zealand. My adventure continues and I’ve only been back ‘home’ twice; both visits being in the last 5 years. To be honest I didn’t think I needed or wanted to come back. I had spent over 30 years in New Zealand but felt the need to visit remaining family at North Morte for ‘one last time’.

The Red Barn, is known by many people as the building on the sea front with the red roof, and adorned inside with surfboards. Many people have passed through its doors, but did you know in 1906 it was opened as The Bungalow Cafe?

As the Red Barn, as we know it today, celebrates it’s 50th Anniversary,we would love to see your photographs of time spent in here over the last 50 years. Please send us your photos, we will be using a selection in the next issues Readers Gallery.

That first time back, in a cold February, rekindled these childhood memories. I quickly walked out to Bull Point, visited Rockham, Grunta and Morte Point, the site of the lookout all bringing back a flood of great memories. Peter Parkin, Bill Baker, and Malcolm Yeo the village ‘gang’!

North Devon Journal - Thursday 31 May 1906 Bungalow Café Restaurant at Woolacombe Under this title a new refreshment room was opened at Woolacombe on Monday by Mr G. Southcombe of Ilfracombe. The building is a fine detached block, right in the centre of the village, and fronting to the sea. The principal room is a very fine one, 72 feet long, 25 feet wide, with an arched ceiling rising to 25 feet at the apex. It has four large windows in front , and at each end is a fine alcove with a large window, and there is also a window in each gable. In the centre opposite the entrance is a large semi-circular counter of polished wood, while the woodwork throughout the room is enamelled in white.

The walls are covered with a tasteful art paper in green and red and the floor with artistic Staines linoleum. There will be accommodation at tables of various sizes for over 150 visitors, and every description of confectionary and refreshments will be served. The whole of the china used is of a very fine rose pattern.

The room has two handsome fireplaces, and is lighted by six large lamps of the Veritas pattern. Opening out at the back of the room are lavatories for ladies and gentlemen, fitted with hot and cold water, and large mirrors. From the back of the counter are reached the store room, having ten large cupboards, the dairy and larder, kitchen, wash up room, and sitting room, while bedrooms are provided above. There is a back entrance to the premises, and along the whole frontage is a verandah, six feet wide. Beneath the dining room and entered from outside is a cycle rest, where a good number of cycles can be stored.

Mr G. Southcombe, jnr, takes charge of the business, which provides accommodation of the most modern kind, hitherto lacking in this favourite resort for day visitors. We wish the new venture every success.

On my return to New Zealand, I realized I would need to go back, and in 2013, I returned with my wife. One of the first things that happened on walking down to the pub was to meet up with four locals opposite the church, with Richard Ashford saying “yer comes mouley” - I’m sure they still looked the same! I find it sad to see so many ‘locals’ have moved out to make way for holiday accommodation.

Next, a visit to Dad’s favorite haunt and the bar man who remembered him. Showing my wife the wall my Dad built at 4th lighthouse gate and the original hand rail my grandfather had put up at Rockham really reminded me how tied I still am to ‘home’. Finding out my childhood pleasure of picking daffodils in Kinevor wood (sixpence a bunch) is no longer allowed was a bit of a shock! Meeting the widow of my local football hero, Harry Wilde, was very special - I can still hear us young ones chanting his name against Lynton! Talking of football, was Ernie Sharland really that ‘one eyed’ when he refereed or did a line? Was Neil Browning that much better than me? Yes he was! Did we really play at Two Bridges in a blizzard?

So, do I have fond memories of Morte? I do! These and many more memories have regained the significance in my life that it warrants. It really was a great place to have a childhood, and Woolacombe wasn’t too bad either!!

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The

Readers Gallery

Karen Reay - Afternoon Tea Big Bear Van Conversions

Rick Park - Instagram

Michael Hodges - Twitter

Cladonia Scerri Looking over the beach

Janet Hutchins - Facebook The North Devon Lorry visits Woolacombe

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If you have ever taken a snap shot of Woolacombe or Mortehoe we would love to see it.

If you are a budding photographer, holiday snapper, or have photographs over the years you have lived here, we would love to share them in our Readers Gallery, photographs can either be sent to woolacombemortehoevoice@gmail.com or uploaded via our Instagram, Twitter or Facebook pages.

Hannah Warne - Instagram

Jilly Ballantyne Mortehoe Village

Michael Hodges

Kim Rogers - Twitter Buddy the Dog enjoying the beach

Kerrie Peterson - Instagram

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Dog friendly accommodation A selection of dog friendly places to stay in the area.

Lundy House Hotel Chapel Hill Mortehoe Woolacombe North Devon EX34 7DZ Tel:01271 870372 www.lundyhousehotel.webvilla.net

Excellent Bed and Breakfast Accommodation in between Woolacombe and Mortehoe. Lundy House Hotel is set directly on the North Devon coastline, with views across to Lundy Island and placed midway between the quaint old village of Mortehoe and the seaside resort of Woolacombe in North Devon.

The Lundy House Hotel is a small family run hotel where we aim to give our guests a comfortable, relaxing and truly memorable holiday in idyllic surroundings. We have an extensive breakfast menu. Vegetarians are always catered for.

Dogs are very welcome at Lundy House Hotel, but please keep your dog on a lead in the hotel and in the grounds. Dogs may be left in your room when you are dining, but they may not be left attended at any other times.

Please do not let your dog sleep on our beds or dogs mess in the garden. We want to keep this as a beautiful resource for all hotel guests and visitors. We regret we cannot accept puppies that are not house trained.

Feel free to bring your own doggie bedding. We can also provide towels if your dog needs to be dried off and are happy to fill up water bottles. We have brought in a small charge for dogs staying in our hotel of £5 per dog per night.

Seacroft B&B Furlong Down Poole Lane Woolacombe EX34 7AP 01271 870112 www.seacroftwoolacombe.co.uk

Here at Seacroft we believe that your dog should have a holiday and enjoy the glorious North Devon coast as much as you. There are many footpaths over the surrounding countryside for them to explore.

We welcome dogs with well behaved owners to stay in the Hydrangea Room where there is the extra space for the dog to sleep in the adjoining conservatory. There is a door leading to outside garden area which you can use to come and go as you please. A welcome basket is given to each dog on arrival. A small charge of £5 per night is made for each dog – a small price to pay in comparison to kennels.

This room is very popular with dog owners and early booking is advisable.

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Shafsboro’ Farm Near Mortehoe Woolacombe North Devon EX34 8LS 01271 865029 http://www.shaftsboro.com Shaftsboro Farm offers high quality bed and breakfast and self catering accommodation near Mortehoe and Woolacombe. We are a working family-owned farm with beautiful countryside views, overlooking the Fuchsia Valley at Lee. We are just 3 miles from Woolacombe and not far from the South West Coast Path.

We offer storage for bikes and surfboards and welcome walkers. We are very close to the cycleway that goes from Ilfracombe to meet up with the Tarka Trail which follows old railway tracks to mid Devon. The Victorian town of Ilfracombe is about 5 miles and has a theatre, art gallery, restaurants, museum and a swimming pool.

Private parking and a relaxed friendly atmosphere with a lovely garden to relax in, many walks straight from the front door makes Shaftsboro an ideal location. Well behaved dogs are welcome.

Trimstone Manor Trimstone Nr Woolacombe North Devon EX34 8NR 01271 862841 www.trimstone.co.uk Nestling in 44 acres of glorious Devonshire countryside is Trimstone Manor Country House Hotel & cottages. Trimstone is mentioned in the Domesday Book and you really do feel that you are stepping back in time, for all the right reasons, when you visit this historic location and can enjoy the peace and seclusion that it affords. You can also feel the privilege of visiting a place that has been lived-in and worked-in for well over 1000 years!

There are six, dog-friendly, self-catering cottages and two allocated hotel rooms, which are all VisitBritain Three Star accredited. The Cottages were converted from what was originally a Mill and its ancillary buildings. Set around a courtyard - with parking just outside the door - there are adjoining landscaped gardens, amenity field and extensive grounds, for you and your dogs to explore safely. Guests staying in the cottages have access to all of the hotel facilities, including an indoor heated swimming pool, gym, sauna, games room and free high speed wi-fi.

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Warcombe Farm Camping Park Station Road Mortehoe North Devon EX34 7EJ 01271 870690 www.warcombefarm.co.uk We are a family and dog friendly touring park and we understand the importance for all the family to have a fabulous holiday. On arrival to our site all dogs receive a little goodie bag to welcome them to the park. We have 14 acres of woodland where your four legged friends can be exercised off the lead and enjoy this beautiful woodland to run sniff and explore.

The coastal footpath and the Tarka cycle trail are easily accessed from the site great fun for all the family. Warcombe Farm is close to the dog friendly beach of Woolacombe bay.

Golden Coast Holiday Village Station Road Woolacombe Devon EX34 7HW 01271 870343 www.woolacombe.co.uk As dog owners ourselves we understand how important it is for your pet to enjoy their family holiday! Our Pet Friendly Holiday Homes are situated within easy access to footpaths and exercise areas, we also include all the little extras that will make your holiday one to remember and keep you coming back for more!

Our Pet Friendly accommodation includes a FREE Pet Pack with the following.....

• • • •

Comfy dog bed with covers we change on every arrival Healthy dog treat and doggy toy Feeding and water bowls All important pooper scooper with unlimited refills

Plus you’ll also get our WOOF Guide to Woolacombe packed full of useful information including stunning coastal walks and countryside footpaths, pet friendly pubs, restaurants and tea houses. Plus maps and access guides for local beaches, details of local vets, pet groomers and pet friendly attractions in the area.

We have a superb selection of Pet Friendly Holiday Homes from £99 for the whole family at Golden Coast, Woolacombe Bay and Twitchen House or if you and your pet prefer to sleep under the stars you can pitch up or park your tourer at Woolacombe Bay, Twitchen House or Easewell Farm.

There is a small charge for pets. Terms & conditions apply 28

Dog Friendly Beaches

A trip to the beach is fun for any dog, with plenty of running, playing and new things to explore. Woolacombe and Mortehoe have plenty of dog friendly places to take your four legged friend. The 3 miles stretch of beach allows dogs in certain zones at different times of the year.

(Map shown opposite): Zone A Dogs are not allowed in Zone A from Good Friday or 1st April until 1st November.

Zone B Dogs must be on leads in Zone B from 1st May until 30th September.

Zone C No dog restrictions Braunton Burrows, and the National Trust coastline walks are also a great place to walk, although dog owners are reminded that there are often live stock grazing and owners are asked to take care whilst walking their dogs.

Other beaches that allow dogs are: Barriane Crow Point, near Braunton Croyde Beach Grunta, Mortehoe Lee Lynmouth Northam Burrows Watersmouth 29

Things to on 1

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Rosemoor Gardens, stunning Royal Horticultural gardens based in Great Torrington. Steeped in history the gardens were given to the RHS in 1988

by Lady Anne, and were opened to the public in 1990. The formal gardens are outlined by more than 1,200 hedges, and over 2000 roses can be seen. www.rhs.org/gardens/rosemoor

Visit the quaint fishing village of Appledore. Where the Taw and Torridge rivers meet, Appledore is the perfect place to see narrow streets, fishermans cottages and enjoy an ice cream on the quayside. It is a great place to go fishing, crabbing is also a lot of fun for children and adults alike.We will be featuring Appledore in our next issues ‘Spotlight feature’.

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Saunton Sands, spend a day at this popular beach, situated between Croyde and Brauton. It is ideal for a number of water sports including kite surfing, kayaking and surfing. Saunton Sands is a dog friendly beach, with plenty of facilites including beach huts and a cafe. www.sauntonbeach.info

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Exmoor Zoo, recently awarded the best small attraction in Devon, Exmoor Zoo is a fun family day out set in the North Devon countryside. Experience wildlife from around the world, enjoy one of the talks or go to one of the feeding and animal handling sessions. Its a great day out, we would love to see your photos when you visit ... watch out for ‘the beast’! www.exmoorzoo.co.uk

Geocaching, if you love a treasure hunt, you should give geocaching a try. Using GPS to navigate set coordinates you are searching for the ‘geocache’ (a container) hidden at a set location. A typical ‘cache’ is a waterproof box containing a logbook with pen. When the geocacher finds the container they add their code names and the date. There are many locations in Woolacombe and Mortehoe to try geocaching, its a great way to explore the area while having fun. Be careful it can be addictive! Let us know how you get on.

Read more on our website: www.woolacombemortehoevoice.wordpress.com 30

do holiday 6

Have a Hockings Ice Cream, enjoy a delicious ice cream by the sea. Hocking’s have been making ice cream since 1936, a family run business, they serve North Devons Bronze medal winning dairy ice cream from their iconic red and yellow vans. www.hockingsicecream.co.uk

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British Surf Museum. Located in Braunton, the museum opened in 2012 and has won the National Museum’s award. Believed to be the largest and most comprehensive public collection in Europe its certainly worth a visit. The museum runs a number of special exhibitions, and is currently running the British Surfing Pioneers, celebrating 125 years of surfing. For more details visit their website. www.museumofbritishsurfing.org.uk

Borough Farm, Visit this North Devon working farm, as featured on Channel Five’s “Mist – Sheepdog Tales” The farm is home to David Kennard and his family, together they farm 600 sheep and 50 cattle. The farm hosts shows and events throughout the year, is well worth a visit. For more information www.borough farm.co.uk

Ilfracombe Tunnels, hand carved in the 1820’s a visit to the tunnels make a unique and enjoyable day out. Located within a designated “area of outstanding natural beauty” this beautiful coastline remains virtually unchanged from its Victorian days. The tunnels have plenty of facilities to make a great day out, including a cafe, play area and shop. www.tunnelsbeaches.co.uk

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Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, take a picturesque ride through the beautiful Devon countryside and rugged coastline. The train at Woody Bay, is part of a larger project, hoped one day to become one of the ultimate narrow gauge treasures of the world. A perfect day out or a place to stop of at following a visit to Lynton and Lynmouth, the trains allow dogs making this a great day out for the whole family. www.lynton-rail.co.uk 31

Lynton & Lynmouth Little Switzerland Lynmouth is possibly best known for the tragic flood that happened in 1952.

On August 15th, after 12 days of above average rainfall, a thunderstorm produced a further 230mm of rain to fall. Lynmouth, located at the end of the valley witnessed the concentration of all of this rain, gushing to the heart of the town. One of the bridges that crossed the river was washed away, the other, however acted as a barrier holding back all the debris that had swept the town, resulting in the waters being diverted along the main streets of Lynmouth as they were forced to find an alternative route to the sea.

The river gorge of Watersmeet is a little over a mile from Lynmouth.

Watersmeet is where the East Lyn River and Hoar Oak water meet and provide a stunning landscape of woodlands and waterfalls.

Watersmeet is run by The National Trust and is a perfect place to go for a stroll, or perhaps a longer hike, for a more relaxing visit, simply enjoy a slice of cake and a drink in a stunning setting, while listening to the running water falls and singing birds.

Today the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth are better known as ‘Little Switzerland’ named by the Victorians on account of the winding valley and picturesque landscapes.

The towns are joined by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff railway, where you can enjoy the views whilst travelling on the 862 foot lenght of track, from Lynton to Lynmouth some 500 feet below.

The building of properties during the Victorian years had altered the route of the previous river to allow the town to develop, the force of the flood waters, reverted back to its old river bed taking much of Lynmouth with it.

34 people died in this tragic event.

More can be read about the Lynmouth flood at:

Enjoy some time looking around the shops or art galleries. Visit the Lyn and Exmoor museum or visit the Lynmouth flood memorial. There is plenty for the whole family to do in the area.

The area is also host to a number of stunning walks, and a must see is the Valley of the Rocks.

www.woolacombemortehoevoice.wordpress.com

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Conjure up the image of any British seaside resort, and you will think of sandcastles, children running down to the sea with their buckets and spades to fill up the moat with sea water. The history of sand castle building is sketchy, but the phrase is believed to have started in the 19th century, although the activity had probably been going on for many years before this.

Sand castle building competitions were firmly established at the seaside resorts by the end of the century, and one newspaper described hundreds of children building “forts and bridges, houses, and lighthouses�.

Glyn Pollington has kindly shared his photos of the sandcastles and sculptures displayed as part of the North Devon Sandcastle Competition at Woolacombe Beach

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Events

Get in Touch We always love to hear from you, if you want to get in touch, you can in the following ways

June Friday 6th June

Follow us on twitter @WoolacombeVoice The twitter site is dedicated to anything related to Woolacombe & Mortehoe. Sharing photos, events, news, anything goes as long as its related to the area! Give us a follow.

Forged Festival Barnstaple - A tribute music festival. www.forgedfestival.com

Follow us on Facebook Woolacombe Mortehoe Voice We share a number of old and new photos of Woolacombe & Mortehoe on our Facebook site, most of these are from our extensive local postcard collection. We would love to share photos you post as well.

Follow us on Instagram WoolacombeMortehoeVoice If you have a photo of Woolacombe or Mortehoe you would like to share with us, please use #woolacombemortehoevoice all photos on instagram automatically get displayed on our website gallery.

Saturday 7th June - Sunday 15th June Ilfracombe Victorian Week www.ilfracombevictoriancelebration.org.uk

Saturday 14th June Woolacombe 10K Beach Run www.woolacombebeachrun.co.uk

www.woolacombemortehoevoice.wordpress.com If you would like to write a blog for our website please get in touch, we would love to consider any article or blog about the area.

woolacombemortehoevoice@gmail.com Any ideas, requests or feedback on any of our features please drop us an email.

FInd us online

July

We are also online at: www.woolacombemortehoevoice.wordpress.com

Sunday 19th July

The website is constantly evolving with blogs and features being added to regulary so keep going back to see read the latest articles.

Thursday 23rd - Monday 27th July

Clovelly Maritime Festival www.clovelly.co.uk

Somersault Festival www.somersaultfestival.com

Please get in touch if you would like to contribute to the site in anyway.

August Wednesday 5th August

Contributions

North Devon Show www.northdevonshow.com

Do you love Woolacombe & Mortehoe? Do you have a story or memory you would like to share about the area?

If you would like to write for our magazine, or a blog for our website we really would love to hear from you.

We are happy to consider any ideas as long as its relating to Woolacombe or Mortehoe, it can be past or present.

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Sunday 9th August Appledore to Instow Regatta. www.appledoreinstowregatta.org.uk

31 August The annual UK National Sandcastle Competition www.sandcastle.org.uk

For full listings please visit our website www.woolacombemortehoe.wordpress

Molly & Woolly’s Adventures Molly and Woolly have been very busy since we last saw them. They would love to tell you all about their adventures and share some of their photographs!

It was a dark winter night and Molly was feeling a little bored, she wanted to plan some adventures and places to go.

Woolly had heard about a wonderful city that is famous for its cheese, which mice love to eat, the place is called Paris. Molly had also heard that there is a huge tower in Paris, and she was excited that they could climb to the top of it. Molly and Woolly set about finding out more about this magical place.

Molly wrote down some facts to share with you in her mouse diary.

Molly and Woolly arrived in Paris very excited about their new adventure.

They rushed to the Eiffel Tower, which was so tall compared to such tiny mice, they had to look such a long way up to see the top of it. A kind lady took a photo of them both with the tower behind them, they even had their photo taken sitting on the tower itself, and on one of the glass floors near the top of the tower, looking down on all the people below. They are such brave mice!

ry My Dia use o M y Moll

nce. l of Fra a t i p a c s is the 1) Pari neer ch engi n e fr a el, e also ave Eiff tower, h in New l’ e 2) Gust ff i ‘E iberty d the designe the Statue of L d e design York. make a used to , s i r as a P ter of bone, w 3) Plas reak a b u o y en cast wh in Paris. d e t n e v in o paint paint t f o s e n on kes 60 t 4) It ta . r e w o t el the Eiff place in visited t s o m ors. e ce is th on visit 5) Fran , with 80 milli ld the wor

Woolly loved his trip to Paris, and wanted to visit somewhere else as soon as they got home. Woolly loves all animals, big and small. He decided he would like to visit a special place in Sidmouth, Devon, where Donkeys who had not had the best start in life go to have a happier home. The humans who look after these donkeys are so nice and really look after them. www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk Woolly also drew a Donkey picture, why don’t you do the same? Woolly would love to see a photo of you and your drawing in our next magazine. Please send your photographs to: woolacombemortehoevoice@gmail.com

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Molly and Woolly packed for their next holiday, this time they were going to their favourite places in the world, Woolacombe & Mortehoe. They both loved visiting here, and always had so much fun. They arrived at The Woolacombe Bay Hotel, and were shown to their room which had a lovely view over the sea. After they had unpacked they rushed down to the beach, so they could sit together and watch the waves crash along the rocks, and watch the people surfing in the sea.

The next day, Woolly and Molly decided to visit Lynton & Lynmouth as they had heard it is very pretty, with lots of waterfalls and a big cable car that goes from one town to the other.

Help the mouse find the cheese

It was a very windy day, and Woolly nearly got blown into the river .... luckily a nice lady saved him!!

They decided as the weather wasn’t very nice to go back to their hotel, and do some puzzles.

They have shared their mouse puzzles so you can do the same.

Follow Us

On their last day, Molly and Woolly visited the Mortehoe Museum, it is a very interesting place that tells you lots of facts about the area and what it used to be like .

Woolly & Molly love to go on all sorts of adventures and meet new people. You can follow them on twitter @WoollyMollyMice

Woolly & Molly would love you to send in photographs of you and the pictures you have drawn. Perhaps draw the donkey like Woolly has, or your favourite place to visit when you are in Woolacmbe or Mortehoe .... you could even draw Woolly and Molly!!

Send them to woolacombemortehoevoice@gmail.com. A selection will be added to our next magazine

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Find the way out of the maze

A pirate is a person who attacks and robs ships at sea.

Help this pirate find the gold treasure.

Join the Dots Did you know that the coastline of Woolacombe & Mortehoe has seen many smugglers. You can join the National Trust’s Wrecking and Smugglers Adventure Walk on 20th August. More details can be found on their website.

Spot the 8 differences

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NEXT ISSUE Out 1st September 2015

Learn more about the humble postcard, and the holiday memories of those who have visited Woolacombe & Mortehoe through the generations

The Tarka Trail, we learn more about its history, and where you can cycle too

Read more about the important role that Woolacombe played in the D Day landings during World War 2

Find out more about the pretty fishing village of Appledore in our ‘Spotlight’ feature.

Child friendly holidays in Woolacombe and Mortehoe, things to do, places to go while on a family holiday.

... plus many more articles 40