Walk on the wild side in Devon’s heartland

Mid-Devon may not sound an inspiring location for walkers but it’s a wonderful place for amblers and ramblers alike.

This area of mid-Devon is often overlooked as people drive through it to the North Devon coast, but it’s a great place full of hidden challenges for ramblers and somewhere off the beaten track for walkers of all abilities to explore.

Anyone keen to find somewhere that the hoards have yet to discover should head this way.

There are still vast expanses of moorland here where you won’t see another soul when you’re out walking.

Our pub is a wonderful base for walkers. We think we’re pretty unique too, as we provide top-notch accommodation and award-winning, seasonal food, as well as help and advice regarding particular walks for those staying with us. It’s a haven for walkers here and a foodie heaven all wrapped into one.

Our part of Devon and this side of Exmoor is perfect for walkers of all abilities. There is plenty to see and do and miles of easily accessible footpaths. Not far from us is the 117-mile Two Moors Way, which traverses the whole county, coast-to-coast, from Plymouth to Lynmouth.

We’re also close to the Devon bit of the South West Coast Path, which has wonderful, breath-taking views. There are lots of circular walks here too, perfect for all abilities.

Guests very often treat themselves, at the end of a long day walking, to a meal before settling into one of our guest rooms for a good night’s sleep, before continuing with their outdoor adventure the next day. We also welcome walkers just wishing to stop off for lunch too.

Bampton is also on the Exe Valley Way walking route and on the West Country Way cycle route. It boasts easy walking around the town, including a ‘Town Trail’, and in the summer, it has floral displays for visitors to see too.

To find out more, please call us on 01398 332248 or visit our website: www.theswan.co.

Thank you to Steve Lee for the image of Bampton. 

Recipe for sea trout

•    1 sea trout pinned and scaled approx. 1.5 – 2 kilo
•    250g sea salt
•    250g caster sugar
•    100ml gin – we use Wicked Wolf from Exmoor
•    50 ml of white wine vinegar
•    one good tablespoon of dried Cornish mixed seaweed optional (can be bought online from www.cornishseaweed.co.uk)

You will also need some grapefruit segments or almond flakes.

Method

• Place clingfilm over a tray and lay trout on it.
• Give the mixture and good stir and cover all the trout with it. Wrap up tightly in the cling film and place in a fridge for 24 hours. The longer you leave it the drier and firmer the trout goes.
• Wash the trout and wash of all the salt and gin.
• Pat dry and its ready to go.
• Slice thinly using a very sharp knife and garnish with ruby grapefruit segments. The addition of grilled flaked almonds is rather good as well.
• If you’re lucky and you have a friend who’s a trout fisherman, this recipe works just as well with river trout and lake caught trout. 

Photos by www.davidgriffen.co.uk

Make us Muddy winners this week!

Just when you thought the elections were over…there’s more voting to do, this time of a foodie nature!

Due to a technical hitch on the Muddy Stilettos website last week, voting for their awards was hampered BUT we’ve now been given extra time to get as many votes as possible in for us. Can you help?

So far with your assistance, we’re finalists in the Best Destination Pub category. However, we now need you to vote again to ensure we win outright.

Voting has been extended and now ends at midday on Friday, June 16. Winners will be formally announced on the Muddy Stilettos blog as soon as the votes have all been verified.

Muddy Stilettos is the UK’s leading regional lifestyle blog, with more than 100,000 readers and a social following of 50,000 across 18 English counties, so to win in this category would be quite something for us.

So, if you love what we do here at The Swan, please vote today and ask all your friends and family to vote too. Thank you!

If you’ve already voted for us – thank you very much!

Bampton’s a buzz with parachuting bears & a duck race!

Visitors to Bampton next Saturday (May 27, 2017) are being invited to bring their bears to have a go at teddy skydiving or try some duck racing.

The town’s Spring Fest, which is on May 27 this year, includes races on the River Batherm and furry friends will be launched from the church tower just behind us at The Swan.

The event includes lots of wonderful activities and it really gives the town a buzz. It’s great fun for all the family and a good time to come and visit if you have little ones.

With the teddy parachuting, don’t think this is just a children’s event, people of all ages bring their bears to take part. Some of the teddy bears we’ve seen in previous years have been more than 60 years old! Afterwards, each bear gets his personal bravery award.

The event from 10am until 4pm also includes a Blue Cross dog show, classic cars, a street market, music, crafts and a dog agility event, as well as free parking.

Bampton is an idyllic, historic, market town, which still boasts a vibrant high street with a traditional butcher, baker and greengrocers. The area is hugely popular with visitors.

During the event, we’ll be celebrating the very best of our local suppliers. Our ethos has always been to provide good food, sourced locally wherever possible, while supporting other businesses in the community too. Among our list of suppliers is the butchers in Bampton, which is owned by nearby farmer John Westcott.

Melt in your mouth chocolate brownie recipe

Not sure how to entertain the kids in the coming half-term break? Why not make our chocolate brownie? This recipe can be great fun to whip up with kids of all ages and as most love chocolate you’re bound to be a hit…

Ingredients
•    400 grams of good plain chocolate
•    300 grams of unsalted butter plus a little extra for greasing the tray
•    250 grams of castor sugar
•    4 free range eggs (med size)
•    100 grams of plain flour
•    1 teaspoon of baking powder

Method
•    Set oven to temperature 180°c or gas mark 4
•    Lightly grease a 20cm square baking tray and line with baking parchment
•    Melt half the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and keep the other half of chocolate back. You will need to cut the chocolate into small lumps.
•    When the chocolate has melted add the butter and stir until it has all melted.
•    Remove the mixture from the heat and add the sugar and beat in the eggs to the chocolate mixture until its really well mixed in.
•    Sieve the flour and baking flour into a large mixing bowl and slowly fold in the chocolate mixture.
•    Add the rest of chocolate pieces and if you wish, add some hazelnuts or peeled pistachio nuts too.
•    Pour the mixture into your baking tray and bake for 25-30 mins until it feels firm.
•    Leave it to cool and then turn out on to a wire rack and allow it to fully cool down.
•    Cut it up into squares and, bingo, you have brownies.
•    If you prefer to eat yours warm, when they’ve cooled down just place into a warm oven for 5 mins.           

Exmoor’s Outdoor Festival kicks off this month

North Devon and Exmoor’s annual Walking Festival began on May 1 (2017) and this year it has been rebranded as an Outdoor Festival to help attract more people to the area.

The month-long event run by Visit Exmoor includes forestry, coastal and moorland walks as well as routes through pretty hamlets and lots of other outdoor activities are also being encouraged too.

This festival is a great way for people to find out and experience for themselves North Devon’s and Exmoor’s most glorious countryside.

The proposal this year is that all of May 2017 will be known as an Outdoor Festival month, with plans by Visit Exmoor for guided walks, as well as other outdoor activities.

One of the places we recommend our guests visit is Tarr Steps near Dulverton. It used to be very famous and tourists flocked there but now it’s a bit quieter, even on nice sunny days in the summer.

For those who don’t know it, Tarr Steps is a bridge made of stone slabs over the river Barle. It’s the longest of its kind in Britain and was first mentioned in documents in the Tudor times, but is thought to be much older. It’s a truly magical place.

Devon offers the perfect formula for Poohsticks

Families looking for a homegrown holiday this year could indulge in a break playing Poohsticks in the heart of Devon.

We’re offering a cosy base for budding Christopher Robins interested in perfecting their stick launching technique.

We’ve got some marvellous rivers and streams with bridges here in the Westcountry that make great locations for the odd game of poohsticks!

Not so far from us is Tarr Steps and it’s also worth visiting the picturesque Malmsmead, with its Robber’s Bridge, near Oare, which was included in the Lorna Doone story!

Tarr Steps used to be very famous and tourists flocked there but now it’s a bit quieter even on nice sunny days in the summer. We love going there with our Labrador Tansy for a paddle in the river and a walk, and we always recommend it to our guests who stay with us.