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.