Jill's Blog

Just when I yearn for a balaclava for the first time in my life...

2012-02-22T08:42:00.005-08:00

Anyone been in the new cafe in Okehampton yet ? Called Toast ?
Click the link to see my review... and pics of the yummy carrot cake on offer.

Even if it's raining you'll be fascinated

2012-01-25T10:03:00.001-08:00

Walk on Dartmoor right now and find millions
of treasures .....

You don't need to seek them out.
They are festooned over every surface.
Clinging on to bits of old wood felled on the forest floor. Sitting alongside a carpet of sphagnum moss or a blown up pile of old leaves, shapes and form all but disappeared.
All thriving in the drip drip drip of persistant light rain.
Layers of close fitting fungus like a bank of babies' ears.
Gentle and perfect.

And glistening in the wet grass ...
A few stray buff coloured Fairies' Bonnets.
Latin name Coprinus disseminatus.
Usually showing their heads in Spring, they are already here, eager to get going. Sometimes you come across great brigades of them making their way downhill in a clearing like mini sized extras on a Walt Disney film of the forest.
Dartmoor is stuffed full of such wonders.
Come and see

Click a photo - you can almost smell the undergrowth...

More entries for the auction this Saturday.

2012-01-19T03:11:00.000-08:00

More entries for the auction in Chagford this coming weekend - John arrived with a couple of huge boxes, inside which were 113 collectible cars. Corgi classics etc.
You never know what will turn up at the sale. See you there. You'll spot me behind a bacon bap!
Chagford is well worth a visit anyway, as some of the shops have sales on now.
3 pubs and Whiddons Tea room are all great. The Three Crowns is still undergoing upgrading work. The New Forge is closed until Wednesday 25th, but over the road is the Courtyard with good veggie food and next to the post Office is Black's the village delicatessen stuffed with all manner of quiches, big fat olives. So, no need to be worried about food then ?

Chagford Auction in January, a chance for a bargain

2012-01-06T01:49:00.000-08:00

If like me you enjoy a good auction, then get yourselves along to Chagford on Saturday 21st later this month for John Wood's regular 'Dartmoor Auctioneer' Auction. He holds them 4 or 5 times a year and I take the pictures for his website of some of the lots as they come in.
Two things that took my eye when he arrived with a bagful of jewellery this week were a large pendant with an iridescent blue stone set in silver.
I meant to ask John just what the stone is, when he came back to collect, but forgot. I think it might be Lapis Lazuli. And an amethyst and pearl ring is something else that Santa could leave in my stocking any year.
John does makes me laugh. Each auction he arrives a few weeks before with an array of goodies for me to picture, and always, he bemoans the fact that he hasn't got enough lots to offer, and then every time without fail for the last 4 years that I have been running his website, come the day of the auction he's saying that there are far too many lots and he doesn't know if he will get through them all. Sometimes late lots have to be held over for the next date.
There will no doubt be more items to show on his website as we get closer to the 21st.
He will arrive with something out of the ordinary under his arm asking me if I could add this to the website, plus one or two other interesting 'things' that happen to be in the back of his lorry.
All manner of stuff turns up. Last year he auctioned off a huge bottle of vintage champagne for charity. Fortunately for the auction onlookers, there are usually a couple of dozen chairs in the sale and the crowd has to rise as the chaps who point out the lots hold them aloft for all to see. Last time a wooden harpsicord made a good price and each time I spot some must-have thing to bid on that Rob puts his foot down about. I have been known to ask someone else in the hall to bid for me so that Rob doesn't get wound up, and then I get wound up at his side thinking that he might just cave in and make a last minute bid for the item if it's going for a low price.
So far that hasn't happened.
You have met Rob have you ?

Click here to see more jewellery on the auction website

Sunday Carvery at Whiddon Down - a treat.

2011-12-28T10:23:00.000-08:00

What did I think of our Sunday Carvery lunch at the Post Inn, Whiddon Down just before Christmas?
Click my food review page to find out and see lots more photos.....

Perfect Honeymoon spot for garden lovers.

2011-12-19T02:51:00.000-08:00

So glad I found time to go along and see one of
our sleeps two self catering lets.
Super quality. Read my full review

and see lots more photos.

home made Christmas cards for the last time maybe....

2011-12-13T06:40:00.000-08:00

If you usually get a home made Christmas card from me, don't be too sure of one this year.
We are both suffering with coughs and colds and everything that requires effort or thought is taking roughly three times as long as usual to carry out.
I've been making my own cards for over 20 years now, and for at least 19 of those I have bleated out "Never again" and "Why do I bother?" "No-one appreciates them do they?" and this year what with the sniffs and the blinking gold pen running out on day two, I'm a prime candidate for that Grumpy Old Women show on the telly.
But then the postman brings a dear little home made card from our youngest nephew full of glue and glitter that we know is largely put together by his Mummy, someone sends a card saying "looking forward to this year's card" and my elderly neighbour asks "have you got the cards made yet ?" and I set off with firm resolve.
You will see from the row above that there is a special in the line-up because Nancy told me that she wanted a snowman with a red hat on her card, so there he is the little beauty, with his arms made of dead lavender stems.
Everyone else, this is what you'll be getting, just as soon as I manage to purchase a new gold pen.
If I can't find one in Chagford tonight on the late night shopping night, then it might have to wait until we make it into Exeter in the New Year.
In the meantime.... season's best all round.
Jill
"What do you mean the Christmas tree lights don't work ? Rob you can build rallye cars. Surely a few little skimpy bulbs can't defeat you ?"
"No thanks, I don't want to ******* well try it myself !"

booking your holiday online - don't !!

2011-12-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

Take a look at this.
This is what shows at the head of a home page of a good hotel in Plymouth.
The hotel is prepared to offer you a completely FREE STAY if they book you in and you could have paid less if booking by other means.
I'm delighted to see this. And it backs up what I have been saying all along.
IF YOU SEE A STARTLING OFFER ON ONE OF THE LAST MINUTE/lLATE DEAL/TRIP OR SIMILAR WEBSITES.....Then jot the price down and give the hotel a quick ring to make the booking with the hotel and not through a third party.
WHY ?
Because the poor old hotel has enough overheads without having to pay commission on your holiday to a booking company who may look friendly and bright.
But what the customer sometimes forgets is that all last minute, advisor, late room websites are effectively travel agents who make the hotel or bed and breakfast provider a charge for each and every booking placed.
Unlike my website which simply gives you an unhindered link to the hotel etc.
I was recently advised by a hotel staff member that I should become an affiliate for one of these late room type websites and make myself some money by sharing commission from any visitors I send to them.
That is not my way at all.
Much rather I make the accommodation providers who come onto my website a sensible charge to advertise with me and let the holidaymaker get in touch directly with the overnight bed provider.
Nowadays, the Internet surfer is a lot more web savvy and he/she can read a lot more from the accommodation provider's website than from any standardised list of hotels and B&B's on show in these huge global websites.
I urge you to always visit the actual hotel website rather than plunge in and make an impulse booking, and if you like what you see, then drop the hotel/b&b an e-mail request saying something along the lines of "I have just seen on the ******** late/lastminute/trip website that you are offering a room on Friday for 2 with breakfast at just £25 (or what is on offer) Can I book that with you by credit card if I telephone you direct ?"
Chances are, that just like the hotel shown at the top of this post, they will be MORE than happy to book you in.
Because the less money they have to fork out in commission, the more they can spend on the things that make an impact on the quality of your holiday - staffing etc.
Now you might come back to me and say, hang on a minute. You charge the hotels to be on your website ...... yes I do, and the proof is in the pudding. Every year they renew their listing, because they get a good return for their money by using my website.
They don't have to advertise with me. BUT when the vast majority of visitors unthinkingly make bookings through the familiar bookings websites without realising the financial implications, then the hotel owner is forced to use them as a means to stay in the game.
I would advise any hotel or bed and breakfast provider, like our friend above, to claim loudly on their websites, that they would prefer to take bookings directly.
It's as bad as paying an extra £1.60 for the privilege of booking 2 £21 tickets at the theatre recently. For a play that lasted just 1 hour and 20 minutes ... when I .... and then..
No, don't get me started .... you know how I can rant !
Time for bed.
G'night folks

I was right about that Cormorant !

2011-11-29T08:38:00.000-08:00

Oh yes.... I was right about that cormorant (see yesterday's blog) the bad weather is here in force today. Gusty winds and rain, rain, rain.
Time to catch up on writing up that outstanding food review of lunch at the Edgemoor hotel

and my recent visit to the Old Dairy at Yelverton.

See what you think !

Google analytics, hit rates and why I'm crowing....

2011-11-28T04:56:00.001-08:00

A quick note to tell you that I have just checked out Dartmoor Accommodation's google analytics for the past 12 months and compared them to the previous 12 months and they are up by 48.63% which is pretty good going ....
Over 50 thousand visits from all over the world including such far flung places as Ecuador, Zambia, Afganistan (maybe soldiers planning romantic trips for their sweethearts I like to think) Venezuela, Surinam and Japan. Even 36 visits from South Korea !
So if you are someone reading this from one of these locations.... hello from me and thanks for looking ! We hope to see you here some day.Right now it's sunny, with a forecast of rain to come later on in the day.

I can believe this because I spotted a cormorant in our local river this morning when I was out with the dog, and they only come so far inland (about 20 miles) when the weather is rough at the coast. The weatherman tells of storm force winds in the north of the country, but here at the moment there is just the slightest of breezes.

Perfect growing weather for the multitude of fungus in the area.
Take a look through my website and consider coming here in 2012. You won't be disappointed.
Bye for now !

Solar power, useless yesterday, brilliant today.

2011-11-25T04:23:00.000-08:00

My life has changed dramatically since the 28th of July when we had solar panels fitted to the roof.

Years ago I read or heard an article that told us to use all heavy appliances in the night whenever possible, so as my washing machine is far enough from our bedroom for us not to hear it, I have steadfastly done the laundry at bedtime wherever possible to help offset the demand on power stations - less power at peak periods means fewer calls for more power stations to be built being the thinking.
BUT this year on a baking hot few days in Summer all that changed for me. And I seem to spend a good part of my life, now that the shorter days are here checking out the monitor that shows the power status and bemoaning the fact that on dull days we make as little as 12 pence in a day. HOWEVER on sunny days like today when the sky is that lovely clear blue colour, and the green light glows on our fuses board, I switch the old washer on with impunity.
If anyone knows of how we could store the power produced on days like this without buying huge storage batteries, then let us know. We have discussed night storage radiators, but himself is not too keen.
Lucky for us, we had the system installed before the Government changed their minds about the tariffs paid to us solar panel owners. At the time it seemed like a good place to put our life savings, as there was little else to do with it. Time will tell if it has been a good investment or not. -----
Sad to say we didn't feature too much in the Kirstie Allsopp show about Chagford Show. There was a good shot of Rob installing the scarecrow, but my interview with Madam herself did not feature. Local opinion is that she must have been too peeved at coming second in class....
Not to worry, life's too short to worry about things that didn't happen.
The sun's still shining.... so I think I'll do a spot of free hoovering now!!
You'd be surprised at how it cheers one up once you know that you are not paying for the pleasure. Look out for clean carpets if you visit !

Suggest you don't watch tv tonight....

2011-11-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight's the night.... you will recall that I told you Kirstie Allsopp was being filmed at Chagford Show last year and that my scarecrow came first beating hers into second place in the Horticultural tent ? Well tonight is the night that Chagford Show features on Channel4 at 8p.m.
But you know what these things are like don't you? You let all and sundry know that you are going to get shown large and when you have coerced 2 thousand people to take a look, you are only seen as a shady blur in the background.
We shall see.

Nigel Fortnam's website done and dusted. And receiving praise all round from his mates.
Most of whom are suggesting - rudely, that I have done an expert job of the photos !
I was surprised to learn that it costs less than I imagined to have him be the master of ceremonies at your event.

A cauli to brag about and posh rooms for staycations

2011-11-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

Never two weeks the same ! Meet Nigel, toastmaster from Lyme Regis.
He saw the new website that I built for the Talbot Arms and gave me a ring to talk money.
So in no time, he came over for me to take some pics and find out all I need to know to build him a website too.
This shot is taken at a kind neighbour's house, and shortly after we went the the Mill End Hotel for him to meet Sue Davies and use the hotel dining room for more shots. Quite useful as they are about to offer wedding packages. Networking in essence.
Sue's not daft ... Would you like to see the latest rooms to receive a makeover in the hotel Jill?

Well done Sue. She is slowly making her way through the hotel and bringing the bedrooms well up to scratch. This one above overlooks the front garden. Sumptuous new carpets, a top class bathroom. Warm as toast and squeaky clean.

This one is at the rear of the hotel, and what it doesn't have in view from the window it more than makes up for in pzzazz. I think I shall be adding it to my honeymoon pages, as it has enormous mirrored doors on the wardrobes, which newleyweds might well enjoy ! that and it's great new bathroom (below)

This really is the time to take a 'Staycation' Dartmoor is looking superbly beautiful as I type.

We had Nancy to stay overnight on Tuesday, so we took her down to the River with Topsy and the colours are stunning at the moment. Autumn on Dartmoor is a delight.

Later on Wednesday we drove Nancy back and had some quality cuddles with Elsie who is now getting around at speed with a sideways arm crawl. Both girls are a total joy to us.
Rob took Nancy to the toilet at home, insisting that she must need a wee by now ....
I had to smile, as I heard her, three years old telling him "Normally Grandad, I go to the toilet on my own, but you can come with me if you really want to " !!!!!!!

Something else cheering me up at the moment is my fine results in the veg garden with some Romanesque cauliflowers. Take a look. Not bad eh ? Surely it's time for me to give all this up so that I can spend my time ordering seeds and enjoying picnics in my greenhouse ?
Click a photo to see them all in full

Why the missing blogs ?

2011-10-27T02:54:00.001-07:00

Well one of the things that has kept me busy is the new website for the Talbot Arms that Tom and I built last week... take a look, see what you think .
And I am trying to get round to the few B&B providers who are on my website that I have not yet visited. Last week I went along to Brook Farmhouse near to Tedburn St. Mary and was well impressed. Read my review.
Back soon Jill

Multi tasking Granny that's me !

2011-10-13T02:47:00.001-07:00

It's been a crazy few weeks. Jennifer, Nancy and Elsie have moved in whilst builders are in their house, so they have been with us for the last month, which has turned our domestic orderliness into complete disarray., Well I say domestic orderliness, but anyone who knows us well, knows that any portrayal of tidy household logic is only apparent for about 20 minutes in any given 2 days. The office is in a shameful state, and never ever gets a proper sort out, as the 6 computer screens are always in need of attention, and any fresh post is sorted into 3 possible landing spots, in the kitchen at Rob's place on the table if it need absolute attention; on the monitor pedestal at my desk (as close to the screen as is possible) if it needs me to file, pay, answer; or on the ever mounting pile of stuff that grows as fast as warm yeast on the desk to my left. This mountain bulges with leaflets, brochures and articles that people send to me; it has intermittant out of date newspapers, each with a turned down page of something that I should pay attention to, and somewhere in that mound is the calendar and our personal telephone book which is sorely in need of an update, as the first entry is for my Mum (Austin) who died in 2004.

But hey, it's autumn and the girls are here and isn't it better for us all to go off for a walk to find some shiny conkers ? They are only little for 5 minutes, so we need to make the most of them don't we? Who cares if there are 3 cheques that need to be entered into the paying in book?
Lets take some of those ginger biscuits that Nancy and I made yesterday, then when we get back we can let them play in the washing baskets with the pegs in again. That kept them busy for a good half an hour.
Do click on the pic of the girls in the baskets and see Elsie's happy little face. She is such a smiler.
Oh well, I had better get off, I'm half way through building a new website for a pub near to Lyme Regis, there is some pork fat rendering down on the aga, the washer has just finished the latest load of nappies, so I had better get them out on the line before Jennifer brings the girls back from pre-school and we tackle peeling, cooking and freezing some of the bucketful of gorgeous cooking apples a kind neighbour gave me yesterday when she came in to cadge a jugful of milk.
I'm off to the theatre tonight with one of my pals to see Top Hat in Plymouth. Just as well it is a lively show that will keep me awake. Will report back on that - if I have any time soon.
Plus I will report on why I have turned into the Princess in the Princess and the pea story !
By the way the ginger biscuit in the G shape is for Grandad not Granny !!!!
Cheerio for now. Jilly

The latest bed and breakfast comes on board.

2011-10-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

Back in harness and I nip off to Postbridge to say

Hello to the new people at Beechwood.
Encountering galloping sheep en-route!

I'm so glad that Lynette Lloyd rang me to ask

if they can come on board. They have owned the place for a year and a day, and have made great strides in bringing the building up to scratch. The falling down conservatory has been revamped with double glazing and heating for guests to enjoy their breakfasts in comfort, the bedrooms are slowly being 'made over' and much improved and Lynette and Adam have got a refreshingly positive attitude about welcoming visitors.
Evening meals with home cooking are on offer with 2 courses £17.50 and 3 courses £22 (but let Lynette have some notice please) they welcome families with all ages of children, are happy to take holidaymakers with a dog, and I was very pleased to hear that they actively find beds in other accommodation for people who turn up at the door when they are full.
Only recently I was sitting in a bar of a good class hotel and overheard the receptionist take a call for overnight accommodation. The conversation went ....
"No, sorry we're full tonight, can't take you"
"Thank you, goodbye" !!!!!
How crazy is this ? Why ever didn't she offer a couple of telephone numbers in the area for them to try ?
What goes around comes around. When we had a bed and breakfast we always suggested alternatives, and if we were full at a busy time, say Friday night, one of us would ring around to see what else was on offer as soon as we were full. But sad to say we did know from guests who arrived, this service was not quite so much on offer with our neighbouring outlets, which used to really disappoint us.
In the current economic climate, it is vitally important to keep guests staying locally, so that the shops and tea rooms, adventure parks and historic houses all do well and the community stays buoyant. But as usual people are immensely selfish and not willing to put themselves out. "I'm ok why should I bother about anyone else ?"
What a sad attitude?
However, I detected none of this at the Beechwood household.
Adam and Lynette are keen to work hard and strive for guests to have a good time.
The free range hens are happily pecking away in the paddock, maps are on offer, help yourself to a book to read whilst you are here, everything is spotless, afternoon cream teas are on offer and I just know that they will do well. Welcome aboard Beechwood. Find them on my price range 2 page.

I'm a new Railcard holder - yippee !

2011-10-03T03:31:00.000-07:00

Just home from a mammoth cross country journey to see Elizabeth in Norfolk for 4 nights.
We travelled on the train, which involved changing at Paddington then underground to Kings Cross. With 50 minutes to wait we strolled outside and I took a pic of Rob in front of some of the impressive building work.

What you can't see behind his shoulder is a small shed sized space which is behind the barrier.
It's platform 9 3/4 from one of the Harry Potter books, and whilst we were there in the blistering sunshine watching the great Metropolitan community rush by, foreign tourists kept arriving to pose for photos in front of this 'shrine'. Sad to say they never gave a sideways glance to the fabulous architechture adjacent.

Here's the Holmes family from Melbourne, happy to pose for a group shot.
Drop me a line Holmeses and I will send you the file if you would like it.
Luckily for us we chose to go away in the freak sunny weather, so we had a brilliant time taking a look at King's Lynn and returning to the rivers that we cruised on our narrowboat in 2005.
With our newly acquired Senior Railcards we managed to get an incredible price for the return journey on the train of £39 each, which competes very favourably with filling the petrol tank one and half times had we taken the car. We got to see the countryside, upgraded to first class for only £20 each, whole route, for which we were very grateful on the return trip home from Paddington to Exeter, as the poor travellers not in first class seemed to be packed in like sardines in their carriages with shrieking kids, litter and sweaty atmosphere, whilst we reclined on generous leather seats and enjoyed 2 goes at the free drinks trolley and free cake in our air conditioned section.
I ticked the box on the Senior Railcard form that offered e-mail alerts for more wonderful offers, so be prepared for the next dispatch to come from other far flung destinations.... I've got the travel bug (at least for as long as the ticket is valid)

2011-09-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

We were well impressed by an evening party at the Mill End Hotel last week.
Sue the hotel owner had asked us to come and take some photos at the birthday party of Wendy from North Bovey.
With my 'other hat' on, I came home and wrote a food review.
Check it out .....

Punch and Judy, my all time favourites at Lustleigh Show

2011-09-05T04:33:00.000-07:00

How wonderful to see Mr. Punch at
Lustleigh Show on Bank Holiday Monday.

Not only the kids, but dozens of attention
rapt adults absolutely adored the whole
performance of mayhem and cruelty.

Listening, I found myself back in my memory
to Scarborough in the early 50's when we stayed
on holiday with relatives and we kids were
allowed to just go off to the beach every day
to enjoy ourselves without any parents.

I was the youngest and only girl in a tribe of boy

cousins, my brother being 5 years older
than me and the others Alan and Colin of

similar ages to him. It was only natural that they
would want to offload me wasn't it?

So they would plonk me on the sand in front of the Punch and Judy man and I would sit transfixed as Mr. Punch beat the hell out of everyone including his loyal wife Judy, the poor damaged baby, the dog and the crocodile
whilst all the while crying "That's the way to do it !"
in his strange swazzlestick voice.

I must have watched the antics over and over again.

In those days you weren't charged an entrance fee, you just enjoyed the show and towards the end of each performance a young girl came around with a red velvet bag attached to a handle, like the one in church, and the grown ups were encouraged to pay up. I used to nurse the idea that I should like my Dad to run a Punch and Judy outfit, so that I could walk around with that bag.

There's a great deal of actual cruelty in the show, as Mr. Punch lets fly with a great stick, and the Policeman is fairly inept as he entreats the children to shout out loudly if they see the old reprobate up to his nasty tricks again. The kids get well and truly wound up just a few seconds later as Punch gets hold of the baby yet once more and administers a few hefty whacks, all the while chortling with laughter and triumph.

I find it rather comforting that some of the very young children watching get up from the floor in their urgency to call the policeman back in order to stop such unfair treatment. They simply can't wait for this unfair behaviour to be sorted out and peace and calm to be restored.

Maybe the youths in the recent riots missed out on seeing Punch (aptly named) and Judy, and they weren't taught the rules of fair play? It's good that even very young children can watch the whole story unfold. Mr. P is portrayed as a baddie. Of course he gets his comeuppance in the end and the audience leaves feeling that they played a part in restoring order.

If I had my way I would show it on the telly in place of these softly spoken, pastel shaded cartoon figures with their unbelievably friendly butterflies, talking flowers, spinoff comics, cd's, toys and Nanny knows best notions.

Rock on Mr. Punch ! That's the way to do it !

Kirstie Allsopp, my man's made of better stuff than yours!

2011-08-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

Kirstie Allsopp came to Chagford Show yesterday, filming for her new series ‘Crafty Britain’.
Sadly her home made scarecrow came in second out of 8 entries, but her visit to the show caused much excitement as the camera crew followed her with hairy microphone aloft and a string of young film crew watching her every move. I asked if I could take her photo with her scarecrow and she duly obliged with a cheery smile from her and the 8 young children who accompanied her.

After the picture, she suggested that they all take a look at the winning entry to compare it, and I owned up to being the owner. We all made our way to the far end of the marquee and she kindly warned the children that they should bear in mind that I was the person who had built the scarecrow, then she encouraged the kids to make comparisons. It was all in good spirit, but I think she was a mite put out that my entry beat hers, even to the point of suggesting that it had all been an 'inside job' !!
Now, I ask you. Click on this photo of me with my scarecrow.
Anyone can see that this is the worthy winner. Her specimen had no outstretched hands and it looks as if the first blast of Devonshire downpour would knock that sweet little home made carrot right off his overstuffed face.
It was lovely meeting you Kirstie, but you must know that Liz the Horticultural Section Secretary would die rather than allow a judge to know who had submitted any entry. The mere suggestion that there was any bias in play does you no credit whatsoever....

When it comes to building a scarecrow ... yup .....I think I have the edge....

One or two courgettes

2011-08-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. I'm having trouble keeping pace with the crop of courgettes in the patch. Each year I grow far too many. Same old story. I sow the seeds and then too many germinate. I offer them to anyone and everyone and while I'm trying to offload them they grow into fine young plants and I end up planting them all out.
Mind you there is some motive to my plan. This year I have sent in my entry form for Chagford Show and entered 3 classes. Build a Scarecrow, 3 courgettes and best pot plant.
.. and with plenty of courgettes to choose from, surely I stand a chance of beating this chap

who each year shows the most amazing array of fine vegetables we see at the show. Massive onions, fine cabbages without lacey holes in the leaves, leeks as long as his legs, ruler straight runner beans and piles of other beautiful produce.
The year before last I swapped him my first prize Victoria Sponge sandwich for some onions and a red cabbage at the close of the show. We were both delighted.
I'm paying attention to a fine busy Lizzie in the greenhouse as my best pot plant. I repotted it this morning so that it can settle into the pot and make the most of the new compost. From now on in it will be getting a dose of Miracle Grow every other day, and I don't care who knows it.
The show will be on the 18th of this month. It's always the third Thursday in August.
I'll let you know how I get on.

Short of time for blogging

2011-07-29T04:45:00.000-07:00

No idea where time is going at the moment. Every day is full to the brim. With Chagford Show just under 3 weeks away, information needs updating as well as the usual day to day admin on Dartmoor Accommodation. The stats for both are rewarding, showing that compared to the same June to July dates for last year, 56per cent more visitors have looked at the DA site and that the average time they spend on the site is over two and a half minutes. This is the latest website that Tom and I have built. It's a new bed and breakfast not far from Widecombe or Manaton and the day I visited was overcast and dull as ditchwater, but the pics have not let me down.
I promised the owners Colette and Martin that I would come over to take some sunny shots as soon as I am able; an attractive inducement being that they run a tearoom in the garden in the Summer months. So yet another entry for my tearooms page no doubt.
Will keep you posted as and when I manage it.

My latest write up - Sparrowhawks Backpackers at Moretonhampstead.

2011-07-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

Who would think that this sunny courtyard sits behind the Sparrowhawk Backpackers house in Moretonhampstead? I was very pleasantly surprised by my visit...
See the bedroom that sleeps 14 and read more.

Our website figures just keep climbing.

2011-06-22T02:31:00.000-07:00

Looking at the Google analytics page this morning, I'm delighted to report that my website Dartmoor Accommodation just keeps getting better and better.
For the period from January to now, just over 5 months, the figures show that the number of visits is up 73.31% and pageviews is up 25.83%. Over 21 thousand UNIQUE visitors have visited the site since January the 1st this year, they have stayed on the website for an average of just under 3 minutes and they look at an average of 2.38 pages per visit.
I receive lots of heartening compliments about the site, and each week another accommodation provider or two wants to come on board.
I try to keep it all fresh and up to date, and that task has become much easier since Tom my young techy chap came on board with me. He is currently adding all kinds of map information on the listings and he has installed a brilliant database that we shall be expanding over the next year or so.

From time to time I will add a review of one of the accommodation addresses. Yesterday I added a review for Ash Tree Cottage, a 3 bedroom self catering on the South of the Moor. The owners are very eco-minded and the one thing I do like about Audrey is that she is very happy to welcome families with special children to her home. She herself has 2 autistic grandchildren, so she is fully aware of the needs of such children, so should you be looking for a sympathetic landlady who will go out of her way to make your holiday a good one, then look no further than Ash Tree Cottage. To read my review click here.

Honeycomb Barn, my latest self catering on board www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk

2011-06-16T13:38:00.001-07:00

Thought you might like to see the latest website that Tom and I have created.

(find it in self catering sleeps 3 to 4)

Nice people, nice place, everything a holiday let should be.

Add to that a 5 acre field that they invite you to share that's a wildlife haven with foxes, badgers, butterflies and a stream.... well, maybe I will book Rob and self in for a week.

Our latest wedding, Catherine and Will

2011-05-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

Yes our very own Kate and Will wedding...
One of the prettiest weddings that Rob and I have covered...

In Chagford last Saturday. With Reverend Noel Walter officiating.

We took the chance of nipping to our house with bride and groom to take some private photos on the way from church to the reception at Monks Withecombe. Will has an old 1986 Chevrolet bright green Pennsylvania State Police car, which is his pride and joy, and naturally it came in very handy as a wedding car.

This is the first year as a wedding venue at Monks, and I can report that it was every bit as good as I thought it would be. The garden is perfect for special gatherings. Nicky and Simon have large gardens, pretty buildings and space for an any size marquee. There were almost 200 people enjoying the venue, and there was easily room for more.

Catherine chose local girl Sara Mears as the caterer, and Sara certainly came up with the goods.

Now all we have to do is to choose the best 500 shots to give to the happy couple out of over 1,000 in the can. I will shortly be uploading a slide show of pictures that we took on the day.

New reviews and discount vouchers.

2011-05-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

It's all go now that the warmer weather is here and the office is manic.

Tom is busy adding further Google analytic facilities, so the we can see how visitors navigate around each page. We already know things like which are the most visited pages, and which ones of our accommodation providers get the most hits, but Tom is hell bent on knowing which bit of each page is working best for us.

It's all very interesting, but I would rather be tripping around the Moor and saying hello to folks. My most recent review is one on the Prince Hall Hotel at Two Bridges. Just look at the view from the top floor. Beautiful.
No chance for us to take time off right now though. We are covering a wedding this weekend, so Rob is checking the cameras as I type. Plus we have the white umbrella already packed into the car. so far, whenever we've taken it, the weather's been fine, so maybe it does have lucky charm properties. Hope so.
Pics next week for you no doubt. Bye for now.... I'm off to polish my wide angle lens.

my latest review on Dartmoor Accommodation

2011-05-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

My latest review is of The Coach House at Widecombe. Click here to take a look.

Royal wedding ennui.

2011-04-28T13:43:00.001-07:00

With the royal wedding less than 24 hours away it's hard to judge just how involved folks on Dartmoor feel. Usually I am the first to jump into the dressing up box when there is the merest excuse to put on a costume of any sort, but www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk and www.chagfordshow.com website has taken up so much of my time of late that housework is crying out to be done and it would be rather nice to spend tomorrow completing some of the chores and taking 10 minutes or so out of every hour to watch royal events.
But hey this will be a special occasion won't it ?
A chance for neighbours and friends to mark a great moment in time? I went down to London for both Charles and Di and Andrew and Fregie's weddings, and enjoyed every moment in the city, but look what happened to both of those marriages ...
Sad to admit too that a small part of me is worried about the safety aspect in London tomorrow. With so much hatred in the World, this might be just the occasion that some religous zealot is looking for.
What a misery I sound. Maybe it's because I no longer have any school age children at my skirt urging me to bake red white and blue biscuits.
Most likely by mid morning I will be champing at the bit to nip into Chagford to join the happy throng and wish this eager royal couple all the best along with everyone else and I'll have the camera working overtime to capture the fervour of it all.
It's a sorry thing to admit that it's a toss up between that and cleaning off the green stuff on my greenhouse windows isn't it ?
That my Commonwealth committment has come to this hey ?
Shall have to wait and see what tomorrow brings ...

yet another B&B website uploaded this morning just after midnight !

2011-04-19T07:11:00.001-07:00

A lady called Mary Lloyd-Williams got in touch and asked if she could come onto the Dartmoor Accommodation website.
She told me that she had been doing bed and breakfast from her home on the south of the moor since 1983, just one year before we started up in B&B ourselves. She sounded gracious and charming on the phone and her e-mails were nice and chatty. Last week I managed to go and say hello to her and take pictures of her lovely home down a bumpy old farm track at the back of beyond.
As I say in my write up on the site, it's not cutting edge modern. Far from it, but if I was a child ages from 2 to 12 with even the slightest interest in the natural world, this is just the sort of place I should like my family to book into for most of the Summer holidays.
There are ponies in the fild, an inquisitive cat, 2 friendly black labradors Archie and Cobble and there must be hundreds of birds nests within a stones throw of the house. Not that Mary would encourage younsters to throw any stones. Two minutes in her company and I see that she is one of the most charming of Dartmoor's many landladies. We nip out into the garden and she calls to the ponies in the field who come cantering down to say hello to her. She and her husband Dick have a very pretty garden surrounded by trees with a stream running through. Birdsong fills the air and there is a real sense of country retreat about the place. She told me in her first conversation that the house is rather ugly, and I have to take issue with that. The house is very 'her' and the visitors book is rammed with grateful thanks and mentions of how sweet and caring she is.
No it's not straight off the pages of Ideal home, but I'm sure you will enjoy the home made marmalade at breakfast here and if your beloved four year old needs to collect frogspawn to examine it, she is the kind of person who will produce a spare jamjar, be happy to join in with the collecting, and then later on take time to caringly explain why the frogspawn needs to go back into the water again once examination has taken place. I just know it.
Do take a look at the new website http://www.hookscottage.co.uk/ that I built for her. Have I managed to get across to you just what sort of place it is ?

I alerted Mary to take a look and she came back to me with an e-mail saying
'Dear Jill -
Just got back from work to find this FABULOUS website - you really are amazing and we LOVE it. I'll get my family to have a look today too.
The directions are such a wonderful added bonus too.
All my thanks for the fantastic site.
Mary - in haste to get some very nice guests their Full English !'

I just knew that she would be generous in her appraisal.
This job of mine is so enjoyable.
Jill

My latest website and pictures - take a look

2011-04-12T10:45:00.001-07:00

I should be organising bills to send out really, but I much prefer to build websites with Tom.

He being young and techy and far more competent on the computer that I will ever be, and me being quite good with the camera and not bad at the Times crossword, (so therefore supposedly wordy) we seem to be having some measure of success. Take a look at the new New Forge website that we launched today and see what you think.

Don't for one minute think that it's all plain sailing though. Unless you understand the vagueries of php versus html and SEO and functionality. Oh and don't forget the keywords and verifying the site !!

Taking the pictures at the cafe was the very easy bit..... if you have a look at the website and I hope that you will, you should see a fresh cream tea with warm scone, home made jam and thick clotted cream at the top of the page..... Tom is that rare creature who doesn't really like sweet stuff, so I walked off with those 2 fat scones oozing cream and jam and they became Rob's pudding that night.....

No, not a bad job ...

The Dartmoor Tearooms are opening for the season again tomorrow, I might just nip in on the pretext that I need some fresh pictures for their new website. You never know .... dessert might get sorted there too. With any luck !!

Bye for now. Jilly

Prince Hall Hotel - I could do with a few days here.

2011-04-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

Prince Hall Hotel, almost central on the Moor. I went to take photos for the hotel yesterday. It's about 3 years since I last visited the place and I love what Fi and Chris Daly have done with the place. They haven't lost that English Country House feel. But they have updated some important bits and pieces. The beds are made up with good quality linens and the towels are thick and plump. Just what the customers want. I was busy taking pics of chef David cooking the most succulent fillets of lamb and I happened to glance into the pantry just behind me, and saw something that really lifted my heart. See below. Any English chef of integrity will use quality butter and here is the evidence packed into a giant box of fresh vegetables newly delivered. It always vexes me that Anchor butter travels all the way round the World to come here from New Zealand, and Lurpak is transported from Denmark, when we have the best butter in the world from our very own English cows. We need to support farmers more than ever before in this country. It is a sin that farmers cannot make a decent living from dairy herds, and if only the housewife thought about that each time she tipped New Zealand butter into her trolley our farming community would have a better chance of survival. Oh and by the way, while I think of it. Did you know that 'Silver Spoon' sugar is sugar beet made into sugar in the UK ? They grow acres ad acres of it in Norfolk. So please buy it instead of more well known brands if you want again to support British Farming. OK, I've had my moan now.... chunter over... cheers chaps...

Google analytics - well worth installing

2011-04-04T02:11:00.001-07:00

If you have a website and you have not organised Google analytics to be gathered from it then shame on you...... It's Monday morning and there are a dozen other things that I would rather be doing than sitting here checking e-mails, making yet another list of 'priority things to get out of the way today' but when I have a quick look at my online stats, numbers that cannot be challenged, and see that the site is by comparision, 65.96% up on the last 30 days figure for last year, it is like the best 10 out of 10 that any teacher can come up with..... Shows that my website is improving all the time, and doing the business. Maybe I should make a note to publish my comparison rate all the way through the year on the first of each month.... Maybe I should challenge others to do the same.... OOOh, that would put some cats amongst pigeons wouldn't it ? News is that with Government cuts, Tourist Informations are in the firing line.... I'm happy to tell you that my website www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk has NEVER received one penny of handouts from anyone. Ever. It's all my own work, which is why I can give you a totally BIASED opinion of what I think about any accommodation on my books. I don't have to stick to policy. I don't have to report to any committee. If I really like a place, then I am able to say so, and if I don't like a place, then they do not feature within my website. Simples..... Currently there are 2 accommodation providers who do not feature within my website ....... and they are most unlikely to be shown here until the present owners move out...... But 'other offices' shall we say, do not have the same choice as I do. They have to show what they are paid to show.... good or indifferent, because they have no means of saying no. All accommodation that is so called inspected falls into one bracket or another, and because they have been inspected, they are entitled to offer their premises to the general public.... Not on my website they don't !!!! And I think that's one of the reasons that my website improves year on year..... What do you think? Comments most welcome. Jill

Success at last - our latest customer website is in place

2011-04-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the latest website that Tom and I have designed and built.

Pics by me cleverness by Tom.

It's for the Dartmoor Tearooms at Moretonhampstead They have been closed for major refurbishments for the whole of the winter and I for one have missed the taste of George's excellent cooking....

They start off again on Wednesday 13th of April.

Hey George, Can I place an order for your chicken on Ciabatta thing that you do with mayo and salad please....?

Ben and Elsie

2011-03-29T10:01:00.000-07:00

Jennifer mentioned today that Elsie is now 5 weeks old... Where did that time go then ? Was it only 6 weeks ago that we wondered what she looked like ? Seems as if we've known her for a hundred years....

Great sandwiches at The Hare Arms in Norfolk... and a chance to catch up with Elizabeth.

2011-03-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

That's me and rob in Kings Lynn, and Elizabeth looking coy with the daffs.

We are just back at the desk after a week touring the country. Off to see Elizabeth in Norfolk for a few days, and as usual we managed to fit another hundred other things into the week. Going to watch Tom, the office technical wonder boy in a rugby match at Wellington just off the M5 on the outward journey. They - Okehampton team were doing very well until we arrived and put the 'fluence on them. We collected 40 odd trees from a specialist nurseryman in Norfolk, for the Mythic Garden in Chagford, and enjoyed a great deal of gadding about and eating far too much, including this wonderful salmon sandwich taken at The Hare Arms in the best pub near to Elizabeth's home. Click the pic below and try to count the layers of smoked salmon piled into the fresh bread..... The best lunch we had all week.

It's Monday evening and I am only just finding time to look at the pics taken last week. It's all very well taking hundreds of pictures, but it all takes time to put them onto the blog. I've got an armful of shots of this pub with it's friendly staff and interesting interior, pheasants in the garden, and food that is responsible for the car park being full every day. But it took me up til 4 o'clock this afternoon to catch up with my e-mails when I got back to the desk today, and it's 8 in the evening now, and dinner needs preparation... so it will have to be next time...

Sorry chums. Maybe tomorrow

A week of cute faces....

2011-03-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

It seems to have been a week of little people. I took this shot of such a dear little miss helping her Mummy out on a stall a the Moretonhampstead Food Festival last Saturday. What a sweetie. The weather was most grim. cold and damp, but she, little duck posed gamely for the camera and did whatever I asked for in the way of poses.

You won't be at all surprised to know that we found time to go over to see Jennifer (our elder daughter ) and her latest baby Elsie. We took Nancy aged 3 now off to Tesco's for a game of hide and seek with Grandad as he wheeled the trolley round and she and I leapt off to hide at the end of each aisle.

She doesn't show any signs of jealousy to the new baby, much more interested in
trying on my shoes - on the wrong feet of course. Rob and I had both been working
far too many hours, and this day off did much to restore my balance.

This morning we nipped over to South Tawton to support the very first South Tawton
Produce and Craft Market. Susan Freeman who bakes very VERY good cakes had a
stall there, and as Tom and I are building her a new website, it seemed a good chance
to go and take some pics of the cakes which were selling like, well, hot cakes....
These 2 youngsters both made purchases. Eleanor with tongue already in action, and
the very cute Topaz who any parent could be proud of, as she remembered her Pleases
and Thank you's beautifully. I do like a child with good manners. Later on I asked her if she would mind posing with Peter, one of the village elders, and she obliged without a murmer.
Thats a nice shot too , but it will have to be next time now.. Time for a pot of tea.
Cheers chicks x

Now I know how to make Rosti....

2011-03-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

Happy revellers dressed in fifties style. This group of pals were out on a coach trip
from the Ship Inn at Teignmouth. Dressed in fifties style they were having a blast.

Happy chef Wayne Pearson with veggie Rosti in hand...

The said Rosti.....

Michael Caines shows us the meaning of the word gelatinous when applied to chicken stock.

And a pyramid of prettily decorated cupcakes, the perfect solution for wedding receptions .....

All of this plus much more at the Moretonhampstead Food Festival on Saturday.

The weather was absolutely horrible, cold and foggy, but there was a big turnout and lashings of good food all around... yummy !

What do you think about the new Chagford Show website ?

2011-03-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

The new website for Chagford Show has taken up a good deal of our time this week.
Tom and I have completely redesigned the whole thing, and I think you will agree that it looks a lot more slick and colourful. Do take a look and let me have any feedback... please .

More information will go on as we get closer to the date for the show which is Thursday 18th August.
If you rate the website and you are a member of facebook, then do the show a favour by clicking the thumbs up for 'Like' on the facebook lineup. Thank you.... Jilly

2 new food reviews in place - at least 3 months overdue.

2011-03-01T09:29:00.001-08:00

At last I have managed to upload 2 new food reviews.
They have been waiting on the desk for far too long.
One with a trip over to Manaton where the bar staff were warm and friendly, and another to Cornwood where the barmaid was not so chatty. Shame...... The landlady was nice though. Click here to see both food reviews listed.
I apologise right now for them only being light lunches.
I must get Rob to take me out for some serious dining......
We have been asked to a Quiz night in Chagford this coming Friday with nibbles. I shall try to keep the camera stowed. Difficult ...

3 totally different beds on offer.

2011-02-25T13:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a most interesting day.... young Tom my technical genius, came with me on a few house visits. He's very much a package holiday type of guy, and dealing with my website at such close quarters, I thought it might be good for him to get to see one or two of the accommodation providers we show on my website.
So as we need to do some updating to the Bagtor Manor website, and I need some fresh photos for the Chagford Accommodation holiday leaflet that I produce, he came along today as chief camera case carrier.
Tom's point of view is .... why go on holiday if you can't guarantee the sunshine, or get out on the snow ? (and get piste). He thinks that every holiday worth taking begins and ends at the airport.

And to be honest he didn't quite know what to expect from today. But after seeing the impressive four poster bed in place at Bagtor, in a room where famous playwright John Ford was born in 1586, and then the totally contrasting contempory style at our next port of call, an up to

the minute self catering unit that sleeps 10 and has a pool, right here on the Moor, followed by a

quick nip into one of our local hostelries, The Globe in Chagford (above) to check out one of their rooms, I think I gave him something to think about. This was a wide variety of choices and just as I thought, he being young, the one he favoured was the modern holiday let.

I pointed out to him, that at this time of year a party of 10 could rent it for under £100 each for the week, and in fact as we came away a family party was arriving to do just that as a surprise birthday party for 2 very much older guests who like to swim. The couple arriving were under the illusion that their family had booked the place for them for the week as a generous gift, but what they didn't know was that just as soon as they had settled in, 8 more of the family would turn up with champagne and cake..... What a great idea. How lovely for them all to be together in this very well appointed holiday home. Plenty of room for them in the pool which comes complete with a swimming wave at the push of a switch.
Ok, the price for the barn in the Summer is two and a half thousand, but set against 10 people going abroad, this is still a good price to pay for a quality let.
Tom and I will be building a website for this 5 star self catering pad in the next couple of weeks.

I'll alert you when to take a look.... Both the barn and website will be worth looking at.

You've got to admit, I do have a pleasant job.

Cheers chums !

Granddaughter 2 bounces into the World.

2011-02-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

Here she is Little Miss Elsie Harris, our Granddaughter number 2.
Looking every bit a carbon copy of her sister Nancy 3 years ago.
A quick birth. On Thursday evening Jennifer rang and asked if we could have nancy overnight as they were off to hospital and just as we were packing a bag for Nancy on our way out at 8, they came back home with instructions to 'come back in 12 hours'.

So off we went taking Nancy home with us.

At 6.40am, I answered the phone to Jennifer "Mum we're back from the hospital"
Yes Jaff, I know, we were there when you came home...."

"No Mum We're back WITH THE BABY It's a girl !!"
So we kept Nancy another night, and then went over to say hello to the latest member yesterday.

And of course she is gorgeous. Utterly scrummy. Miss Elsie Harris.

Ben's parents and sister Amy were there already, so it was a nice celebratory get together with champagne and cake. As you can see Ben's Mum Hilary is a nice type, she with the newborn on her knee. Amy is perfect fun loving Aunty material, but I'm not too sure about John, Ben's Dad.....

What do you think ?

Take a look below....

Obviously got his own way of celebrating ! Maybe he lead a sheltered childhood ? I don't know.

No doubt Jennifer will feel up to photos in a day or two.

Great news.... bulge gone...

2011-02-18T07:06:00.000-08:00

Brilliant news this morning.... our second grandchild arrived just before 3 a.m.
We broke the news to Nancy Granddaughter number 1 when Tom arrived for work and filmed the event for posterity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyOrLUmZweM

Lunch at Gidleigh Park Hotel, lucky me.

2011-02-14T01:44:00.000-08:00

Lucky me, the treat surprise lunch on Friday turned out to be at Gidleigh Park Hotel.

Where Lin and I had a smashing time. (massive thanks x)

I shall be writing up a food review as soon as, but Elizabeth (daughter no 2) arrived out of the blue on Friday morning very early, for 2 nights, so everything computer related was placed on hold.

I will alert you to the food review as soon as it is in place.

Wish I could have lunch at Gidleigh more often. This plateful of loveliness was Lin's bream starter.

Secret destination coming up

2011-02-10T03:03:00.000-08:00

One of my good pals is taking me out for lunch "to a secret destination" today with instructions not to wear my wellies. Which is code speak for "do try to make an effort!"
Which is tricky right now because I put on far too much weight over the festive season, and you know what the weather has been like, and I've had a cold, and cough and too much time at the blessed computer ....blah blah blah....
Anyway getting to bed early last night and Rob in another bedroom because he now has my cough, I though I'd try on a couple of things in readiness for the occasion. Three hours later as Janice Long was signing off for the night at 2, found me in the middle of 3 clothing piles.
Charity shop, bin and sewing attention. and frankly not a great deal closer to a decision on what might make me look half tidy, and young, and trendy ....... with the inevitable result that when I took breakfast this morning, I had only a meagre amount of shreddies and half a dry Ryvita instead of a thick wedge of buttered toast, before taking Topsy off down the road in the rain for a 'good walk'. Ok ok I know it's all a bit last minute. Not even me thinks that in the space of 4 hours I can do anything to shift the excess, but its' a wake up call isn't it?
I have to be ready in under an hour, so I will run, yes run up the stairs now and take some care with my hair make-up in the vain hope that it draws the eye away from the crepey neck.
FAT CHANCE !
I shall take the camera of course. This may be a place that I can write a food review.
Let's hope the slimmer's salad is sitting under a nice fat fresh crab, and that they have cooked the mains in olive oil and I can see something not too fattening on the dessert menu...
What's that you say ? I should be sticking to just one course and drinking slimline tonic without a gin in it ?
Are you Mad ?
Get real.
HAVE YOU EVER MET ME ?
More later.

Maybe if I wear a scarf at my neck ?......

one of my photos on The Wedding Community website.

2011-02-09T02:26:00.000-08:00

One of my photos is featured on The Wedding Community website today for a day.
It shows 2 young pageboys playing hide and seek at Powderham Castle.
The Castle lost it's licence for weddings because they would not accept gay weddings.
I am glad that Devon County Council revoked their licence.
Some of my closest friends are gay and they love each other more kindly than a lot of my straight married pals.
I should love to cover a gay wedding, so please let any likely engaged couples know....

Topsy tries the socks out

2011-02-04T12:15:00.000-08:00

What a rotten week. First I get a cold and cough then Rob. Hack hack hack the 2 of us, interspersed with sneezes and then latterly painful sneezes.
I only know it's not the flu because I had no aching limbs.
One job that had been on the backburner was for me to take photos of socks for a local sock maker.

She makes some super bedsocks, and I had them arrayed on wellies and boots in the hallway where there is plenty of light.

As usual Topsy was somewhere close at hand. She follows me around for most of the day without making much fuss, and as I was coming to the final shots I glanced round to see her laid out on a pair of these socks for all the world using them as a pillow. Don't know that I won't ask for modelling fees too. Click the picture and try not to say aahh!

Burrator Reservoir, Dartmoor.

2011-01-27T04:01:00.000-08:00

http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/pages/walks/walk_burrator.html

This photo of Rob looks pretty bleak, but take a look at the write up on the walk we took at Burrator Reservoir on Sunday. I kept saying "Wow"

My latest B&B review

2011-01-20T04:38:00.000-08:00

I loved Lobhill Farmhouse at Lewdown the minute I stepped in.
Read about it in my latest review.

Very nice indeed.

Analytics figures all very encouraging.

2011-01-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

If you have a website and haven't applied for Google analytics then shame on you.
It's a true record of how well your site is doing and it is free to use.

Having a free 5 minutes this afternoon I decided to set the graph to compare figures of this last month with the same peiod for last year and the site took 47% more absolute unique visitors during the period and for yesterdays date of the 7th January the figure was up exactly 100%.

All very encouraging.
Tom has been with me for a couple of months now and we have all sorts of plans for improving the site and adding lots more information. Our what's on pages will be much improved when we finish adding the new options. But that involves adding information into the new database which is pretty boring stuff. But once every date for each Farmers Market and the larger more important dates like Chagford Show are into the correct cells, it will be all green for go.
I will let you know when this happens, should be sometime next week.

I shouldn't be at the desk today, it being Saturday, but as with any self employed business that has an office at home, it's very tempting to nip into the office for 5 minutes and then find out the it's then 2 hours later.

On that note .... I'm away.

Cheerio each

Youth Hostels no longer old hat.

2011-01-06T09:33:00.000-08:00

How things have changed in the world of Youth Hostelling ! I visited the Okehampton YHA hostel in October and was delighted to see how clean and lovely it all is these days. When we moved to Chagford in 1984 there used to be a Youth Hostel in nearby Gidleigh that was run by a real martinet of a spinster lady, who used to be very upright and offputting. She insisted that everyone was in bed
by ten with strict segregation of the sexes.
As she offered no food in the evening, all the hostellers used to walk down to the Northmore Arms in Throwleigh, but heaven help them when they managed to find their way back in the dark in jolly mood.
I am way overdue in writing up my reviews. I have 2 food reviews in hand and another accommodation visit waiting to be written up, so please accept my apologies....
You would think that there is nothing easier than sitting at the desk writing about places to stay, but I am very easily distracted. Tea, coffee, phone calls, visitors, e-mail, dog in need of a walk, pastry to make, you name it.... I have just waved goodbye to local Grandparents Margaret and Maurice who had asked me to take photos of their family gathering at Christmas. Seventeen happy family members all in one house! They came to view the results and happily they are very pleased with the results, so copy cd's will be wending their way to offspring in London, New York and France.... and of course we needed to have a cup of tea and a chat about this and that didn't we ?
Anyway, if you would like to have a look at my review of the charming Youth hostel at Okehampton, HERE IS THE LINK TO CLICK.
As you can see - the YHA has certainly moved with the times.

Snow on Dartmoor and launching birthday cards on ebay

2011-01-01T02:54:00.000-08:00

Ok so it was very beautiful, but life is much easier now that it's gone, except for those poor souls in Northern Island.

Dartmoor itself was pure picturebook. These 2 shots I took on Christmas Day whilst taking Topsy out for a pee. The first picture is taken from the top of our drive, and the cold looking cow was standing in the field on the left. Sadly the pipes had frozen in the cowsheds, so the farmer had to let the cattle out so that they could find water in the various water sources in the nearby fields in concrete troughs fed by underground springs. Luckily for the farmer the spring water coming from deep underfoot and stays above freezing point, at least until it arrives aloft.

We had some excellent local beef for the festivities, and far too many roast potatoes and roast parsnips than is good for us, and as you can see from this pic, we didn't miss a chance to fit in a game of Scrabble when we could. Click the pic <- Rob on the right waiting patiently for me to join him. I must be growing old, because the prospect of building a snowman or having a snowball fight has absolutely passed me by. I did gather 2 fistfuls of snow thinking to make a snowball, but it was as sticky as dry washing powder. Useless.

The Christmas cake was only marzipanned last night and then the ready to roll icing sugar looked a bit off colour, so we tasted a pinch, decided it tasted a bit fusty, looked at the sell by date only to discover that it should have been used by June 2008 !

How did that happen..... ? Actually the cake is positively awash with sherry and brandy, nuts, cherries and apples, and I am dying to try a slice, which is a shame because the diet will once again have to be put into operation, especially as the chin in now on the droop.

We spent yesterday afternoon uploading information onto ebay as we launched our range of birthday cards. Not as glamorous as it sounds.... Taking the pictues is the easy bit, then organising printers, shopping around for keen prices in the current economic climate is no joke and then totting up all the incidentals that need to be taken into consideration before you can come up with a selling price. The card production, envelopes for the cards, envelopes to send the cards and envelopes in, that need to be stout to stand up to the rigours of today's postmen....

Rob was outside the Post Office in Chagford about a week before Christmas, and the postvan was rather full. The topmost sack rolled out and down to the postman's feet, whereupon he shoved it into the van in front of himself and proceeded to kick it until it fitted in !
So much for any 'FRAGILE DO NOT BEND' items hey ?

Then you have to take into account buying the cellophane bags 4 pence each, for the cards to recline in, the cost of listing them on ebay, that's 40 pence per item PLUS 8.5 pence of the final selling price. Then add to that the cost of using Pay Pal - that's 20 pence plus an 8 pence fee for the transaction !!!! Then add the cost of packaging and sending the package to the customer...... add another 70 pence per card.....

Oh yes and factor in the cost of collecting the cards from the printer, and the cost of Tom in the office creating the pdf of each card that needs to be sent to the printer as an attachment.....

So not much room for profit hey ? What seemed like a good idea some time ago, "let's sell a range of greeting cards on e-bay.... " has taken over 2 months of sorting, arguing and understanding the vagueries of the British Postal system. How many times have we weighed the packages and tried to fit them through that oh so helpful cardboard cut out that they supplied us with since they got mean minded and made us buy stupid looking stamps with the word Large on them. How unattractive is that ?

Oh well enough chuntering for today. If you would like to have a look at the first 6 designs we lauched yesterday here is the link to the birthday cards on ebay.

If I don't see you soon, Have a super New Year. May it hold some good things for you, may the country get itself out of this pickle we are in.... Oh just let me tell you, an item on the news.... telling of the increase in petrol prices..... some Know All with a degree in stating the bleeding obvious commented that it might result in people driving less !!!!!!!!
How many years at University did he study to be able to come out with such cleverness ?
Can I have a job like that ?

Cheers Chums

Jilly x

Family gathering at Christmas.

2010-12-29T04:17:00.000-08:00

Isn't it great when the family arrive for Christmas get togethers ?

Especially when you are just a little princess.
But check out my favourite little visitor on my home page.
http://www.jillpendleton.co.uk/ He's called Oscar and he wears a cap.

Database in place and working.... yippee

2010-12-22T08:06:00.001-08:00

Two little jobs sorted in time for Christmas. One is a canvas print of some delightful children that I had photoed for one of my family albums a couple of months ago. This shot of the young brother and sister blew up so well for a brilliant Christmas present. See details on my personal website http://www.jillpendleton.co.uk/ . The postcard is one that I designed for one of our bed and breakfast landladies in time for next year's season. Looks better if you click onto it to blow it up large. Her bill came to only £25 including the design.
Tom the website whizzkid came in to work this morning and cheered me up no end by uploading the b&b pages to include our new database, which means that all the listings on the pages will automatically rotate in order as each new surfer logs on. (Try it !) Up to now I have had to change the pages myself to enable everyone to have a fair amount of time at the top of the pages. This has taken a half hour chunk each time what with B&B's hotels and self catering, not to mention the odd rotation of the camping page.
BUT - NO MORE !!!!!! Yippee and ....
thank you Tom ... Great Christmas present !

Nancy for 2 days, work abandoned, who cares ?

2010-12-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

Here she is the light of our lives. Little Miss Nancy Noodle.
Here with Granny and Grandad for 2 nights so that her Mummy Jennifer, now 7 months pregnant with baby number 2 can have a breathing space. So, the house is in even more chaos than usual, mealtimes are not to schedule and at 5 in the evening I feel ready to drop.
The only thing that I managed to do is keep up with e-mail, which is important at the moment as proofs for our new birthday card range arrived earlier today. 6 designs to sell online.

Tom the website wonder will be back in on Friday, and we should be getting a new website underway for ordering greetings cards and pictures with our Dartmoor photos.

That plus making Christmas cards that I do each year. So far, I have 52 completed and now that we are underway, it shouldn't take too long to sort out the rest. Each year it is a tree theme with 100% recycled materials. This year I found a fabulous size 20 ladies dress at Proper Job the re-cycle centre in Chagford, and I have picked off all the dozens of sequins that adorned the bodice, and cut out the sewn in petticoat that gave me yards of black netting ... all good stuff, and the dress is still ok for the dressing up box.

As for a present for Nancy, I feel very strongly that she has far too many toys, so she will be getting new knickers, new tights and a large bag of dog biscuits that can go into a special ' Nancy only' tin for giving to Topsy each time she comes to see us.

I had better be off now, because it was suggested to us by a certain 2 year old, that sausages might be a good idea for dinner tonight, so I need to mix and egg, some milk and water into batter for toad in the hole, and of course that will need some onion gravy, to go with the sprouts, carrots and roast parsnips.

I should have composed a piece all about Dartmoor Accommodation and how marvellous all our accommodation providers are, but the Granny in me is having such a lovely time, and now Rob and Nancy have started to decorate the Christmas tree, so it will all have to wait for another time.

Season's greetings everyone....

Oh and the picture ? Well it's son in law Ben's birthday on Friday and I didn't have a suitable birthday card for him .... but I have now !!

The Christmas rush with a helping hand from Tom

2010-12-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

Apologies all round for not updating my blog but things have been fairly hectic of late.

To start with Rob, myself and pal Mark Sheridan held an exhibition of our photographic work in Chagford on the 13th November where a couple of hundred people came to have a gander.

And a few weeks before that I took on 24 year old Tom, a clever computer guy to help me in furthering the website by sorting out all those geeky things that leave me completely baffled.

He is currently building a database for my www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk site, and we have worked together on building a new website for one of the bed and breakfast providers at Yelverton. The customer is delighted. Please take a look at the finished product by clicking onto www.dartmoorbandb.com and let me know what you think .... It would be good to pass a few encouraging comments in Tom's direction. We rub along very well together even though I am just old enough to be his Granny. You can see how clever he is by the picture of his Frankenstein fashioned pumpkin that he turned out for Halloween. And one thing that I find very endearing is that he is madly enthusiastic to help out in any way he can. I had a job taking publicity pictures for a new sock making outlet last week, and as I was struggling to show the socks off in the best way possible, he volunteered himself as a model bless him. We did have to crop the shot somewhat as the whole thing looked slightly as if he is perched on the edge of a piece of porcelain !

Our latest project is adding things to buy onto the website in time for Christmas, such as kites for children and gifts for walkers (how about a new Dartmoor map ?) in preparation for a commercial website that we hope to organise for producers who make goods exclusively on Dartmoor. That and the new wedding page on the site, should keep us busy for a while.

As you see in the picture of me above, I am currently up to my neck sorting out pictures in time for Christmas. The lovely twosome in the shot are 2 nippers at Tedburn where I took over 50 shots of a smashing young family in time for Christmas presents. If you would like to see details of what I offer have a look at my own personal website www.jillpendleton.co.uk

Hopefully from now on I should be sorting through the muddle of stuff on the desk and moving forward. I managed to bake 2 Christmas cakes this morning, all the while nipping in and out of the office to help Tom install information into the acres of pages on the database. He tells me that shortly we will be able to offer customers all manners of choices as to where they would like to stay and with which facilities - family room, with dog - this side of Okehampton etc.

So it's onwards and upwards and next step oh come all ye faithful. As usual I haven't bought a single family present, but as is usually the case, it will be alright on the night as they say ......

I very much hope !

Cheers for now anyway, and thanks for looking....

Jilly

Yet another success at Sticklepath Fireshow

2010-11-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

What a great shame that the weather was wet wet wet last night.
We were part of a drippy crowd at the amazing Sticklepath Firework Show, which is one of the very best Dartmoor bonfire night shows that I know. Well marshalled and usually a great night out.
But last night the showers kept coming down, and threatened to put paid to the celebrations.
I had to feel sorry for the kids on stage in their skimpy lycra costumes, but they carried on like the true troupers they are. Costume making and set development takes up weeks of unpaid time by local enthusiasts, and each year they come up with something fresh topped off with a sizeable firework display. There were lots of oohs and aahs last night plus singing along to the likes of 'Come on Eileen' and well known songs.
This year's show was entitled 'Dangerous Intent' and as with every year the whole scenery ediface was set light to in the closing stages. My pal Pat had made a bit of bunting for the top of the circus tent, and I have to say here and now, NEVER have I seen such an excellent specimen of bunting construction, at any party anywhere. Exemplary work on the bunting front Pat !!
I do wish though, that I had paid more attention to the advice that I had given on my own what's on page http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/pages/whats_on/dartmoor_diary_november_2010.html
when I advised folks to wear warm and waterproof clothing, because, when we set out from home it was dry and I only topped my normal clothing with a warm anorak, and after an hour of standing in almost continual rain, I was regretting my own stupidity.
Next year I will be taking a hat, and 2 more layers of clothing, and scarf and maybe just maybe a sharp stick to poke the tall bloke who hoisted his fairly big child onto his shoulders as the music started, and blocked out the view for dozens of people. Ok, I do understand that kids can't see, so sitting on top of your Dad is a good plan, but Dads should think just a little about other members of any audience and think about where to position themselves .... I know that Rob used to with our two.
There were about 2 dozen children aloft. Maybe the organisers could recommend an area just below the sound system gantry for next year as a good place for 'hoisters' to be, then everyone else will be able to enjoy the whole fabulous extravaganza without bum in face.....

But as ever, we have to say 'Well done the organisers..... another fantastic job.'

Weddings on Dartmoor.

2010-10-24T02:55:00.000-07:00

At long last I have uploaded a weddings section on my Dartmoor website.
Having been a wedding photographer for over 10 years, I know a bit about weddings and I think Devon and especially Dartmoor can be the most romantic and exciting wedding location.
I love speaking to Brides and Grooms planning their special day. Once they have got over the initial hestitation .... "oh, but don't we have to do it like this...?" and realise that getting married means that the day is entirely for them and that they can fill it with exactly what they want..... "Yes you can have a bouncy castle, whyever not ?" then they become filled with super ideas that make the day completely magical.
The new getting married pages will have lots of information over the next few weeks....
I'm working on it !!

Pixeycombe impresses me yet again.

2010-10-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Horses to say hello to and a comfortable guest lounge with real fire for the evening.
I called into Pixeycombe B&B early on this year when the weather was dire, so it was good to call in last week on a beautiful sunny day. Great hosts Trevor and his wife Sue are busy folk.
The B&B offers livery with 2 stables and grazing within view of the house. And the really good thing is that you can saddle up and go straight out on the Moor for the day.
They are thinking about offering mountain bike hire at the rate of just £12 per bike - helmet included. so for an energetic family this is just the spot.
A short ride in the car will take you to the Royal Oak Inn at nearby Meavy where good food is on the menu.

A cutie at the wheel of a tractor...

2010-10-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

Apologies for not keeping the blog up to date, but I have been very busy with the camera. Last week I headed off for the Miniature Pony Centre near to Moretonhampstead to take photos for their next years publicity leaflets. What a joy to see the pre school tots taking turns at 'driving' the real tractor. Their Mums haul them into place and the ever helpful staff at the centre are endlessly patient whilst the tots pull all the right levers that enable to bucket at the front to lift a bagful of hay aloft.

This sweet little chick is Evie, and it was worth the journey just to see her face as she twiddled with the knobs and discovered how to sound the horn - a great many times !!

It won't be long now until the centre closes at the end of the season. You can find the link to the centre, and a slideshow of my photos on this page of the website:- http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/information/family_days_out_on_dartmoor.html

and a link from that page takes you to a discount voucher to get in.

2010-09-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

Great success in the greenhouse with my tomatoes this year
I planted 7 Marmond plants from seed (Lidl) and they have come up with some massive fruit, almost you might think too heavy for the plant to hold on the bush.
Huge fruit, some in weird shapes, but all sweet as can be.
Click on the shot to see how utterly lush they look.
Along with my bumper crop of courgettes, I have been making ratatouille galore.
I have been giving the courgettes out to anyone who will have them, and been handing them in to the local pubs. My tip for growing them will is to plant them in black plastic, and give them the odd watering can full of water now and again. Lucky us we live on a farm plot and the farmer lets me have a wheelbarrow of rotted manure at this time of year, so I stir a trowelful into each waterbutful. As you can see they thrive on it.
Something else that thrives in the garden despite my picking off and squashing efforts is the cabbage white caterpillars and the odd snail. Look at this little blighter all curled up in the remains of his dinner.

My latest food review - the Rock Inn at Haytor now in place.

2010-09-01T04:13:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know that my latest food review is in place.
Checkout
http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/food/food_review_rock_inn_haytor.html
to see.

Thank goodness - a day off.

2010-08-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

Thursday saw us taking a "day off", well as soon as we had spent an hour or two in the office !

I am struggling to upload over 400 pictures of Chagford Show onto the show's website in a slideshow and it's slow going.

I do love the show and it would be impossible for me not to take pictures, but you know how it is, you take far more than you need and then almost all of them are worthy ... so which ones to jettison ?

But as we were running out of basic food provisions we arranged to have lunch with daughter Jennifer and indulge ourselves in a little Nancyness.

I now own a bus pass (yes me !! who can believe it, and me without at crease on my face ? - joke!) and had been threatening to use it, so after lunch Nancy Rob and I all hopped on a bus into the city and took a twirl around the shops.

Nancy and I travelled for free - deep joy ! and Rob paid £2.80 for his return ticket. He will be eligible for a bus pass too sometime in September, then I think there will be no stopping us. We will be off on the bus with Nancy to the seaside at any available opportunity. He's only 5 and a half weeks younger than me but the Goverment are phasing out bus passes soon and he is caught up in the adjustment time lapse.

The 'quick nip' into the supermarket on the way home relieved us of over £100 but at least now the fridge, freezer and cupboards are stocked again.

Whilst in the city we took ourselves into pleasant Fern's for afternoon tea and the dear grandchild was (of course) a paragon of virtue.

Back at Jennifer's Nancy was keen to show us her new bike. She's 2 and a half year's old now. It's all flown by in a matter of seconds, and being with her reminds me that we must take some more time off.

She is still so little that I want to pick her up all the time, and yet here she is propelling herself around the garden on a bike with very much the same 'I can do it' attitude that her Mother displayed at the same age.

Where has the last 30 years gone to ? Come to that how can I possibly be 60 ?

I was just a little bit sad that when I told the bus driver that this was my first sortie with the beloved bus pass, he didn't respond with "oh but you seem so young"

Bit like when Jennifer came home from school aged about 7. She sat in the back of the car and said, 'Mummy, when we get home can you tell me all you remember about how you lived in the Relief of Mafeking ?' To those of you not familiar with the Relief of Mafeking, it took place in May 1900, and when she asked me I was 34 not 94.

Mind you, I am getting partial to some rather large red Granny slippers that I own. And I have now reached the stage where if a visitor arrives, my first thought is no longer, Quick let me get out of these old fuddy duddy slippers before they see me. I now think, Who cares about what I wear on my feet? And come to that if it bothers them, then I wish they hadn't come anyway.

Listen to me ranting on ......

Sorry folks ....

Must be an old thing !!

Chagford Show - Prizewinners !!

2010-08-21T03:23:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth was home this week to help us with our stand at Chagford Show.
She runs a busy website design company in Norfolk. http://www.lingodesign.co.uk/ so she flew from Norwich to Exeter to be at home for 4 very busy days. We had a final evening last night - home cooking, game of Scrabble, she and Rob against me (I won) and then watched the loathsome John James get evicted from Big Brother before she drove over to Jennifer's in Exeter to spend the night in time for the early flight back. Ben (son in law) valiantly offered to drive her in to be at the airport for 6.30

Robert with 2 local Mikes, and me with one local Debbie!
The show was as ever great fun for all. Having been the photography judge for 10 years or so, and spending at least 2 hours in the horticultural tent scribbling comments on the entries, I decided to hang up my hat this year and book a stand of our own.
Thanks to Rob, all the paperwork was dealt with in time, the display boards ordered, cut to size and painted, the gazebo was strengthened and erected the night before, flower troughs delivered etc. and within an hour of our getting there I was off with the camera taking pictures of everything that was going on.
Chagford Show really is one of the best. There is so much going on that appeals, it takes some going to see it all. I wish I'd had a pedometer on. An overall map of where I went during the day would show me like a drunken sailor lurching from pub to pub, as I spied things to photograph all round me.
I hope to have all the pictures ready in a slideshow on the http://www.chagfordshow.com/ website by Wednesday.
Will let you know when to take a look.

Ed brings Sampson out to plough

2010-08-13T02:18:00.000-07:00

Do click onto the black and white picture to see ...

I took this earlier this week at Chagfood. the editor of the Okehampton times asked me to nip along to take a picture of Sampson and co ploughing the patch. (Not this photo) and I took this one of Ed as he was leading Sampson out.

Sampson, ploughing ??? Yes, I imagined a giant of a shire horse ... but this sweet little chap made no murmur as he was kitted out with all the straps and kit, and he walked up and down the furrows like a goood 'un.

Read all about Chagfood and the veg boxes by clicking on to http://www.chagfood.org.uk/

Summer Sunday

2010-08-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

How do you like my back wall ?

I plant it up each year. The hole in the wall is our post box.

Question: What is missing in this photo ?

Answer: 50 people and 5 dogs

3 hours and 20 minutes later

Fingle Bridge near to Drewsteignton.

It's a Granny thing...ok ?

2010-08-01T02:47:00.000-07:00

You see when your Grandchild's dolly won't sit upright on the swing.....
You need to improvise !

Worth the effort for such a cute little smile don't you think ?

Goodbye Kenneth Asburner

2010-07-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a sad old week.
Last week our dear friend Kenneth Ashburner died just when we thought he was recovering well from an operation. It's all too soon. Kenneth at 83 was as enthusiastic to learn and full of interest as any young chap I know. A leading expert on trees, he and his wife June have developed the Stone Lane Arboretum near to Chagford, which holds the National collection of birches and alders.
A stunningly beautiful garden on a slope, it's full of interest, the more so because they hold an annual sculpture exhibition there each year during the Summer months.
Kenneth was one of those chaps who knew so much about so many things, and he was ready to impart his knowledge without any pomp or show off flair. He would tell you about a certain tree and it's history at the drop of a hat. He knew masses of stuff about technical matters that he and Rob could chat about, and was always keen to know what we were doing and what we thought about things. Never in a patronising way, always enthusiastically asking just the right question that showed he had a total grasp of many diverse subjects.
He had a passion for railways, for music, especially jazz and he delighted us by playing the piano when he visited.
In 2007 the four of us took a trip over to the Isles of Scilly. We got down to Penzance on the train, and he absolutely loved the journey down there. He knew every station on the line. In the helicopter he was as excited as a young schoolboy, and he met every single new experience with head on enthusiasm.

"Shall we take a boat trip over to Tresco Kenneth ?" -
"Yes, let's, when can we set off ?"...

"How about us trying that fish restaurant this evening Kenneth ?"
"What a good idea, shall we book a table now ?"

His funeral on Tuesday this week was supposed to be a quiet private affair, with the plan that a memorial service be held in September to celebrate his life. But the church in Drewsteignton was full of friends and neighbours sad at his sudden departure.
We all went back to Stone Lane for tea and cake afterwards and as ever at ' a good funeral' the person who would have enjoyed it the most was missing. Had he been there he would have charmed the ladies, chatted to everyone, praised my sponge cake excessively then likely as not spilt jam out of middle of it down his clean jumper that June would have made him put on, and he would have been in his element surrounded by all his pals. Smiling at everyone all the time.

There's not enough smilers in the World. And we'll miss this one more than most.

R.I.P. Kenneth Ashburner. 1st March 1927 to 20th July 2010

Primrose cafe food review now in place

2010-07-24T04:56:00.000-07:00

I did manage to upload the food review of the Primrose cafe at Lustleigh. http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/food/primrose_cafe_lustleigh_food_review.html
And if you are reading this ladies, thank you for your help !! Good Job Done !!!

Wet day on Dartmoor, but a sunny smile in Lustleigh ....

2010-07-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Pouring rain on Dartmoor as we arrive at the Primrose Cottage tearoom.
No matter though, it's all good, and just look at the sunny smile we receive from the young waitress. I will be adding a full review to my afternoon tea reports page as soon as I have a minute.
http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/food/afternoon_tea_dartmoor.html

The Ruth family visit Dartmoor for the first time !!

2010-07-13T02:19:00.000-07:00

Great day out yesterday when the Ruth family came to see us.

They enjoyed their trip over the Moor to Scorhill Circle..

And a top cream tea at The Mill End Hotel.
As you can tell. I haven't got time to write it all up. But I will just say that we had a very smashing time. I'm just off out, so will fill in the details later (I hope)

Jill

Lucky Me

2010-07-10T02:16:00.000-07:00

2 reasons why I'm lucky.....
No. 1 ...this heavenly place the beautiful River Teign is about 10 minutes walk from our house.
Click the pic to see it in all it's glory.

and 2 this is our cute little grand-daughter Nancy aged 2.
Agine click the photo to read the captions.

10 pubs charity walk - what a lot of nice people

2010-07-05T01:56:00.000-07:00

What a busy week. The camera has been red hot. Starting with a trip to Bovey Tracey on Tuesday. My new best friend Pat and I went off to visit one of our B&B's Brookfield House, then off to lunch at the Brookside cafe where we were served by Helen (see above) I have written about the visit on my http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/food/afternoon_tea_dartmoor.html page.

The most exciting thing that I have mastered this week is how to add a sensible slide show to a website. Took a bit of getting my head round, but if you take a look at :-http://www.sandyparkinn.co.uk/10_pubs_charity_walk_2010.html you will see my work in progress. I was out taking a picture for the Okehampton Times, and whilst I was there I took over 100 more. 46 of them have already been added to the page and I am hoping to put more up later today.

Having mastered the art of the slideshow, I added a few shots of our last wedding to my own website. http://www.jillpendleton.co.uk/ Actually Emma and Jeff have only seen about 12 of the wedding pics and we're looking forward to showing them over 500, hopefully later this week.

Will let you know what their reactions are......

Off on the South Devon Railway. Toot Toot !!

2010-06-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Just can't recommend a trip on the South Devon Railway too highly.
Rob and I took the mid morning train down to Totnes last week and enjoyed every minute.
The staff are so friendly, the stations at Buckfastleigh where we caught the train, Staverton that we passed and Totnes are gloriously colourful with hanging baskets, freshly painted livery and masses for train enthusiasts to look at and enjoy.
I am planning to write all about the visit when I have a minute, and put it as a link on our family days out page.
We had a week off last week to take time to look at local things and what a smashing holiday it turned out to be.
At the end of the journey down the line, we spent so much time taking pictures, that we missed the River Rat boat into Totnes itself, and had to walk the 25 minutes along the riverbank into town. No matter, we had all day, and as you know, I do need the exercise.
For a day out off the Moor, Totnes is a great place to go and certainly there cannot be a more interesting way to reach it than on the GWR route, or the Primrose Line as it is known. Totnes if full of interesting shops, varied and wonderful places to eat out, music and colour everywhere. I need a few hours to upload more pictures.
Who needs to fly off to foreign places with all that Devon has to offer? No journey for hours to the airport, no air terminus queuing, no Delhi belly and beauty all around.
Great.

fat pebbles, ice creams at Sidmouth and a beautiful bride.

2010-06-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of how fat my stomach will be if I don't stop....

Doing this ! Rob and I are having a 'staycation' holiday this week. Off to see things local during the day. And this is me at Sidmouth with 2 ice creams that cost £5.90 But that lasted about 25 minutes...

And this is a pic of Emma and Jeff on their wedding day. rob and I 'did' the pictures. Can't wait until they return from their honeymoon to show them the rest... It was a cracking day. More next week. Rush rush rush

Beera Farm near to Tavistock....

2010-06-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

Check out one of our B&B's at Milton Abbot near to Tavistock. Jane and I paid a visit on Tuesday. This is Beera Farm, the lovely home of Hilary Tucker.
No time to write a review at present. Family party due on Sunday and I am up to my
elbows making garlic bread and giant quiches ....
Have a nice weekend everyone, the weather is looking good ....

The Two Hills race in Chagford - perfect weather for everyone.

2010-06-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

Brilliant atmosphere at the Two Hills race on Bank Holiday Monday. Over 150 keen runners running up and down the 2 hills that dominate Chagford. Click the first photo and you will see such enthusiasm in the face of the young boy in red and white stripe top on the left of the shot. Look at the kid on the right, again in red and white and both his feet are off the ground.
Everyone in the picture is full of intent.... magic. The second shot is of the same boy Luke Mortimore from South Zeal, making it to the finish where seemingly the whole of Chagford were there to cheer the finishers over the winning post.
Nice little shot of the happy family - proud that the young girl had completed the course. I think her name is Rose Andrews. No puns about Rose rising to the occasion then ???

Well done everyone for taking part.

There is a link on http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/ to view over 500 shots that Rob and I took at the event. THE PASSWORD TO LOOK AT THE PICS IS 2hillsrace

Ernie at Princetown and a chimney fire at the Sandy Park Inn.

2010-05-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Apologies for not keeping the blog up to date these last couple of weeks, but we have had almighty problems with the website.
Elizabeth (daughter) is hell bent on installing a data base for me, because the site is so big, and it will make navigation even more easy for our visitors. This has meant that we needed to tidy up the coding on the html (all background stuff behind the pages) which has been up and running for about 12 years without much technical knowledge, me being non techy whatsoever. So.....
One of Elizabeth's bright young team has been trying to sort me out. Poor Nick has had the daunting task of trying to taking it all to pieces and updating the old style sheet.....
which would have been ok, save for the fact that there were 2 style sheets in there, and unbeknownst (is that how you spell that ?) to Nick the one that was lying quietly in the background was causing great problems to the one that we thought was in command.
Still with me ??????????
Anyway, all this conflict at the back of the pages came to light when Jane and I realised that we were duplicating correction work, and whatever we did didn't seem to be making much difference to the look of the website.
If anyone does know what I'm rattling on about, they will know the sheer frustration of it all.
And all this when I could be doing far more interesting and exciting stuff.
I had hoped by now to be out and about saying hello to all our accommodation providers, and updating the pages with all manner of interesting facts.

We did manage to get out to visit one of the new B&B's on our website this week though and that was to nip out to say a quick hello to Ernie at Duchy House at Princetown. That's Ernie in the picture at the top. What a cheerful guy he is. He showed us around his letting rooms and we took lots of photos that I will add to the website in a few days time, and before we knew it we were drinking tea in his kitchen chatting away like old pals. He is very easy to get on with, and I should imagine that visitors to the Prison who stay with him would feel at home in no time.
The other picture is of Chagford and Moreton fire crews attending a chimney fire at the Sandy Park Inn just outside Chagford on the 14th. I'm so glad that it didn't get out of hand. The firefighting lads were able to direct a hose down the chimney that seemed to do the trick and the pub was back to business as usual by lunch opening time.

I will get back to sensible blogs.... honest. There will be more hours in a day. Pigs will fly ! Cheers chaps

Managed to visit Penpark bed and breakfast at last..

2010-05-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

What a joy this job is. Today I went down to Bickington on the South of the Moor to introduce myself to Madeleine Gregson who joined my website last year.
This is the first chance I have had to go along with my camera and I was very pleased with Maddy's excellent bed and breakfast. Do take a second to click on the photos to see what I mean. Quality house and impressive garden.
I'm hoping to get time over the next few days to write a full review with heaps of lovely photos.

But as it's past midnight, I will bid you all goodnight.....

Birthday treat at 22 Mill Street. Thank you George and Linda !

2010-05-12T04:31:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie to say thank you to George and Linda for our Birthday Treat at 22 Mill Street in Chagford last night.

We had a lovely time and the food was great. As soon as I am over the installation of our database, I shall be adding a food review to our website.

OneSwitch.org.uk blog: Accessible Play Grounds

2010-05-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

OneSwitch.org.uk blog: Accessible Play Grounds
The all ability playpark that I organise the website for have received a comment on this website.(above) ...
It is the most wonderful playpark for children of all ages and all disabilities. I have tried out most of the kit and it is accessible for anyone, wheelchair bound or not. If you live in Devon, then please go and have a look at it. Map on the website, which is http://www.theplaypark.co.uk/

60 years old. The sole benefit !

2010-05-08T02:54:00.000-07:00

My 60th birthday loomed ahead like a trip to the dentist, but the day turned out to be one of the best.
Elizabeth came down from Norfolk for a few days and on THE day we took ourselves off with the kids to the Dartmoor Tearooms in Moreton for a top class feast, the highlight being the presentation of a raspberry, meringue and ice cream plateful of yum complete with candle.
When we finally turned out of the cafe with 2 bottles of wine taken, we headed off to take Nancy on the swings at the bottom of the street. She loved it.

Thanks to everyone who kindly sent me a card or greetings. These photos were all taken by Rob, who spoilt me rotten on the day. Tricky for people to spot though, as he is endlessly generous and giving to me. Maybe he fancies a share of my pension ! At least with my bus pass, we can travel around the county at half the cost..... Pass me that bus timetable chap !

Boldventure B&B or self catering well off the beaten track

2010-05-06T01:22:00.000-07:00

If you really want to find a quiet away from it all bolthole on Dartmoor, then look no further than Boldventure about 3 miles out of Chagford close to the Mariner's Way and peaceful as can be. With far reaching views and soon to have a carpet of bluebells in their own private woods at the back of the plot.

I will give you the web address which is www.bvdartmoor.com but tell you that it just does not do the place justice, so I have talked Dennis and Wendy King the owners into letting me build them a website to be proud of.
Jane and I went up to take preliminary pictures last Friday and I reminded myself of just how out of the way it all is. The drive up is a bit uneven, but well worth the climb because of the stunning far reaching views. I will go back in the better weather to take a panoramic shot that take in the whole of Chagford, Meldon and Natterdon, Haytor in the distance and Castle Drogo easily spotted.

As we walked into the main living room it was easy to take photos of the deer in the adjacent field. Wendy and Dennis are nature fans so you will see all the local birds and meet their pet pony and horse. They invite you to bring your own horse if you wish at a tiny charge of £5 per day and they are the sort of folks that will feed them if you are out late in the day.
The visitors book is full of comments about their kindness. will let you know when I have their new website ready to look at.

Mythic Garden new sculptures in place.

2010-04-30T11:45:00.000-07:00

There is always something wild and wonderful to see at the Mythic Garden Scupture Exhibition near to Chagford at Stonelane Arboretum.
I was up there this morning taking pictures for a child's trail and loved every minute.
If you haven't been before then I think you would enjoy it. The arboretum holds the National Collection of Birches and Alders, gathered from all over by Kenneth Ashburner who is a tree expert. What he doesn't know about birches and alders could be written on a the side of a catkin. You can buy trees from the garden and the sculptures are as you can see somewhat eyecatching....
The garden is open daily from 2 til 6 and the website is www.mythicgarden.com
I am pleased that my feet are not twice the size of my head, like this young lady !
"Does my bum look big in this ?"
"Yes !"

Back on the pier at Clevedon again.

2010-04-23T15:43:00.000-07:00

Can you see some plaques on the board under this chap's feet ?

The canny fundraisers when the pier was being rebuilt sold brass plaques at £5 each to raise mony for the work effort. It makes for a most attractive feature of the pier.
The benches also have plaques, see one either side of Smiler.

No wonder our hotel The Highcliffe has such a fab view (see previous entry) It has a commanding position overlooking the Severn Estuary. Perfect for watching the tide come in and out twice a day. Watching the water level rise as the tide went out as we were on the pier confirms the fact that you couldn't swim against this tide here. It is the second highest tide in the World. However they managed to build this pier in the first place is beyond me.

The other Granny reaches 60. My turn next.

2010-04-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend we had in Clevedon to help celebrate the 'other Grandmother's 60th birthday. Nice that we were included in the partying. Thank you Hilary and John for inviting us. The party was held at 5 The Beach and they did us proud with the food. All very enjoyable.
Here is my Rob lapping up some of the strong sunshine we had over the weekend. The volcanic ash didn't seem to hinder the sun's rays, I came home with a suntan on my face and hands !

Clevedon Pier is hugely photographable (?) Opposite of unphotographable in the old song ?
Here it is in the sunset at high tide. Anyone with half an interest in photography would be itching to get the camera out around this very attractive pier. We went for a walk down it the following day - a sunday morning and there was a fishing match going on. All very colourful. Will add some of the pics in the next listing.

2 cousins on the Two Moors Way - Too much for me!

2010-04-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

Apologies for late entries. It's been a busy few days....
Can it only be 9 days ago that it was cool and miserable like this ?
Two of my favourite cousins Richard and Nick Austin came by walking the Two Moors Way and stayed a night with us. So I offered to walk some of the local path near to here with them.
They poor souls had been walking from Ivybridge on the South of Dartmoor and had already got 3 days walking under thier belts by the time I caught up with them at Chagford, and we spent a very pleasant afternoon walking to Drewsteignton with plenty of time to talk about 'the old days' and relatives no longer with us....
I knew them both from little lads, and can well remember changing Richard's nappy when I was about 8 years old, but at the end of the walk uphill and downdale my knees were giving me gyp and I had to rely on them far too heavily as they supported me for the last half a mile. With me hanging on to Rich's arm for dear life and Nick one step below me on the final descent so that I could lean on his shoulder with my left arm, our parents would have smiled at the thought of me needing them as props in order to reach Drewsteignton Square where Robert soon arrived in the car to pick us up.
It was great to catch up with the boys, and after a cooked breakfast on the Thursday morning Rob drove them back to Drewsteignton where they picked up the walk again.
I heard from Nick on Sunday morning that they had completed the walk.
Rather them than me. Well done young 'uns xxxxxxxxxxxxx

First swallow spotted and purple sprouting takes some beating.

2010-04-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

Great News about Summer.... it's on the way.
How do I know ?
Well one lone swallow arrived back on Saturday 10th, and the seeds are coming up in my greenhouse.
This is a pic of me with some purple sprouting.
Last year we were still eating off it at Christmas, and I didn't collect these seeds off the old dried up plants until early February when I just hung up the old plant in the greenhouse to fully dry out.
The seeds positively jumped out of the pods a few days later, and I sowed them on the 4th of April and already they are racing away.
This photo was taken on the 10th, and today the 13th, the seeds are twice as big and filling out the seedtray like hearty cress. I shall have far too many plants, so if you live within easy reach call in for some spares.
They are really easy to grow and the heads of purple sprouting perform just like brocolli once cooked. Personally I enjoy the green leaves too. Just like Spring cabbage. Yummy.
I think that seeing as it's such a sunny day, I'll go out and do some digging.

The latest food review

2010-04-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

My latest food review http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/food/food_review_cromwell_arms.html

if you fancy a peep.

Colcharton Farm - I fancy a few days there myself !

2010-04-13T03:44:00.000-07:00

Now there's something you don't often see... a hen and a cat on a wall together ! But all the cats (5+) stay outside on the farm at Colcharton, one of our Bed and Breakfasts near to Tavistock, and chickens and cats all get on together.
Take a closer look at the bathroom picture. Very swish.

Jane the office treasure and I went along to meet Lowenna the landlady last Friday and I have written about my visit to Colcharton within my website. So if you would like to see some large pictures of the bedrooms and the relaxing conservatory where Lowenna serves home made cake to her visitors. Click here to see more http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/accommodation/visit_colcharton.html

The Playpark in Exeter is BRILLIANT !

2010-04-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

If you know of anyone in a wheelchair that fancies a swing or a seesaw, or even a jump on a trampoline, then take a look at http://www.theplaypark.co.uk/ It is the brainchild of my good friend Miriam Guard, who herself has an autistic child Henry.

Miriam has battled through acres of red tape and difficulties and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to build an all abilities playpark in Exeter which was opened last year. Handicapped kids have a whale of a time there where they can get involved with some very clever playground equipment all for free.

I built the website for Miriam last year as my small contribution to all the hard work that she undertakes and I nip into the playpark now and again to take fresh pictures for the site. On Sunday we took Nancy our 2 year old grand-daughter for a treat. She loves the trampoline and the sandpit. Not to mention the slides, and the swings...and ....
Miriam came here today to make changes on the website with me and we were able to to add a super photo of Maddie from Exmouth and her pal Ben from North Devon, both in wheelchairs - who meet up midway for a play at the playpark, being pushed around on the purpose built roundabout.

Do click the link http://www.theplaypark.co.uk/ and take a look.

Hello Pip from Newlyn, nice to meet you !

2010-04-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

Easter Saturday and Rob and I went off to take pictures at another of our self catering lets, this time in Manaton, in the changeover hours, when all is looking gorgeous and there are no guests in shot.

Soon to be shown on my http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/ website.
We promised ourselves lunch at the Dartmoor Tearooms in Moretonhampstead on our way home, and spied one young man there enjoying his lunch with absolute relish. At the end of the meal, the Mum picked up the cafe's Visitor's Book and searched for an entry that they made in it last year. She then mentioned to the boy that the cafe must have been closed for the Winter because of the clear space in the book. I confirmed this to be the case, and that the cafe had only just reopened last Wednesday 24th.
The woman told me that they were lucky indeed to find the place open having travelled up from Paignton by Royal Command of the son, who had enjoyed the food so much last year, (they all had) that this trip was on the top of their 'to do list' Turns out they live in Newlyn and run the Tolcarne Inn there. At the end of their meal, I asked the boy, Pip if he wouldn't mind stepping outside to have his picture taken for the website, and this is what you see above. Mum told me that this is definitely the best cafe food we have ever eaten, and it's just as good as last year. I asked her if I could quote her and she said "Oh yes, we give it the thumbs up don't we Pip ?" Asked to show me the thumbs up, Pip posed with just the one thumb, and then on second thoughts, decided that it deserved both hands....

And I agree with him. George has made just one or two changes to the menu, the main one to affect me is the introduction of some very tasty thin chips with home made mayo. Tricky for me to add now that I have typed, but I will maybe add it to my food review page in a day or two.

You can find the Dartmoor Tearoom's website on http://www.dartmoortearooms.co.uk/

Off out into the garden after lunch to make the most of this glorious sunshine. It's about time I sowed some purple sprouting seeds. Pictures of the results no doubt as they come through.

Happy Easter blog watchers !

Visting the accommodation providers at last

2010-03-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

Finally I am getting out from the office to say hello to

some of the accommodation providers on my website.

Last Saturday, when she had just cleaned through her holiday let, in those precious few hours that cottage owners have from waving goodbye to one set of holiday makers and smiling hello to the next lot, I called in to see Hilary Jarvis and her family.

This few short hours when anyone in the family that can be rallied to push a hoover or wash a few windows is rallied, is called the changeover. Usually from 10 or 11 in the morning to around 4 or 5 in the afternoon and the amount of work to be carried out to get the holiday let back into pristine condition depends entirely on the state in which the outgoing guests leave the place. Some really nice people will leave the place almost as they found it a week ago, with just a neat pile of outgoing soiled linen by the back door ready for you to deal with as you carry in an armful of clean linen.
Others of course, fortunately not so many, walk out to their cars with a 'you're having a laugh aren't you ' brave face with hardly a backward glance at the dishevelled mess of unmade beds and occasionally dishes in the sink. Which is stupid really because home owners are quite at liberty to withold some of the damage deposit that these days all incoming holidaymakers have to pay. We once delivered a narrowboat back to base after a party of youngish (in their twenties) delivered a hire boat back to base on a sunny Summer morning, and the boat base was not at all happy about the state of the boat. The final night of the holiday had culminated in a boozy party and the crew had finished off the holiday with full on hangovers as one of their party manouvered the boat back to base. They foolishly thought that all they had to do was transfer their tatty belongings into their cars and drive away home. But the boatyard staff had other ideas.

A stand off ensued once the cars were packed and the party made to depart......
But a barrier had been lowered from the boat yard car park, and the manager, a big bloke went about his work and totally ignored them. Brilliant !

We watched all this from the grandstand position on the top of our own boat as we took a final mug of tea at the end of our clean out.....

It was just like a wild west shoot out... the kids were full of muster, determined to be off, but penned in by the metal bar. Three male members of their party studied the locking device and scratched their heads whilst the females slumped on cars smoking and goading their men folk on to bring about what they saw as their right to be released and away.

It was at this stage that I was dragooned by the lady cleaners to go and witness the state of the boat, in case of any comeback, and I was completely stunned at the state of it. The galley was just a sea of dirty dishes, bottles and cans, the beds looked as if they had been used for a month, and the bathroom, well I won't bother telling you.

After some time, one of the lads came and talked to the cleaning ladies, offering them money to clean up the boat, but they referred him to the boss, who was in full view but back turned with his total attention seemingly on other things......

The boy didn't have the bottle to go on his own, and went back to the car park to reinforce himself with the other 2 boys, and in a threesome they approached Mr. Chunky.

The first thing we heard was "I'm gonna phone my Dad"

Chunky came back with "Good, I look forward to meeting him"

There then followed some debate as to the likelihood of the deposit being returned.....
"No there will be no return of the deposit. Plus there will be an extra charge to be paid right now, for the work that the cleaners have to carry out to turn the boat around ....... or else"

"Else wot ?" asked the mouthiest of the bunch.

"Or else you can get those girls off their backsides and back into that boat to clean it. Your choice"

It was pure theatre to watch. I loved every minute of it. And you know what happened don't you. Just what we guessed. They paid up and ran. They had to pool money together so that they could leave, and that is what they did !
But the cleaners had the last laugh, because after we had loaded our car to go and went back to finalise things at the desk, the cleaners took a coffee break from the worst of their endeavours and came into the office in a happy mood. Not only were there toiletries and food to be divvied up between them, they had found a pack of cards and quite a bit of money on the floor under the fixed table. They did well out of that day, but they deserved every penny.

Anyway, to get back to Hilary. ...
I found her on her hands and knees washing the floor to the hall in her self catering cottage, working backwards with the bucket as she came towards me. ....

This was her last job in getting things back to normal. She had asked me to take some up to date shots for her website, and with this in mind she brought out the welcome cake that she cooks each week 'for the next lot' It looked utterly delicious. See above. click the pic to see it in all it's glory. The dog in the pot is Harvey who gets on with all visitors and visiting dogs, and the hens are her free range flock fully free ranging and looking in the peak of condition. If you stay in the her self catering you can buy some of the eggs...
Take a look at Hilary's website http://www.pittpark.co.uk/ to see for yourself how inviting it looks....

Not far from Widecombe, very family minded.

Fortunately Hilary's Mum was busy in the home kitchen making fresh bread and carrot soup, and the new ice cream maker was being put through it's paces, so I had a very tasty lunch before I journeyed home.
I still reckon this is a great job. Only one drawback. If I told you that the time is now past midnight, and that I never seem to fully get through all my little jobs, I think you will understand. Goodnight one and all.

4 bed and breakfasts visited in one wet afternoon

2010-03-19T04:35:00.000-07:00

Jane and I decided that we needed to get out of the office.. so we rang a few of our accommodation providers and asked if we could come and visit... When we set out just after lunch the weather was dry but overcast. By the time we reached the Oratory in Princetown, first picture, it was raining, but the warm welcome from Sally made up for that. The first shot is of one of her double rooms.It has a private shower room just along the corridor, a tea tray, telly and usual trimmings. On the way over Jane and I had discussed the merits of Princetown as a holiday destination, and it has much to commend it. For one it is at the hub of many breathtaking walks, there are several good places to eat that are not off the chart pricewise, and every vistor must have a natural curiosity about the prison itself. Masses of history, check out the Prison Museum. Sally offers 2 double rooms and a large annexe with it's own front door. She welcomes children and dogs and her vistors book is stuffed with complimentary comments.
Find her on our price range one page. http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/accommodation/dartmoor_b&b_price_range_1.html

Already behind schedule we arrived at Barnabas House in Yelverton just as Carolyn was taking cakes and quiches out of the oven that were destined for
a visit from the Bishop to the local church the following day. One thing I did comment on to Carolyn as we walked round taking pics of all the bedrooms, was that her whole house was gloriously clean without any whiff of the dreaded airfresheners and fabric conditioners that I often come across these days. I don't know why some landladies think that visitors will appreciate this overpowering usually cinnamon pong. In the early 80's Rob and I visited New York and the lasting memory is of the synthetic stink that whafted through any and every shopping mall. Carolyn agreed wholeheartedly that artificial cover up smells should be outlawed. Her's is the room with the purple throw on the bed. She has 7 rooms on offer in total. So if you have a group of 16 that you want to house, (the family room will take 5) then

give her a ring in plenty of time. We were even further behind on the timetable when we arrived at Pixeycombe near to the village of Meavy where the cheerful Trevor ushered us in from the lashing rain and offered us tea and chocolate biscuits. Sue arrived in no time and we were treated to a tour of their comfortable family home to see the 2 letting rooms. The house is full of wonderful oil paintings and prints. I love the furnishings and the guest sitting room with it's giant settee and eye catching fireplace. This is one of those the bed and breakfasts where you arrive as a guest and leave as a friend. I know that sounds really corny, and I hate to see it on websites, but Trevor is friendly, interesting AND interested. Both he and Sue have enjoyed having folks to stay and share their space. They have an 11 year old son who meets a new set of friends each Summer, much as our 2 girls did in our busiest B&B years. The local pub, The Royal Oak in Meavy is perfect for evening meals. The pic above with the 2 double beds is the twin /family room which has an adjacent private bathroom. They have an impressive garden with views and a deep empty pond that Trevor refuses to fill in case any toddler comes to grief. Eggs for breakfast come from their own hens so of course they naturally get an extra tick there, me being bonkers about chucks.

Finally and after Jane had rung to apologise, we arrived at Hunter's Lodge, close to Badgers Holt at Dartmeet, a honeypot for holidaymakers in the centre of the Moor and overlooking the stunning River Dart. I have had Toni and John's B&B and annexe on my website for over 12 years and have tried to meet up with them a couple of times without success. Reticent about why I should need to visit them at all, I was hoping to reassure them that I am in no way a travel inspector or similar, merely that I want to have a look around their place for when visitors ask me the inevitable "What's it really like?" or "Do you rate it?" along with odd stuff like, "Can we bring a barbecue?" and "Is the bath big enough for my fat husband ?" (I kid you not)

The one point that I do wish to get across to you is that Hunter's Lodge is so much better than I was lead to expect from the website. Toni and John are quiet gentle people and their house is beautifully kitted out in a cross between Country Living and Amish style. There is no tv. Possibly because reception there might be poor, but largely I think because that is not their way. Help yourself to one of the many books on offer, meet up with the family around the fire in the sitting room, on the large comfy sofas. They will spend time showing you the best walks on a map that you can borrow.
John has taken the trouble to fit an almost silent extractor fan in an enclosed bathroom, and they were both keen to let me know. It is important to look after our holidaymakers in this way. I used to love waving folks off at the end of their stay, when I knew that they had taken a chance to unwind and recover in this quality landscape.
Toni and John will let you do just that without intruding. I plan to go back and see inside their holiday cottage at a later date as the weather by now was truly dire. But as we drove off through thick fog at Princetown we agreed that come Summer all these places will be ever better in the sunshine. All four of these B&B's can be found on my B&B's price range one page.
Here is the link :-
http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/accommodation/dartmoor_b&b_price_range_1.html

Norfolk gives me a bad back !

2010-03-09T03:04:00.000-08:00

I should have known better really. I've got an iffy back, and when Rob needed to go and help Elizabeth with things in Norfolk, I should have done the sensible thing and stayed here. But, any Mum will tell you that when you don't see your kids as often as you would wish, your own common sense gets ignored - at my peril !

From Devon to Norfolk by road. There's no easy way. And we've tried them all. Every one is a 6 hour slog.

Elizabeth is almost in her new home and office set up, but it has been a rocky ride with an inept plumber and a not 100% committed builder on site. Maybe they took advantage of her, knowing that she couldn't possibly know the real cost of things, how long it would take to replaster etc. who knows? But one thing is for sure. She sure as hell needed Daddy to sort her out BIG TIME. The next time she takes on a building project it had better be within easy reach of Rob, or else I shall throw my rattle right out of the pram....

She had some photography work for me to tackle and the lady behind the bar is Cheryl at the Crown Inn that E is building a website for. The mat bowl and candle in front of a swimming pool is likewise a website build for the Shining Tree near to where E lives. I was offered a dip in the pool and maybe I should have taken it. As it was when we retuned back to the office I was in agony with my back - maybe from kicking/pushing a walking machine into better light for a shot ...
So from then on I was bent over like a 90 year old rice planter wishing I hadn't got the journey home to contend with. Add to that the fact that we were scheduled to collect 40 five foot trees from a Norfolk tree grower for the folks at Stone Lane Gardens and Arboretum in Chagford, which we knew would take up the major space in the car. Rob had taken out the back seats in order to house the trees, so on the way home, knowing that I would be best off in the lying position bless him he dropped the passenger seat right back, packed out the footwell and stretchered me back. It's a bizarre thing lying down in a car and only being able to see the sky, tops of trees and the odd lorry driver picking his nose as we overtake his truck. Rob kindly plied me with fruit, sweets, drinks, chocolate, the papers and such, so that by the time we reached home my tight space looked like a space pod after a six week mission. And our lovely 7 foot wide bed was just like Shangri La ..... Pure Bliss....

And the white bust ? The beauty with the ringlets ? I took her picture at the auction in Chagford on Saturday. Where a bottle of Chateau Latour wine made £100 for church funds. I was there taking a pic for the Okehampton Times. What a shame that the buyer was absent.

Just as soon as the back is ready, I plan to visit all the accommodation providers on my website www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk and take some up to date pictures of each place. The sun is shining and there are signs of Spring on the way ... Great Bring it on !

Faces, my favourite subject

2010-02-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a great week for faces.....
My favourite subject...

The 2 girls at the top of the page asked me to take some pictures of heads and shoulders, which are not the ones shown here, for their website. But when I got home and saw the results onscreen of Holly (left) I had to see what she would look like in black and white. Her dramatic mane of cascading curls look great in greyscale, and Susie's picture pleases me enormously.
Do click it to see it larger than shown here.
The composition is great. She sits just off centre with the framed pictures on the right of the picture adding to the story. Her gaze is fully aligned to the camera and she is engaged with what is going on. The smile is 100% natural, her hands are not posed, just placed. The folds of her sweater add a relaxed note and her legs at the hem just finish the shot off nicely. In colour it is mellow snuff and grey colours with her hair golden. Black and white makes her stand out from the background and I love her air of stillness.

These 2 pictures are of Matt the landlord at the Sandy Park Inn. He will be performing at Chagstock later on in the year and he needed some fresh publicity shots. To make him relaxed I asked him to play to me, and got the bonus of him singing a sweet song that he had written for his baby son Gulliver.
Chagstock will be on in July. See
http://www.chagstock.info/chagstock-festival-line-up.htm for more.

The child picture at the top of this blog is the totally scrumptious Nancy. Who is already 2.
How dare she grow up so quickly. I will be an old crone in no time at this rate.

I shall be babysitting her over this weekend whilst Rob helps Ben (adorable son in law) to lay slabs on the new patio to be.
Can't wait !!

Budget to Luxury self catering. I love my job.

2010-02-17T04:59:00.000-08:00

You really couldn't get more 2 more different self catering places than 2 that I have visited during the last week.
Last Thursday I went to meet the Stacey family not far from Tavistock. They had asked me to come and take some new photos for them and offer advice on their website, so Jane my office wondergirl and I set off with camera bags at the ready.
On a working farm, this is just what a young family on a tight budget will be delighted to find.
It has a double, a twin on the living room level, and a small single room under the eaves at the top of very steep flight of stairs. All very Swallows and Amazons. The conversion is over 10 years old now, so it's a pink bathroom suite and some of the furnishings are a bit dated, but hey, if you have 2 or 3 youngsters to house then this will be just the ticket. There's an old tyre suspended from a tree outside, Mick the grandfather farmer is a real family man, the sort of chap who will have time to tell an inquisitive 10 year old all about the wonders of how lambs are born. Dartmoor Gliding Society have their base just up the road, so on Wednesdays and at weekends there is the thrill of quiet gliders overhead as they come in to land - brilliant spectator sport. Tavistock has a good sports centre and you can hop on a bus into Plymouth and see the National Marine Aquarium. What could be better fun than that ?

At the other end of the scale is Post Box Cottage a couple of miles out of Chagford. All shiny and new, a contemporary make-over in an old granite cottage that sleeps just 2. Top class fittings throughout. A bathroom to die for, the thickest of carpets in the large chic sitting room.
Both of the these self caters are on my website. Take a look.... http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/accommodation/self_catering.html

Devon Guild, white prams and faggots !

2010-02-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

Would that I were loaded with dosh, then yesterday when I took pal June along to see the Paper Work exhibition which is currently showing at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen down at Bovey Tracy, then I would just have picked this gorgeous vase up off the shelf and said 'Yes, I'll have that thank you' Made by Amanda Popham. I took lots of pictures at the Guild and have added a few to my website http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/ on a seperate page http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/information/devon_guild_bovey_tracey.html

Sorry to have neglected the blog recently, but I have been busily adding Google maps to a great many pages on my site so that visitors will have an idea of what is available in given locations. Click onto http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/accommodation/towns_chagford_map.html to see what I have been up to. It is tiring work but rewarding.
More people are joining the site and I plan to expand it with hundreds of up to the minute pictures as the season develops.
Rob is off in Norfolk helping Elizabeth with her soon to be new home. He's hanging new doors and sorting out cooker points (yes 2) painting and decorating, and on his way home he is collecting over 60 trees to bring back to a local tree nursery. Oh and he took a white pram with him on the journey up, as one of our pals had sold it on e-bay to a woman in Lincolnshire.
Funny story that. I think she must have been very new to e-bay and very keen to buy the pram because she bid over £200 for the pram and told her husband all about the bargain when he got home that night.... and he asked 'Where is it coming from ?'
'Oh, I don't know' says she. And it was only when he drew her attention to the postage details did they realise it said for collection only. Good job Rob was able to take it most of it's way there.

Just time to tell you that I uploaded my latest food review yesterday. Click http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/food/food_reviews_2010.html to follow the link.Talking of which it's well past lunchtime.
Cheers Chicks x

Magnetic letters on a birthday cake.

2010-01-27T04:34:00.000-08:00

Jennifer asked me to make a cake for Nancy's second birthday party and of course I left it very much to the last minute... Firday evening for a party on the Saturday morning 10 to 12. Apparently that's a good time for kids these days to hold a party. In my day of being a party Mum it was 3 o'clock arrive 6 o'clock leave, but no matter. I'm constantly aware of the fact that I am out of touch with modern day child rearing.....

Anyway anyway. I didn't have any of those little plastic 'Happy Birthday' adornments for the top of the cake when I looked into

my cake decoration box at close on midnight, so I pinched a few magnetic letters off the fridge and a number 2 for the top with some only used once pink cake candles and wrapped the whole thing in some left over red ribbon that we'd had at Christmas.
Nancy herself didn't notice the Yuletide overtones and as she and Bethan, fellow 2 year old hostess blew out candles on their respective cake, I was quite satisfied with my effort.

One of the pictures - out of about 70 I took at the party was of Bethan and her Mum and Dad, Caroline and Richard. I'v printed a copy off for them and think it will look good as a sepia or black and white shot. So I will add it to my own website http://www.jillpendleton.co.uk/ in the next day or 2 when I have a minute.

It's all go at the moment. It has taken me an age to get my head around installing Google maps, and with my 100+ page website for http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/ I have had to construct over 20 different maps showing stuff on each town page, and a page of just B&B's and just self caterings etc. But now if you asked me I can tell you how to add pins to the map and how to fill in the information 'speech bubble' without too much difficulty. I am adding petrol station around Dartmoor as I go along. Anything to add interest to my website.

I can't wait for the better weather to begin as I shall be off over the Moor visiting all our accommodation providers and making sure that the prices on my pages are up to date.
There are pictures to take seemingly at every corner. Nights are drawing out some now and it's almost sunny this afternoon, so hopefully as we reach February the days will be more pleasant...

BUT this is something I say every single year and every year we reach the middle of February and I think - this is a cruel month. Why do I stupidly expect any better ?
Never mind, they say that the recession is drawing to a close in the News .....

We shall see won't we ?

Oh well, on with the Motley.

As Jimmy Clitheroe used to say "Tarraah"

That 'this'll do attitude.

2010-01-17T00:09:00.000-08:00

So sorry that I am not keeping up with the blog as often as
I would like, but this week has been spent with me trying to
get my head around the Google maps on my website.

Click here and see the map for yourself. http://www.dartmooraccommodation.co.uk/information/map.html

Getting all those pins in place is no easy matter. There are far more self catering
locations to be added and already I need to add The Three Crowns at Chagford and
The Ring O' Bells in North Bovey, new additions to our listing. Good.
One thing I must show you is the photos that I took at Parford Well last week.

This is one of the best B&B's on Dartmoor and Tim really knows how to make visitors feel welcome.

I'm planning to take hundreds of shots at our accommodation providers this year and add them to some sort of gallery so that potential guests can have a really good snoop inside places to help make up their minds on where to stay.
There is one thing that can't be shown in photos though and that is the attitude of the landlord or landlady. For me owners fall quite distinctly into 2 categories. Those who know how to care and others who just don't 'get it'.
Years ago in the 70's my Mum and Dad used to have a touring caravan, if ever Mum bought something new for our house, a colander, a set of mugs, new breadknife etc. the old one got carried out to the caravan no matter how useless or tatty it was. Mum's attitude was 'it'll do for the caravan.' Maybe that was a throwback from early days of their marriage when we had to go camping in a tent, or stay with relatives or not afford to go on holiday at all. Don't get me wrong, they were deliriously happy times and the stuff that you take camping on an economy holiday can of course be tatty ... then no tears if it gets damaged, because of the make do resourceful style of the holiday. You know, not enough clean bowls mean that you eat your cereals out of a mug, and that makes it even more fun, especially for kids; but Dad and I resented this pile of clutter that seemed to accumulate in the van. And Mum's 'it'll do' attitude really got under Dad's and my skin.

Sad to say this attitude prevails with some of the accommodation providers I come across.
I have actually hear one or two trot out the phrase "It'll do for the visitors" or "It'll do for the guests" and a big red flag waves in front of my face. Strangely the last time I heard it was from one of our holiday cottage ladies. We were talking about providing games and toys for children, and she told me that she had made up a box of toys that she would otherwise have put out for the bin, and as I was thinking to myself - I can't ever remember throwing toys away, they would be better off going to a charity shop, or in our case stowed away in the garage for use as props on Carnival floats, or throwers for the dog ....whatever ..... then she coolly added "and anyway, it's only for the guests, it won't matter"

It's very much an us and them situation that prevails with these kind of people.

Only last year someone was telling me about the equipment that she was putting into her newly converted cottage. "I bought a whole new set of crockery and glasses for us, and the old ones I put into the let" Fancy telling me that ! Me who was there to view it on behalf of my customers - as it were..... Amazing.
Rob and I 'did' Bed and Breakfast for most of the years from 1981 to the last entry in my visitor's book on 10th of August in 2008 and in all that time, if we bought anything new; bedlinen, crockery, towels, the guests took priority and we had second choice. I never thought of it any other way. My guests came first most of the time. Kids come home from school. "Is there anyone in Mum?" , "Yes only play in the orchard, not on the front lawn". The best looking portions of pudding, the full gravy boat, the biggest slice of cake, all went to the guests.

These visitors paid our wages and we went out of our way to make sure that they had the best holiday possible. We once had a really moany Italian couple who when asked if they had slept well, mentioned that they were not used to any light in their bedroom at home as they had shutters at the windows. As soon as they went out for their day, Rob set to and made 2 light wooden frames exactly the right size as their bedroom windows, covered each one in thick black plastic from heavyduty bin liners and later on in the evening as the guests were at dinner, he fixed them into place in their bedroom. Apparently they told all their friends about it for years....

No amount of ticked boxes on a hotel inspector's clipboard can quantify this welcome friend approach that accommodation providers SHOULD ALL HAVE. If you are reading this and you don't much like strangers and you are thinking about running a hotel or B&B then do yourself a favour, cos chum .... guests put money into our pockets and a committed welcoming is one of the top priorities in this trade.
Tim at Parford (pics) has a naturally welcoming manner with guests. I have know him for over 12 years now, and he has been on my website since the off. His house is utterly charming with classy fixtures and fittings. He's not the type to hide his nicer pieces away from the guests. Oh no. I recommend him without hesitation and we hear back from his happy guests all the time.

If only I could say the same for all B&B providers around the country......

Did I tell you about when we booked into a hotel in Tenby ?..... and the nylon sheets ?

No ! Stop me. It's time I went to prepare lunch, and it's supposed to be my day off... Fat chance.

Til the next rant...

Jill