North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival - Printable Version +- Global Travel Forums (https://www.global-travels.net/forums) +-- Forum: Arts & Culture + Sport (https://www.global-travels.net/forums/forum-5.html) +--- Forum: Events (https://www.global-travels.net/forums/forum-18.html) +--- Thread: North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival (/thread-12.html)

North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival - admin - 01-29-2008 OVER 65 SCENIC GUIDED WALKS The 2008 North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival, Thursday 1 – Friday 9 May, embraces a full programme of sixty-six guided and speciality graded walks ensuring all levels of ability can discover the region’s beautiful and diverse scenery on foot. Around two-thirds of the outings are new such as a 5.1 mile route taking in the gardens and wooded valley of Arlington Court (National Trust); a 6 mile walk ‘High Beacons and Cairns’ which climbs to the highest point on Exmoor with a good chance of seeing red deer, and ‘Springwatch Territory’ which passes by some of the North Devon landscapes around Hatherleigh featured in the BBC animal and wildlife series with Bill Oddie. There will be free outings during two special Celebration Days over the Bank Holiday weekend. The first on Saturday, 3 May will be at RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington and includes two free walks, one around the garden with a member of their team and another with a festival guide exploring the environs of Rosemoor. Also on offer are a walk around Rosemoor with local professional photographer, Ross Hoddinott, on flower and garden photography, and a free illustrated talk about the South West Coast Path by walker and writer Paddy Dillon. On Sunday, 4 May walking break specialists, HF Holidays, one of the festival sponsors, will host an open day at Holnicote House, near Selworthy with four free walks led by their guides. New South West Coast Path Walk A new venture for 2008 is a four-day, 35mile walk along the Exmoor section of the South West Coast Path from Minehead to Combe Martin including meals and accommodation at the Yarn Market Hotel, Dunster. For those keen to try Nordic walking there’s an introductory session on Friday, 2 May to learn the basics with an opportunity to put newly acquired skills into practice during other walks later in the week. Speciality walks include ‘A Taste of the Wild Food’ on 4 May which will provide an eye opening experience into the world of bushcraft and wild food with a 5.6 mile walk down woodland paths to discover the origins and uses of British flora and fauna both in cooking and medicine. Steam train enthusiasts will enjoy the ‘Light Railway to Gardens and Old Church’, also on 4 May, which takes in a ride on the narrow gauge Barnstaple to Lynton Railway and a walk around Parracombe. Some of the outings follow sections of the 80mile Tarka Trail or explore Doone Country, an area of Exmoor made famous by RD Blackmore’s novel. There are also several flower and wildlife discovery walks through the Taw and Torridge river estuary and the North Devon Biosphere while favourites such as the map reading navigation day and trip to Lundy Island are being repeated. The Walking Festival’s main sponsor is HF Holidays who are offering a prize three-night guided walking break for two adults at any of their 17 country houses around the UK. Other supporters include Brend Hotels; Mullacott Park, Ilfracombe; the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the North Devon Biosphere Reserve while the festival is organised by the North Devon Marketing Bureau with West Country Walks. Prices, Booking and More Information Two welcome walks on 1 May and some on 3 and 4 May are free but the majority of outings are priced from £5 - £6 for adults and £4 - £5 for children; specials such as the ‘Navigation Day’ and ‘Flower and Garden Photography Walk’ with Ross Hoddinott are higher at £7 - £11 per person. Nordic walks are £10 each to include pole hire and the day out on Lundy is £29.50 for adults and £16 for children. The four-day coast path walk is £299 per person including five nights accommodation and dinner at the Yarn Market Hotel, Dunster, packed lunches, transfers to and from each walk, a welcome reception and evening talks.