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Year of the Pig. Gung Hay Fat Choi!

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Year of the Pig

Chinese New Year is the year of the pig (the 12th animal on the Chinese calendar) so we felt it was only right that we rounded up a few porcine places for you to get snout and about during your holiday!

The South Hams, (as our corner of South Devon is known) is an area of outstanding natural beauty encompassing large swathes of Dartmoor and stretching down to the coast. Home to vibrant and historic towns, quaint villages, hidden valleys and picturesque countryside, intersected with scenic rivers, the South Hams are a little corner of paradise

Pennywell Farm is home to the work famous Pennywell Miniature pigs, specially bred to be small friendly and exceedingly cute! Pennywell farm is a fantastic day out for families (especially young children), and visitors are welcome to cuddle the pigs and experience the thrill of pig racing every day at 2:30pm!

The Pigs Nose Inn for a totally different way to spend Chinese New Year, head over to the Pigs Nose Inn in the village of East Prawle- the most southerly point of Devon. This traditional 16th-century inn serves classic pub grub and real ales amid snug, quirky interiors. Sit by the fire and try your hand at some knitting from the knitting basket, play board games or pool- dogs and children are very welcome. There is regular live music in the adjacent hall which has seen everything from the Wurzels to Atomic Kitten!

The Pigs Nose and Gammon Head are also points on the south west coastpath, follow this circular walk (stopping at the interesting visitor centre at the coastwatch) before heading to the pub for a drink!

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/east-portlemouth-to-prawle-point/trails/prawle-point-walk

For a delicious Chinese meal (either takeaway or sit down meal), we highly recommend the food at Café Asia, in Kingsbridge. Lovely friendly staff and a delicious menu of South East Asian cuisine.

Thirst quenching Devon

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South Devon has some hidden gems of breweries, distilleries and vineyards.  Whether you want to take a tour or just sample whats on offer you can make some great holiday memories whilst quenching your thirst.

Salcombe Gin

Salcombe is South Devons yachting haven and what better ritual to adopt than that of the “sundowner”- a refreshing gin and tonic after a day on the water! Salcombe Gin opened the doors of its distillery in 2016. Located on Island Street, Salcombe Gin has since scooped numerous national and international awards. Their gin is hand distilled from 13 carefully selected botanicals and blended with pure Dartmoor water in a 450L copper still using a traditional “one shot” method. Visit the Distillery for a drink in the bar or book in to the gin school to create your own unique blend of gin and take home the ultimate 70cl souvenir of your holiday!

Salcombe gin is available at many of our local pubs, including the Cricket Inn and is for sale locally at Stokeley Farm Shop, Chillington Post Office and Kingsbridge Wine Rooms. https://www.salcombegin.com/

Salcombe Brewery

Salcombe brewery is located in the countryside near Kingsbridge looking towards the Salcombe estuary. The site has its own borehole which supplies the brewery with its own source of pure Devonian water perfect for the brewing process. The Brewery has 4 fermenting vessels capable of making 350 casks every week. Visitors are welcome for tours or brew days. The Brewery Shop is open during the week from 10am to 4pm, on some Saturdays 10am -2pm (seasonally), and sells beer, gift packs and branded merchandise. https://www.salcombebrewery.com/

South Hams Brewery

This 10 barrel plant is run by the Brooking family on the site at Stokeley Farm Shop overlooking beautiful Start Bay. The family have a real love for real ale and are the small brewery that’s very big on taste! Popular classic ales such as Eddystone, Wild Blonde and Devon Pride can be found alongside seasonal ales for sale in Stokeley Farm shop and many local establishments.  http://southhamsbrewery.co.uk/

Sharpham Vineyard

Just two miles from Totnes, The Sharpham vineyard overlooks the River Dart where the soil, climate and grape variety combine to make a unique regional wine.  Sharpham are at the forefront of vine growing and wine making in the UK and have won numerous Regional, National and International medals. Visit the vineyard to sample their wine and take a tour of the vineyard.  Sharpham wine is available to buy at Stokely farm shop and Kingsbridge Wine Rooms. http://www.sharpham.com/

Beeson Farmhouse Cider

Beeson Farm has always produced its own cider from the apples that grow in our orchard. Each year the apples are harvested, pressed and fermented on site. Guests are very welcome to join in with the process- especially the tasting! We work closely with Orchard Link, a south Devon organisation set up in 1998 by apple and cider enthusiasts concerned about the disappearance of traditional orchards in the area. Our traditional farmhouse cider is available to buy from the farmhouse door, enjoy a cold glass of cider whilst sitting in the courtyard in which the traditional stone cider press is now a decorative focal point.