A Perfect Recipe for a Great Summer Holiday

A Great Summer Holiday

Ingredients

For your base you will need:

* Your loved ones (keep the numbers to a minimum of 8) or a selection of your closest most reliable friends *Well behaved pet (optional) * A four star luxury self-catering cottage (& fishing!) * A sprinkling of sunshine * One pre-ordered Taste of Devon Hamper

For your filling pick three or more of the following:

* Fishing in Devon

* Lazing on the beach

* Uninterrupted 22 miles of coastal paths

* Steam Railway

* Woodlands Theme Park

* Historic Elizabethan Totnes Market

* Two on-site play areas

* Dartmoor

Method for Base

Carefully introduce your family or loved ones to the idea of having a holiday together. Once agreed, slowly add one by one your family members or friends into the four star self-catering cottage (& fishing!). Do not stir, allow to settle. Once settled you may add your well behave pet to the mix. Do not stir. Leave to chill!

Take one large pre-ordered Taste of Devon Hamper to the kitchen of your self-catering cottage (& fishing!) - divide the contents. Place the Newbarn Farm scones, clotted cream and strawberry preserve on plates. Keep the rest back for later use in the week.

Take your now chilled family or friends to the garden sprinkle liberally with sunshine and add your Devon cream tea to the mixture. Sit back and enjoy!

Now you have successfully prepared your base you can add slowly any of your chosen fillings as the week progresses. Do not add too quickly or more than one at a time as this could ruin the taste of your base! The Fishing in Devon makes an excellent filling so too does the lazing on the beach!

This recipe was produced by Newbarn Farm, a great Devon Fishing Holiday location which offers luxury four star self-catering cottages & fishing.

Oh my! It really is Summertime!

School's out for Summer

Last week I responded to an article I had read in the media - only 162 days to go to Christmas! Today I am sitting in the office with an empty 'blog' screen facing me - I feel uninspired! This will be the last day for six weeks in which I will be able to sit here in solitude - my peace and quiet, the call of the telephone being my only distraction. In an hour I will have to down tools, grab the car key and dash into town to collect my youngest daughter from Nursery, later at 3.oopm I will be standing outside the School gate waiting for my eldest to vacate the Reception class for the last time.

Back in 1972, I recall leaving School for the summer holidays with recurring lyrics racing through my head and like many at the time would often burst into song with utter delight at the prospect of so many weeks free from the education system.

Released back in 1972, Alice Cooper's 'School's out for Summer' was an instant hit. Cooper has said he was inspired to write the song when answering the question, "What's the greatest three minutes of your life?". Says Cooper: "There's two times during the year. One is Christmas morning, when you're just getting ready to open the presents. The greed factor is right there. The next one is the last three minutes of the last day of school when you're sitting there and it's like a slow burning. I said, 'If we can catch that three minutes in a song, it's going to be so big'". and he was so right!

Well we got no choice

All the girls and boys

Makin all that noise'

Cause they found new toys

Well we can't salute ya

Can't find a flag

If that don't suit ya

That's a drag

School's out for summer

School's out forever

School's been blown to pieces

No more pencils

No more books

No more teacher's dirty looks

Well we got no class

And we got no principles

And we got no innocence

We can't even think of a word that rhymes

School's out for summer

School's out forever

School's been blown to pieces

No more pencils

No more books

No more teacher's dirty looks

Out for summer

Out till fall

We might not go back at all

School's out forever

School's out for summer

School's out with fever

School's out completely

A great song!

Well it's not Christmas (not yet! Only 155 days to go!), so gifts are not required to satisfy the 'greed factor'. But with plenty of days to fill, hopefully whilst the sun shines - remember Fishing in Devon at Newbarn Farm doesn't cost the earth and is an inexpensive way to occupy the kids whilst they drink in the gallons of fresh air!

And for those who haven't as yet booked that much awaited Summer Holiday we can offer luxury four star self catering cottages & fishing for families from Saturday 23rd August.

'School's out for Summer', make the most of your 'Devon Fishing Holiday'

Only 161 days until Christmas!!!!

It will be the season to ex-ter-mi-nate

Sorry to the bearer of bad news, but there really are only 161 days until Christmas. Though most of us would prefer to ignore this fact, as most of us are still looking forward to our summer vacations, especially those venturing south for a fabulous Devon Fishing Holiday; the toy stores have other ideas!

Hamleys has already compiled a list of the products that will be top of our children's wishlists this year. First is a Dalek voice-changing helmet from the Doctor Who range, guaranteed to make even the sweetest child sound like a murderous robot for £39.99. The very little ones are expected to hanker after a high-tech version of the Teletubbies doll, which was a top-seller ten years ago. The £39.99 'Dance With Me' Teletubbies blink, giggle, dance and make a'parp' sound when knocked over and a happy 'whee' sound when picked up.

Quite an expensive headache if you ask me, and joy of joy more plastic to break, trip over, clutter up the lounge & worst of all the constant pleads for yet more batteries to make the damn things work! Why as a nation do we do this to ourselves? And what's more over and over again each year!

So why not break the mould this year? A little peace would be a worthy reward. For those with children , boys and girls alike - a fishing rod & reel with some fancy looking floats would make a great gift with some pre-paid day tickets for your local coarse fishery and for those in the Southwest where better than Newbarn Farm, a prime place for Fishing in Devon. A new hobby which can be fulfilled with spending very little and what's more just think of the fresh air the children would be taking.

For those who have let go of the magic inspired by Father Christmas - a holiday in a one of Newbarn Farm's luxury four star self catering cottages (& fishing) over the Christmas holidays could just be the ticket.

And for us grown-ups, why we don't need an exuse - do we? A great gift for a loved one - a short break or a full week's holiday. Just wrap up one of our brochures and place it under the tree - they'll be delighted not to recieve yet another pair of slippers or a perfume from the shelves of that corner pharmacists just down the road!

And if Christmas really does seem a lifetime away - too far away to start making plans and drawing up copious lists, there's no harm in treating yourself and your loved ones with a short Devon Fishing Holiday in one of luxurious self catering cottages & fishing. Go on spoil yourself.

A summer buzzing with activity!

With so many things to do in South Devon it is sometimes difficult to decide what to do to make the most of a holiday here. Here at Newbarn Farm, a great Fishing in Devon location, we have put together some great events happening this summer - just to make that decision making just that little bit easier.

Living Coasts are opening a new exciting 'journey' on July 16th. Easily located in Beacon Quay right on the harbourside in Torquay, 'The Roots of the Sea' promises you a journey into the roots of a mangrove forest here a Living Coasts. See stingrays, upside-down jelly fish, dinosaur crabs and lots more.

And then on Saturday 26th July, the famous Marldon Apple Pie Fair takes place. Travelling time to this fair from your self-catering cottage & fishing at Newbarn Farm is approximately 10 minutes. In loving memory of a George Hill who died towards the end of the 19th Century, the Marldon Apple Pie Fair began in 1955. George Hill used to travel weekly to market in Torquay on a donkey with panniers full of apples. On his return the panniers would be full of washing to be laundered. On the day of the annual fair and sports day in St Marychurch, Torquay, George drove a cart carrying a huge apple pie, drawn by two black donkeys wearing harness and reins decorated with plaited straw, around the town. The pie, oval in shape and aboout the size of a kitchen table, ended its journey at the fair and was eaten with cream. Today the Marldon Apple Pie Fair is considered by the Torbay community to be simply one of the best events in the local summer calendar; with various arena events, exhibition of craft activities and local artists in a large marquee, plus numerous side shows and stalls. They don't have any fishing holidays in Devon here, but with only 10 minutes to journey back to Newbarn Farm you will be able to soon see yourself sitting on the banks with rod in hand for some quality Fishing in Devon.

Torbay Carnival Week this year promises to be bigger and better than previous years. Running from Sunday 27th July - Sunday 3rd August, the 2008 celebrations mark 100 years of family fun on Paignton Green with the stunning backdrop of the South Devon coastline and Paignton Pier. Opening day starts of with the Riviera Classic Car Show and Town crier competitions. Monday gives way to Children’s day with fun for all ages ; Tuesday ends with a fantastic firework display to music at 9.45pm. Wednesday is Carnival Procession day with lots of fun races thrown in throughout the day. The second children’s day takes place on Thursday with live Night Music until 10.30pm. Plenty to keep the family entertained all day and every day throughout the week.

Travelling time from Newbarn Farm is only 5 minutes, so you will be able to get some Fishing in Devon in before the fun kicks of at 9.30am on a daily basis.

For those who enjoy a little open air theatre, the Dartmouth Shakespeare Company are putting on a production of The Tempest, with seating in the car park at Dartmouth Castle with the performance taking place on the grassy banks in the historic ruins of the old fortalice. Why not arrive early, find a convenient parking space and have time to look around, there are a number of short walks in the immediate vicinity and picnic areas. Bar opens at 7pm. Family tickets 2 + 2 - £30.00, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - £10.00. Friday and Saturday performances - £12.50. Tel: 01803 834224. Travelling time from Newbarn Farm is 25 minutes, so one the curtain comes down it won't be long before you are back in your very comfortable self-catering cottage & fishing.

And…. .Bigbury-on-sea

The beach at Bigbury-on-sea is just fantastic – when the tide is out you can walk across the glorious golden sand to Burr Island – home of an exclusive Art Nouveau Hotel (very private) and a lovely pub which serves reasonably priced lunches. On the mainland the Venus café serves award winning hot and cold food and is fully licensed. Not only is this beach clean and tidy with warm clean sea it also offers a truly quirky form of transport which the children will just love. The sea tractor with enormous wheels will journey you to and from Burr Island when the tide comes in. Lots of fun for all the family! £4.50 for daily parking..

All this just a stone's throw away from your favourite Devon Fishing Holiday Cottage.

Feeling the Pinch!

Tightening Belts

Consumers are tightening their belts as they battle with the credit crunch, according to a CBI survey published today.

Service companies are suffering their worst period for seven entire years, with business falling over the past three months at a time when costs have risen rapidly. Professsional services companies - such as lawyers, artitects, IT companies, accountants and head hunters - fared a little better - they continued to grow but at well below previous levels.

In a nutshell, we as a nation are reining in on spending on leisure, entertainment and eating out. This has had a devasting impact on the tourist industry, not only are major tourist attractions showing a fall in entrance numbers, but restaurants are suffering too.

Here at Newbarn Farm, a great Devon fishing holiday location we have maintained the same numbers on our banks as last year. Surely this must be a reflection of the quality fishing in Devon we have on offer and that you really don't have to 'break the bank' to enjoy a day participating in your favourite sport - a mere £7.00. Yes only £7.00 for a full day!

Sadly some of our luxury 4 STAR self-catering cottages (& fishing) are potentially looking empty next week, which is crazy as a good percentage of the nation has decided not to take that last minute holiday as means of 'tightening their belts'. Well that needn't be the case!

Here a Newbarn Farm, we beleive that we are probably in one of the best locations for exploring all that South Devon has on offer and probably provide the finest self-catering cottages for those much wanted fishing holidays in Devon.

We are feeling the pinch too - so we are offering some great last minute deals for that South Devon Holiday:-

Poachers - sleeps 2 - w/c 5th July - only £360

Pheasants Hide - sleeps 2 - w/c 5th July - only £360

Oaktree - sleeps 2 - w/c 5th July - only £400

Buzzards Bough - sleeps 3 - w/c 5th July - only £400

Anglers Rest - sleeps 4 - w/c 5th July - only £475

Oaktrest - sleeps 10 - w/c 5th July - only £1000

Just call 01803 553602 for a fabulous late getaway from 'feeling the pinch'.

Believe me it will be worth it!