Animal Magic in South Devon

Two Tall, leggy females are setting pulses racing in South Devon

Paignton Zoo is reportedly one of the best if not the best zoo in the United Kingdom, and yesterday it got even better. Female giraffes have returned to Paignton Zoo Evirmomental Park for the first time in two years - to the interest of resident male Yoda. Thanks to a local newspaper, 'The Herald Express Kizi Fund', helped raise £7,453 towards bringing giraffes back to Paignton Zoo after a fire in February 2006 killed three animals, including a week-old baby.

So the two females, three year old Janica, from Duvrkralove Zoo in the Czeh Republic and Sangha (two and a half), from Liberec Zoo in Slovakia, join four year old Yoda, who arrived in Devon in September 2006. Yoda was born in November 2004 and he came from Denmark, usually male giraffes are solitary creatures for at least part of their lives, but I'm sure Yoda will be just as pleased as the rest of us to see his new girlfriends!

Here at Newbarn Farm, a great Devon Fishing Holiday location, we often advise our guests that visiting Paignton Zoo is an absolute must whilst staying in one of our 4 star self-catering cottages with fishing - and now with the additional attraction of three giraffes interacting with each rather than just Yoda on his own plus the opening of the fantastic crocodile swamp this summer - what more could you ask from a great day out. With the discounted tickets we can let you have - you will be able to see our three adopted animals - Yoda being one, the rare Red Panda and the gorilla, the other two - and the gorilla can look pretty fiercesome at times!

So if you are an animal lover with a fishing hobby - there is no better place to be than 1.5 miles away from Paignton Zoo staying in one of our self-catering cottages (& fishing) on your Devon Fishing Holiday with six Fishing in Devon lakes to choose from on a daily basis.

I'm sure Yoda, Janica and Sangha would love to see you too!

Balmy September Evenings!

At long last not a cloud to spoil the view!

Last night Richard and I invited two of our guests on the fourth visit here at Newbarn Farm for a drink after dinner. He was sporting a rather red face after spending most of the day fishing in Devon on the banks of Island Pool (enjoying the coffee brought to him by the friendly bailiff at two hour intervals. And no he wasn't embarrassed about his tardiness (they were only 10 minutes late) or by hitting his head on the door frame on his way in - being a retired copper of an exceptional stature. He was just plain old sunburnt and rather pleased about it and who wouldn't be?

After months of torture, painfully waiting for a summer to begin, enduring the 6th wettest August since records began (according to provisional figures) - allowing just a thimble full of sunshine - just 115.9 hours over the entire month. By 2nd September the weatherman were full of gloom and doom about this month after in their eyes a false start at on the first day of the month. But 'Thank God' how wrong they all have been. We have a summer at long last.

Over drinks she enthused about a stroll she took mid afternoon with her book to the bench up in Home Field to enjoy the glorious sunshine and the spectacular view of Dartmoor (more to see from this vantage point in probably one of the best Devon Fishing Holiday locations). Glancing up from her book she was shocked to see a hot air balloon floating effortlessly by and so very near and in her words she then 'spotted another emerging from the old Oak up there almost as if the tree was giving birth!'

This a sight not uncommon to us, though alas this summer there have been few and far between - but these guys are certainly making up for lost time. In total six sailed past yesterday surveying the 42 acres of Newbarn Farm home to eight luxury four star self-catering cottages with fishing!

Today as been such a great day - with the children both at School I threw myself into work - writing this blog being one of my many tasks for the day. I felt fantastic even though one too many last night should have put a halt to that. But with sun high in the sky and not a cloud to spoil the view I felt as though I was walking on air and so too did everyone around me. All of our guests just couldn't believe how lucky they are and all have said they are certain to return in the near future.

The children's sunflowers have even flourished these last few days as if to say ' as far as were concerned this is our summer and we had to wait a long time to come out, but hey it was worth the wait!'

When the sun shines in this country you can get no better - it really is great!

Beautiful sandy beaches!

Holidays in England are great espcially Fishing Holidays in Devon!

So let us cherish the next few weeks destined to be an Indian Ssummer of balmy September evenings.

Hold on to that to that sunny thought!

Newbarn Farm, Fishing Holidays in Devon, Devon Fishing Holidays, Self catering with fishing

Albeit late but here comes 'Summer'

A break in the rain clouds and blue skies! Great news for those anglers taking Fishing Holidays in Devon!

Listed below are just a few of the things you could do here in South Devon with 30 minutes travelling time from Newbarn Farm - probably the best Self-Catering Cottages with Fishing in the area!

For those who enjoy mystery, murder, chills and thrills - you'll love the production of 'And Then There Were None' at the Princess Theatre in Torquay, with performances showing from 15th September through until 20th September. It will have you gripped in your seats and curling your toes with fear! Keeping on the Agatha Christie trail why not enjoy a cruise from the quay at Torquay to Greenway (nr Brixham - a famously unspoilt Devon Fishing Holiday harbour town), followed by a guided tour of the famous writer's garden, with tea to follow.

For those wishing to get back to nature and enjoy some simple food preparation why not make the most of a FREE experience at Follaton Arboretum in Totnes - meet there Sunday 21st September, for a morning of harvesting Autumn Berries, followed by plenty of earthsome cooking in the afternoon. Learn new skills by making autumn produce for Trees for Health and sample some delicious deserts!

For more food try out The Abbfest - the Abbotskerswell Beer and Food Festival taking place from Sunday 21st - Tuesday 23rd September. In addition to being able to sample over 100 beers and ciders - all produced in Devon, 50 local food producers will be displaying their produce on the 22nd and 23rd - with plenty of traditional fayre. There will be free food tasting and cookery demonstrations by some of the best local Chefs, including John Burton Race.

And for a little adventure, take the minibus safari with the ranger into the depths of Haldon Forest, then walk over rough terrain in places - to see and hear the rut of the rare Black Fallow Deer, seen in the picture here. This will be followed by a well deserved full breakfast at a local establishment (vegetarian option available). £15 per person, an early start at 6.30am on the morning of Saturday 11th October.

And for a spot of fishing Newbarn Farm offers probably some of the best coarse fishing in South Devon, six fishing lakes and ponds to choose from. Just a gentle stroll from your four star luxury self-catering cottage & fishing, or for those laden down with plenty of fishing gear you could just pack in the car and drive to one of of water side car parks - what more could you ask for? A great Devon Fishing Holiday.

Fishing Holidays in Devon - look no further than Newbarn Farm Cottages & Angling Centre

Passport Not Required!!!

Break the Mould Next Year!

More of us are trading in our annual fortnight abroad for a credit crunch-busting holiday nearer home. And for some it has surprising rewards!

Many families are used to travelling to exotic locations, luggage overflowing with summer's latest wardrobe carefully purchased for a fortnight in the sun, sipping rose with toes dipped into the swimming pool gazing at the rich and chic, in a location just to die for! Many of these holidays costing a family of four in the region of £5,000 if not more. Last year many would have thought well our house earns more than that for us every month, we can afford it! The good times were rolling, you worked hard, you deserved a grand holiday!

How different many of us feel now. One such family swapped five star luxury in the South of France for crab sanwiches and sandcastles on a English beach. She described her holiday as truly horrid. Mortifed by being out of clean clothes on the fourth day - worse still by having to wear last year's wardrobe and not even being able to show of newly bronzed limbs, being the colour of vanilla ice-cream! Having had to cook most nights - no swanky restaurants here, she blew a fuse and demanded to decamp to a hotel. He husband persuaded her to see it out which she only agreed to do after the children pleaded with her 'can we stay' - they were having fun! She resigned herself to the perils which awaited her - but they didn't come. Resigned to the fact that she had to stay put - things suddenly became easier. She stopped worrying the children didn't have clean clothes. They didn't care and what point - rolling around in the long grass and mud, collecting shells and building grubby sandcastles on the beach. Soon she didn't care. A new regime emerged: trip to the cove, ice cream, crabbing, crab sandwiches made by the man who caught them that morning, fishing at the Devon Fishing Holiday place. These simple, happy things - sandcastles, the joy of jumping icy crashing waves on a summer's day - are the stuff of childhood memories!

Dig back into your memory banks and re-discover those exciting holidays you experienced as a child, drinking hot soup from a flask on a cold summer's day - after making that determined swim in the sea, sandcastles and fishing trips to Devon. This is the stuff that memorable childhood holidays are made of - the simple life.

Here at Newbarn Farm, probably the best Devon Fishing Holiday you could have whilst staying in one of our self-catering cottages with optional fishing. Beautiful beaches just a stone's throw away - not just one but five within 2 miles to choose from. Pay £2.80 to park your car by the Mill Pond at Stoke Gabriel, watch the children crabbing in these beautiful serene setting whilst you sit back sipping coffee, feed the ducks and watch the cormorants dive for their prey. Just £2.80 for the whole family - the children will love it and want to stay all day.

Watching children fish for the first time is fantastic - some may want to play with the maggots a little too much, others will not touch and insist on using sweetcorn as bait - but when they catch their first fish - and hey it doesn't matter that it weighs less than your little finger - they treat it as though they just caught a Sail Fish - notriously difficult to catch! They will be so excited. Jumping on the trampoline in the playarea everyday will be a must for them - pleading with you at breakfast for five minutes trampolining everyday!

Feeling the pinch - leave the passport in the filing cabinet at home - a few hours in the car - Newbarn Farm calls - great Holiday Cottages with fishing - give your children a holiday to remember - keep it simple - and they will remember it more!

Newbarn Farm - Fishing in Devon; Devon Fishing Holiday; Fishing Holidays in Devon; \holiday Cottages & Fishing; Self-catering Cottage & Fishing.

Suddenly it's good to be British!

Good reasons for being British today

The Olympics 2008

Crikey who would have thought it? Ever the pessimist, Britain is actually doing rather well - no lets rephrase that 'Bloody brilliantly'. How many medals - 4 golds and 2 silvers today - but hey who's counting now? Once the gold-ometer shot past the magic number of 15 (Antwerp, 1920), there seemed little point. Excluding London in 1908, when the Games dragged on for six months and Britain provided half of the competitors and 56 golds, Beijing is our most successful Olympics.

Spare a thought for Sebastian Coe. The chairman of the London Organising Committee stood in front of the podium for the women's 400 metres medal ceremony with a look on his face that said: 'How do I follow this?' At opening ceromony I turned round to my husband and said ' There is no way on Earth the London Olympics are going to be anywhere near as awesome as this!'
Behind him with a gold number 16 around her neck was Christine Ohuruogu, born and bred not a mile from the Stratford nucleus of 2012. A delicious omen, not a burden, we hope.
In the weeks leading up to Beijing, officials at Team GB downgraded medal expectations from 40-plus to 35. When Ohuruogu left the stadium, the total had hit 33. Five days of competition remain. Who knows where this will end?
In Atlanta only 12 years ago, Sirs Redgrave and Pinsent won Britain's only gold of the Games. Now the world is a different place. The iron curtain has gone, taking the Soviet Union and all her medals with it. Russia languishes on a mere ten gold medals. Who'd have thought it, Britain thrashing the Kremlin? So at long last we can stand tall and be proud of our Olympic success.

Not only as a nation are we basking in the glory of Olympic success we are suddenly and rather unexpectedly basking in glorious bright sunshine, a delight we now as a nation fear has abandoned our shores and is just as likely as any success in Beijing ! There is nothing greater than England on a summer's day with a gentle breeze rustling through the trees and hedgerows, lifting the soul of the land, the grass every shade of lustrous green rippling softly under the gaze of the sun overhead in the cornflour blue hue of the sky. And there is nowhere better than gazing across Dartmoor, taking in this spectacular panoramic view from the perimeters of your luxury four star self-catering cottage and fishing here in South Devon at Newbarn Farm. Probably one of the best fishing in Devon locations and one of the best Devon Fishing Holiday to be had in the South West.

Trains & Boats & Planes & Fishing in Devon

August the month of the Regatta & so much more
Spectacular entertainment for sailors and non-sailors alike - let's not forget the guys fishing in Devon – and the appearance of some familiar visitors overhead!

Ocean BMW Torbay Week 2008. Friday 22nd – Wednesday 27th August 2008

This is an exciting NEW event replacing the three existing Torbay regatta’s (Torquay, Brixham & Paignton). That means lots of good racing and plenty of shorebased excitement for visitors and spectators too! The setting couldn’t be better either, with the large sheltered bay providing fantastic sailing conditions in a climate that is noted as being much warmer than the rest of the UK. (I guess that's why most of you have chosen a devon Fishing Holiday).There will be plenty of live music at the Harbourside, including the Beach Boys Tribute Band, ‘Good Vibrations’. An all day Pirate day on Bank Holiday Monday promises to provide fun for all the family, organised by the Brixham Buccaneers ending with a fantastic firework display at Corbyn Head, Torquay and finally The Red Arrows will close the event with a stunning air display.

Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta. Thursday 28th – Saturday 30th August 2008

The Dartmouth Regatta provides probably the most enjoyable entertainment throughout South Devon’s calendar! In a glorious setting over 200 crafts from Yachts to Dinghies compete in over 15 sailing events, local rowing clubs compete in Eights, Fours and Pairs fighting it out over the testing course. The Regatta committee have managed to put together one of the best public air displays in Europe – The Red Arrows will be performing on Saturday, The Typhoon, Lynx Pair, Merlin and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will all be putting on shows through the week. Plus Treasure Hunts, Regatta Rock, Crab Fishing Competitions, Children’s Fancy Dress Competition, Firework Displays, Tug of War and so much more! An ever popular event make it stress free by taking the Steam Train from Paignton Station to Kingswear where you’ll pick up the passenger ferry for the short cruise to Dartmouth passing the HMS Argyll, a Type 23 Frigate, the Regatta Guardship. Crikey so much to do but I bet the keen fishermaen amongst you will still set up a rig for a late evening fish when back at your self-catering cottage and fishing back at Newbarn Farm!

And for a spot of light entertainment……..Open-air cinema Hairspray. Thursday 21st August 2008

Skylight cinema is screening Hairspray on the beach! Enjoy this iconic movie under the stars. Get Ready for something big! Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show. Come with your friends, or the whole family. Half the fun is bringing your own seating ... so relax on your bean-bag, picnic blanket, deckchair, pillow or even a hammock! Arrive from 20.40, film starts at 21.00 on Blackpool Sands. A great night's entertainment - exhausted from your hectic day of relaxing what better than heading back to your perfect holiday cottage (and fishing if you feel like it!) - Newbarn Farm!

All the above events are within easy reach of Newbarn Farm Cottages.

And now for some really good news…… we have availability for week commencing 23rd August 2008


Buzzards Bough – 2 bedrooms – sleeps 3 - £725
Dartmoor View – 3 bedrooms – sleeps 6 - £1200

Newbarn Farm - the best fishing in Devon (probably), the best Devon Fishing Holiday (probably) and the best Self-catering cottages and fishing ( you've guessed it - probably). But we believe it! So come and give us a try - you will have a ball - you not the fish!

The Perfect Holiday Now & Way Back Then!

Come to Devon

Back in the mid thirties this great thick tome was produced, titled The Come to Devon Guide it had some 400 pages or so packed with information, photographs, maps and everything else that may help a holidaymaker ....price 6d (92p in today's money). Eileen Egbeare, former mayor of Ashburton, amateur historian and preserver of Devon dialect and traditions discovered this little gem.

With no date visible on the book cover one can only assume from the pictorial and editorial content that it must have been the 1935 edition, described as 'the organ of the Come to Devon Association'. No doubt the ancestor of the present day Tourist Boards, at a time when every city, town and holiday village in the county combined to advertise their charms together.

Babbacombe was doing a UDI in those days and had its own page, inviting visitors to stand on the Downs 'and inhale to the full, the invigorating air blowing uninterrupted from the Channel'.
Torquay's list of attractions included the medical, electrical and Turkish baths with their famous sun lounge, fitted with Vita glass and complete with modern apparatus for violet ray treatment. The finest in England, it claimed.

Those were the great days of the railways. The Torbay Limited Express left Paddington at noon each weekday and did the 200-mile trip in 210 minutes. Monthly return tickets cost a penny a mile third class, with an extra half penny a mile first class.

The great Bernard Darwin reviewed the golf courses and said the view from Little Haldon — now called Teignmouth — compared with the view from Mont Agel behind Monte Carlo. There was a list of all the hunts in Devon — 13 Fox, nine Harriers, three Otter, three Foot Beagles and one Stag — with the days when they met.


Helpful tips for sun bathers who were advised to stop their ears with cotton wool coated with cold cream. Not every day was hot and sunny, even then. Another chapter advised: “If you get blue after bathing or suffer from lassitude, consult your doctor.”

The Come to Devon Association had its office in Cathedral Yard, Exeter, and offered to book accommodation for visitors at any hotel, boarding house, farm or camping site, 12 pages of them, without charge.

Well 70 years on and the Steam Railway still exists but has long ceased to ferry passengers from Paddington, sticking to the coastal tracks in and around the bay - but a great day out nonetheless. Great days to be has on the beach and not always crowded as the picture belows depicts taken only three weeks ago at Goodrington Sands - though I'm not sure I'll be stuffing my ears with cold cream and cotton wool.



For great views just two miles out of the bay at Newbarn Farm, a great self-catering cottage & fishing location, at the top of our Top Field there is a truly spectacular 180 degree panoramic view taken in far reaching Dartmoor, extending right around to the heights of Wellswood in Torquay to the blue waters of the bay. And right down in the valley before you the wonderful Fishing in Devon angling lakes sit. So no need to travel the 8 miles to Old Haldon (Teignmouth) for dramatic views!


And some of the enchanting images below - all taken on site at Newbarn Farm have certainly stood the test of time! They would in fact make great book covers - now what about a title?

A Tranquil & Peaceful Haven

Newbarn Farm's Great Devon Fishing Holiday

'Oaktree Summer Memoirs'

The Rogers account of Summer Fishing Holidays in Devon

And lastly

'Night Fishing in Devon'

an honest account of a great holiday staying in luxury holiday cottages with fishing