A recipe for a Wonderful Christmas!

Sparkle this Christmas with Newbarn Farm's Recipe for a great Christmas

My husband and I went to see both of our daughters Christmas Navities today - both in different schools - so two productions to sit through - hankies at the ready (& I needed them!) - we both throughly enjoyed watching our daughters sparkle in their similiar roles as Christmas stars! (literally).

Well a little Christmas sparkle would be first of many ingredients required to make a truly successful Christmas, the remainder of the ingredients are listed in Newbarn Farm's (Fishing Holidays in Devon) recipe:-

Newbarn Farm's Christmas Sparkle

(Fishing in Devon, Devon Fishing Holiday, Holiday Cottages & Fishing, Self-catering Cottages & Fishing)

1. Select carefully your chosen freinds and family. The main criteria here is to make sure they all get on well. Now invite them all to your Christmas celebrations - be careful not to overdo it - 3 days is the maximum time required!

2. Order Turkey, Gammon Ham and any other meats required for your celebrations at least 3 weeks in advance.

3. Order all vegetables in advance - organic tastes better - splash out it's Christmas!

4. Buy all cupboard foods required with a good shelf live - at least two weeks in advance.

5. Buy bread and cheeses on Christmas Eve - plan to go early to avoid and use the 10 items till.

5. Plan your menus carefully and write down a time plan.

6. Make sure all presents are bought and wrapped at least one week prior to Christmas with name tags carefully secured on each.

7. Endeavour to have all Christmas cards written and sent out using 2nd class stamps at least one week before the last posting date.

8. Organise a trip to your local pantomine - a must for all the family.

9. Find your local crib service or carol service and ensure the younger members of your family or friends are treated to one - they love the magic it creates!

10. Let the children decorate the Christmas cake - they are more likely to eat it if they feel they helped make it.

Blend all the above together slowly and whole heartedly to make a Christmas to remember, incorporate slowly and in moderation beverages of your choice - allowing time to settle in between.

Sparkle this Christmas with Newbarn Farm's recipe (probably the best Fishing in Devon, Devon Fishing Holiday, Fishing Holidays Devon, Holiday Cottages & Fishing and Self-catering Cottage & Fishing)

Wild Times at Newbarn Farm!

Winter's Wild Magic!

With the season of 'good will to all men' upon us - the fragance of summer meadows, the silent humming of the blue dragonfly, rabbits out for the evening nibbling away for late pickings long after the children have gone to bed and, well the many other wonders of nature that seem to be long forgotten as the nights have drawn in! - How we easily forget whilst sitting in the warmth infront of the open log fire or by turning the central heating up by one notch or two that nature forages on deep through the harsh winter months.

It was only yesterday, taking my two daughters to school that I again I witnessed a sight beyond by imagination! For roughly 10 days, we have seen a large bold dog fox ambling leisurely from our lane's hedgrows, slowly up the field, pausing, glaring nonchantly at our vehicle and then as bold as brass sitting down taking in the early morning sunshine. He simply does not move. We stay there as long as the clock allows us which unfortunately isn't as long as I would like - lucky if a minute doesn't pass by before I start thinking (too many times aloud!) s**t going to be late!!!!

Another regular sight, again often seen on the school run is a Buzzard or two perched on the fencing posts meandering up our lane. Heavy birds they almost seem to struggle to take flight when you disturb them, but my God when in flight they are truly majestic - and fortunately for us at this time of year we do see them on a daily basis. And believe me we are honoured! Where do these birds of prey go in the summer we never see them - we know they don't migrate.

Well it is simple - the summer is the land of plenty for our wildlife but come the winter months we are far more likely to see the wonders of our wildlife literally on our doorstep - and these creatures tend to be the the bigger mammals or birds not really seen by the naked eye during the season of summer Devon Fishing Holidays.

Newbarn Farm is a great Fishing in Devon Location any time of the year, but book during the winter months and you may find a little more than you bargained for!

Newbarn Farm is probably one of the best:

Fishing in Devon Holidays

Devon Fishing Holiday

Fishing Holidays Devon

Holiday Cottages & Fishing

Self-catering Cottage & Fishing

Holiday for FREE!!!!!

FANTASTIC FREE HOLIDAY OFFER!

What's the Catch?

Queenie

That's the catch!

Book a holiday in one of our holiday cottages during this month November 2008 and most of December all the way through until the 20th. Should you book a full week we will give you free fishing, but for everyone staying for a short break or a week, we will refund the full cost of your holiday if you catch Queenie during your stay.*

Experience probably some of the best:

Fishing in Devon

Devon Fishing Holiday

Fsihing Holidays Devon

Holiday Cottages & Fishing

Self-catering Cottages & Fishing

* This only applies if Queenie is caught between the hours if 8am - 5pm, the catch needs to be verified by the duty bailiff. All other Newbarn Farm Terms, Conditions and Rules apply.

The Brits love a good moan!

The Traits of our Nation!

Recent research has shown that as a nation we are proud to be British - more than two-thirds of 5,000 adult respondents said they felt honoured to be part of this country. This poll was devised to pick out characterisitics - good and bad - that define the national character.

Our obession with the discussing the weather came top of the list, chosen by 58% of those polled. More than half said we are the politest nation when it comes to queueing and 48% considered sarcasm as our highest form of wit. At number four was our liking for watching soap operas, fifth was getting drunk, and sixth was our love of a bargain. Rounding out the top ten were nosy curtain twitching, having a stiff upper lip, being addicted to all televsion and finally, moaning!

In essence this was the outcome of the poll: THE TRAITS OF THE NATION:

1. Talking about the weather

2. Queueing

3. Sarcasm

4. Watching soaps

5. Getting drunk

6. A love of bargains

7. Curtain twitching

8. Stiff upper lip

9. Love of all televsion

10. Moaning

11. Obsession with class

12. Gossiping

13. Traffic obesession

14. Enjoying other people's misfortune

15. Never complaining

16. Cheap holidays

17. Working long hours

18. A soothing cuppa

19. Meat with two veg

20. Bad dancing

21. Uncomfortable talking about emtions

22. Clever sense of humour

23. Obsession with property values

24. Pandering to political correctness

25. Road rage

26. Weight worries

27. Wanting a good tan

28. Being proud of where we live

29. Not saying what we mean

30. The ability to laugh at ourselves

Here at Newbarn Farm, a great Fishing in Devon location, we can relate to this poll. Unfortunately our rather wet unrelenting summer with washed out BBQs didn't do to much for the moral of those fishing in Devon on our lakes. OK those not put of by our miserable British summer actually caught rather well and we often overheard later on in the day those who had opted to stay in our self-catering cottage & fishing gossiping about the antics of day ticketers.

On many occasion we have had visitors arriving after a tedious journey through appalling traffic conditions and reports of the most unorthodox behaviour by fellow motorists, exhausted by these antics they are releived to find their self-catering cottage (& fishing) already stovcked with tea bags, sugar and a cool jug of milk for that much needed soothing cuppa! Those who need something a little stronger could opt for some of our local cider, but would have to watch out as it is quite strong and we wouldn't want them joing the 'newts' in our lakes now would we?

Once here on their Devon Fishing Holiday our guests can catch up on all their favourite soaps or indeed any of their favourite programmes as all our self-catering cottages (& fishing) have freeview televsions, not forgetting to close their curtains. Afterall with so much to do in the area - do they really want to let their neighbouring tourists to know their viewing habits!

Newbarn Farm probably the best Fishing in Devon; Devon Fishing Holiday; Fishing Holidays Devon; Holiday Cottages & Fishing; Sel-catering Cottage & Fishing.

FREE FISHING FOR OUR GUESTS!

Newbarn Farm is offering FREE Fishing - yes that's FREE Fishing for our guests!

This year Halloween marks the end of our busy season, since the onset of the early Easter Holidays this year we have had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people who chose Newbarn Farm, a great Devon Fishing Holiday location for their holiday. With our self-catering cottages & fishing being fully occupied for many of those months.

Although we do have the odd group in each week now until 29th November - this is undoubtedly the quiet season, hence the cost for renting one of our 4 star luxury cottages is at low season prices. One week for example in Poachers, a beautiful cottage with two foot stone walls with far reaching views of Dartmoor to the North and to the South views of the Farm's fishing lakes costs only £260. And what's more from now until 20th December we will throw in free fishing for the entire week for anyone who books a full 7 days in one of our Holiday Cottages & Fishing.

FREE Fishing for all Newbarn's Fishing Guests - to qualify just book a full week's Devon Fishing Holiday in one of our self-catering cottages & fishing anytime between 1st November 2008 and 20th December 2008.

An Award for World Class Service

Just one year ago!

Last year all of us here at Newbarn Farm took part in a training programme called the 'S Factor', which focuses on customer service, although only taking a day of our time - it really made us think about the difference individuals can really make to another's experience! Not long after we were aproached to enter 'The South Devon Excellence Award' for 'World Class Service'.

We entered and attended the award ceremony and became the proud winners of 'The South Devon College World Class Service Award'.

This is our winning entry:

'Newbarn Farm Cottages & Angling Centre

When my husband and I look back to when we first took over the management of Newbarn Farm, we realise just how much we have enhanced our customers experience here. This is not just by improving the appearance of the property inside and out, considered to be an obvious by us but also by looking that little bit deeper into the way that all that needs to be accomplished within the working day, and the recognition by the Newbarn Farm team that the customers expectation is paramount to success and that this success is governed by the face of Newbarn Farm.

Richard and I have made some comprehensive changes, such as a very useful Information Book for the cottages, Guest Questionnaires, a much improved booking system, informative stylish brochures teamed with colourful corporate stationery and the list goes on. All intended not just to upgrade the cottages but to enhance the customer experience. Much of this was in the pipeline when Richard participated in ‘The S Factor – World Class Service’ project. Small but effective changes took place thereafter which made a difference.

We collated not only the Party name for each cottage for our ‘Saturday changeover list’ but also first names plus ages of children together with the registration of cars, so as a car drives up the driveway we are immediately able to tally the two. On welcoming these guests we can then greet them by name and include the children; ‘so you must be Amelia (aged 3) .....’ Taking this further we printed up welcoming cards with beautiful natural images taken on site – in these we can welcome each individual by name, something all young children love – almost magical, as if the Newbarn fairies write in them overnight!

We have Visitor Books which we encourage our guests to write about their stay at Newbarn Farm and indeed South Devon, anything actually. The Guest Questionnaires are not printed and updated just for effect – if something is wrong we act upon it – not later – but now. We had one last year who ticked the box for ‘service’ and ‘staff’ as poor with a foot note stating that this was for the fishing and a further comment ‘Getting information out of the boys at the fish hut was like pulling teeth’. Not long after we held a much needed Staff Meeting not to reprimand the Staff but to lead the way in Customer Service and to encourage them to understand why we/they are here in these roles. Sample testimonials from the Visitor Books were read out all with excellent reference to Richard and Catherine but not one could be found applauding a member of our staff. We explained that although we manage the business it is actually normally the staff who act as frontline, are seen and interact with the paying guests in the flesh far more than us and are therefore indeed the face of Newbarn Farm.

Literally one week later, Jonny who had been awarded the ‘Employee of the Year’ accolade (introduced as a new incentive for motivation and confidence at the meeting) was left a £10 tip from an impressed Angler suffering from arthritic hands – Jonny helped him throughout his stay setting up. Slowly good and some excellent comments started filtering in from our guests and day tickets about members of our team.

Jonny, 15 (works school holidays and weekends) sat in for ‘The S Factor – World Class Service’ this August, although a little shy he took it all in and commented that he found the forum very useful. For Jonny being aware of peoples body language is paramount and feels that he has learnt to use his to portray a friendly and approachable nature making our guests feel welcome and looked after. He has also endeavoured to take customer service that little bit further with regulars at the waters’ edge – getting to know a little more about them, friends, families - engaging in relevant conversation – making them feel special.

Darren our Angling Manager attended the S Factor course back in May – he immediately felt more confident when talking to guests and felt far more at ease when asked about local places of interest, being from Brixham he knows the area well and was unaware that suggesting ‘what to do’ could add so much more value to the customer holiday. He states that he feels he can really make a difference by ‘Making their stay a lot more enjoyable by providing them with 5 STAR treatment’.

Our cleaning staff joined Jonny in August for the S Factor forum and although they felt it was not really for them as rarely do they have contact with our guests, they have said ‘Now we have seen how others here work and understand their roles it makes us work together as a team and the course helped us to understand the customer needs’

And what a difference in some of the comments we have seen in our visitor books 18/08/2007, ‘Beautiful Cottage. Beautiful Location. Beautiful people’.
29/09/2007, ‘Thank you Catherine & Richard & all the staff for their smiles & friendliness. See you all next year. Roll on 2008’. 13/10/2007, ‘A super cottage very well equipped far better than expected, must be one of the best locations. A genuine warm welcome from all the staff. What more could anyone ask?’
28/08/2007, ‘I really like it here and the weather is great, the fishing is really good and I really like the trampoline and Badgers Holt, I had fishing lessons. Darren and Jonny taught me and all the staff are really friendly’ Tom aged 10.

We still have so many more projects in the pipeline, but most importantly we know that our staff are beginning to believe that they can make a difference just by sporting a smile, being friendly and thinking a little more about what they do and indeed why they are doing it. And with a good percentage more of repeat business coming in for next year we must be doing something right!'

With such an accolade and our continued efforts to strive for further excellence we here at Newbarn Farm believe that we have earned the right to be able to say that we are probably the best loacation in South Devon for the following:

Fishing in Devon

Devon Fishing Holiday

Fishing Holidays Devon

Holiday Cottages & Fishing

Self-catering Cottage & Fishing

Join in the Spirit this Autumn!

As the nights draw in – venture forth into the depths of the unknown……..

Spend some magical autumn evenings under this night sky here at Newbarn Farm ( a great Devon Fishing Holiday location) and enjoy just a few events taking place this month!

Spooky Halloween Week of Horrors! Monday 27th October to Friday 31st October

The Wicked Witch of the Woods will be making a spellbinding appearance at the Halloween Thriller at Woodlands on October 26th. Don’t just come yourself and have a wild, wicked time bring Ghoulish Dads, Ghostly Mums and dastardly friends they’ll have a betwitching time as well. FREE pumpkins & carving, workshops, Trick or Treat, Fiendish Beasties and a Ghost Train. All taking place at Woodlands Leisure Park, Devon TQ9 7DQ. Open daily from 9.30am.

And, as the witching hour draws near join The Haldon Rangers for a feast of scary stories around a campfire in the forest! Why not get into the spirit of the event and come in fancy dress? Prize for the under 15’s. Well behaved (and quiet!) dogs welcome. Friday 31st October: Time: 6pm – 7.30pm and 8pm – 9.30pm. £5.00 per person, includes warm fruit punch. Booking essentail. Forestry Commission: 0845 3673787.

Firework Festival – Galactic Wars. Saturday 1st November

On November 1st the famous Woodlands Fireworks Festival heralds the biggest themed bonfire yet. Expectations will be at fever pitch as Spangles the Clown and Benco march with flaming torches to light the 40ft Galactic wars bonfire. The leaping flames will light up the stalls and games as the Jazz Band gets everyone’s feet stomping. Spangle’s and Benco’s clever comedy act will entertain the crowds. Woodlands Leisure Park, Bonfire lit at 6.30pm, fireworks blast off at 7.15pm.

Leaving the flames & ghouls behind you, join a calming Bird Watching and Wildlife Cruise. Saturday 15th November

Ideal for those interested in our feathered friends! This cruise includes a full commentary from an ornithologist throughout the cruise on the different species including Egrets, Herons, Peregrine Falcons, Kittiwakes and Avocets and also their habitats, breeding, feeding and behaviours of the thousands of birds on the Exe Estuary and East Devon Coast. The vessel has an open top deck and an enclosed and heated lower deck. Toilets and disabled access is available as well as a refreshments bar selling hot and cold drinks including homemade soups and snacks. Advance booking is strongly recommended for this popular cruise. Please note that due to the length and nature of this cruise it is not recommended that you take young children. Fare: £15 per person. 01395 279693.

Flashdance - The Musical. Monday 17th November – Saturday 22nd November

Sparks will fly this year as the World Premiere production of FLASHDANCE – The Musical explodes onto the stage. Set in Pittsburgh USA, Flashdance tells the story of 18 year old Alex, a welder by day and ‘flashdancer’ by night, whose dream is to obtain a place at the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy. Full of pulsating, raw energy and with breathtaking choreography by Arlene Phillips (Strictly Come Dancing, Grease, Starlight Express, Saturday Night Fever), FLASHDANCE – The Musical promises to be the theatrical event of the year – so take your passion and make it happen!

Tickets from £12.50 - £29.50. Box Office: 0844 847 2315

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
Posted by Newbarn Farm Cottages and Angling Centre

Eggs are flying!

Sales of eggs at Tesco have risen by six per cent in the last week!

This very recent increase in demand for the egg apparently is not due to a nation wishing to have a few sunny side up on a Sunday morning - no something a little more sinister is happening with potentially life-threatening results.

Ever since Charles Saatchi, the Art Dealer procalaimed he had lost an larming 5 stone over a period of nine months on a diet consisting entirely of eggs and nothing more, it looks like a good percentage of those desperate overweight 'sheep' out there wish to follow his example, albeit a bad one! So they have been flocking to their supermarkets and clearing the shelves of copious amounts of eggs.

I have to say I am very surprised that his 'slightly more' famous wife, Nigella should have allowed it - famed for her over the top sickly recipes - where even the simpliest of soups doesn't escape lashings of something incredibly sweet and a huge pot of double cream! Surely a household where 3 teenage children reside, the example set by these two high prolific characters has been far from responsible if not barbaric.

Nutritionists have been horrified at the Saatchi egg diet, which raises cholesterol dangerously and can damage the liver and kidneys. Despite the drwabacks, however, thousands of shoppers are apparently following his example - let's hope that doesn't stretch to their children!

Here at Newbarn Farm we have seven rescued battery hens who now live a life of luxury compared to their former years. We are blessed at the moment to receive a daily offering of three or four eggs. We tend to keep them for the weekends for our guests to buy to enhance their country holiday experience whilst staying in one of four star luxury self catering cottages & fishing. Far tastier than their supermarket counterparts these eggs fried up with some locally bought bacon and organic tomatoes from Riverford make a great start to the day for some great fishing in Devon on one of the farm's six coarse fishing ponds. A great Devon Fishing Holiday location.

But I guess now we will limit the weekly purchase of eggs to 6 for a couple and no more than a dozen for a large family group. We would hate to think that we could contribute to a guest's poor health simply by offering them something so natural! Unlike Nigella we believe in our responsibility we have to our guests - not only making sure that they have the best Devon Fishing Holiday they have ever had but also to make sure we adhere to Health & Safety.

Newbarn Farm - always working to make our Self-catering holiday & fishing bigger and better!

It's All Gloom and Doom - or is it?

The media is full of it - you can't turn on the television without being hit with it - all the newstands have it staring at you in the face - the radio is full of it - when will it end?

If like me you are sick and tired of hearing about all the gloom and doom - 'THE CREDIT CRUNCH' - apparently has just got worse! Well it has. Spiv City traders have been short-selling our lives and now we're all billions of pounds in debt. And it's raining again - after the dullest summer for bloody years. But hang on......there are plenty of things we can enjoy that don't involve costing the earth, in fact some don't cost a penny!

1. Understand the credit crunch is no walk in the park. So why not take a real walk in the park instead. This year, after all the rain we've had over the past few months, it's going to be a dazzling autumn.

And it certainly is here at Newbarn Farm - a great Devon Fishing Holiday Location

2. On your walk in the park, why not watch children play their impromptu football games? Often more entertaining than their professional counterparts. Or just watching children at play - scrunching the autumn crisp leaves with their boots, trying to catch them as they drop from the branches their home for the summer!

Watching children fishing in Devon, catching their first fish is priceless

3. The hedgerows are full of juicy blackberries, the summer having delayed the harvest, but it has also plumped up the fruit. Just grab a plastic container from the kitchen and before too long you will have collected enough berries, a free gift from nature to make delicious blackberry & aple crumble or pie or the more adventurous, blackberry jelly. Yum!

Plenty of juciy balackberries just waiting to be harvested from around our lovely fishing lakes in Devon

4. Share a bath - just as we are advised to in the Seventies to save the gas/electricity bill. After all, austerity is meant to bring people together....

We have installed some great contemporay bathroom suites into our self-catering cottages & fishing this year - why not check them out....

5. Already gas and electricity are becoming toxically expensive, to use the latest buzz word, so go to bed earlier and cuddle up.

Newbarn holiday cottages & fishing have recently been refurbished with very cosy but contemporay furnishings. The bedrooms are very welcoming and cosy!

6. Book a holiday at Newbarn Farm, secure one of our 4 STAR luxury self-catering cottages with fishing and spend your days watching the rare Black Fallow Deer in Haldon, walk the nature paths and locate some spectacular pieces of local art. Drive to Dartmoor and blow all those cobwebs and financial concerns away by scaling the tors and treking over this breathtaking Erica ladened National Park.

Newbarn Farm not only provides excellent Holiday Cottages & Fishing but is situated in a prime location of 42 acres of pasture and woodland with the most spectacular far reaching views of Dartmoor.

7. With the frosty, clear nights just around the corner you can enjoy one of nature's most wondrous freebies. Just look up and enjoy the sight of a thousand twinkling stars.

Set high up on a hilltop, Newbarn Farm boasts spectacular far reaching views but one of the best is the night sky on moonlit clear nights with the stars twinkling high up over the Farm's Fishing in Devon lakes - which twinkle back!

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!