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!

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