Corporate Challange

The weekend just gone was the South West Hospise Corporate Challange at Wimbleball Lake, it was one of those events that we didn’t get involved with very early (shame on our part but we can’t do ‘em all).  We helped drum up support for volounteers and we also sent out an economic impact assesment to all the participants following the event.

One of the great things about the job we do is that we are constantly meeting new people and developing new relationships.  So it brought a smile to my face when on arrival at the office this morning there was a thankyou card from our new found friends at Childrens Hospise South West!

Exmoor Beast venue 2009 confirmed

Exmoor Beast cyclosportif

After two years of venue and route changes, the Exmoor Beast has settled on what event organiser Marcus Di-Vincenzo sees as the perfect start and finish venue.

“From the moment ‘The Beast‘ concept was born we have always wanted to start and finish at Butlins Minehead”, explained Marcus. “Butlins has everything for our event, including really attractive accommodation rates for riders and their supporters. We have had to chop and change the route in the last few years, but felt it better to run the event with another start and finish last year rather than have a gap until we got the venue we wanted.”

The Exmoor Beast started at the beautiful Dunster Castle in year one, then was forced to move to Wimbleball lake for year two to keep the event to the forefront of sportive riders’ minds. Participants will now be rewarded support with a top quality event including two safety tents, two well spaced feeding stations and four safety vehicles.

“We are a service to the sportive community”, says Marcus. “Without the riders we have no event. We have again listened to them all and, finally, we can meet all their needs completely. This year’s event will be the sportive that will demonstrate ‘The Beast‘ is really ready to roar and no stone will be left unturned.”

The Exmoor Beast is now open for entries, with nearly 200 places already booked. The organisers will be closing at 2,000 entries this year and accommodation is going fast.

Visit www.exmoorbeast.org now to be sure of a place.

2010 South Coast Championships at Wimbleball Lake

Wimbleball Lake

Wimbleball Rowing Club, hosts of the 2010 South Coast Championships on Wimbleball Lake high up on Exmoor, have confirmed that a straight 2000 metre, 6 lane course for the event has now been agreed with South West Lakes Trust who manage the facilities at the Lake.

Stephen Worley who is both the Chairman of the Wimbleball Club and a senior member of the South Coast organising Committee has confirmed that this new course will be used for the first time at this year’s West of England Championship Regatta, which will be held on Saturday 18 July.The existing 1200 metre course from the bridge end up to the launching area will be replaced by the longer course which will now start right at the other end of the lake by the dam and will run to within 500 metres of the bridge.

All races at their domestic regatta will be over the 2000 metres except for the junior events which will be rowed over the second half of the course. The Regatta field is at the 1500m point where the boats and trailers are parked and where crews boat and also provides a good view of the racing.

There is a warm up area near to the Regatta field on the other side of the course and crews will be marshalled at set crossing points to the start and from the finish. This year’s regatta will provide a rare opportunity for multi-lane 2000m racing at comparatively low cost and Stephen has confirmed that all events with two or more entries will be raced and refreshments will be available for competitors and spectators.

For further information on Wimbleball Regatta contact Stephen Worley.

The new 2000 metre course also provides a useful training resource for rowers and coaches as it offers training on still waters and enables target times to be set and times to be compared. An increasing number of clubs, universities and schools now visit the site on a regular basis and include the likes of Oxford Brookes and the Oxford University lightweight squad. Wimbleball Lake also offers coaching launches and on-site facilities for indoor training on Concept2 ergometers, camping, showering and changing as well as wireless internet connection and video playback.

It is an excellent venue for clubs or squads for concentrated coaching and training in an environment away from the normal distractions of everyday life. For further information on the use of the lake for training camps contact Darryl Birch.

Exmoor man sets off on 15,000 mile bike challenge

An Exmoor cyclist has set off on a 15,000-mile cycle ride to raise cash for charity.

Pete Mounfield cycle challenge from Porlock, Exmoor

Pete Mounfield, who grew up in Porlock, will be cycling in aid of the Mine Advisory Group (MAG), a charity which helps clear landmines.

He will be cycling from Nordkapp, the most northerly point in Europe, to Cape Town in South Africa passing through Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.

He is starting out on a mountain bike, given by Porlock Cycle Hire, with all his camping equipment strapped on the back. He hopes to cover about 50 miles a day.

Pete said: “I am starting within the Arctic Circle, where April temperatures average -5, but as I ride south it will soon warm up and I hope to get a good tan crossing the Sahara desert.

“There are many injustices in the world but to me landmines stand out as it is often innocent children who are their unfortunate victims.”

He aims to raise £50,000 for MAG.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Pete can visit www.justgiving.com/petemounfield.

To track his progress visit www.kapp2cape.com

Woodland Discovery Trail opens

Willow fisherman

Willow Boar sculpture

Willow Tree

The recently completed Woodland Discovery Trail was officially opened at Wimbleball Lake near Dulverton last Tuesday by Bryan Cath of West Country Walks and Cairns Boston, Chairman of the Trustees of South West Lakes Trust which manages the reservoir and surrounding countryside. A party of guests, including David Wood, Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset and John Alvis MBE, High Sheriff of Somerset, enjoyed a guided walk led by Darryl Birch, South West Lakes Trust’s Exmoor Area Manager, and Conservation Assistant Kevin Nicholson.

Darryl explained: “There are many beautiful walks at Wimbleball, but the new Trail has been developed with less frequent walkers in mind. Sometimes people from towns can come to the countryside and be overwhelmed by the ‘green-out’ of the landscape. Sculptures and interpretation can help to stimulate thoughts and answer questions they may have of their surroundings.”

The new 4km trail follows the edge of the lake between the tearoom parking area and the majestic Dam and aims to encourage people to leave their cars, and go for a short walk. Along the trail are a number of sculptures, including willow figures by renown local artist Stephen Froom, and interpretation points to stimulate walkers to think about the landscape, and some of the activities that are conducted on and around the lake, as well as some of the historical aspects of an upland Exmoor Valley.

The Trail winds through a mixture of habitats; from open tussocky grassland, past ancient hedgerows, traditional coppice management plots where dormice can be found, and into an area of semi-natural Oak woodland where a bat monitoring programme has been long established. The idea is to discover the different habitats that will eventually lead to high forest.

Bryan Cath, who opened the Trail, is also the organiser of the popular, annual North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival. The 2009 Festival starts on 30 April and more information about the festival may be found on www.walkingnorthdevon.co.uk. Information about Wimbleball Lake may be found on www.swlakestrust.org.uk, or by calling 01398 371460.

Designer Mountain Bikers

The team of designers who helped us with the Active Exmoor Magazine this year were so inspired by it’s content that they decided to leave their MAC’s behind and come down to Exmoor to try out one of the Mountain Biking routes for themselves.

The team from Qube Design Associates set there sights high with the longest route featured in this years magazine, the Dunkery 30 miler sent into us by Wendy from Pompys.  Kris from Qube said, ‘It was a tough ride but spectacular all the way.’

The Qube team on the Dunkery 30 mile ride

You can see the routes for yourself by downloading a free copy of the 60 page magazine from the Active Exmoor website.

Active Exmoor Magazine 2009

Active Exmoor Magazine 2009

You can now pick up a copy of the brand new Active Exmoor Magazine for 2009.

This year we’ve packed its  60 pages full of Exmoor inspiration.

• Mountain biking
• Walking
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Riding
• Coasteering 
• Discount vouchers & much more!

Download your copy or pick one up from Tourist Information centres today.

Doone Valley Riders

A SEVENTEENTH century novel will come alive on Saturday when a group of horse riders donning period costume re-enact a journey taken by literary heroine Lorna Doone.

Chris Chalk of Wembdon is organising a period costumed horse ride for the Doone Valley Riders, through the Doone Valley on Exmoor in support of Cancer Research UK.

The scene is set in 1685 and the two-hour ride will take place from Cloud Farm Riding Centre along the Doone Valley where the famous story of Lorna Doone is based.

To sponsor this ride click here.

Get your Groats in April!

Exmoor Groat

 

 

Exmoor is introducing its own free currency, the Groat, to give visitors extra value during their stay and help beat the credit crunch. Groats can be downloaded online from Friday, 13 March or collected from local tourism businesses in and around the National Park, which straddles West Somerset and North Devon. Issued by the Royal Bank of Exmoor, they will be valid throughout April 2009, including the Easter break.

 

Visitors to the region will be able to redeem their Exmoor Groats against a wide variety of offers such as 20% off a stay at Higher Riscombe Farm, Exford; a free bottle of wine with a meal for two at Holworthy Farm, Brompton Regis and 10% off a fly fishing lesson with John Dawson or an Exmoor Safari booked at the White Horse Inn, Exford. Outlets taking part in the initiative will display a ‘We accept Groats here’ poster so visitors will know where they can be exchanged.

 

A former silver coin, the Groat was still in circulation in Scotland until the 20^th century and is mentioned many a time in RD Blackmore’s famous novel, Lorna Doone, which was set on Exmoor during the 17^th century.

 

According to Mike Bishop from Active Exmoor, which is running the initiative together with the Exmoor Tourist Association; “We’re all feeling the pinch, so this is a really great way to get a bargain on Exmoor this April without compromising on quality.”

 

Groats can be downloaded from www.exmoor.com; www.visit-exmoor.co.uk  and www.activeexmoor.com; for more information call Active Exmoor 01398 324599. Details about things to see and do on Exmoor and accommodation suggestions can also be found on www.exmoor.com or call Minehead Tourist Information Centre on Tel: 0845 166 1001 for a copy of the 2009 Exmoor Coast and Country guide.

Competition Winner

Competition Winner

Winner ‘Love for the Outdoors’

Local women Heidi Baker from Barbrook, Lynton wins the Active Exmoor writing competition ‘Love for the Outdoors’ receiving up £200 for her great efforts.  Heidi’s article will be featured in the 2009 Active Exmoor Magazine, so be sure to pick up your copy.

Active Exmoor is producing a magazine on Exmoor detailing all of the outdoor activities, everything from walking to coaststeering and sporting events that take place on Exmoor in 2009.  The magazine is going to act as a guide book to those visiting Exmoor and looking for something ‘Active’ to do during their stay.

Heidi Baker says “I love Exmoor and everything that there is to do here.  I have lived here all my life.  The walking, cycling and riding opportunities are fantastic and the magazine will be a great way to tell the visitors what the best bits of Exmoor are”.

The magazine will have a vast selection of walking, cycling and riding routes throughout Exmoor that you can take with you on your holidays.  It will also have a selection of sample itineraries and recommend places to stop for a bite to eat on your adventures.

Mike Bishop of Active Exmoor says “We had a fantastic response for the competition and a big thank you to everyone who entered.  We all found Heidi’s article inspiring and it is an excellent insight into Exmoor through someone else’s eyes, it captures the moment making us feel as if we were with her too, you’ll have to pick up a copy of our magazine in the New Year to read for yourself”.

The magazine will be available across the South West early in 2009 and will be promoting Exmoor as the place to take an active affordable short break. The Active Exmoor magazine is financially supported by the Exmoor Sustainable Development Fund.