Sally and Colin chill out on the local brew - Jail Ale in our village pub

Mustang Sally as she’s known by her running and cycling colleagues adores real ales and together with her boyfriend Colin, a local railway driver they regularly sample and scupper a few jars of the best local Real Ale brews in the county…………and Devon has lots of really good beers. This one is my personal favourite know as Jail ale (simply because it’s brewed in Princetown where the Dartmoor Prison is located……!!!) and is  a smooth 4.5% excellent pint………..and you can find it in lots of pubs in the district and certainly in The Royal Oak, The Teign House Inn and The Manor Inn all 3 pubs being in the upper Teign Valley and easily reached from Orchard Barn B&B………….. spoilt for choice really!!

Drink up Colin……………you’re astern of station here, I’m on my third already!!

The first member of the Orchard Barn Splash Club

Just for a bit of fun I’ve started The Orchard Barn Splash Club and this blog acts as the official inauguration of said illustrious membership currently numbering 2. Both these guests coincidental fell in on the same day although either side of lunch!! There were 2 earlier subscribers but they don’t count because I’d not thought of this wheeze then……….but should they ever return for a second visit I could always enroll them as Honorary members!!

Mike and his lovely girlfriend Yot survey the scene following their return from a 10mile walk - stepping stone No 3 is the usual offender!!

Mike was first…………..he fell in first thing after breakfast and he and his girlfriend Yot then continued on their walk for the rest of the day with him almost soaked right through and stoically drying as he walked up to Blackingstone Rock via Hell Tor Rock. Yot couldn’t wait to give me all the details of how her young man hesitated, wobbled and then eventually fell in with her in hysterics (as recounted over tea somewhat later on!!)

Joan shows us just how pleased she is to be Member No 2!!

Joan Spivey on the other hand whilst staying that same weekend fell in after lunch, returned immediately, stripped off in the hallway, changed and showered and then walked up to Steps Bridge and continued as planned via the road…………..her kit was washed and dried overnight on the aga and the experience added a certain je ne sais pas to her visit she added later with a big smile on her face.

There will no doubt be a growing membership in the years ahead and said subscribers have the privilege of scribing their names in the BACK of the visitors book by way of recognition of their exploits!!

Ilyan, Yanitsa and Paul raise a glass at The Bridford Inn Beer Festival

Ilyan (20) and his attractive girlfriend Yanitsa (21) from Bulgaria have moved into the Teign Valley looking for work and are now employed in a local bakery making cakes and other delicious goodies at Christow (Teign Valley Bakery) - I met them recently and took them to the Bridford Vintage Tractor Rally on the Dunsford Straight for a glass in the beer tent and introduced them to Paul Adams over a pint.

Yanitsa’s not totally sure!! Was it the Owl or the handler that was the greater worry!!!

Paul amongst many other interests is a keen ornithologist and as I didn’t have my camera to hand I asked Ilyan if he would kindly take a few photos of the birds of prey on display in one corner of the show. He was very happy to oblige and some time later downloaded them for me to add to my Blog Diary. The couple are now accommodated in Dunsford and very happily working……..they add colour, character and fun to the Village. Long may they remain.

Paul and Yanitsa admire the largest bird of prey on display - a Russian Stepps Eagle

Uncannily there’s a definate resemblance!!

‘ome ‘James’ and dont spare the ‘orses!!

French Exchange Pedal Bashers enjoy a luncheon at Orchard Barn

I was asked earlier in the year if I’d like to host the Teign Valley Pedal Bashers French Exchange Luncheon - it was a really fun event and particularly as the French guests left their bikes behind and walked instead………..I put that down to the fact that last time they called in for Scrumpy Cider a few years earlier half of them fell off their bikes or worse still couldn’t get on even shortly afterwards!!!

There were about 45 all up including Brit Hosts which was considered a good turn-out as it clashed with Hat Rack’s Coach trip Hash Weekend in France……….Blaster and Rough Jobs rendition of ‘Allouetta’ (sp!!) was brilliant and had everybody in stitches……….as usual. Their warm up at The Royal Oak was apparently terrific………..maybe the BBC should check out a winter edition of The Teign Valley’s Got Talent!!

Hot Pasties, Le Sandwich Anglais avec les oeuffs etc.!!!

The weather was kind despite the appalling forecast and the French Guests all had their fill of Devon Cider, Orchard Barn hospitality, the Pedal Bashers magic humour and terrific company to make this another special day for everybody.

Monsieur Wong from gay Paris avec le grande sourice n’est pas!!

Coffee & Cake at Cannonteign Falls for the FARTs!!

What a brilliant autumnal day for a cycle ride down the Teign Valley - the FARTs were scheduled to RV at Cannonteign Falls for coffee & cake where Potsie welcomes new members regaling the unusual maxim (for him at any rate) that this was an alcohol free cycle ride and………………….. much to everyone else’s pleasure was shaking his head with incredulity when some 10 of the assembled 12 then all voted to head off to The Royal Oak at Dunsford for their magic Tuesday Fish & Chips………..!!

We stopped off en route at Orchard Barn to polish off the left over barrel of Jail Ale and check out the recently pressed freshly barreled organic Apple Juice…………….by late March this new brew will be the 08 Cider and all being well it’ll be as scrummy as the last!! Fingers crossed!!

Bruce and Di at an Orchard Barn pit stop!!

Flossie and Hippy enjoy a glass!!

FART’s polish off the Jail and sample the 08 Apple Juice before it starts to ferment

Blaster with Fallen Woman and Broken Man after Chish-n-Fips at The Royal Oak!!

And a great day was had by all………..what a magic way to spend a Tuesday forenoon…..On On!!

Jo (aged 21) with parents Greg and Angela from Byron Bay Eastern Australia

Greg and Angela from Byron Bay Eastern Australia swapped houses with Shirley and Roger Hodge from Dunsford and because they had their entire family with them I had Shauna their eldest daughter and her boyfriend Shannon stay at Orchard Barn for 6 nights recently. I invited Mum and Dad (who I discovered had just celebrated their joint 50th birthdays in Paris en route to UK) to accompany my new guests when they arrived a few days later and to my surprise they all turned up for a ‘Looksee’………..well in true welcoming fashion we cracked a few bottles in the barn and got stuck in…………. and 2 hours later we were all the best of pals. So much so that I invited them all to a BBQ 3 days later (knowing the weather was good for the week!!)………..the deal was that they (the 7 of them) would produce the food and I’d produce the grog - just me!! Well I extended that to Colin and Olive Hellier my lovely farming neighbours and the Wright Brothers who were fishing the Teign that the last day of the season (and Chris caught a 12 lb salmon too!!) and a few other chums to muck in.

Jo (with my old flying jacket on) surrounded by 2 of his 3 gorgeous sisters!!

We had a fantastic time………….food was delicious and their son Jo and I aided by Shannon polished off the last few gallons of last years Cider………….needless to say the Oz v The Brit jokes cropped up a few times and I enjoyed a healthy ‘brother v sister’ sparing on the merits of art all fueled by wine and scrumpy!! They left at 11pm well sozzled and rather like Goldilocks and the 3 Bears………….(well nearly!!) Mum and 2 of her 3 daughters crashed out for an hours kip in the master bedroom upstairs all snuggled up together unable to keep up with Dad and the rest of the family………….boy could they tuck it away too……………..good job I’ve got lots of wine in the cellar!! It was a real pleasure to have them to stay……..great family and magic sense of humour!!

Angela, Greg and Kristin (note Gregs eyes!!)

Shannon, Shauna and brother Jo

Shannon enjoying Orchard Barn Scrumpy Cider and prefered it to a Fosters ‘Tinny’!!

 Note that Greg’s eyes are closing up now!! Well so they should after best part of 3 bottles of red (and that was after the 3 ‘Tinnies’ he had whilst cooking the kebabs!!

Having the Oz family to stay was terrific and if they ever read this: Jo I’d like my flying jacket back and Angela, Kristin would like her ‘muscles bucket’ back too!! Clearly old ‘deportation’ habits are still in the blood line!!!

Howard at the helm - proud new owner!!

‘Billy’ my 16 foot clinker built estuary launch made in the Exmouth based Camperdown Terrace Boat sheds belonging to Geoff Holman in 1949 is sold…………after lovingly restoring her to her former glory over several years and loads of fun trips up the river to The Turf Locks, The Anchor and Ship at Cockwood and more frequently to The Globe Inn at Lympstone I have sold her on to a chum called Howard from S.Wales.

‘Billy’ at her Camperdown Terrace Creek Mooring

‘Billy’ had been a commercial fishing launch used by a chap called Larry since first commissioned and he regularly fished off the Exe towards Straight Point one way and Teignmouth the other, netting and hand-lining for a living over several decades. When he died his nephew Paul took her on and I bought her from Paul about 4 years ago. I had loads of fun on her and although she was my first boat and I was very proud of her I wasn’t able to use her as much as she deserved and felt obliged to allow others to keep an eye on her all too often. When she was inadvertently scuppered on her moorings one day when the obliging chum forgot to replace the bung in after draining the rain water and sea water ingress (she’s an old boat and they all take up a little water through the decking planks) and she was forlornly left with the tide up to her gunnel’s and little else showing………..then I knew it was time to sell her on.

I sold her with sadness and natural regret…………she was my first boat and I was very proud to have owned her and to had a lot of fun for a few years restoring her………..no matter, she now belongs to a good friend of mine and no doubt we’ll both take her out fishing together now and again and spin dits, drink beer and maybe even catch the odd Sea Bass and mackerel or two………..hope so!!

Every boat owner should have a good looking crew!!

‘Before’ and ‘After’ - Ian’s trusty Fergie T20’s at the Bridford Tractor Rally and Beer Festival

Chugging down the road all of a mile and a half to the Dunsford Straight on the first of my 2 antique exhibits was a ‘Boys Joy’ - with trailer in rear to house the trusty bike to get me too and fro over the W/E I hit top  ‘comfortable’ speed of about 15mph as I approached the muddy but drying rapidly site entrance………………..traffic wardens aplenty I bounded in and took up station in the second field with about 30 other far smarter agricultural tractors and similar engines ranging from 1905 to the more modern 1960’s I suppose.

I pedaled back via the Beer Tent and my first sippers of the day looking for the Secretary in order to book in and register my 2 x trusty charges………..and then went back home to collect the other and returned………bike in the link box this time on Fergie 2.

This was the second Bridford Rally and building on last years show, the organisers are to be congratulated on another excellent event…………although still sufficiently damp underfoot for the Steam Engines to remain on their trailers sadly and despite a glorious warm dry and sunny Sunday there they remained because at 65tons dead weight they simply wouldn’t do anything but churn up the field wherever they went and their modern trailers would invariably get stuck whilst manoeuvring in and out of the site entrance on the damper Friday afternoon.

The Beer Tent run by The Bridford Inn team was magic………….20 odd real ales to sample, locals propping up the bar and many a long tale was spun across the Weekend.

I met up with a Teign Valley Pedal Basher called Father on the Sunday afternoon and we regaled in stories of yesteryear when he was working the land and used to drive the likes of my T20 for real ploughing and earning a living from the soil………..he’s a great character and he and his wife Mudsie have sampled many a drop of Scrumpy Cider at my place over the years pulling in at various Cycle Cider  Gatherings.

It’s always a fun day out at these events and this years Bridford Vintage Tractor Rally and Beer Festival was no exception - roll on next year!!

Ian and a Teign Valley Pedal Basher called ‘Father’ line up with Fergie T2O’s at the Rally

Jane Simants - with ‘Henrietta’ (hung temporarily on loo door!!)

Jane Simants an extraordinarily gifted local artist and her husband Geoff delivered the second highly acclaimed and very popular nude life drawing titled ‘Henrietta’ to Orchard Barn B&B recently……..Ian Corner the new owner is absolutely delighted with his recent purchase…………. designed to add beauty, art and culture in The Snug and as company for ‘Anna’ bought at Jane’s 2007 exhibition.

Jand and Geoff Simmants- with ‘Henrietta’

Jane exhibited her latest works of art at the Devon Open Studios using Eastern Hill Farm as her venue………she held a private preview for selected friends and family the day before opening to the general public and I was fortunate enough to be invited to take wine and nibbles with a select number. Like everyone else present at this event, I was immediately taken by Jane’s talent and artistic eye for detail and beauty………..she exhibited a large number of drawings, pictures and illustrations depicting her broad array of skills and talents.

I spotted ‘Henrietta’ straight away once I entered the workshop half of her exhibition and mindful of the short period of time I had in hand, I even declined to listen to John the owner delivering a fascinating account of how he built the barn with his own oak from the farm…..in favour of appreciating with joy what is now my second Life Study adorning my Snug wall.

Jane is a gifted artist and I commend her work to you all…………and look forward to her next exhibition in 2009!!

Jane with ‘Anna’ in front of The Snug fire

Blaster (left) with Broken Man and Flossie - coffee stop at Megavissie Harbour

Jack Smith as Tour Manager and Ian Glendinning as Route Master (ably assisted by Flossie as Shep’) pulled off yet another brilliant Cornish Cycle Tour last week………….known as the Cornish Millionaires Cycle Tour (only because we all stayed in hotels and dined in luxury rather than penny pinch and cut corners) this tour started with a grand late Breakfast at Jack&Mary’s at Bovey Tracy and a gathering of the 21 cyclists.

Day 1 took the troop to Tavistock via Chagford, Whiddon Down and lunch near Brentor Church, ending at The Bedford Hotel where we dined in the Trafalgar Suite in style with one enormous table fit for a Ladies Night in the Officers Mess…………Jack as Master of Ceremonies led the entertainments, sing-songs, jokes and anecdotes with aplomb and set the scene for an hilarious evening.

Wifi (left) and Trucker after luncheon Day 1 (Tuna on Brown!!)

Day 2 and we crossed from Devon to Cornwall and after an untold number of never ending hills we all fell into the Old Ferry Inn at Fowey for several Riojas and Tribute Ales…………….dits a-plenty and many a sing-song later and we then took the ‘furry’ across to The Ship Inn with a split party and dined at The Harbour Lights. Top Table took wine as usual with the riff-raff and MofC excelled himself as usual with Charles’s (Wifi) solo going down a treat!!

Crossie (you normally see him with Union Jack at Twickenham) and Twiggie take a break

 Day 3 took us to Falmouth via lunch at Dobwalls where Cornish Earlies were the favourite dish of the Hat-Rack Day…….following tea we took another ‘furry’ across to The Rope House where Jack spun his now infamous ‘Take me back to the first roundabout’ joke…..Dinner was at a local restaurant known as ‘Two Short’ which looked after us well. Wifi took The White van for a gay old spin with all the luggage and a magic carpet following an Achilles heal problem!!

Day 4 took us to St Ives via lunch at another Ship Inn at Portloe and a memorable pici stop at Godrieve Lighthouse overlooking the Hayle Sands………..and straight down to the Sloop Inn for a few end of day wets, a short dip in the harbour followed by settling into the Chy-An-Albany Hotel for another fun evenings entertainment.

Wallie (Miss UK’s better looking other half!!) with Godrevie Lighthouse in the background

Day 5 took most of us to Mousehole for lunch and The Tinners Arms at Zennor for a beer before the final CTP on Blasters balcony and the well choreographed dance after dinner where Jack excelled himself once again with his footwork and jiving skills aplenty.

The Trusham Bus with bikes!!

Having checked out on the Sunday morning we loaded 13 bikes onto The Trusham Bus and 8 of us returned after a fantastic break………..198 miles all up and so many jokes and laughs and fun moments. Brilliant - I’ve signed up to next years Tour already. Our thanks to Jack and Ian G in particular.