A Tasty Break in Looe

Looe is divided into East and West Looe by the Looe River estuary, which flows gently between the two villages. East and West Looe are characterised by their narrow cobbled streets, steeped in history and full of stories and legends of smugglers and fishing. On the one side East Looe is a thriving fishing port where you can watch the early morning auction of freshly landed fish or visit its beautiful sandy beach, which is perfect for families and ideal for rock pooling. On the other, quieter side, West Looe is the starting point for the fascinating local heritage trail.

Two weeks of indulgent food events and celebrations are due to take place at the Autumn Taste South East Cornwall Festival, which will be held between 07 and 21 November in the stunning fishing town. Each Saturday a deli, breads and cakes market will be held at the award winning Trawlers Restaurant, where you can also indulge in the two course festival special menu for just £10 per person. A seven course festival taster menu will also be available at Barclay House for just £35 per guest or £48 per guest to include three glasses of carefully matched wines. There’s even a foodie mystery tour of the very best producers of food in South East Cornwall. For reservations and more details on events during the festival, go to www.taste-southeastcornwall.com

Blazing Barrels of Ottery

Ottery St Mary is renowned for its annual Carnival, fireworks display, the lighting of a monumental bonfire and the bearing of blazing barrels by men, women and children through the streets of this historic Devon town. This year the Carnival takes place on 31 October, while the tar barrels will be blazing a trail up and down the streets of Ottery on 5th November.

The tradition of the blazing barrels, borne on the back of brave and burley locals, spans hundreds of years and is presumed to have started after the gunpowder plot of 1605. It is a stunning spectacle, the like of which can’t be seen anywhere else in the UK, as Ottery is the town where full-sized blazing tar barrels are still paraded through the streets.

In total seventeen barrels are carried through the streets ranging in size from ‘small unz’ for the boys, ‘medium unz’ for women and youths, and ‘gert big unz’ for the men. The largest of the barrels is paraded around the town square at midnight, and marks the culmination of this extraordinary and enthralling tradition.

If you are looking for accommodation near Ottery St. Mary, why not try some of our hot properties around the area!

October feeding frenzy!

Its all about food in Devon during October. There are over 100 high quality foodie events taking place as part of Devon Celebration of Food this October. Food and drink retailers, restaurants, and producers across Devon will be putting on events at their own venues - giving everyone the chance to sample the fantastic range of produce and cuisines available across Devon.

Proceedings kick off officially at Darts Farm on Thursday 2 October with a Ready Steady Cook breakfast/brunch event featuring the Darts brothers and Tanner brothers. Here are some of our favourites from the other events going on in October:

1. The inaugural North Devon Foodfest at the Barnstaple Pannier Market on Sunday 12 October, which will offer the chance to sample food from the best local restaurants and watch chef demonstrations. Find accommodation in North Devon
2. The National Trust has organised the Big Pick at Killerton on Sunday 5 October when everyone is invited to help harvest the apples that make Killerton's award winning cider. Find accommodation in East Devon.
3. Combe House Hotel Master Chef Hadleigh Barrett will visit the shepherds at Blacklake Farm at Ottery St Mary on Tuesday 7 October for a talk, walk and shepherds pie.
4. Cockhaven Manor near Teignmouth have a Special Celebration of Devon 3 course menu for £ 19-95 per person. Served Sunday to Thursday evenings during October - celebrate all the best of Devon's Meat, Fish, Game, Dairy produts, Fruit and Vegetables. Find accommodation near Teignmouth
5. The Ruby Country Safari on Saturday 25 October will see some of the best local food producers in North Devon open their doors to sample their produce along the route from Holsworthy to Hatherleigh. Find accommodation near Holsworthy.
6. Michael Caines' Restaurant ABode in Exeter, offers one of the most prestigious dining experiences in the South West. Enjoy a fabulous 2 course meal in elegant surroundings for only £14.95 per person, on their MC early dining offer throughout October.
7. The Dartmouth Food Festival takes place from the 8th to the 12th October. Come and enjoy all that's best in food and drink in the Dartmouth area. With parties, food markets, tasting shacks, demonstrations and special events across town, the atmosphere will be amazing! Find accommodation in Dartmouth
8. Staying in Dartmouth, Mitch Tonks of "Fish Works" fame, is hosting a range of activites, live music, special menus and celebrity guests (including Gregg Wallace from BBC's Masterchef) at his new restaurant "The Seahorse" from 8th to 12th October. Blue Chip Vacations guests also have access to an exclusive offer at The Seahorse, see website for more details.
9. Join the 10th anniversary celebrations at the small and exclusive Artillery Tower restaurant in Plymouth on October 25th. Set in a 500 year old tower, you can enjoy the best local produce with some of the best sea views in the area. Find accommodation in Plymouth
10. Join in the Mediterranean Tapas Extravaganza at the Dartington Cider Press! Every Friday and Saturday evening from 4pm-8pm during October, More Restuarant will be hosting these special evenings, providing diners with the chance to sample 8 tapas dishes for £11.75 and receive a free glass of wine. Find accommodation in South Devon

Happy munchings!

Devon Coasts: Keeping things clean

For most of us, relaxing on a beautiful clean beach is a holiday must-have. But you don't need to travel the world in search of one, because 16 of Devon's beautiful beaches have now been awarded international Blue Flag status. Devon's Blue Flag beaches account for nearly half of those awarded in the entire South West! This prestigious award is an independentently assessed symbol of excellence, where beaches are judged annually against a very strict set of criteria relating to: Water Quality, Environmental Education & Information, Environmental Management and Safety & Services

The award is by no means guaranteed year on year, which means that visitors can rest assured the high standards needed to attain the award must be constantly maintained in order to keep it. So well done Devon!

The 16 Blue Flag Devon Beaches are:

Bantham (South Hams)
Find Holiday Cottage near Bantham: Bigbury-on-Sea, Kingsbridge, Salcombe

Bigbury on Sea (South Hams)
Find a Bigbury-on-Sea Holiday Cottage

Blackpool Sands, Stoke Gabriel (South Hams)
Find a South Hams Holiday Cottage

Breakwater Beach Brixham (Torbay)
Find a Brixham Holiday Cottage

Broadsands Paignton (Torbay)
Find a Paignton Holiday Cottage

Challaborough, (South Hams)
Find a Holiday Cottage near Challaborough

Croyde Bay (North Devon)
Find a holiday cottage near Croyde

Dawlish Warren (Teignbridge)
Find a Dawlish Holiday Cottage

Goodrington Beach Paignton (Torbay)
Find a Paignton Holiday Cottage

Meadfoot Beach Torquay (Torbay)
Find a Torquay Holiday Cottage

Oddicombe Beach Torquay (Torbay)
Find a Torquay Holiday Cottage

Salcombe Sands (South Hams)
Find a Salcombe Holiday cottage

Sandy Bay Exmouth (East Devon)
Find an Exmouth Holiday Cottage

Tunnels Beach Ilfracombe (North Devon)
Find a Holiday Cottage near Ilfracombe: Chulmleigh, Westward Ho!

Westward Ho! (North Devon)
Find a Westward Ho! Holiday Cottage

Woolacombe Sands (North Devon)
Find a Holiday Cottage near Woolacoombe


Now just have to decide which one to visit first...!

If you would like more information about staying in a Blue Chip Holiday Cottage; visit our website at http://www.bluechipvacations.com/ or call our booking team on 01803 855282

Devon views - 3rd - 5th May

Last weekend was a bit hectic! It included a walk along the South West Coast Path, the Torquay Spring Regatta, cheering on my nephew in a point-to-point race at Vauterhill and catching a gorgeous sunset on Dartmoor! More info will follow, but here are some pics for now:

Churston Cove

Torquay Regatta

Dartmoor Sunset

Whats on in Devon this weekend: 9th &10th May?

I've been out and about and spotted a few things for you to get up to in Devon this weekend:

1st-11th May
Harbour House Gallery, Kingsbridge. New work dedicated to land and seascape by Devon based artists: Christine Dack, Pete Kirby and Mick Cartwright. (more)
Nearby Holiday Cottages in Kingsbridge & Bigbury-on-Sea

9-11th May
Festival of Dartmoor Literature, Tavistock. 400 years of poetry, novels & plays. (more)
Nearby Holiday Cottages

10th May
The Great Hall, Dartington. Dartington Community Choir, conducted by John Railton. (more)
Nearby Holiday Cottages

10 May
Dawn Chorus @ Mount Edgcumbe House (more)
Nearby Holiday Cottages

10-11 May
Native Wildlife Weekend, Newquay Zoo (more)
Nearby Holiday Cottages

11 May
The Artemis Transatlantic Yacht Race, Plymouth (more)
Nearby Holiday Cottages

11th May
Tetcott Point-to-Point, Vauterhill near Umberleigh. Seven action packed steeple chase races.
Nearby Holiday Cottages



If any of these events appeal to you - remember its still not too late to book a holiday home nearby for a last minute break! Click here to view available self-catering accommodation for this weekend or call the Blue Chip Vacations booking team on 01803 855282

Welcome to the Devon Holidays blog!

The aim of this blog is to help you make the most of your next holiday in Devon - or inspire you to take your first! I will be posting everything that I think you will find useful, with a host of regualr features, as well as anything else stumbled across that might add to your next Devon experience.

Look out for:

• What's on this week...
• Try Something New...
• Devon Events
• Devon Coasts
• Devon Food
• Devon Arts
• Horsing around in Devon...

Having recently moved to Devon, I will be out and about in the area seeing everything through a visitors eye's - and hopefully trying out something new every week. You can follow my trials and tribulations as I try out some of the huge range of Devon activities, events, attractions and locations - and the best thing is, they are all things that you can try out for yourself!