Martin Hesp
All in Devon Cornwall & Somerset
Easter walks offer a healthy, enjoyable alternative to intense fitness regimes. With longer days and warmer weather, walking in the UK's beautiful landscapes is a perfect way to increase fitness. It's a popular, simple, and social activity, suitable for all ages and abilities, with no special equipment required. This article highlights three easy, scenic springtime walks in the West Country, each under three miles, ideal for beginners and showcasing spectacular views and historic sites
Quick look at a remote and little visited South Devon beach
This article nostalgically contrasts traditional West Country Christmas customs with modern celebrations. It reminisces about unique practices like ashen faggot burning, where participants drink and toast to banish spirits; the Mummers’ Play, featuring characters like Father Christmas; and 'guise-dancing' in St Ives, where people wore disguises and danced. It also mentions the belief of master bullocks kneeling at midnight on Christmas Eve and tradesmen's tradition of giving extras to favoured customers. The customs of a robin in Christmas lore and a unique Christmas drink, Lamb's Wool, are also highlighted. The article laments the loss of these traditions to modern, commercialised celebrations, aiming to evoke a sense of old-fashioned Christmas spirit.
Discover the eerie lore of West Penwith and the haunting celebrations of Punky Night, the Somerset term for Halloween, where the rural traditions of the West Country come alive. This intriguing article delves into the spectral figures that roam the moors, like the notorious Spriggans, the Black Dogs, and other phantoms that are part of the region's spooky folklore. Once marked by the simple carving of mangel-wurzels into lanterns, Halloween in Somerset has evolved from a low-key event overshadowed by non-conformist beliefs to a night of revelry for local children. Uncover the Celtic origins of the festival, Samhain, when the veil between the living and the dead was believed to thin, leading to ghostly troubles and valuable prophecies. Learn how the Romans and later Christianity shaped the celebration, morphing pagan rituals into All Saints' and All Souls' Days. Explore the quirky West Country customs involving apples, a symbol of the mystical and romantic, and reflect on how these traditions compare to the grand commercialisation of Halloween in the United States. This article is a nostalgic toast to the authentic Halloween, a testament to the region's rich cultural tapestry.