If you love Dartmoor’s wild edges and secret stories, this short circular walk from Cadover Bridge takes you deep into Trowlesworthy Warren, past ancient pillow mounds, granite tors, and the haunting white scars of the china clay pits. It’s a fine mix of moorland solitude, industrial history, and far-reaching views over Plymouth and the South Devon coast During our stay at Boringdon Hall, we took a five-minute drive up onto Dartmoor so we could enjoy a four-mile hike that took us from the banks of the River Plym near Cadover Bridge up to Great Trowlesworthy Tor, and then back via the edge of the Whitehall Yeo china clay pit. The most noticeable target when you park above Cadover Bridge is Little Trowlesworthy Tor, which lies above and to the east. Soon you begin to understand why the area is called Trowlesworthy Warren. The OS map calls them ‘Pillow Mounds’, but what that really means is that the many bumps you see scattered about this empty moor were once part of a huge man-made rabbit city. Trowlesworthy Warren: Ancient Rabbits and Prehistoric Remains But not all the bumpy bits around here are to do with rabbits – Trowlesworthy Warren is also covered with prehistoric remains like stone rows and circles. Up at the tor we turned around for the first time and were treated to huge vistas both towards Plymouth and the sea and into the great central southern hinterlands of Dartmoor. But most apparent of all were the massive china clay workings which dominate the scene to the south. Man-made lakes glinted in the sun and the general whiteness of the great scars gave rise to that inevitable phrase – lunar landscape. The Mystery of the Giant Granite Cylinder As we walked further east towards Great Trowlesworthy Tor, we came across a curious lump of rock. A massive cylindrical piece of granite lay at a jaunty angle as if someone had once tried to move it and had then given up. Apparently, quarrymen cut and shaped this marvellous thing way back in the early 1800s when Plymouth and Devonport were forever vying to out-do each other. This huge cylinder was intended to be the base for an enormous flagpole that would dominate the centre of Devonport. There are two arguments as to why it never reached town – one is that the mean-spirited burghers failed to collect the necessary funds – the other is that it was simply too heavy to move. Having seen it, I believe the latter. After visiting the higher tor, we took ourselves cross country to head downhill so that we could look over the edge of the colossal Whitehall Yeo china clay pit. It was then a simple walk back to the car. Another Look Back: Revisiting China Clay Country on Dartmoor Here is another version of the walk that I wrote 20 years ago with photos taken at the same time… This is China Clay Country. Not the better-known Cornish Alps north of St Austell, the other one. It's also Plym Country – the stream that lends its name to the city runs right under the big, bald plain of Trowlesworthy Warren. Indeed, the whole shooting match lies not more than a handful of miles from the head office of this newspaper – north-east across Bickleigh Vale and beyond the village of Shaugh Prior. Starting the Walk: Finding Cadover Bridge To find it, go to Cadover Bridge on the moor-hugging road that wends its ways from Ivybridge to Yelverton. A made-up road (not marked on the map) and then a track run east from the bridge along the Plym – I noticed on the hot evening of my visit that the area seems to be a popular haunt for Plymouthians. There were people everywhere – picnicking and swimming. But we ignored all this urban jollity and drove up the track a little way to park by an ice-cream van in a wide space near the bend where the Blacka Brook stream descends to join the Plym. The warren rose gently to our west, almost featureless until it met Little Trowlesworthy and then Great Trowlesworthy Tors. Walking Across the Moor: From Warren House to the Tors This is where I was required to walk – so I walked. But where? This might be a National Trust-owned property, but it's one of those low-key places where the organisation has decided not to bung up endless interpretation notice boards and the like at every touch and turn. I'm all for that – and so was only too happy to plunge into the wilderness. At Trowlesworthy this is surprisingly easy to do thanks to the track that leads to Trowlesworthy Warren House. The farm is the nearest thing the Plymouth area has to Wuthering Heights – you can imagine dark, brooding Heathcliffe lurking about this lonely place, being romantic in a sulky sort of way. Now the walker is introduced to the real open moor. In other words, there's no obvious track to follow but, as it's open access land, you can wander more or less where you will. The most noticeable target is Little Trowlesworthy Tor, which lies above and to the east and as you climb. Now you begin to glean why the place has the word 'Warren' as a suffix. The OS map calls them 'Pillow Mounds', but what that really means is that the many bumps you see scattered about this otherwise empty moor were once part of a huge man-made rabbit city. Rabbits, Quarrymen, and the Legends of the Leat A quick search on the Internet has informed me that this was a working warren for centuries – I have visions of rabbit meat being a regular 'special' in the dockside eateries around the mouth of the Tamar. No wonder sailors and fishermen had a superstitious horror for the word rabbit being spoken out loud as they headed for sea. The other fact that the website expounded upon was that quarrymen wanted to put a leat right across the warren as part of the extensive workings around here and were only allowed to do so after agreeing to put little bridges across so that the bunnies could wander hither and thither. You can still see the leat and you can still see the bridges. In fact you must cross the leat on your way up to the tor. We did so and had to pass a stallion who seemed to think he was lord and master of the place. We watched other ponies try to pass and he snorted them away – now it was our turn. He wasn't happy, but gave way with a show of great annoyance as we took no notice of his huff and puff. Dartmoor Views and the Great White Clay Pits By the way, not all the bumpy bits around here are to do with rabbits – Trowlesworthy Warren is covered with prehistoric remains like stone rows and circles. Up at the tor we turned around for the first time and were treated to huge vistas both towards Plymouth and the sea and into the great central southern hinterlands of Dartmoor. But most apparent of all were the massive china clay workings which dominate the scene to the south. Man-made lakes glinted in the sun and the general whiteness of the great scars gave rise to that inevitable phrase – lunar landscape. It's obvious that the tor has been greatly messed about with. Huge square-cut chunks of granite lie about the place as if someone at sometime was planning to build a structure of gigantic proportions. The Granite Flagpole Base and the Return Route As we walked further east towards Great Trowlesworthy Tor, we came across an even more curious lump of rock. A massive cylindrical piece of granite lay at a jaunty angle as if someone had once tried to move it and had then given up. Which, according to one website, is exactly what happened. Apparently, quarrymen cut and shaped this marvellous thing way back in the early 1800s when Plymouth and Devonport were separate places and forever vying to out-do each other. This huge cylinder was intended to be the base for an enormous flagpole that would dominate the centre of Devonport. There are two arguments as to why it never reached town – one is that the mean-spirited burghers failed to collect the necessary funds – the other is that it was simply too heavy to move. Having seen it, I believe the latter. After visiting the higher tor, we took ourselves cross country to head downhill so that we could look over the edge of the colossal Whitehall Yeo china clay pit. It was well worth the odd foot-soaking in the occasional bog. Talking of lunar landscapes, I bet you can see this place from the moon. A track skirts the western edge of the white abyss and eventually introduces the walker to the paved, Ordnance Survey-ignored road that then descends west back towards the Plym. A mile down this, and then a quarter mile shortcut across the slightly boggy sward, and we were back at our car. An extraordinary hike – not five miles from the centre of the region's biggest city – but a hike I feel I have, perhaps, only scratched the surface of. Unlike those china clay people who've dug very deep indeed. Fact File: Dartmoor Walk – Cadover Bridge to Great Trowlesworthy Tor Basic hike: From banks of the River Plym near Cadover Bridge, past Trowlesworthy Warren House to Great Trowlesworthy Tor, and then back via the edge of Whitehall Yeo china clay pit. Recommended map: Ordnance Survey OL map 28 – Dartmoor. Distance and going: Three-and-a-half miles, easy going but maybe boggy in places.

A Long and Exhilarating Dartmoor Hike Steeperton Tor looms in the distance above the young River Taw Here’s a long and exhilarating trudge up into the high country. For me it was the West Country equivalent of attempting to find the source of the Nile – I was following the Taw upstream for a series on the region's rivers and I thought the headwaters would give me a good excuse for a hike. They did that all right. Finding the source of the Taw took me on the longest hike this column has enjoyed for sometime – and I loved every squelchy, windblown moment of it. Taw Head is in the middle of nowhere – in other words, it’s plonk in the centre of Dartmoor’s northern vastness – which is as middle-of-nowhere-ish as you get in this peninsula. So, take your lives in your hands, and follow me up the Taw. I’ll admit before we begin that I never actually reached the teeny-weeny source, which spews from a bog under Hangingstone Hill, but I did get to a point where I could view the spring in all its wild and remote beauty. And that’ll do nicely, as the route made for a bracing and wonderful figure-of-8 walk. Belstone Starting the Walk at Belstone To begin we travel to the picturesque village of Belstone perched high above the A30 a few miles south-east of Okehampton. I parked by the side of a common just down the lane from the curious looking pub, and admired the view of spectacular Belstone Cleave before setting off in a southerly direction into the moors. IF YOU ENJOY THIS HIKE CHECK OUT OTHERS BY CLICKING HERE Walkers set of from Belstone By-the-way, Belstone is a most attractive place, largely unspoilt by the ubiquitous bungalow development that has visually polluted so much of our peninsula – and it’s just a few minutes off the big main road, so make a note to pop up there sometime, even if it’s just for a drink and a short stroll. A track introduced me to the tumbling River Taw after I’d walked around the back of a Christian residential centre and found myself standing in what I presumed were sheep dipping pens. By opening a gate and walking through these pens I was able to gain the rough path that faithfully climbs alongside the waterfalls and rapids. A young River Taw Along the Upper River Taw For this is the theme of the first half-mile into the wilderness – the Taw seems in a great rush to leave the moor. Then, as if by some geographical magic, things change. The river ceases to rumble and roar and we enter a quiet stretch where the water moves sleek and silent down a narrow channel. And suddenly, looking up, the walker realises that he has entered an entirely new demesne – a secret world tucked away and shielded by great hills all around. The River Taw at Taw Marsh It’s called Taw Marsh, and it looks like something out of Africa’s Serengeti. I have never seen anything like this place anywhere else in the region – an enclosed plain where the river forgets its moorland rush to meander quietly this way and that in a series of wide, beach-lined pools. It comes as a complete surprise and for a moment you are forced to stop and stare. The place is dominated by the tall triangular peak of Steeperton Tor and somehow you can imagine H. Rider Haggard writing a novel about some long lost tribe hiding out up there. The two dippers which had escorted me up the rushing part of the stream departed and were replaced by a pair of ravens. These seemed most indignant at my arrival in their secret world, and I soon found out why. They had been about the gory business of pecking out the insides of a drowned sheep. She was caught up on a branch in one of the bends in the river, and I was horrified to see that her unborn lamb had survived its mother’s death and attempted to climb out of the hole made by the birds. Nature’s own terrible Caesarean had failed – the unborn lamb only made it halfway into this cruel world. Looking down on Taw Marsh Climbing Oke Tor and Steeperton Gorge I walked quickly away and climbed the almost imperceptible path that took me on a diagonal route to the top of Oke Tor. The rocks up here look like so many pancakes piled one upon another – fossilised silt, I suppose, of some ancient primeval sea. Anyway, they made a good windbreak – or they did the day I visited earlier this week when the wind was howling across from the colossus of Yes Tor. After a sheltered breather from the gale I moved on, south to the lip of Steeperton Gorge. This is one of two defiles that isolate splendid Steeperton Tor and make it the distinct mountain it is. A bit confusing really because the easterly one is called Steeperton Brook so you’d think it would have the gorge named after it. But it’s the western defile, the Taw, which gets the appellation, as it cleaves its way down from the southerly heights. The pancake rocks of Oke Tor Reaching Taw Head From Oke Tor to this point I’d followed a recognisable track and, as this now veered away from the gorge to climb the flanks of Okement Hill, I followed in the belief it would sooner or later reveal the birthplace of the Taw. It did. After I’d crossed a level plain that formed the watershed between the Taw and Okement Rivers, I was able to branch south again up Okement Hill, and long before I reached the top I could see Taw Head. Unremarkable bog it might be, but the landscape has a wild, untamed beauty of its own and I look forward to returning when I explore the Okement Rivers. But now I retraced my tracks and returned to the watershed where I followed the left-hand track down the hill. Just past the clatter of rocks in the small coombe, I left the track to follow the 420 metre contour back along the western flank of Oke Tor, and this took me north to the ridge that stretches between Oke and Belstone Tors. Belstone Tor Belstone Tor and the Nine Maidens The latter eminence affords some of the finest views in the West Country. From its rocky peak you can see all of central and North Devon as well as much of northern Cornwall. It is one of the most boulder-strewn hills on Dartmoor, and you must take great care not to turn an ankle when making your way north again, down across its flanks to Belstone. And take care too, not to annoy the Nine Maidens of Belstone Common who either dance here every noon – or every Hunter’s Moon - depending on which myth you believe. Anyway, they’re moody phantoms who were turned to stone for dancing on the Sabbath – just like the Merry Maidens across the Tamar vale at lofty Minnions. So watch your step and you’ll re-enter the world of man at Belstone unscathed but weary after a long and spectacular Dartmoor dawdle. Walk Fact File Route From Belstone (near Okehampton) south into the moors following the Taw. At Taw Marsh our route climbs Oke Tor and continues south up Okement Hill, before returning alongside Oke Tor to gain the ridge leading to Belstone Tor. Then it’s simply a case of descending over Belstone Common back to the village. Recommended Map Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Map 28 – Dartmoor. Distance and Difficulty Seven miles, fairly easy going except for boulder clatter in places. Highlights Following the River Taw towards its source Taw Marsh's unique hidden landscape Oke Tor and Steeperton Gorge Views from Belstone Tor Dartmoor wildlife and folklore Spectacular panoramas across Devon and Cornwall

There is a certain kind of freedom that comes from setting off on a long drive — windows down, a good road ahead, and the horizon pulling you forward. Whether you're navigating the high roads of Dartmoor, the twisting byways of Devon or tracing the coastal lanes of Cornwall, or embarking on a European road trip, the quality of your car's contact with the road matters enormously. Most drivers focus on fuel, maps, and accommodation when planning a driving adventure, yet overlook one of the most fundamental elements of the experience: their wheels and tyres. Performance You Can Actually Feel The right set of wheels and tyres can transform a journey from merely functional to genuinely pleasurable. Good tyres improve grip on wet roads, reduce braking distances, and absorb the kind of road surface imperfections that are all too common on British country lanes. If you've ever felt uncertain navigating a tight bend on a rainy Somerset hillside, the chances are your tyres deserve some of the blame — and some attention. Visit Elite Wheels & Tyres for premium wheels and tyres that enhance your car's appearance while improving handling and driving confidence. Everyday Driving, Elevated in Style Safety is not everything, of course, looks matter too, particularly for people who see their vehicles as friends during drives instead of simple items moving point one to point two. Good alloy rims might make a machine seem sharper, more intentional looking which fits the feeling of exploration you wish to show. There is some quiet pleasure in stopping behind and gazing at your ride prior to a lengthy journey — understanding it appears correct alongside doing what it should. Choosing the Right Tyres for Your Terrain For most road trip lovers, it’s worth choosing tyres that suit the type of terrain they’ll be driving on. Motorways require quite a different set of tyres from those needed for single-track country roads or the dirt tracks that lead to isolated beaches. All-season tyres have gained a lot of popularity among drivers in the UK mainly because of how unpredictable the UK climate is. A tyre that can handle both the summer and the winter drizzle is definitely a good investment. The Hidden Cost of Neglect Wheels and tyres have a bigger effect on fuel economy than many expect. Under-inflated or worn tyres raise rolling resistance, so the engine must work harder, and you burn more fuel. On long trips — especially overseas — those small inefficiencies really add up. Keeping your tyres in good condition makes sense for both your wallet and your safety. Drive with Confidence, Every Mile To sum up, every memorable driving journey depends on confidence, its surroundings, and one's ability to manage unexpected situations. The most direct way to reinforce that confidence is by selecting wheels and tyres that are of good quality.

There is a moment on the approach to Château de la Treyne that stays with you forever. As you drive across a narrow suspension bridge spanning the Dordogne River, you look up to see a dramatic 14th-century fortress perched high on a limestone cliff. Its beautifully proportioned towers and weathered stone battlements cast perfect reflections on the water below. Even after 40 years of travel writing, I found myself turning to my wife, Sue, and uttering: "Blimey! Are we really staying there?" While the castle is grand and imposing—the sort of place that feels built for the French aristocracy of old—the true magic of Château de la Treyne is how quickly it begins to feel like a home. The atmosphere is completely defined by a sense of "curated silence." Behind the chateau, a dense, wild forest stretches across 120 acres of the estate, balanced beautifully in the foreground by formal gardens filled with manicured box hedges and neat gravel paths. The wide, stone-flagged terrace feels like the deck of a great ship. It is the perfect spot to sit and watch the evening light catch the grey-gold of the Quercy stone. Inside, the grand suites overlook the winding river, where the shrill cries of martins and swifts darting past the windows make you wonder if you are waking or dreaming. The investment and passion poured into this independent estate are visible in every corner, but it is the warmth of the hospitality that sets it apart. The staff treat you with an easy friendliness that completely strips away any stiff formality. We spent an unforgettable evening chatting with the charming owner, Stéphanie, who recounted how she and her husband spent years restoring the fortress. On a night when the main kitchen was closed, she personally prepared and served us a fresh salad alongside a selection of delightful local cheeses. It is this rare blend of absolute structural perfection and genuine, family-style hospitality that makes the chateau entirely unique. Travel Planner's Note Getting There & Staying Smart: The highly rural, unspoilt landscapes of central south-western France offer a perfect "staycation-style" getaway that is easily accessible. While flying into Limoges is incredibly efficient, these destinations are no more than a day's drive from the ferry terminal at Roscoff, making a classic road trip an exceptional option. When organising travel logistics, utilising Holiday Extras for airport parking, hotels, and lounges can significantly cut costs—with travellers saving an average of £200 per trip by booking their parking arrangements well in advance. Find out more at HolidayExtras.com or via 0800 316 5678.

Parkland, Porcelain History, and a Vanished World For those arriving by air, La Chapelle Saint Martin serves as a sublime pastoral gateway to southwest France. Located just minutes from Limoges airport, this elegant 19th-century manor house was originally built as the country retreat for a wealthy porcelain manufacturer. Today, it offers a completely different flavour of rural charm, trade-marking the expansive, rolling parklands of the Haute-Vienne. The house sits within a forty-acre estate populated by ancient cedars, sprawling lawns, and a series of quiet, small lakes. Walking through the grounds feels like stepping directly into a 19th-century landscape painting—a beautifully manicured wilderness that provides a deeply peaceful environmental palate cleanser. The owners, Gilles Dudognon and Aude Bourliataux, have built an impressive local heritage empire under the Collection Saint Martin banner. Chef Gilles, who celebrates 40 years of holding a Michelin star, has extended his culinary vision into the heart of Limoges. His ventures include La Table du Couvent—an atmospheric restaurant in a 12th-century monastery canteen specialising in open-hearth Limousin beef—and Le 27, a stylish contemporary bistro and art gallery. They even run La Maison du Fromage, one of the oldest cheese shops in the region, featuring a remarkable three-level maturing cellar. For guests wishing to explore the wider countryside, they offer a vintage vehicle rental service called LocaPassion, keeping a fleet of classic Citroën 2CVs and Land Rovers on hand. During our stay, we took a short drive north into the Monts de Blond, a range of forested, granite-strewn hills, to visit the fascinating village of Montrol-Sénard. Here, time was effectively frozen in the year 1900. It operates as a poignant, open-air "village-musée" where you can wander entirely freely through a perfectly preserved schoolhouse, a cobbler’s workshop, and traditional farm cottages without any tickets or payments. The quiet, vanished nostalgia of the place captures the Limousin before the rush of the modern world. In many ways, its stillness and deep rural character reminded me of the West Country of my youth—a beautiful, silent space that time has almost forgotten. Travel Planner's Note Getting There & Staying Smart: The highly rural, unspoilt landscapes of central south-western France offer a perfect "staycation-style" getaway that is easily accessible. While flying into Limoges is incredibly efficient, these destinations are no more than a day's drive from the ferry terminal at Roscoff, making a classic road trip an exceptional option. When organising travel logistics, utilising Holiday Extras for airport parking, hotels, and lounges can significantly cut costs—with travellers saving an average of £200 per trip by booking their parking arrangements well in advance. Find out more at HolidayExtras.com or via 0800 316 5678.

White dunes of the Curonian Spit I have just returned from a truly magnificent press trip to Lithuania, and I am still buzzing from the experience. It was a hugely enjoyable, fascinating, and deeply interesting journey that took me through some of the most beautiful and unique coastal landscapes northern Europe has to offer. From the shifting sand dunes of the dramatic Curonian Spit to the peaceful waterways of the Nemunas Delta, this is a region that captured my imagination. I am already at work on a major, in-depth Hesp Out West style feature where I will delve into the rich culture, wonderful people, incredible food, and spectacular landscapes I encountered. Fascinating raised bogs of the Nemunas Delta That comprehensive write-up will be landing on this website very soon. However, because I know many of you will want to add this destination to your own travel wishlists , I wanted to share some highly useful, practical recommendations right away. Sent over by my fantastic PR guide from the trip, here is the essential, boots-on-the-ground information you need to navigate Lithuania’s stunning coastal region with ease. Getting Around: Airport Transfers and Car-Sharing Palanga International Airport Transport: Public transport is available from the airport, though it isn't always the most convenient option depending on your arrival time. For a seamless journey, you can pre-book a transfer using the Bolt app. Prices are very reasonable, usually ranging from €10 to €28 depending on your final destination. Useful Link: Download or book via the Bolt App Self-Driving with CityBee: If you prefer the freedom of driving yourself without the hassle of traditional rental desks, look out for the CityBee car-sharing service. You will find their cars conveniently parked right near the airport exit. Useful Link: CityBee Car-Sharing Lithuania Navigating Public Transport, Trains, and Ferries Bus Travel: If you plan to use the national bus network, you can easily check schedules and buy your tickets in advance online. Useful Link: Lithuanian Bus Tickets and Schedules Train Travel: For exploring Lithuania by rail, tickets and routes can be managed directly through the official rail portal. Useful Link: LTG Link Lithuanian Railways Crossing to the Curonian Spit (Neringa): If you are heading out to the magical Curonian Spit, it is vital to check the ferry timetables before you travel. Be aware that there are separate terminals depending on whether you are traveling as a foot passenger only or crossing with a vehicle. Useful Link: Keltas Ferry Timetables and Info Money, Language, and Local Advice Cards vs. Cash: Digital and mobile payments are accepted almost everywhere you go in Lithuania. However, it is still highly recommended to keep some euros in cash on you, particularly if you want to sample local delicacies at the traditional markets or use smaller, local transport services. Language: Language barriers are virtually non-existent for visitors here. In the vast majority of hotels, restaurants, and tourism services, the staff speak excellent English. Nature, Wildlife, and Cycling Highlights National and Regional Parks: The coastal region is a haven for nature lovers, boasting the Seaside Regional Park, the Nemunas Delta Regional Park, and the crown jewel—the Curonian Spit National Park. UNESCO World Heritage: The breathtaking landscape of the Curonian Spit is so culturally and naturally significant that it was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. A Paradise for Birdwatching: If you are an avid birdwatcher or nature enthusiast, pack your binoculars. The region sits directly on a major international migration route between the White Sea and the Baltic Sea, making it a globally significant location for scientific research and birdwatching. Two-Wheeled Adventures: The area is a dream for cyclists, forming part of the EuroVelo network. Specifically, the EuroVelo 10 (Baltic Sea Cycle Route) runs right through the coastal area and the Curonian Spit, seamlessly connecting the Klaipėda region with neighbouring Baltic countries. (Stay tuned for the full, detailed feature on my Lithuanian adventures coming to the website very soon!) Hesp sets sail - in a land-yacht on the Curonian Spit

Every week through the work I used to do as Editorial Director for RAW Food & Drink PR I wrote and edited a double page spread for the food pages of the Western Morning News. Occasionally we'd even hit the front page… Here’s one of the latest offerings - and it’s a delicious one all to do with Christmas dinner… As December continues many of us will be thinking ahead to Christmas and wondering what kind of festivities we’ll be enjoying this year. It is going to be different - that is for sure - especially for those of us who normally cater for a crowd. So I’ve been thinking about the festive season and talking to some of my friends and colleagues in the food industry - and I have decided that, minus the dozen or more people I normally cook for, I am going to manufacture a blast of midwinter sunshine. On a plate, anyway… In other words, I am going to have fun barbecuing my way right through the midwinter holiday period. And that will include cooking almost the entire Christmas dinner outdoors - come rain or come shine… And why not? Most people who have some kind of barbecue nowadays will have one that has a lid, which means it’s only you who’s going to get wet in the rain - not the food. Indeed, more and more people are going the whole BBQ hog by owning a Japanese style kamado, which allows the home-chef to turn out slow-cooked wonders of the kind that would make any barbecue master proud - including a whole turkey. For the past half dozen years, when cooking a bird the size of a small jumbo-jet, I have slow-cooked the big tough turkey legs on my kamado - and that has given me the opportunity to add a fabulous savoury smokiness to the flavour, thanks to my friends at the Devon-based company Hot Smoked. Indeed, one of their new wood-chip kits makes an ideal present for the person who loves cooking outdoors or over a live flame (www.hotsmoked.co.uk). “Some meat can be a little bland, but hot-smoking really does increase the flavour considerably,” says Alyson Murray of Hot Smoked. “It’s easy to do - there’s no real mystery to it - you put some of our specialist wood-chips into a steel container or a double wrapping of foil (with a few holes - which help protects the wood chips so they don’t burn away too fast) and place it on the hot coals. “The lid on a kamado or any other type of good barbecue will help keep the smoke in and your food will quickly take on the subtle flavours dictated by the type of wood.” I tend to use Hot Smoked’s whisky soaked oak chips, which produce such a fantastic flavour there’s always a queue for the brown leg meat of my turkey. Before I smoked the legs of our annual Christmas bird, the queue used to go straight for the breast meat, but not any longer. “There’s nothing like a winter barbecue to blow away the lockdown blues,” Devon based outdoor cooking expert Marcus Bawden told me this week. “Your favourite restaurant might be closed, but you can easily grill up a tasty steak, a warming chilli, Sunday barbecue roast or even your big festive feast - all cooked outdoors.” Marcus teaches people to “barbecue better” at his specialist school, near Cullompton (www.ukbbqschool.com) and is an author of the best selling book Food and Fire and his next book Skewered will be out in April - and he told me: “Don’t lock yourself indoors this lockdown or at Christmas - wrap up warm and get yourself cooking up a storm. “I have been cooking my Christmas turkey on the barbecue for the last 10 years, and it's hard to beat for flavour when cooked in a Kamado Joe, you get a wonderfully crisp skin as a bonus.” Talking of Kamado Joe (www.kamadojoe.co.uk) - the European marketing manager for the brand is also based in Devon - and Ben Forte commented: “What better way to please the crowd this Christmas than with a show-stopping BBQ’d turkey taking centre stage? Obviously I use a Kamado Joe and have done so for years. It is highly versatile. You really can cook anything on them - you can grill, bake, roast, sear, smoke - and it even works perfectly as a pizza oven or rotisserie. “Then there’s the question of efficiency - the thick ceramic walls retain so much heat that you need to use less fuel to keep it hot.” Ben’s quick-fire tips for cooking a successful turkey this Christmas are… “Cook to temperature not time. The meats needs to be 75C. Add a bacon weave. This helps the breast meat stay moist and you get a bonus bit of crispy bacon. “Take your turkey out of the fridge half an hour before you start cooking - it’ll help prevent shrinkage. Cook the veg below the turkey so it catches all those juices as it cooks. Try adding a chunk of fruit wood, such as apple or cherry.” Lastly, you might ask why I’ll be doing down the barbecue route this Christmas? Well, apart from adding the sunshine flavours normally associated with summer to my midwinter meals, it will be fun to experiment. I’ve also found an excellent supply of local charcoal here on Exmoor - the Avalon BBQ Charcoal product is as good as it gets - they don’t have a website so phone 01398 323590 or 07908 939645 if you wan’t some… Normally, with 14 or 15 people to feed, I’d dare not experiment. This year my caution is going up in flames… OR... Why not consider the idea of hiring a BBQ chef for special days, family gatherings, etc. There are specialist hiring companies and all their chefs provide all the equipment, ingredients, and do the serving. A friend of mine did this recently and he told me: "Personally, I love hiring a chef for celebrations, especially when we stage a big celebratory BBQ. Why? Because I get really invested into the process, I want it to be perfect, and end up standing in front of the grill most of the time. I hired a chef for my little one's birthday and I ended up spending much more time with friends and loved that..." RECIPES Ben Forte’s BBQ “Jingleburger” - a turkey and smokey bacon burger, with Brussel sprout slaw, oak-smoked cheddar, pancetta weave, cranberry sauce and topped with a pickle and pigs in blankets. Burger Ingredients 500g Turkey Thigh Mince 4 rashers of Smoked Bacon (finely diced) 1 Egg Bacon flavour crisps (I used popcorn crisps as they are gluten free) (crushed) Brussel Slaw 250g Brussel Sprouts 2 Carrots 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 4 tbsp South Carolina BBQ Sauce Other Bits Oak Smoked Cheddar 16 rashers of pancetta/streaky bacon Cranberry Sauce Pigs in blankets Pickles Brioche Buns 4 Wooden Skewers Method Combine all burger ingredients together then shape using yours hand or a burger press Finely grate sprouts and carrots, combine in a bowl and add vinegar and BBQ Sauce For the bacon weaves I use 4 rashers of pancetta cut in half and stretched out. This makes them the perfect size for the burger Now smoke your burgers in your BBQ at around 225F until they reach an internal temp of 165F. Put bacon weaves onto foil and place in the BBQ until they are crispy - and BBQ pigs in blankets Put burgers onto a hot skillet and cook for a few minutes each side, then add cheese to the top and cover for about 1 minute to melt the cheese Lastly build your Christmas burger layering the parts and securing the pig in blanket with the help of a skewer. Hot Smoked’s Spatchcocked Duck Whole duck (Creedy Carver) Olive oil Garlic Piri Piri spice rub Whisky oak chips Spatchcock the duck, score drumsticks, season with salt and pepper, then add a mix of olive oil and Piri Piri Spice plus thin garlic slices. Allow to reach room temperature. Meanwhile light your bbq or smoker and wait until it goes white hot and any open flame has subsided. Your target cooking temperature is 110 to 120 deg for 2 to 3 hours depending on the weight of the duck. Add a handful of whisky oak chips to a foil pouch or smoker box if using one and place on the greying embers. Place the duck on the grill rack, close the lid and leave to cook slowly. Remove from the smoker and crisp the skin under a grill (on a medium heat). Allow to rest before serving

The wind was howling and the rain was falling in icy sheets as I lit the barbecue one afternoon this week. Was it bloody-mindedness on my part? Am I so stubborn that I’ll do daft things despite all odds? Did I feel like King Canute, defying nature to do its worst? Not really. Our humble cottage has an area for outdoor cooking which, although open to the elements, has a large and waterproof roof. And because my wonderful Kamado Joe barbecue has a closable domed lid, no weather can actually reach the flames or the food inside. Defying the English Weather BBQ guru Marcus Bawdon is never put off by the cold Having said that, I admit to having a degree of bloody-mindedness. Why should the awful English weather throw a bucket of cold water over everything we want to do? Yes, wall-to-wall rain can ruin just about every pursuit outdoors. Even the best-equipped hiker can have a miserable time if they can’t see anything but stair-rods. However, the real joy of barbecuing is in the eating, and you can do that indoors. But why bother going through all the faff? It’s a lot of fuss when you have a perfectly serviceable oven and a hob right there in the comfort of your kitchen. Of course, there's always the other way - you could hire a specialist barbecue chef for special days, family gatherings, etc. A friend of mine did this recently and some specialist chef-hiring companies provide all the equipment, ingredients, and do the serving. My pal said: "Personally, I love hiring a chef for special celebrations, and for a BBQ it's a particularly good idea. Why? Because when I do it I get really invested into the process, I want it to be perfect, and end up standing in front of the grill most of the time. But I hired a chef for my little one's birthday and I ended up spending much more time with friends and loved that." The Secret to Better Flavour: The Maillard Reaction The answer is simple: flavour. Cooking over a live flame—as I’ve said many times before in these pages—is far superior to anything heated on a hob or in a fan-assisted oven. Not only does smoke from wood or charcoal impart extra flavour, but the dripping fats play their part too. As they sizzle, they help drive that all-important Maillard reaction—the magical point where proteins and sugars are superheated to create a savoury, browned crust. It’s this explosion of umami that elevates something simple into something fabulous. Proper BBQ beef - Maillard reaction included Cooking the Perfect Pork Loin Cooking outdoors over charcoal in a device like a kamado also has another upside: texture and succulence. The reason I was so determined to light up this weekend, despite the terrible weather, was that the family were coming around and I had purchased a large pork-loin joint. It’s a good and generous cut of meat BUT it is one that can easily dry out. Even though it has a thin layer of fat, that is often not enough to give the meat the unctuousness you want. You can end up with a rather flavourless texture that seems to suck at your teeth as you chew. That does not tend to happen if pork-loin is slow-cooked in a kamado. The device’s “stone walls” lock in the moisture; indeed, the domed lid pushes the smoky steam back down onto the meat. The consistent results even an idiot like me can achieve force me to believe the theory. Sue Stoneman's ox cheeks cooking slowly over flames Pro Tip: My pork loin was aided and abetted by layers of sliced apple and onion which the joint sat on while it cooked. This “edible trivet” broke down after an hour or two but didn’t burn thanks to a stone heat-deflector. This created the base for a thick, rich, and delicious sauce. Memories of Greece: Lamb and Tzatziki A couple of weeks ago I used the same system to cook a leg of English lamb, which I’d de-boned. In the kamado, I splay out the meat on a large cast iron skillet, rub it generously with sea salt, garlic, grated lemon rind, and rosemary and sage from the garden. After a couple of hours of charcoal-induced heat conversion, it is transformed into one of my favourite meat dishes in the world. It takes me right back to my days of living on a Greek mountainside almost 50 years ago. I always make a garlicky tzatziki (Greek yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil, mint, sea-salt, and cucumber) to go with it. Devon based BBQ Queen Sue Stoneman cooking outdoors in winter Expert Advice: The West Country Barbecue Pros Sue Stoneman’s Winter Warming Tips “Cooking outdoors on the BBQ in winter? Of course!” says Devon’s Sue Stoneman. “Wrap up warm, and while you’re lighting up, pop on a pan of your favourite local cider—in my case, Sandford Orchards Devon Red.” Sue suggests using the barbecue as an outdoor oven to save money and time: Batch Cooking: Use cheaper cuts like ox cheeks for ragu or chilli. Multi-tasking: While the meat roasts, put in jacket potatoes, a loaf of bread, or even a cake. The Experience: "There’s the fun of being outside—star-gazing on clear nights while the smells of delicious food waft around." Sue’s Rich Ox Cheek Ragu Recipe Ingredients: 3 large ox cheeks, celery, onions, carrots, garlic, 200g smoked pancetta, 300g chestnut mushrooms, 200ml red wine, 1l beef stock, passata, and tinned tomatoes. Method: Season cheeks (Sue uses Angus & Oink Black Gold). Fry pancetta and veg in a heavy-based lid pan over direct heat. Add liquids and mushrooms, then slow-cook until the beef is tender. Follow Sue on Instagram @sue_stoneman. Sue Stoneman's ox cheek ragu and pasta Marcus Bawdon: Embracing the Cold Marcus runs the UK BBQ School in Mid-Devon and is the author of four books on outdoor cooking. Marcus at the UK BBQ School “Getting out in the cold—in snow or storm—means I need to be on point with the heat control,” Marcus says. “But it’s my favourite time of year to barbecue! There's something about hugging a warm ceramic kamado, knowing you have a smoky venison chilli or casserole tucked inside.” Marcus’s Top Winter Tips: More Fuel: Use more charcoal than usual to combat the ambient cold. Stay Dry: Ensure charcoal is kept indoors; damp fuel is a nightmare to light. Lid Down: Use the air vents to control temperature rather than opening the lid. Tech Help: A wireless temperature probe allows you to monitor the food from the warmth of your kitchen. Visit Marcus at www.ukbbqschool.com.

The wonderful Asimina Suites Hotel in Paphos It’s funny how a single word or a name can conjure all manner of instant thoughts, which is particularly relevant in the world of leisure because those instantaneous ideas can have a massive influence. Is Cyprus Really Safe for British Tourists? Think about foreign holidays, for example, and then add the name of a well known location. Cyprus has for a long time been a hugely popular destination with UK tourists, but point to that island today and you might well see a person’s face cloud with doubt because of the war with Iran. But there has only been one confirmed direct hit and that was on a military base in early March. Yet advance reservations for the peak summer season are down by nearly 60 percent according to some industry reports. Fishing boat at Pomos, in north western Cyprus Well, I went to Cyprus a week ago and can report that no one is walking about in fear, there are no air-raid warning sirens, and people in the western part of the island feel as isolated and distant from war as we do here in the West Country. There was one hit from a rogue drone in early March that put a small hole in the side of an RAF building, but it occurred on the third biggest island in the Mediterranean! Cyprus is huge. There’s a sizeable mountain range and vast valleys and plains between Paphos and the Easter shores. And there has been no direct threat since. The small harbour at Pomos, in north western Cyprus What It Feels Like to Visit Cyprus in 2026 Did I feel safe during my six days on the isle? Absolutely. Safer than I’d feel in many places I’ve visited down the years. Not only did I feel safe, but I was extremely comfortable - because Cyprus is one of those Mediterranean destinations that’s been hosting visitors for so long, they’ve honed their Greek-style hospitality down to an art-form. Moreover, I was staying in one of Paphos’s most luxurious five star hotels. Returning to Paphos After Three Decades I was there for a convention organised by the British Guild of Travel Writers and I’d been looking forward to the trip, as it has been 32 long years since I last visited. A great deal has changed. For a start, back in those days most roads north of the town or inland were not much more than dirt tracks. That is very much not the case now. The old fort at Paphos Harbour How Paphos Has Changed: Ancient History Meets Smart Tourism Paphos has been moving with the times. Yes, there are still ancient ruins with Roman mosaics and UNESCO-listed tombs - and they still sit just a short distance from the historic harbour which still feels like the heart of the town. But the place has grown and has redesigned itself to become a tourist Mecca with the aim of making life easy, comfortable and enjoyable for the many thousands of northern Europeans (mainly British) who visit. In some ways Cyprus is a Greek form of little England. Because of our lengthy historic connections with the island there is a sense of Britishness everywhere you go - not in an overwhelming way - I’m not talking about Union Jacks, fish-n-chips, or English-style pubs, but in a rather comforting, underlying sense. An old olive press in the mountains above Paphos Why Cyprus Still Feels Comfortable for British Visitors For example, they drive on the same side of the road. They use the same three-pin plugs. Just about every local you meet will be fluent in English. I’m pointing all this out to underline not only the safety and security angle, but also that comfortable sense of knowing what’s what. They’ve hit a nice balance, especially for older tourists. You have no doubt that you’re somewhere very foreign indeed - there’s all that wondrous Greek-style food, those warm seas, coasts filled with ancient history and scenic mountains dotted with quaint and rustic villages. Fabulous. A great place in which to explore. The Constantinou Brothers and a Different Kind of Cyprus Holiday But then there’s that polished hospitality - and no one in Cyprus is better at it than the Constantinou Brothers. I refer to a well known family-run outfit, founded by the family of that name in the late 1970s. The Constantinou presence in the Paphos area is impressive, they have four major properties, but what sets them apart is their focus on the adult market. They’ve moved away from the noisy, family-resort model, opting instead for a quieter, more refined style of hospitality. It’s an approach that suits the Paphos temperament well - all about good food, unhurried service, and a rather welcome level of calm. Review: Asimina Suites Hotel, Paphos We were staying at the newly revamped Asimina Suites Hotel - a five-star, all-suite property that has just undergone a significant six-month revamp. It reopened just this month with new top-floor sea-view suites that offer the kind of uninterrupted Mediterranean views you’d expect. There’s also a new rooftop bar where you can enjoy sundowners along with other new bars and restaurant areas. Food at Asimina Suites: Better Than Expected Talking of which, let’s mention that food. All those years ago when I was last in Paphos with two small children, you did everything you could to get out of the seaside hotels into the towns and villages so you could escape the mass-produced package-tour offering and enjoy good local dishes - even if it meant driving along dirt roads. The roads are now paved but there’s no need to move an inch. I’d go as far as to say the Asimina Suites has some of the best large-seaside-hotel food I’ve enjoyed anywhere. If it wasn’t for my sense of adventure and need to get out and explore, I’d have happily dined there night and day for a week. There’s a superb buffet and also a lovely a la carte restaurant just above the beach. As I will be writing about the amazing food of Cyprus next week I’ll skip any more mention of it here. Suffice to say, I must have returned home a stone heavier. An Adults-Only Escape on the Cyprus Coast That might be because I did a lot of lolling about. The hotel is an adults-only haven - the sort of place where you can take a morning swim in the interconnected pools, wander through gardens to the beach, or spend an hour in the spa. A place without the usual holiday clamour. For a journalist looking to relax after the trauma of his car breaking down on the way to the airport, it certainly hit the mark. Our breakfast spread at the Asimina Suites Hotel, Paphos Exploring Paphos on Foot There’s a wonderful pedestrian promenade that takes you all the way from the Asimina Suites up along the coast to the old harbour area - and that is the main way in which I attempted to keep down those pounds and ounces. It’s a pleasant half hour stroll past all the hotels until you reach the busy hub of lower Paphos. The town is split between the old quarter which is situated right up on the hill and coastal, or “Kato” (lower) Paphos - and, as I said earlier, it has successfully redesigned itself to being what’s known in the trade as a ‘smart tourism’ hub. It somehow manages to blend its rich history with a sophisticated modern infrastructure. Roman Mosaics, Tombs and Ancient Paphos, Cyprus The Kato Paphos Archaeological Park remains the big draw for those interested in the past. Here, the impressively preserved Roman mosaics of the House of Dionysos offer a kind of masterclass in ancient storytelling. Nearby, the Tombs of the Kings - monolithic chambers carved directly into the bedrock - provide a stark, silent contrast to the bustling harbour just a mile away. The Tombs of the Kings at Paphos What Happened to the Old Paphos Market? It was up in the “Old Town” that I was to get my biggest surprise. I recall taking my kids up there in a hire car to visit a busy crazily hot market, where donkeys and mules lined the un-paved streets and fish-stalls stood next to purveyors of local meat. I loved it and rather mourn its passing. Very little of that remains. A massive multi-million-euro regeneration project, launched when Paphos became a European Capital of Culture, was designed to “strip away the grit to reveal a neoclassical gem”. The revitalisation transformed Kennedy Square into a sophisticated urban hub, while once-dilapidated landmarks like Ibrahim’s Khan have been reimagined as cultural centres for local artisans. Pedestrianised streets now lead to the renovated municipal market, where traditional leatherwork meets modern boutiques - without a local vegetable, or a fish, or a hunk of meat in sight. Yes, I know, it has to be done. I imagine the old market would be a modern food safety expert’s nightmare - and the blend of ‘smart city’ tech with historic preservation does work. But I missed the colour and the frantic buzz of the old place. A gin tasting session at the new rooftop bar Asimina Suites Hotel North of Paphos: Discovering Polis, Latchi and the Akamas Peninsula For the traveller willing to trade the resort bustle for a tank of petrol, the drive north to Polis Chrysochous is a revelation. Leaving Paphos behind, the road climbs through hills before dropping toward a coastline that feels remarkably untouched by the hand of modern development. The appeal here is the Akamas Peninsula, a rugged wilderness where the paved roads eventually give way to dust and juniper. Here you’ll find the Baths of Aphrodite, where cool freshwater springs meet the sea, and the nearby Smigies Nature Trail, offering panoramic views across the great curve of the bay. Polis itself retains the sleepy, authentic rhythm of a traditional Cypriot town. Just along the road lies Latchi, a small harbour where the catch of the day goes straight from boats to the grill. The Polis Bay area is the island’s quiet secret - uncluttered, breezy, and calm. We went almost all the way to the border with the Turkish part of Cyprus to a little harbour in the Pomos area, it was a gem with a fantastic bar full of locals. We were the only foreign tourists there. After we found a little beauty spot known as the Dragon’s Cave - and couldn’t image that anyone from the crowds of Paphos had ever been near the place. The Dragon's Cave on Cyprus north western coast Returning to Luxury After Exploring Wild Cyprus Even so, it meant a long day out for me and one of my travel-writer mates, and we were both glad to be back in the luxurious confines of the Asimina Suites Hotel that evening where a large cool suite and a welcome glass of quality wine awaited. Booking Information and Flight Options to Cyprus The BGTW were guests of Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites Hotel and the Paphos Tourist Board. Prices from only £1399 per person for 2 people sharing a Junior Suite Land View on bed and breakfast in the Asimina Suites Hotel, for Gatwick departures for 7 nights in June and includes 22 Kg luggage allowance and private transfers - available through Jet2Holidays www.jet2holidays.com Website: https://www.Asimina-CBH.com/UK sales office 01924 380 160 The Constantinou Bros Hotel Collection also includes Athena Royal Beach Hotel, Pioneer Beach Hotel and the family friendly Athena Beach Hotel, all located along the Paphos shoreline. Flights to Paphos are available from a wide choice of UK airports with Jet2. Jet2 has a new flight from Gatwick and regular flights from many regional airports. FAQs Q: Is Cyprus safe to visit right now? A: Tourist areas such as Paphos remain calm and many visitors report feeling extremely safe despite wider regional tensions. Q: What are the best places to visit near Paphos? A: Polis, Latchi, the Akamas Peninsula, Baths of Aphrodite and Kato Paphos Archaeological Park are all worth exploring. Q: Is Paphos suitable for older travellers? A: Yes. English is widely spoken, infrastructure is modern and many hotels focus on comfort and quieter experiences. Q: What is Asimina Suites Hotel like? A: It is an adults-only five-star all-suite hotel offering sea views, pools, spa facilities and multiple dining options. Q: Can you explore authentic Cyprus away from resorts? A: Yes. Areas north of Paphos around Polis and Pomos offer quieter and more traditional experiences. A village baker in the mountains above Paphos I’ve recently launched a Substack - https://martinhesp.substack.com/ - featuring new travel writing, old columns and observations from life on the road. If you’ve enjoyed this piece, you can find more there — and perhaps even support the venture if the mood takes you.

Monty the lurcher at Buckland Beacon Editors, publishers, bank managers - to hell with the lot of them, said I, casting my diary to the wind and heading for the hills. The recent re-opening of Dartmoor, or at least 60 percent of it, offered a promise of mountain air and panoramic views, and without more ado I shoved all my other engagements to one side. I wasn't the only one. I have never seen Dartmoor so packed on a weekday afternoon. School kids were orienteering, old folk were sipping tea in lay-bys, mountain-bikers were doing wheelies, bird-watchers were hot on the trail of wheatears, and me, along with a thousand or two others of his ilk, was hiking. Where to Walk on Dartmoor: South and East Moor Options But where to roam? You are more than spoilt for choice among the hills and dales of south and eastern Dartmoor. "Ever been to Buckland Beacon?" said a communications officer for the National Park Authority. "It has one of the best views in Devon and there's a great walk to it from Haytor." He had been showing me detailed maps of the newly re-opened footpaths at the National Park's HQ near Bovey Tracey, so it was just a five minute drive up the hill to the beginning of his proposed hike. However, at Haytor the giant rocks seemed as if they were about to sink under the weight of human-kind, so I drove on to neighbouring Saddle Tor to begin the four mile stroll. Haytor Rocks Route Guide: Saddle Tor to Buckland Beacon Walk Basically the walk takes you west to Top Tor and then south through Foale's Arrishes across Blackslade Down and over Buckland Common until you reach the Beacon and its Ten Commandment Rocks. More about them later, but first I'll quickly mention that the most desirable return route crosses Rippon Tor; however I cannot recommend you go that way because it traverses non-access land grazed by stock and so the farmer might, understandably at the present time, be unhappy at the sight of troops of Express and Echo readers hauling their way across the hill. There is a path though, and once the threat of foot and mouth is finally laid to rest then Rippon Tor takes you directly back from whence you came and so completes a superb circular walk. Haytor Rocks We returned the way we came, which was all right as there is much to see and admire up here on the roof of the world. Saddle Tor and Top Tor: Dramatic Views and Logan Stones Saddle Tor is an easy pile to climb and doesn't look particularly spectacular as you ascend from the road. But once you're up there you realise that its northern aspect is far more dramatic - its lofty ramparts fall quickly away to reveal a massive sweeping panorama of the central moors. IF you are enjoying this Dartmoor walk why not check out our Exmoor hikes here It's an "avenue tor" which means that the rocks are split into two separate stacks. You can walk between these towards what the map calls Seven Lords Lands. Who the seven lords were I have no idea and can find no mention of them in my extensive library of books on Dartmoor. Looking west at our walking route from Haytor Beyond, across the Widecombe road is Top Tor which sounds as if it should be up there among the big stacks, but is in fact a modest molehill compared with some of its neighbours. It's known locally as 'Tapter' and is a somewhat fragmented pile. Among the rocks is a 'logan-stone' - there are several of these on the moor: great rocks left to stand on just one pivotal point after erosion has taken away the surrounding soil. Foale’s Arrishes and Dartmoor Legends A quarter of a mile due south is Pil Tor and directly beyond are Foale's Arrishes. Who was Foale, and what is an arrish? You may ask... I did and could only find that a man called Foale used to empound his animals up here in the walled remains of an ancient Iron Age farmstead. As usual, good old William Crossing, Dartmoor's premier chronicler, saved me from further ignorance in the matter with a yarn which I, in turn, shall pass on to you: "It was at Foale's Arrishes that a certain villager once decided to settle," says Crossing in his Guide to Dartmoor. "And though his neighbours tried to persuade him to remain where he was, he set out one day with the avowed intention of erecting a shelter on the spot, and passing his remaining days there. "But like Cyrus, who, as Persian legends say, having gone into retirement, suddenly disappeared, the labourer was never seen again. Whether he was spirited away by the pixies, or fell prey to the Evil One, who is said to take an airing occasionally on Tor Hill, on the slope of which the Arrishes are situated, nobody could say; all that was certain was that the neighbourhood knew him no more." Buckland Beacon: Views, History and the Ten Commandments Stones With a shudder we passed the forlorn looking Arrishes and headed for William's Well which is a small stream that rises just under Wittaburrow. Beyond is the tiny road that leads west towards the great Dart valley complex of combes, and this we crossed to gain Buckland Common. The Ten Commandments at Buckland Beacon This is a great south pointing peninsula of hill that cleaves its way into the Dart valley and affords fine views every step of the way. There are plenty of level tracks to follow and they all lead to Buckland Beacon which dominates the southern tip of the common. "This small group of rocks attains an elevation of 1,282 feet," says Crossing, "and though presenting nothing striking in itself, should by all means be visited on account of the particularly fine views commanded from it." Crossing then goes on at length to detail all the points of the compass that you can survey from this lofty height - but suffice to say that you can see as far east as Beer Head beyond Sidmouth, and as far south as Bolt Head, just south of Salcombe. This is Big Country Devon-style, and the wooded twistings and turnings of the Dart far below only accentuate the vastness of the scene. Ten Commandments set in stone at Buckland Beacon As its name suggests, Buckland Beacon was used as a signal point for centuries and standing on its ramparts it is easy to imagine the somewhat awesome foreboding which would result from lighting a fire up here. A French invasion perhaps or maybe the Spanish fleet... Whatever the threat you might find yourself turning to God - and at Buckland Beacon that is easy to do thanks to the Ten Commandments which have been hewn into two massive stones just below the tor. Why lord of the manor William Whitely paid for these two slabs to be so marked back in 1928 I am not altogether sure - but I am told the stone mason who did the deed had to spend many months in this draughty spot carving out the strictures. He even lived next to the job in a temporary hut, but certainly one can think of far worse places to eke a daily crust. Whoever he was, he did a fine job and, suitably sobered, we turned north to retrace our steps across the moor with all those Thou Shalt Not's ringing in our ears. It must have been several hours before I broke one, but that's another story... looking downhill from Buckland Beacon Dartmoor Walk Fact File Basic Hike: From Saddle Tor to Buckland Beacon via Top Tor and Foale's Arrishes. Recommended Map: Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure 28 Distance and going: four miles easy going, fairly level throughout. FAQ Content: Is the Saddle Tor to Buckland Beacon walk easy? Yes, it’s around four miles and mostly level, suitable for most walkers with basic fitness. Where do you start the walk? Most people begin near Saddle Tor, especially when Haytor is busy. Can you walk a circular route? Yes, via Rippon Tor, but only when access restrictions allow. What are the Ten Commandments stones? Large carved stones near Buckland Beacon, commissioned in 1928 and engraved with biblical commandments. When is the best time to visit Dartmoor? Spring and autumn offer the best balance of weather, light, and fewer crowds.

Foragers on a Devon estuary A Salad Transformed by the Garden One day this week, returning from a supermarket with a couple of lettuces, a cucumber, some tomatoes and a bag of watercress, I wandered into our somewhat neglected garden and picked wild garlic, parsley, spinach and mint. And my goodness, didn’t they improve that evening’s salad! The quick forage lifted our bowl of healthy delights from being a fairly plain affair to the kind of salad we were eating in those fancy French Michelin restaurant’s I was writing about recently. And the upgrade was free. Which is a welcome thing in a world where a basic cucumber in a cut-price supermarket now costs £1. Wow! A quid for a cuke! If it wasn’t here before, the time has definitely arrived when we need to box clever when it comes to the things we put on the table. Just a couple of minutes picking and one minute’s chopping, and job done. Quick, simple and delicious. It’s just a matter of getting into the habit and going the extra mile - or, in my case, the extra 20 metres. Spring in the West Country represents a sudden and very welcome greening of the larder. For over 20 years I’ve been writing about seasonal delights in this newspaper and this week I’ve been looking back over some of the foodie articles I have penned in April, May and June. Here’s the pick of the bunch… The Squeak of the Spear (Fresh English Asparagus) You do not need me to tell you that fresh asparagus represents one of the crowning glories of the English food year. Grab it while you can, is the motto. No other vegetable offers quite such a bang for your bucks. It might not be the cheapest item at the greengrocer’s, but it does offer good value for money if you value flavour over weight. “Don’t buy asparagus unless you can hear it squeak,” I was told by one Somerset asparagus farmer. “That’s the best way to tell if it’s fresh. With the best will in the world, the stuff from places like Spain cannot be as fresh as this.” The spears from his fields did indeed squeak with freshness, having been picked just an hour or so before. And a little bit goes a long way, especially if you ignore the usual advice and utilise those lower stalks people normally throw in the compost. A modern high-powered blender will knock seven bells out of those woody ends and you can use the resultant puree to flavour stocks for soups or risottos. The important thing is to pass the finished slow-cooked stock through a fine sieve to extract any fibrous bits. With asparagus, best to keep things simple. Why would you want to add anything else? All I add is butter and maybe just a little pepper and salt with the tiniest squeeze of lemon. If I’m just spoiling myself and my wife, I’ll go for a plain bowl of the stuff - no cutlery, just fingers and a glass of dry but fruity white wine. Perhaps the most simple way to prepare asparagus it is to put it into a roasting tin, pour a little olive oil over it with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. Shake and roast for a few minutes, depending on the thickness - and prepare yourself for one of those sensual experiences which make life worth living. Deliciously Dirty: The Cornish Early (New Potatoes) If the South West is the first place in Britain in which you can buy a fresh picked strawberry, then the west of Cornwall is the place for the finest new potatoes to be found in mainland Britain. Cornwall’s mild climate and the influence of the Gulf Stream make the western part of the county particularly suitable for growing the mainland’s first new potatoes of the season, which most locals would swear are infinitely superior to any imported spuds. To test if a potato is a genuine Cornish Early, gently rub the skin with a fingernail - it should rub off easily. Many so-called new potatoes on sale in shops are imposters - either grown in countries like Egypt, Israel, or Cyprus, then kept in cold storage. The Cornish Early is sold dirty and unwashed to protect its delicate skin and texture. As a farmer called Jeff Thomas once said to me while standing in a field with a view of Land’s End: “Get some new Cornish potatoes with a bit of Cornish butter, salt, pepper and a bit of mint… Magic. It’s like eating truffles.” The field where Jeff Thomas said those words was on the top of these cliffs Hedgerow Bounty (Wild Garlic and Spring Foraging) Chief among pickable and delicious things to eat in the hedgerows right now is wild garlic, or ramsons. In fact, we’re overrun with the stuff here in Exmoor’s eastern valleys. This pungent plant will have unfurled its single flower stalk by now, which means it’s the ideal time to pick both the leaves and the petals before everything turns brown. A quick 20-minute walk in my valley can easily supply me with enough wild greenery to make all manner of delicious dishes. Picking wild garlic on Exmoor Wild garlic makes a superb form of pesto. Basically, what you need is a fistful of herbs, a smaller amount of nuts, some hard cheese, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Within seconds you will have a small cupful of the closest your garden will ever get to producing rocket-fuel - at least, in the flavour stakes. Read more about Wild Garlic here Glint of Green on the Slab (Samphire and Coastal Foraging) There was a glint of green in the fishmongers’. That was all it took for me to do a double take while wandering through Lyme Regis one day. When you see the colour green lurking on a fishmonger’s slab, it probably means the shopkeeper is selling samphire. Samphire growing wild in West Country saltings This is marsh samphire, sometimes known as glasswort. When you see it sprouting around estuaries in the wild, it looks a bit like a miniature desert cacti, and it is delicious. It’s almost impossible to describe its flavour and texture. The closest I can get is - a bit like salty asparagus served in a crunchy jelly that has bite. Be warned: it often grows in protected areas, but if you very carefully snip the very tips off with a pair of scissors all your are doing is emulating the chomping action of a salt-march sheep. You won’t be doing ay harm and you do not need much - fill an empty crisps bag and you’ll have enough. Freshly steamed samphire tips You can also find plenty of rock samphire growing around West Country sea-cliffs and it is equally tasty, but I prefer to pickle that particular delicacy. Read an article dedicated to estuary foraging here Whether you pick or buy samphire, you must wash it, making sure any sand is cleaned away. I then steam it briefly - for a minute or two - before tossing in a bowl with butter, black pepper and several squeezes of lemon. You will not need any salt, because samphire comes ready-salted. If you really want to impress your friends, flash-fry fillets of West Country sea-bass, mackerel or red mullet and place them artistically upon a pile of the peppered and lemony samphire. The Al-Fresco Revival (Spring Picnics and Outdoor Dining) It’s a strange thought, but we are not so many dawns away from Midsummer Day. In the mind of your average foodie, this can translate to what is potentially the best meal in the world… The humble picnic. I’ve written about dining al fresco on many occasions, but for me the most memorable was a picnic I enjoyed in an old sand-quarry in the heart of Provence. The very quarry, indeed, where they used to get the sand for making the iconic green Perrier water bottles. It was hot, the food was delicious, the rose wine was perfect, and the company was wonderful. The sort of day you remember for decades. Memorable picnic in a sand quarry in Provence I know a few people who do not relish a picnic, but not many. There is something magical about sitting on the ground in the middle of nature consuming food that has, more-or-less, already been prepared. Read more about picnics here You can’t go wrong if you look towards the Mediterranean. A fantastic dip to go with crisp French bread is one made from pureed roast vegetables - aubergines, red and green peppers, and sweet white onions blended with olive oil and a handful of fresh herbs. In Provence, there’s a classic shepherd’s snack which consists of a baguette that has been stuffed with ripe tomatoes, herbs, garlic, onion and peppers all soaked in local olive oil. The whole thing is wrapped in foil and preferably pressed under a heavy weight for a few hours to produce a tube of crunchy gooey deliciousness. The Passing Scent of the Seasons (Why Seasonal Food Still Matters) Imagine taking a boat ride especially to smell a sweet and lovely fragrance... That sentence takes me to another set of articles written down the years. A century ago, so much soft fruit was grown in the Torridge valley that springtime excursions would ply up and down from Bideford so that happy punters could become intoxicated by the scent of strawberries wafting heavy on the breeze. Exactly the same thing used to happen on the Tamar, both in strawberry and in cherry season. Cotehele Quay on the Tamar used to play host to fruit boats and pleasure steamers Now we import irradiated strawberries 12 months of the year and the Torridge and Tamar are, for the most part, scentless. But let us not bemoan the passing of yesteryear - instead let’s rejoice in the seasonal food that still lurks beyond our hedgerows waiting to be picked, plucked, gleaned, caught, harvested and cured. Whether it’s the first leaves of spinach adorning a health-giving daily salad, or a sea-bass grilled and served on a bed of young sorrel, these ingredients provide all that is best when it comes to the sublime taste of spring. For those of us willing to get our boots muddy or visit a local farm shop, the rewards are immense. It’s a matter of buy now while you can. Nothing is more guaranteed to pep up your cooking than the fabulous fresh ingredients that are becoming increasingly available across Southern Britain. IF YOU ARE ENJOYING THIS ARTICLE CHECK OUT https://www.martinhespfoodandtravel.com/post/foraging-wild-food-in-estuaries Rock samphire - also edible, especially when pickled Frequently Asked Questions About Spring Foraging in the West Country What can you forage in the West Country in spring? In spring, the West Country offers a rich variety of wild foods including wild garlic (ramsons), young nettles, sorrel, and early herbs such as parsley and mint. Coastal areas also provide samphire later in the season. Is wild garlic safe to eat? Yes, wild garlic is safe and delicious, but it must be correctly identified. It has a strong garlic smell when crushed. Avoid confusing it with similar-looking plants like lily of the valley, which are poisonous. When is English asparagus in season? English asparagus is typically in season from late April to June. It is best enjoyed fresh and locally grown, as flavour declines quickly after picking. What are Cornish new potatoes? Cornish new potatoes are early-season potatoes grown in Cornwall’s mild climate. They are usually sold unwashed (“dirty”) to preserve their delicate skins and flavour. What does samphire taste like? Samphire has a unique flavour often described as salty, fresh, and slightly like asparagus with a crisp texture. It pairs particularly well with fish. Do you need permission to forage in the UK? Yes. You can forage small amounts for personal use on public land where permitted, but you must always respect local regulations and avoid protected areas. How do you prepare wild garlic? Wild garlic can be eaten raw in salads, blended into pesto, or lightly cooked in soups, risottos, and sauces. Both the leaves and flowers are edible. What is the best way to cook asparagus? The best way is to keep it simple: lightly steam, roast, or pan-cook with butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

From Journalism to Fiction: The Origins of The Cornish Snapper A world-weary journalist suddenly finds himself working with a young female photographer. No big deal, but the thing is she turns out to be a genius when it comes to noticing tiny clues and solving mysteries. And there, in essence, is the theme of my new series of novels. The aging hack is Watson to the young woman’s Sherlock Holmes. Why am I telling you this, apart from my bid to get a cheeky advert for a newly published book? Well, because if you read this newspaper then you are probably interested in the scenic and engaging world that is our region - and you may even be interested in how we journalists get to tell its story. The Cornish Snapper: The Granite Mystery, is set in 2002 and in order to write it I looked back at my many travels as a feature writer nosing my way around the South West, and I also recalled the endless adventures I had with professional newspaper photographers (sometimes known as ‘snappers’). A Crime Story Rooted in Real Experience The name Richard Austin will be remembered by readers because he was a truly brilliant press photographer and many of the images he snapped over more than 25 years for this newspaper group will have stuck in the minds of many. He and I really did have numerous adventures working as a team. It was the early 2000s when we started working together and back then I could see how his expensive new digital cameras were helping to revolutionise everything we did in the media. Suddenly, images were instantaneous. We could examine a photo on the spot - on the screen on the back of one of Richard’s big Canon cameras - and often I remember him muttering something like: “That’s one for the front page.” Award winning photographer Richard Austin I’d write my story accordingly. Or sometimes I’d suggest getting a close-up with one of his massive telephoto lenses so I could highlight whatever it was in the ensuing article. Richard, who is now retired and living in Lyme Regis, was a remarkable professional. The only press photographer, as far as I know, ever to win both the ultimate UK awards, Press Photographer and Sports Photographer, in the same year. He would stop at nothing to get the right shot. He would, for example, lie down in a muddy field to get the right angle, climb a tree, or whatever it took to get that image just so. My late father, who worked as a journalist all this life, used to sometimes come along on my travels and he’d say: “I wish I’d had a snapper like that to illustrate my work. Those images really amplify your story. They make everything look like award-winning work.” You can see on this page a photograph I once took of Richard, snapping away at an interview high on the edge of a Cornish headland. My photo doesn’t really do it justice, but there he was hanging almost upside down on a scary slope - despite the fact that he was nervous when it came to heights. Richard Austin "upside down" on a Cornish peninsula getting just the right shot The Idea That Sparked the Series Around about that time I heard a BBC radio programme entitled something like: Is Crime Dead? A panel of crime-writers all agreed it was becoming more difficult to write about contemporary crime because solving cases was limited to specialist officers, scientists and other technical experts. It was all about things like DNA testing. There was no longer room for the enthusiastic amateur. The Miss Marples of the world had been confined to history, and so was Sherlock Holmes. That very day I was driving back from covering a murder for this newspaper, and I thought…. “Hang on. The crime reporter of a large regional daily would have plenty of excuse to be around crime scenes.” That morning the duty news-editor - a well known figure in West Country journalism - had barked instructions down the phone for me to do “something writerly”. He wanted a poignant description of the murder scene and a rather emotional account relating to the mood of the village where it happened. Which suited me. I am absolutely hopeless at almost everything else in this world and not really any good at a load of facts and figures - but I am good at being observant and I’m not bad at writing. An AI impression of Veryan Lammoran, the Cornish Snapper It turned out to be pretty gruesome and terribly, terribly sad. A little girl and her mother had been killed and it soon transpired that the man who did it had finished his own life soon afterwards. I sat in my car tapping out words on my laptop describing how the girl’s wind-chimes were ringing in the breeze of the open window of her bedroom, just above the place where she’d been shot. I asked Richard to zoom in with his big 500 mm lens and photograph the wind chimes - and that image, along with my description, duly appeared on the next day’s front page. The story upset me, as it would upset most people. But as I drove home listening to the crime-writers on the car radio, I thought how wrong they were. A newspaper reporter would have every excuse to be near a crime-scene. Indeed, knowing who we were, the police that day had let me and Richard get a little closer to the scene while they kept most members of the public well back. That’s when I had my brainwave. It would be the photographer who could get really close to details, thanks to those giant lenses mounted on the new digital cameras. Brilliant! And it would stand to reason that the reporter would be a natural fit for the Dr Watson character. Arthur Conan Doyle’s retired army doctor didn’t really have any reason to go writing down details surrounding a mystery or a crime, but that is a newspaper reporter’s job. A natural fit. The photographer, or snapper, would be Holmes and the person writing the narrative, the reporter, would be the new Dr Watson. AI image of Thomas Hamilton who 'writes' the Cornish Snapper narrative Why Cornwall Became the Perfect Setting In my spare time I quickly knocked out three different stories based on this crime-fiction pairing. And I set the mystery tales in Cornwall for a couple of reasons… One was that I rather liked the conjunction between the word “snapper” - which for the most part relates to a kind of fish - and the place which lands a great deal of this nation’s seafood. So “Cornish Snapper” seemed to have some kind of authentic a ring to it. Secondly, it was Cornwall itself. It has such a well known and unique identity. If I’d gone for my own zone of operations - the whole of the West Country - it could come across as being more vague or amorphous. The windswept granite moors, the wild coast with its coves, the sea-cliffs and fishing villages, the mysterious moodiness of the Duchy’s interior… All these things added up to an easily identified and recognised whole. Lamorna Cove features in The Cornish Snapper Plus, things get smaller and more concentrated the further west you go in Cornwall. It would be plausible to have the central characters move from one location to an altogether different one in just a few minutes - easy to do in a place where one coast is less than half-an-hour’s drive from the other. A good recipe for variety - you don’t want to bore your readers. Which is why the first of my Snapper stories features Newlyn harbour, the rocky heights of Trencrom Hill, the coast around Lamorna Cove, St Ives, windswept Hayle Towans, lonely Tregonning Hill, and the peaceful upper reaches of the Fal estuary. It also includes two of Cornwall’s biggest industries: fishing and China clay. The fishing harbour at Newlyn, as featured in The Cornish Snapper The Moment the Story Changed However, the three original short stories I wrote never went anywhere. Publishers weren’t interested and I tried selling them on Amazon but had no clue what I was doing so I took them off its listing. Then a few years later I was down in Cornwall on a job with the wonderful Emily Whitfield-Wicks. We often worked together and Emily was - and is - a highly talented photographer (and artist). This particular job was on a remote part of the Cornish coast and for some reason it required us to walk down to the sea-cliffs. On the way, I told her how much the story we were working on (the sudden and unexpected sale of an entire Cornish village) would have suited my Snapper series - which I described in a little more detail after she’d asked. Real life Cornish "snapper" Emily Whitfield-Wicks “You’ve missed a trick,” she cried. “You should have made the photographer a female! It would add to the whole dynamic and be much more interesting.” She was absolutely right. So during the Covid lockdowns I went through the first of my old Snapper stories changing the male photographer into a female - and in doing so discovered the first version wasn’t really all that well written, so I heavily edited and rewrote as I went. In doing so, I made the narrative three times longer and, I think, gave it the space to become more absorbing. I borrowed many descriptions and accounts of places and sometimes people which I’d written first hand, on the spot, while down in Cornwall in my old day-job as senior feature writer for this newspaper. The author, Martin Hesp, back in the days when he was a roving feature writer From Rejection to Self-Publishing And so a novel is born. I thought it might be snapped up by a publisher but after numerous rejection slips, I decided to set up my own small publishing company and produce the book myself. They weren’t rejections, actually - most said something like: “We love your story - we are excited about publishing it! All we ask is a small author contribution. Just send us three-and-a-half-thousand-quid and you will become a best selling author.” Hmmm. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to see that was a dodgy road to go down. Where to Find The Cornish Snapper If you are interested, look out for The Cornish Snapper: The Granite Mystery - which is available for bookshops to stock now, or find the title on Amazon (https://amzn.eu/d/0dIdzLAX) - and if you do read it, a review on Amazon always helps independent authors. Martin will be speaking about the Cornish Snapper at Brendon Books in Taunton on Tuesday 19th May at 7pm. To book online visit www.brendonbooks.org or call 01823 337742. Alternatively, you can visit Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4ER. View from Hayle Towans where the fictional Cornish Snapper is said to live