Candlelight nights in Dunster support hospice services

VISITORS are being encouraged to experience the ‘magical medieval spirit’ of Dunster as the village turns back time and lights its ancient streets with candles during the weekend.
The annual Dunster by Candlelight event starts at 5 pm tomorrow (Friday) until 9.30 pm and again from 4pm to 9.30 pm on Saturday.
Giant stiltwalkers will cast eerie shadows as they lead a procession to hang lanterns around the town.
Clowns, carollers, Morris dancers, jugglers, and traditional entertainers will make merry throughout the village.
Television wildlife celebrity Johnny Kingdom will be signing books about Exmoor, and the Exmoor Zoo will show off exotic ‘Wonders from around the World’.
There will also be warm punch and hot chestnuts baked on open braziers for outdoor comfort, hotels and pubs providing a warm welcome to visitors, while Dunster’s wide variety of shops display an excellent selection of Christmas gifts.
West Somerset Council events manager Jill Homewood said: “This is a firm favourite on local people’s calendars, and those visiting for the first time will be charmed by the magic of Dunster by Candlelight.
“The village is steeped in history and, lit by candles, it brings a warm traditional perspective to Christmas shopping that is often missed on the high streets.
“It is a fantastic, old-fashioned festive event for all the family.”
Father Christmas, choirs, Victorian merry-go-rounds, and a host of other activities make it an event not to be missed.
Street collectors and entertainers will be raising funds this year to support St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice, which provides free care, advice, and support to people in West Somerset who have been diagnosed with an illness that is no longer responsive to curative treatment.
Programmes cost £1 and have been on sale since October in the Dunster shops, and on the Candlelight nights they will be on sale at the top of the steps as visitors step off the park and ride bus.
Programmes can also be obtained by emailing info@withycombefair.co.uk and marking the subject as ‘Dunster by Candlelight’.
A park and ride scheme, which includes wheelchair-friendly travel options, will run from Vulcan Road Car Park, in Minehead, at a cost of £2.50.
Dunster’s village car parks will be closed after 3 pm on the Candlelight days, due to the event’s popularity.
The West Somerset Railway is again running special trains each Candlelight evening from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead, stopping at Dunster.
Information on any remaining train seats can be obtained by calling the WSR information line on 01643 704996.
More information is available by visiting http://www.dunsterbycandlelight.co.uk/.

A feast for all at the Exmoor Food Festival 08

THE Exmoor Food Festival, an eight-day extravaganza to celebrate the area’s finest local food, starts on Saturday with the Porlock Tea Party and a produce market at Dulverton Carnival.
On Sunday, television wildlife celebrity Johnny Kingdom will be launching the Lyn Food Fest, a day devoted to sampling the great tastes of the moors.
During the festival, visitors can treat themselves to stunning views over Porlock Weir and equally stunning local produce at Andrews on the Weir.
They can relax and enjoy a pamper treatment as well as fine farmhouse fare at Hindon Organic Farm, and they can enjoy tasty treats cooked up by Minehead café Cream with fresh produce straight from Minehead Farmers’ Market.
Or, visitors can glean top tips from the chef at Dunster’s Yarn Market Hotel to take home and try in their own kitchens.
There is an opportunity to learn how to catch and cook wild food at Wimbleball, or to try Morrocan evenings in Minehead, or sample a mouth-watering meal from the award-winning Hidden Valley of the Pigs, in Barbrook, followed by an amble to see the animals at Alta Lyn Alpacas.
The food festival should include something on the menu for anybody’s taste.
Festival organiser Naomi Griffith said: “There is a great variety of venues and events across Exmoor during the festival.
“People can talk to local food producers to get the inside story on what makes Exmoor’s food the best in the world.
“We specialise in fresh local produce from the moors which has been beautifully cooked and presented.
“Customers return year after year and are always delighted to find something new and exciting on the menu.
“Dulverton Carnival, farmers markets, food fayres, and a feast of events across Exmoor make this festival must for food fans across the South West.”
The food festival runs from October 4 to 12, and programmes are available at Tourist Information Centres and at www.exmoorevents.co.uk, or by calling 01643 821425.

• Our photographs show (TOP) Keith Wicks, of the Whortleberry Tea Room, in Porlock, (MIDDLE) celebrity guest Johnny Kingdom, and (BOTTOM) a sample dish from the festival. Photos submitted.

Johnny Kingdom guest appearance at Exmoor Food Festival

TELEVISION wildlife celebrity Johnny Kingdom will be a guest of honour at this year’s Exmoor Food Festival.
Johnny, a poacher-turned-gamekeeper who loves his local food, will be launching the Lyn Food Fest and signing books on October 5.
Lynton will be showcasing the very best foods, wines, and drinks from unique local producers as part of the festival.
The eight-day feast of local produce starts with a tea party in Porlock on October 4, while more adventurous tastebuds should be tantalised by a Moroccan evening at The Creamery, in Minehead.
There are also workshops on how to catch, cook and eat wild food, trapping or hunting with falcons, how to prepare game, and selecting wild mushrooms and herbs during a ‘Wild Food at Wimbleball’ event.
Thef award-winning Hidden Valley of Pigs, in Barbook, features a free range rare breed herd of Berkshire pigs, while huacaya alpacas can be seen on the Alta Lyn Alpaca Farm.
Visitors can pick up top tips from the renowned chef at the Yarn Market Hotel, in Dunster, take a tour of Exmoor villages in a vintage bus to enjoy locally-sourced lunches, visit Exmoor’s secret corners on a wildlife safari followed by a sumptuous meal at the Home Cook, or browse through a crafts and local produce market before attending Dulverton Carnival.
Firm favourites such as the Porlock Food Fayre, Breakfast at the Heart of Exmoor, Styles Ice Cream Open Day, and Exmoor Dinners at Ranscombe Farm Restaurant are again also on the menu this year.
Festival organiser Naomi Griffith said: “There are eight action-packed days and nights that will delight people who are passionate about superb local food.
“From farmers markets and food fayres, cosy pubs, and intimate restaurants, to farms on the wide open moors, there will be something to delight fans of fantastic food.”
Programmes for the Exmoor Food Festival, which runs from October 4 to12, are available at Tourist Information Centres, or more information is available by calling 01643 821425, or visiting http://www.exmoorevents.co.uk/.

• Our photographs show (from the top) Johnny Kingdom; Derek de Maid, of Brendon Hill Crafts; and an Exmoor lamb dish. Photos submitted.