BEST PUBS

For our Easter visitors - here are some the top ten pubs identified by the Devon Tourist information group - 3 of them are just short drives from the cottage:  The Old Market Inn Holsworthy: they have a great Carvery serving locally raised meats.  In Exbourne, the Red Lion is characterful, serves food and a bit further is the Drewe Arms in Drewsteignton just near Castle Drogo. 
On the doorstep however and having changed hands recently is the Half Moon in Sheepwash.  Many period features except the kitchen which produces a great range of foods to suit all budgets. In Hatherleigh is the increasingly popular (best to book) Red Room - here you can buy West Lake Cider and choose from a luscious menu. Top chef Neil never disappoints.

Which Moth is this one Dad?

At the end of last season a lovely family arrived who took full advantage of the cycling, beach and mountain activities in our area. Particularly we all joined in the Moth Trap session and saw the wide of colourful night flying moths, identified them, then tipped them gently under the hedge to fly off again.

They learned about apple juice making, cider and champagne techniques...and even took part in the beekeeping - we love it when guests throw themselves into all that can be experienced at West Lake.. we look forward to seeing them again in 2015.

West Lake supplies Cider Wedding in Dorset

Phil and Laura visited us today to collect a wide range of ciders for their wedding on 25th October.  Phil said when the friends and family heard of the plans to break away from the traditional wine and French champagne celebration drinks and replace them with West Lake two year old Cider Champagne ( that's the traditional method but with apples not grapes) and a range of speciality ciders everyone booked into the hotel and said this is one wedding not to be missed.  

Also on the day is a 'bake-off' style judging where guests at the wedding will bake and bring a cake for Phil and Laura to judge.  This will be an easy task for Phil.  His own business is the Dorset Bike Kitchen where he sells quality street food around Poole and Bournemouth - his new recipe is Lamb with pistachios, capers and mint...yum.

We wish Phil and Laura all the very best.  We shall be toasting the happy couple in October with another bottle of sparkling West Lake champers.

West Lake sponsor Art Auction in Caithness

West Lake hope the scots love Devon apple juice as this is the drink to accompany the auction on the 2nd July.  Locals in Caithness will gather and bid for artwork inspired by seascapes or their experiences by the sea.
Caithness artists, Joanne B Kaar & Liz O'Donnell, invite you to join in their arty fundraiser for Brough Bay Association & Castletown Heritage Society. Be inspired by the SEA to draw, paint or collage postcard size artwork 18cm x 12cm for their fundraiser. Exhibition & sale by secret silent auction at Castlehill Heritage Centre, Castletown, Caithness, Scotland UK. Click below for info on how to participate. Please make sure your artwork arrives by the 20th June!  Or choose and bid for an art postcard.    http://postcardsea.blogspot.co.uk/ 

The drinks are free if you are in that area.

West Lake Willow and George the Dragon

 

One of our swampy meadows was good for nothing but growing willow. And good things have transpired from that boggy land. Local willow worker Mary Jannaway from Black Torrington has turned West Lake willow into a Dragon which now sits on top of a garden shelter in RHS Rosemoor gardens. Rosemoor have called the Dragon George – is there a connection ? Mary has also made some large masks which hang high on the trees. So don your sword and chain mail and check out that Dragon with fire from its nostrils. The 'Middle Earth, Tolkien themed event is on till end August.

Castle Drogo receives a special gift from West Lake.

 

 

Anyone for tea?  or an old tea sign brought by us from Lancashire and which lay gathering dust in our barn for the last 15 years.  We cleaned it off and took it over to Castle Drogo the home of the Drewe family who started the Home and Colonial stores which were common in Lancashire and Yorkshire. They were delighted with the gift and will mount it somewhere in the castle after the major restoration of the roof is complete.
And our gift from the National Trust was a special pass for guests at Orchard Keepers Cottage to visit Castle Drogo, climb the scaffolding and see the restoration work below...then climb down and learn croquet on the lawn.  And of course, have tea.

Cider with Roadies

Campers at Hole Station just 2 miles away descended on West Lake this weekend to sample ciders and learn the craft of the 'champenoise method'.  We tell visitors how the methods used to make champagne were first developed here in the southwest as only the English made toughened glass that could withstand the pressures.

However they were a jolly group who were cycling around the area getting the most of the very wonderful, unspoilt region known around here as Ruby country. After the talk and tasting they went off up the lane laughing,  planning to drink their ciders at the camp barbque