The sunshine drew many families to Wembury beach and East Soar Outdoor Experience during the bank holiday weekend to join the South Devon National Trust Rangers on their ‘50 things to do before you are 11 ¾’ events. (more...)

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Now that spring is here it is time to reflect on some of the winter works we have undertaken. To start us off we will look at Hedgelaying. Hedgelaying is a country craft which has been practiced for hundreds of years but it is just as relevant today as it always has been. Hedges are an important part of our countryside, and an effective way to provide shelter, keep in livestock and mark boundaries. They also have very important benefits for wildlife as they are home to nesting birds, small mammals and many insects. Apart from being a habitat they also provide a corridor for the movement of animals...

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It was a sunny morning at Wembury Beach, anticipation was high and the atmosphere buzzing, as a crowd gathers for the annual first swim of the year. Ranger Lorna Sherriff and myself agreed to do the swim in a warm cosy office a few months ago, but as we stood there on a fresh winter’s day apprehension set in! Every year a member of Wembury’s local community Terry Clarke organises a New Year’s Day dip for all of the public to join in. Year by year the news of the event gets around and participation increases, this year there looked to be over 200 people braving the chill of the sea!
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For anyone interested in birds, this is an exciting time of year. Autumn migrants are on the move and winter visitors like Redwing, Fieldfare and Brambling are starting to arrive. (more...)

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On Saturday 8th of September join the National Trust and South Devon AONB for a Big Night out on the Beach! This brand new event for us will be held at the beautiful South Milton Sands, South Milton near Kingsbridge from 4pm to 10m. Discover the nightlife of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a fun-packed evening of events. The National Trust will be leading 50 Things to do Before You're 11 3/4 activities for children, and there will be a Pirate Treasure Hunt run by the AONB. Or get in touch with your creative side and make a lantern for when the sun drops.
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As the Olympic torch sauntered its way through the streets of Totnes on a warm Sunday back in June, in nearby Crownley Wood a group of local volunteers and National Trust rangers were hard at work with an olympic sized challenge of their own... The long-standing community shelter in the Trust-owned wood, near Tuckenay, has been in desperate need of a new roof for quite some time now. Forty years of exposure to the elements had taken its toll and while the uprights were still sound, the roof itself was worn out...
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So in late 2011 we were approached by the Port of Plymouth Canoeing Association with a tentative enquiry as to whether we would host their annual canoe camping voyage with an overnight stay at Ayrmer Cove in South Devon. As South Devon Countryside  spans 5 estuaries, canoeing is one watersport where we feel there are huge opportunities to introduce our land to new audiences and from a different perspective so with little hesitation we said 'yes'. In agreeing to their camp at Ayrmer Cove, I made one small request...  Could I have an account of their experiences to share... So here in their...

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Last week a group of 20 Beaver Scouts spent their first ever night camping with us near Salcombe, South Devon, having been inspired by the Trust's '50 things to do before you're 11 3/4 ' campaign.  As you will see, spending a night away from home was quite an adventure - let alone being in a tent!! (more...)

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We have an enviable coastline in South Devon and working as rangers its fair to say we are active both inside and outside of work ,so I suppose we could be forgiven for assuming that everyone is like us...  Last week however, you may have seen the publication of the National Trust’s Natural Childhood report, looking at our children’s relationship with the outdoors. The report emphasises the benefits to children of taking part in activities in an outdoor environment, both in terms of their physical and mental health and their social development. Failing to spend enough time playing out of doors...

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As part of a partnership between  the National Trust , Garmin and Coast Magazine the last couple of weeks have seen me become steadily emersed into the weird and wonderful world of geocaching. As a total novice or muggle (Geocaching speak!!) to geo-caching, it’s been a case of sink or swim as I’ve found myself getting to grips with a world complete with it’s own set of rules and even it’s own language. So, armed with my GPS unit, I set off into the wilderness to discover geocaching for myself…
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