Friday 25 November 2011

Devon Tourism & Taste of the West Awards…

As our customers well know, there are lots of good reasons for people to holiday in Devon, and this was celebrated this week at the Devon Tourism Awards.

Michael Caines
Gidleigh Park, one of the UK’s most renowned country house hotel and restaurants (and just a stone’s throw from HH HQ in Chagford), walked off with three awards including that of overall winner. Run by the Michelin starred chef Michael Caines, Gidleigh won Gold for the Taste of Devon award as well as a joint Gold award for the Hotel of the Year together with Bovey Castle – a luxurious country hotel on a stunning estate where we let a number of self-catering lodges. Organic Riverford Farm Foods picked up Gold for Producer of the Year.

Pennywell Farm
Pennywell Farm, near Buckfastleigh in south Devon, won the Gold Award for Visitor Attraction of the Year, and farm founder Chris Murray was presented with an award for his Outstanding Contribution to Tourism. Other Devon attractions praised were The Big Sheep, Bideford and River Dart Adventures, Ashburton. All can be found on our ‘Explore the Area’ map to help you spot the places to go and things to do near each of our cottages.

In the Tourism Activity, Sport & Experience category, Gold went to the Calvert Trust Exmoor, which offers a wide range of adventurous outdoor activities to people of all ages with physical, sensory and learning difficulties.

Dartmoor Farmers
The winners were also recently announced at the Taste of the West Awards, which celebrates the region’s exceptional food and drink industry. Amongst the winners in Devon were Dartmoor Farmers, who produce free range, slow grown West Country beef and lamb from family farms within Dartmoor National Park.

Another worthy winner was the Sharpham Partnership, producer of classic English wines and a range of English cheeses on the Sharpham Estate on the banks of the River Dart near Totnes in south Devon.

Too many winners to mention, but congratulations to them all!

Browse through our holiday cottages in Devon and come and enjoy all this glorious county has to offer.