Warning! Red deer crossing road!

Derek and I were up to neck yesterday and didn’t manage to get out with the dogs until late afternoon. We have had more snow and it was gorgeous up by Larkbarrow Corner – cold, sunny and beautiful clear skies. We were debating which way to go (too much choice) and I mentioned that it was getting late and would we have time to get back to the truck before dark. ‘Of course’ was the reply. Around 5.30 I noticed that our pace had increased (trot for me) and we were still about a mile away from where we were parked! We got back to the truck hot but invigorated. Travelling home across Exmoor we had to suddenly stop as a herd of red deer trotted over the road in front of us. Their heads were silhouetted against the full moon – it was a magical picture. Derek wasn't quick enough to capture this but took one of the moon over the Channel with the Welsh coastline lit up beneath it.

We have managed to take some time off and recently spent a lovely, relaxing weekend with our friends Mike and Jackie (photo) down at Shaldon in south Devon. They have a lovely self catering property overlooking the estuary and we spent a happy couple of days just walking around the area, soaking up the sun and eating!

We have been very busy this past month – spring cleaning, decorating and generally getting ready for our bed and breakfast guests of the new season. It’s lovely to have all the windows open and hear the bird song along with horses trotting along the lanes. The award from TripAdvisor has certainly sparked people’s interest with a lot of enquiries and booking coming in for accommodation. Back to decorating today but this afternoon I’m playing tennis and Derek is riding – lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Yesterday was a bit of a surprising day. Tim our son phoned us first thing and said that we had been voted 9th in the top hotels in the country by TripAdvisor! You can read our reviews via the link on our website and below is the press release issued by TripAdvisor.

‘THE DUNKERY BEACON HONORED AS 9th BEST HOTEL IN THE
2010 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS’ CHOICE AWARDS


Exmoor Somerset 20.01.2010 - The Dunkery Beacon was chosen as a Best Hotel by TripAdvisor® in its 2010 Travelers’ Choice® awards. Now in its eighth year, the annual TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards honor the world’s best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers.

Unlike any other hotel awards programs in the world, TripAdvisor® Travelers' Choice® winners are based on the millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions about hotels on tripadvisor.com™ and content from across the web.

“Inspired by the millions of trusted traveler reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor.com, the Travelers’ Choice awards have once again highlighted the finest hotels in the world,” said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “From remarkable bargains to the trendiest hotels, travelers worldwide are recognizing more than 700 hotels for their outstanding service, value and quality.’ Golly!

As magical as it is, I am pleased that most of the snow has gone from Exmoor although there are still a few places higher up that still have a good covering. Our photos show Derek and Lucy enjoying a stroll with the dogs over by the base of Dunkery Beacon. The green shoots of the snowdrops are starting to push through and by the end of January Snowdrop Valley will be carpeted in these beautiful little flowers. We usually have quite a few guests staying for bed and breakfast during Febuary so that they can enjoy the walking and the valley.

Let it snow!

After a fairly frenetic Christmas and New Year with family, friends and bed and breakfast guests coming and going, we settled down to a blissful month – of decorating! We have divided our time between painting, walking the dogs(photos taken at Cloutsham Splash), impromptu lunch with friends and along with the rest of the nation, checking on weather forecasts.

I have to say that I am getting a little fed up with the snow now but the dogs LOVE it. They pull themselves along on their tummies, hurtle after snowballs, roll downhill, dive into drifts and generally behave like small children! Some friends of ours who farm up on the moor have been completely snowed in for a few days. Derek just caught them coming back from a combined shopping trip and walking the dogs!

We have seen very few red deer on the moor and only a few in the valleys so they are keeping themselves sheltered somewhere in the woods. There have been flocks of Fieldfares and Lapwings in the fields around us but unfortunately Derek hasn’t been quick enough to get any pictures. There are loads of Woodcock and Snipe about and the bird feeders in the garden have seen a considerable increase in use by Blue tits, Chaffinches, Robins and several other small birds.