Exmoor Magazine

17/11/2025

This young jackdaw, photographed at Lynmouth by .r.croucher, knows there’s a change coming this week. Two years ago Jane Mares wrote an article on corvids for us and ever since then I’ve paid more attention to their complex ways. If you keep your mags, look back to your Winter Issue 2023. The article starts on page 59.

Did you know that a jackdaw’s eyes are light blue when young, turning brownish, before becoming silvery white at one-year old. Have a good week everyone. 😊

16/11/2025

Soggy, foggy, beautiful Exmoor, photographed by Sarah . But that’s enough pea soup now. Here’s to slightly clearer skies. Have a lovely Sunday everyone. 😊

16/11/2025

Here’s our Sunday Girl, Revd Ann Gibbs. This week her Reflection is called Connecting. The photo is by Andrew Turner.

“It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.” (Chaos Theory)

I am sure we have all had those occasions when we find that we are somehow connected to someone quite unexpectedly. You know the kind of thing: you travel across the world and then happen to get chatting to someone in a cafe and it turns out they used to live in the house next door to where you now live! That sort of coincidence has happened to me on a number of occasions and no doubt many of you have had similar experiences.

These are the moments in life when I recognise that quiet truth that everything is somehow connected. Perhaps it is that connection with other people that occurs when we least expect it. It might be in the hush in the forest, the kindness of a stranger, or in the ache of someone else’s pain that somehow feels like my own. Martin Luther King Jr once said, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

The older I get, the more I understand what that means – not just as an idea, but as a living truth. We are threads in the same metaphorical tapestry, and every thought, word and action sends ripples through that living fabric.

John Muir captured this beautifully when he wrote, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” Nature never forgets its interconnectedness. The roots of trees share nutrients; rivers carry messages between mountains and seas; the wind that bustles around me has brushed across countless others. When I think of that recurring connection I am reminded that we are never truly separated.

“The Earth doesn’t need saving. It needs remembering. We forgot we were part of it, not apart from it.” (Lawrence Nault) We keep trying to fix the world as though we stand outside it looking in, but change in our attitude really only begins when we remember that we are the world. The Earth breathes through us, just as we breathe through it. Remembering this shifts everything – it brings reverence back into daily life.

Being aware of this allows us to walk more gently, to listen more deeply and to love more fully. Interconnectedness isn’t a philosophy to be studied; it’s a truth to be lived. It reminds me that when I care for another living thing – human, animal, or tree – I am, in some subconscious way, caring for myself. And within that there is a recognition and a sense of belonging to all that is.

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” (Chief Seattle)

15/11/2025

I’d like say a huge thank you and well done to Ali Pegrum from Stockham Farm Exmoor and Visit Dulverton for yet another brilliant Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival. It’s an enormous undertaking. This is now firmly established as a gem in Exmoor’s crown. It gets better every year.

Today I had the pleasure of attending two events. Jane Austen is and always will be my favourite writer so that was of course my first pick, in the Town Hall - a conversation between writers and Helena Kelly. It did not disappoint!

Next, it was up to the church for the sell-out interview with investigative journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou from the Observer. Chloe was interviewed by Rachel Johnson and gave us a detailed insight into how she discovered the truth behind certain aspects of the ‘memoir’, The Salt Path. An hour disappeared in what felt like five minutes.

While great things were happening on the pitch at Twickenham (congrats England! 🌹) we were completely enthralled, so were not missing out!

I’m not entirely sure if I’m allowed to share the clips I filmed because there’s a documentary being made as we speak (the story is far from over!) and the crew from Sky were filming for that during the talk. I’ll just stick to a clip of the applause and urge you - if you did miss it - to let this be a testament to the quality of the festival and to become a festival friend. You’ll be supporting an important cultural fixture and being a friend will also help you secure your seats early for any events you don’t want to miss next time.

I’m looking forward to enjoying more interviews tomorrow. There may even be a few spots left. Check the website in case! https://visitdulverton.com/dulverton-exmoor-literary-festival-2025/

Once again, well done to Ali and to Dulverton. Bravo! I wish I could have attended every talk all weekend and I’m sure they all gave great pleasure.

See our Winter issue, out now, for a big feature on Ali and the Festival. 😊

PS: thank you to Exmoor Deli for the delicious and life-saving Scotch egg with salad cream (litfest snack of choice; no judgement on my condiment choice please). X

15/11/2025

Miles Tea & Coffee have announced that the business is going to support West Somerset Food Cupboard for the next year by supplying tea, coffee and hot chocolate for its emergency food bags and Local Pantry. The cost of these comforting drinks has continued to rise with record increases outstripping inflation.

Food inflation figures increased to 5.1% in the 5 months to August 2025, with coffee rising 15% in the past year. This means purchasing these items to top up supplies has put added pressure on food banks. Miles’ generosity will be of great benefit to the people in West Somerset.

13th November 2025: Miles Tea and Coffee chose to support West Somerset Food Cupboard to make more of a sustainable social impact in the local community of West Somerset where it has a production site in Minehead, with a coffee roasters and shop in Porlock. This was also the wish of one of its original founders Derek Miles, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

John Hall of Miles said “We are a people focused business with a duty of care towards customers, staff, suppliers and the local community. Our quality drinks are really valued when times are tough. It only needs access to a kettle to give yourself a treat or a pick me up. We’re excited about partnering with West Somerset Food Cupboard to make a real difference to local people.”

Sara Trigg, Team Leader at West Somerset Food Cupboard, commented “When people are struggling to put food on the table, we love bringing a little joy through the simple pleasure of a steaming mug of hot chocolate, tea or coffee to brighten someone’s day. These items have become much more of a luxury in recent times, so we are very grateful to everyone at Miles.”

15/11/2025

Happy weekend everyone! This lovely idea posted about by Forest School may not be from Exmoor but I did think a lot of you might be inspired by it for an autumn project, including Wild Wellies ( Tales & Treasures!), Woodland Play Centre and Three Atop. Have a lovely day everyone and, in particular, good luck to Visit Dulverton for the Literary Festival! See you soon.

15/11/2025

Calling all Father Christmases and other festive figures who like running. The Hunters Inn Heddon Valley are organising a run in aid of Children's Hospice South West. Exmoor Magazine also challenges everyone but particularly some of you - you know who you are - to photograph these mad Santas as they run the distance. Maybe we can create a gallery of the mayhem on this page. 🤶🎅🧑‍🎄🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃

🎅 Just 1 month to go!
Join us for our Exmoor Santa Run — a 5/10 mile festive trail run for Children's Hospice South West All paces welcome ❤️

Afterwards, warm up back at The Hunters with Secret Sauna and live music from Tabú from 1:30pm. A proper festive Sunday. 🎄🔥🍻
Entry is a £10 donation via our JustGiving page:
👉 https://www.justgiving.com/page/hunters-inn-heddon-valley-santa-run

14/11/2025

Our Advertising Manager Jo gets all the best jobs. This morning she’s been working on extremely exciting plans for next year’s mag with Matt and Ellie at Sheppy's Cider Ltd Sheppy’s House of Cider, one of our many fantastic stockists. Watch this space… Stay dry everyone, it’s awful out there! But it’s nearly the weekend. Yippeeee! 🍎🍏🍐

14/11/2025

Thank Crunchie it’s Friday! The Exmoor Society
have announced the results of their annual photography competition. Congratulations to their winners! Here is their post.
・・・
We are delighted to reveal the winner of our Alfred Vowles Photography Competition 2025.

Congratulations to Marlena Ciach, who won the wildlife category, and was chosen to be the overall winner of the competition with her photograph ‘Where the Wild Goats Roam’.

The winners of our other categories are as follows:

🌄 Landscape Category: Wimbleball Lake from Haddon Hill by Paul Marcus

🚜 Farming Category: Farming Exmoor Land by Paul Sparks

🌊 Waters of Exmoor: Robber’s Bridge Romance by Kirsten Bruns

We are so grateful to everyone who took part in our competition this year. Huge thanks must also be given to our judge, Mark St John Asprey, for going through all the Priddy's Photo Shop & Studioing the above winners. Thanks also toPriddy's Photo Shop & Studioo for supporting us with the competition and printing the winning images.

We will share a video to showcase all the fabulous 2025 entries. We received over 100 photos, and each one is a true celebration of the beauty of Exmoor National Park 🎉

13/11/2025

This series is from our team member Jo Laver, who handles our advertising. She’s pretty busy with spring bookings so she always gets up with the lark. ‘This morning I have mostly been getting distracted from what I am meant to be doing. This is me walking the dog and driving to the pool. And I’m normally so task-focused as well. 😁’

The early bird catches the worm and Jo can help you with your artwork too. But if you want to reserve a spring ad, be quick as we are 90% booked. Email [email protected]
or call 07779 780015.
Have a good Thursday everyone 😊

12/11/2025

‘Some mornings are just made for photography’ - post by Debbie Tucker . Have a good Wednesday everyone 😊