Thursday 1 December
The Story of some West Dartmoor Farms (talk) Dr Tom Greeves. 7pm, Devon Rural Archive, Shilstone. Tickets £5. Tel: (01548) 830832, email: abi@dra.uk.net
Surveying Birds in South Africa (talk) Ray Lovett (RSPB). 1.30pm, Prince of Wales, Tavistock Road, Princetown. Civil Service Retirement Fellowship event.
Thursday 1–Saturday 24 December
Pennywell Farm Nativity plays, Father Christmas and his reindeer. Tel: (01364) 642023. www.pennywellfarm.co.uk
Friday 2 December
Christmas Lights Switch On and Late Night Opening, Ivybridge From 6pm; switch on 6.45pm. Parade, market, stalls, street entertainment.
Saturday 3 December
Chagford Christmas Fair 10am–midday Church and Endecott House. Tel: (01647) 432304.
Brentor Christmas Fair Village Hall.
Advent Market and Christmas Bazaar, Ivybridge From10.30am. Vintage cars, street entertainment, Watermark and town centre.
Saturdays & Sundays (3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18), Tuesday 20–Friday 23 December
Santa by Steam South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh. Booking essential, tel: 0845 345 1420, email: sales@southdevon.org www.southdevonrailway.co.uk
Saturdays & Sundays (3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18), Friday 23 & Saturday 24 December
Santa Specials Dartmoor Railway, Okehampton. Tel: (01837) 55164, email: info@dartmoor-railway.co.uk www.dartmoor-railway.co.uk
Sunday 4 December
Christmas Fair and Tabletop Sale, Hennock £5 per table.Tel: (01626) 832833.
Tuesday 6 December
AGM and Christmas Meeting Princetown History Club. Prince of Wales pub, 7.30pm. Tel: (01647) 231080.
Tuesday 6–Thursday 8 December
Carols down the Line South Devon Railway 7pm Buckfastleigh Station; coffee and mince pies. Booking via www.carolsdowntheline.org,uk.
Wednesday 7 December
Christmas in Devon – traditions and customs (talk) Todd Gray. Church House, Widecombe. Widecombe & District Local History Group, tel: (01364) 621246 www.widecombe-in-the-moor.com/history
Carol service, Ivybridge 6.30–8.30pm EST Donkey Centre, Filham Park. Music, refreshments, shop. Tel: (01752) 690200.
Wednesday 7, Wednesday 28–Saturday 31 December
Mince Pie Specials Dartmoor Railway, Okehampton. Tel: (01837) 55164, email: info@dartmoor-railway.co.uk www.dartmoor-railway.co.uk
Thursday 8 December
Footprints of a Gigantic Hound (talk) Bob Mann. Dartmoor in fiction from Anna Eliza Bray to Laurie R. King. 7.30pm, Methodist Hall, Fore Street, Totnes. £1.50 members, £3 non-members.
Totnes Museum Society.
Edwardian Evening, Okehampton 5.30–9pm. Festive late night shopping; carol service at 7pm, Red Lion Yard. Tel: (01837) 52937.
Saturday 10 December
Stone Facing Plymbridge Woods, Estover, Plymouth. Landranger 201, SX 522588. Instructor Bruce Baker, tel: (01364) 72172. Please note that site can only be approached from the Estover direction Courses 9.30am to 4.30pm, wear outdoor clothes and sturdy footwear, bring packed lunch. DRST members £15, non members £25 per day. Enquiries and booking contact Mick Godfrey, tel: (01548) 821156.
The Dartmoor Society Winter Revel 7.30–11.30pm Jubilee Hall, Chagford, hosted by ‘Footloose’. £12 per head including buffet supper. Tickets from Sally’s in The Square, Chagford, or contact info@dartmoorsociety.com or tel: (01822) 617004 for further information.
The Four Seasons (Haydn) Chagford Singers. 7.30pm Chagford Parish Church.
Westwood Hall Craft Fair Charter Hall, Okehampton. Refreshments. Tel: 07753 478290.
Christmas Fair 10am–3pm EST Donkey Centre, Filham Park. Donkey carriage rides, refreshments, shop. Tel: (01752) 690200.
Sunday 11 December
Conservation Work/Walk Bellever. See In the News
Monday 12–Saturday 17 December
Moorland Merrymakers ‘Treasure Island’ Leusdon Memorial Hall. 7.30pm; family matinee Saturday 10 December 6pm. To book tickets tel: (01364) 631223; adult £6, child £3.
Tuesday 13 December
Late Night Christmas Shopping, Chagford From 5.30–8pm. Tel: (01647) 433276.
Wednesday 14 December
Dartmoor history, wildlife and legend (talk) Bovey Tracey. Tony Burge, 7.30pm, RC Church Hall, Ashburton Road. £3 donation. Bovey Tracey DWT.
Thursday 15 December
Late Night Christmas Shopping, Ashburton Until 8pm.
CSRF Princetown Christmas Lunch and Party Details/reservations tel: (01822) 890799.
Saturday 17 December
Sheelanagig Charity gig, Jubilee Hall. 8.30pm. Proceeds to Farms for City Children. Tickets £10/£8 advance from Sally’s Newsagents. www.mrsnevillesnightout.com
Sunday 18 December
Annual Christmas Walk Burrator Reservoir. 11am–1pm approx. Booking essential: tel: (01566) 771930. www.swlakestrust.org.uk
Monday 19–Friday 23 December
Princetown Pre-school Christmas Club See In the News.
Thursday 22 December
Late Night Christmas Shopping, Ashburton Until 8pm.
Wednesday 28 December
In Search of Aircraft (walk) Paul Rendell. 10am–3pm, 10 miles over rough terrain: Corn Ridge, Tiger Marsh and West Ockment Valley. Bring packed lunch and drink, outdoor clothing and suitable footwear. Adults £8. Start Prewley Treatment Works, Sourton (SX 544910); parking area up small track off A386 (signed Granite Way), æ mile north of Sourton village. No dogs. Tel: (01837) 54727. www.paulrendelldartmoor.co.uk
Wednesday 28 December–Monday 2 January 2012
Mince Pie Specials South Devon Railway. www.southdevonrailway.co.uk
Tuesday 3 January
Roads and Bridges of Dartmoor (talk) Paul Rendell, Princetown History Club. 7.30pm, Princetown Community Centre. Tel: (01647) 231080.
Wednesday 4 January
Photo Presentation and New Year’s Party Mike Wright. Church House, Widecombe. Widecombe & District Local History Group, tel: (01364) 621246 www.widecombe-in-the-moor.com/history
Thursday 5 January
Barnado’s Children’s Charity (talk) Mo Harris. 1.30pm, Prince of Wales, Tavistock Road, Princetown. CS Retirement Fellowship event.
Saturday 7 January
A walk across the moor taking in 14 Dartmoor Crosses and covering about 14km. For more info please contact Spirit of Adventure (Powdermills) Tel: (01822) 880277 or go to www.spirit-of-adventure.com.
Wednesday 11 January
Fungi – fact, fiction and folklore (talk) Bovey Tracey. Phil Page, 7.30pm, RC Church Hall, Ashburton Road. £3 donation. Bovey Tracey DWT.
Thursday 12 January
Landscape and the Picturesque: Photographing Dartmoor in the 1860s and 1870s (talk) Tom Greeves. Totnes Museum Society. See 8 December.
Saturday 14 January
Annual River Leat Clean Ivybridge. PL21. www.pl21.weebly.com
Tuesday 17 January
The Roman Southwest (talk) Derek Gore. 7.30pm, Meavy Village Hall. Yelverton & District Local History Society. www.yelvertonhistory.org.uk
Wednesday 18 January
Ivybridge Business Fair The Watermark, Erme Court. Tel: (01752) 892220.
Saturday 21 January
Conservation Work Bellever. See In the News.
Wednesday 1 February
Dartmoor Birds (talk) Richard Hibbert. Church House, Widecombe. Widecombe & District Local History Group, tel: (01364) 621246 www.widecombe-in-the-moor.com/history
Thursday 2 February
Devon and Cornwall Police Authority (talk) Guest speaker. 1.30pm, Prince of Wales, Tavistock Road, Princetown. Civil Service Retirement Fellowship event.
Tuesday 7 February
Dartmoor ‘Dressed’ Granite (talk) Roger Paul, Princetown History Club. 7.30pm, Princetown Community Centre. Tel: (01647) 231080.
Wednesday 8 February
Devon Wildlife Quiz Bovey Tracey. Teams of four, 7.30pm, RC Church Hall, Ashburton Road. £3 donation. Bovey Tracey DWT.
Sharks – threats and challenges for a sustainable future (talk) Tavistock. John Richardson (Shark Trust), 7.30pm, Parish Church Centre, Plymouth Road. Tel: (01822) 613628. Tavistock DWT.
Saturday 11 February
Hedge Laying Midland Style Hooe Primary School, Plymstock. Landranger 201, SX 497525. Instructor Maxine McAdams, tel: (01752) 863342. DRST course: see 10 December.
Sunday 12 February
The Wild North Moor (walk) Paul Rendell. 10am–3pm, 10 miles, visiting Oke Tor, Steeperton Tor, Wild Tor, Hangingstone Hill. Details as 28 December. Start Okehampton Moor Car Park (SX 592922); pass army camp and cross brook at river, park at top of hill at right of fork. No dogs. Tel: (01837) 54727.
Saturday 18 February
Conservation Work Bellever. See In the News.
Bird Watching Walk Roadford Lake. Tony John, 10am–1pm. Meet Lakeside Visitor car park; bring binoculars. £3 donation. Details tel: (01822) 613628. Tavistock DWT.
Sunday 19 February
12 Across and 2 Down Walk Search and Rescue Team Plymouth. Along part of the Maltern Way. For details contact Richard Thorne, Fordhams, Station Road, Mary Tavy PL19 9PQ (please include SAE), tel: (01822) 810535, email: rgt347@btinternet.com or (for information) dsrtplymouth@hotmail.co.uk
Tuesday 21 February
Murders in Devon (talk) Simon Dell. 7.30pm, Meavy Village Hall. Yelverton & District Local History Society. www.yelvertonhistory.org.uk
Sunday 26 Feburary
Andrews Corner Garden Belstone. ‘Snowdrop Sunday’ in aid of Children’s Hospice Southwest 11am–4pm. Email: edwinarobinhill@btinternet.com, tel: 01837 840332 www.belstonevillage.net.
MARCH
Saturday 3 March
Cleft Gate Hurdles Kelly Woods, Kelly, Lifton. Landranger 201, SX 395815 (or Woodah Farm. Instructor Don Gaskins, tel: (01752) 336049. DRST course: see 10 December.
Saturday 10 March
Around the Teign (walk) Paul Rendell. 10am–3pm, 10 miles, visiting Stone Tor, Teign Head Farm, Watern Tor and River Teign. Details as 28 December. Start Batworthy Corner near Chagford, SX 662865; parking at end of lane. No dogs. Tel: (01837) 54727.
Moretonhampstead Food Festival Events around the town.