Five unique events to look out for this Christmas
A trip to Devon and Cornwall offers Christmas with a distinctive West County twist this year, with Santa arriving by RNLI lifeboat, festive markets, beautiful lantern parades and the chance to dine with food expert Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Santa by lifeboat and delicious gifts at the Royal William Yard Wonderland Market, Plymouth
This Sunday’s (Dec 4) popular Christmas Wonderland Market at Plymouth’s Royal William Yard will feature Santa arriving by RNLI lifeboat and more than 85 local stalls - 65 food and drink and 20 craft, jewellery, clothing and hand-made furniture stalls.
A fantastic array of local produce will be on offer from fresh turkeys, chutneys, cheeses and breads to interesting recipes and gift ideas.
There will also be free, live, interactive children’s shows with Far-Flung Dance Theatre - a Plymouth-based professional dance company of disabled and non-disabled dancers, musicians and performers.
Lanterns light the way at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall
Christmas in Cornwall promises some great festive events with Cornwall’s popular tourist attraction the Lost Gardens of Heligan providing great food and entertainment.
The gardens of the Tremayne family were lost until a decade-long restoration project transformed them to their former glory, attracting thousands of visitors every year.
As part of the St Austell destination’s special Christmas Evenings, on December 5 and 19, the gardens will be lit by beautiful lanterns, with visitors able to take advantage of Christmas discounts to tempt their taste buds in the Heligan kitchen and shop.
A long, lazy lunch with River Cottage's food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Visitors to the Royal William Yard will be able to join the chef and TV campaigner for a slap-up lunch on December 12. He will be leading guests through a delicious taster menu of the River Cottage team’s favourite seasonal recipes, from buttermilk and sage onion rings to polenta croquettes and prune sausage rolls.
Hugh will also be on hand to sign copies of his new River Cottage A to Z book and discuss the local ingredients for all his recipes.
Elf-driven land train takes the strain in Plymouth
The city centre has joined in the festive fun with its own market, featuring more than 50 beautiful log cabin-style stalls, and an Elf-driven land train ferrying passengers around the shops.
The market stalls – selling unique hand-crafted gifts – will be festooned in fairy lights offering warming drinks, a Bavarian bar with heated seats and festive food to keep visitors going.
And Santa has revealed details of his fabulous new Christmas grotto in the city’s Drake Circus shopping centre featuring its very own 8m high replica of Smeaton's Tower – Plymouth Hoe’s iconic red and white lighthouse.
A Far-Flung Christmas at sea at Pentillie Castle, Cornwall
At Pentillie Castle in St Mellion near Saltash visitors will be able to enjoy Carols in the Courtyard on December 14 and watch Far Flung Dance Theatre’s magical outdoor performance of “Christmas at Sea” on December 21.
The castle, which was built in 1698, is also offering Christmas lunches, dinners and festive afternoon teas up until December 15 featuring local produce, much of it grown, reared or caught on its 2,000-acre estate.
So, with unique gifts, mouthwatering food, great entertainment and a host of wonderful attractions the South West has it all this Christmas.
