Hello and happy New Year!  Well there’s been lots going on around here in the last week or two.  Looking back briefly, we had a wonderful evening’s wassailing (thankfully dry until the festivities were over).  The banishing of bad spirits and the consuming of delicious mulled apple juice and apple cake were followed by a traditional mummer’s play, shown here, featuring St George and the ‘Bold Slasher’.  A wonderfully organised community event that left smiles on many faces.  Other local villages host their wassailing this week and next, so if you’re visiting the area (or missed Porlock’s event), look out for local notices.  

We’re excited to learn about another community project, the newly launched Vale Cinema.  Set up in the recently refurbished community hall at Allerford, film-goers can see the latest releases on the last Friday of each month.  Tickets are only £5 and may be reserved at Allerford Post Office or via The Vale Cinema’s Facebook page.  Tea, coffee, Styles ice cream and pop corn will be available and you are welcome to take your own alcoholic drinks. The showings begin with Dark Horse, at 7.30pm on Friday 29 January - we’re really looking forward to it!  We wish The Vale every success with their venture and hope that campers from Sparkhayes will enjoy this extra provision during their stay, Allerford is only a five minute car journey or very pleasant fifteen minute walk away along quiet country lanes, ideal for evening entertainment after a day on Exmoor!

Looking further ahead, to something that has reached national news: the birth of a new three-day festival right here in Porlock..! The Samphire Festival will take place from 8-10 July at the top of Porlock Hill.  A family run and family-friendly festival (children under 13 go free), Samphire will be focused on getting back to basics and escaping the digital world. With over 30 live acts and DJs, across two main stages, genres include folk, funk, house, techno, ska, reggae, afro, pop, indie, jazz and disco. There will also be workshops and games including wood-carving, painting, yoga, human snakes and ladders and den building.   With an eco-friendly ethos, there will be compost loos, solar powered stages, wind turbines and all ticket holders will receive a stainless steel tankard, to promote the plastic-free policy.  Organisers are also keen to promote local craft beer, ciders and food.  Tickets are available at the time of writing from the project’s Crowdfunder page, which has already attracted more than £27,000 of financial backing, and the line up will be announced shortly.  Local newspapers are running with the headline - Could Porlock Hill be the new Glastonbury? We’ll see!

If you can’t wait until July there is of course always Sparkhayes Farm camp site, ready to welcome you for a wonderful west-country break.  We’re excited to be heading into 2016 with lots of plans and are really looking forward to welcoming customers old and new.  Get in touch to book your pitch and get your holiday into your new diary…!