The War Horse Giveaway with Everett Potter's Travel Report

Loved the movie War Horse and want to experience the romance of the Devon countryside where key parts were filmed? Ever wondered what it would be like to live in a castle surrounded by acres and acres of green and pleasant land? Then The Wayfarers Week in Pentillie Castle is meant for you!

Visiting War Horse film sites on Dartmoor is just one day of a fantastic week-long itinerary that encompasses a tour of historic Plymouth (Pilgrim Fathers, Spanish Armada), coastal walking in Cornwall and a visit to a former home of Sir Francis Drake. Gentler coastal estates include Tudor Cotehele with its own quay and stewpond, andMount Edgcumbe with its Grade I Cornish gardens. Pentillie Castle is home for the entire week and The Wayfarers have exclusive use of the property.

The giveaway, which runs from April 1 to 30, 2012, is for one Pentillie Castle Walk prize consisting of a trip for two adults, sharing one room, on either September 23 to 29, 2012 or October 7 to 13. 2012. Airfare is not included and alternate dates are not available. The winner can use The Wayfarers travel planning services to help them organize their trip. Visit Everett Potter’s Travel Report for full contest details. Readers are invited to enter The Wayfarers War Horse Giveaway daily.

The Pentillie Castle Walking Tour runs in September and October, 2012, with departures from $3,995 per person based on Double Occupancy.

Based on the novel War Horse, by Michael Morpurgo, the story illustrates the true history of how horses were commandeered from the countryside across Britain and used in the World War I effort. The author lives in Devon,England, and his tale was grounded in the culture and countryside of that county.

Read more about where we walk in the hoofprints of War Horse in Devon.

Walking The Ring of Kerry with Dancing Feet

By Steph Crabb  

After a very pleasant train journey from Dublin City Centre I arrived at Killarney town for the first leg of my walking vacation. Killarney is a very lively and well kept town with a real buzz in the air.   Our first day started with Guides Alan and Geraldine taking us to the entrance of ‘Killarney Park’ a serene and beautiful place, steeped in history with a Franciscan Abbey, Lochs (lakes) and a Historic Home Muckross House once visited by Queen Victoria and her family.  

With the bright green fields, ancient yew forests, oak trees and moss-covered stone throughout the trail I then understood where the phrase ‘The Emerald Isle’ came from.  By mid morning Southern Ireland had me hooked.

 After a pleasant lunch at Victoria’s Tea Rooms we took a boat ride across the lake with John the boatman who gave us a lesson in local birdlife.  Pony & traps (jaunting cars driven by Jarvies) are common-place and the southern accent very relaxing to listen to.  Our afternoon walk proved challenging but unmissable; blessed with extremely good weather the views, light and landscape were everything I’d hoped for and more.  A fellow walker and I (a lovely single lady from New York) stopped on several occasions during the afternoon,  to silently take in our beautiful surroundings . We both confided later that the woodland areas were so mesmerising that if a fairy or leprechaun had made them-selves known it would not have been a surprise.

Kenmare is a real high light, a very small traditional market town where you can buy the most exquisite handmade woollens and lace. There is also a very good yet tiny book store located opposite our Hotel.  During the evening we dined on traditional Irish fare, enjoyed folk dancing to the fiddle and for those of us who were still up, went to the local spit-and-sawdust Inn for more live ceili music and Guinness!

During our week Alan and Geraldine taught us much of the local history, visiting ancient stone circles and forts and examining Celtic writings along the trail. We also visit Daniel O’Connell’s (The famous Liberator) summer house at Derrynane bay, walk part of the Dingle Peninsula and enjoy Dingle Beach (made famous by the film ‘Ryans Daughter’ starring John Mills, Sara Miles & Robert Mitchum)  We  enjoyed many other visits and highlights along the way - especially the local hospitality and food.  Despite the daily walking, an expanding waistline sadly signalled the delicious soda bread and me be parted ; the seafood  chowder and local baked mussels are also a must.

Our final destination - 2 nights at Carrig Lake is so enchanting, it’ll be hard to tear yourself away but our morning walk taking in the last of the scenic lakes and heather moorland followed by an afternoon at an Irish sheep and turf farm is not to be missed.   I truly loved Southern Ireland and walking ‘The Ring of Kerry’. There is a definite kind of magic there and I hope you’ll join us so we can share it with you….

Walk with The Wayfarers in The Ring of Kerry, Ireland, In June and September

Walking in the Hoofprints of War Horse

“I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor ... And, with two-and-a-half weeks of extensive coverage of landscapes and skies, I hardly scratched the surface of the visual opportunities that were offered to me.” Steven Spielberg, shortly after filming his Oscar-nominated adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's book 'War Horse' in Devon, England.

We have seen the stage play in London and the film, so the opportunity to take a day out of the office to see how the Dartmoor film location would work with our Walks proved too great a temptation to turn down! Normally we spend February behind the scenes, but this day was our chance to get into the field (quite literally!) and follow in the hoofprints of War Horse.

So on a grey damp day, Michael and Betsy West, Steph Crabb and our canine mascots packed up the home office and decamped to Dartmoor. Arriving at the Royal Oak in Meavy, we met with Muff Dudgeon, Walk Leader, and Dr Tom Greeves, Dartmoor Cultural Historian and Environmentalist, for lunch and a chat about how the day on Dartmoor for our Pentillie Castle Walk will work this year.

Afterwards, we set out to see the nearby locations which provided the gorgeous backdrops for most of the filming in Devon. On Ringmoor down, we saw beautiful views of the Burrator Resevoir and the hamlet of Sheepstor. We walked to the derelict farmhouse - Ditsworthy Warren House - which was the Narracott family home and scene of Joey the horse's formative years. We saw the field where Joey learned to plow and the gateway to the farm where the family goose gave chase to 'intruders'.

This year on our Pentillie Castle Walk (September and October) - Wednesday will be spent exploring Dartmoor in the company of Dr Tom Greeves, visiting the filming locations which also happen to be in some of the most interesting and historic landscape within the Moor! Near Dittsworthy Warren, we'll visit Drizzlecombe, named not for the rain but for the little droozle bird (like a black bird). Here Dr Greeves will point out traces of prehistoric sites and the ruins of medieval farms and tin works. Scratch the surface of Dartmoor and we find thousands of years of history and just as many stories and legends. We lunch at the Royal Oak and then have the option of a horse ride on the Moor in the afternoon for those who wish to continue in the hoofprints of War Horse!

Pentillie Castle Walking Tour Info:
War Horse Wednesday on Dartmoor is just one day of a fantastic week-long itinerary that encompasses a tour of historic Plymouth (Pilgrim Fathers, Spanish Armada), coastal walking in Cornwall and a visit to a former home of Sir Francis Drake. Gentler coastal estates include Tudor Cotehele with its own quay and stewpond, and Mount Edgcumbe with its Grade I Cornish gardens. All week we stay in Pentillie Castle where we have exclusive use.
September and October Departures from $3995 per person based on Double Occupancy.

Recommended Reading:

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Fictional tale inspired by true history of how horses were commandeered from the countryside across Britain and used in the World War I effort. The author lives in Devon, England, and his tale was grounded in the culture and countryside of Dartmoor.

Warrior by General Jack Seely
True tale of an officer, General Jack Seely, who served in World War I with his horse, Warrior, born and bred on the Isle of Wight in England. The horse was seen by fellow troops as a beacon of hope throughout the war and stood brave and strong in many difficult circumstances including leading a decisive charge on Moreuil Wood near the end of the War. Man and horse survived the War and at the time the horse was famous throughout the nation. When Warrior died at the age of 33, his obituary appeared in all the papers.

Edouard Loubet - A Chef in Provence

Edouard Loubet rose to fame in 1995 when at 24 he became the youngest chef in France to earn a Michelin star. Three years later he gained a second star and published his first book, 'A Chef in Provence'. Loubet strives to achieve balance and lightness in his cooking, working with ingredients harvested on his own farm. He believes that a meal is to be savored and uses the delicate flowers and wild herbs to tickle the tastebuds and add interest to familiar dishes. Loubet comes from a family of food lovers! His grandparents taught him to treasure the land and to garden with the kitchen in mind, while his mother opened a restaurant in the ski resort of Val Thorens where Loubet's father built and ran the four-star FitzRoy Relais & Chateau Hotel.

Today, in Provence, in addition to his renowned restaurant, Loubet works closely with family and friends running his charming hotel La Bastide de Capelongue (where The Wayfarers stay on their Walk in Provence) and a restored farm and country house.

To celebrate Valentine's Day (or any other day for that matter!) here is a special recipe from Chef Loubet:

Croquant coulant au chocolat Anglais

Download PDF of this recipe

Fiche de marché

Ingredients

Coulant :
250 g de chocolat (chocolat)
100 g de beurre (butter)
45 g de lait (milk)
45 g de crème (cream)
80 g de farine (flour)
40 g de sucre (sugar)
3 Œufs (eggs)
1 L d’eau (water)

Préparation

Casser le chocolat en petits morceaux. Mélanger le tout (chocolat, beurre, lait et crème)au
bain marie et faire fondre à basse température. Break the chocolate into small pieces. Mix all the ingredients together (chocolate, butter, milk and cream) in a bain marie and leave it to melt at low temperature.

Bien émulsionner les œufs avec le sucre puis incorporer la farine et mélanger jusqu'à
l’obtention d’une pâte homogène. Emulsify the eggs with the sugar then add the flour, mix until obtaining an homogeneous dough.

Assembler les deux appareils (le mélange de chocolat et celui des œufs) ainsi constitués et
bien les mélanger à l’aide d’un fouet. Mix the two together with a whisk (the chocolate and egg mix)

Cuire dans des moules bien beurrés, 6 minutes à 280° dans un four préalablement chauffé.
Vous pouvez soit utiliser de petits moules individuels, soit un moule à cake ou à tarte.
Pour the dough in buttered molds then bake for 6 minutes at 280°C in a preheated oven. You can use either small indivdual serving molds or a single tart mold.

Retirer du four, démouler les gâteaux chauds sur un plateau et laisser refroidir.
Remove from the oven and mold, and leave it to cool on a tray.

Five Reasons to take a Walking Vacation This Year!

The New Year dawns! What better time to decide where to go this year (metaphorically and in reality) and how to get there. At The Wayfarers we believe in taking your vacation one step at a time and here are five good reasons to do so:

1. Walking is the oldest form of human travel and making a journey on foot connects us to our past and allows us to deeply absorb the 'where' of 'where we are'.

2. Walking is good for you. Plenty of scientific studies exist to prove what your body already tells you when you take a good walk! Walking energizes the body and spirit by improving calorie burn, self-confidence and a sense of well-being. If getting in better shape is one of your New Year's Resolutions, then the incentive of taking a walking vacation later in the year gives a good reason to make fitness a priority! Many Wayfarers travelers say that a walking vacation also provides a boost to stay fit on returning home.

3. Walking is good for the environment. Traveling ancient routes not accessible by car and visiting old villages, historic monuments and World Heritage sites on foot - all minimises your impact on the destination and maximises the chance of authenticity.

4. Walking is social. Ambling along a path allows for talking and comfortable silences in equal measure. A walking vacation group soon becomes a small band of friends; couples, families and singles mingle with ease.

5. Walking is pleasurable. The physical act of placing one foot in front of the other repeatedly is soothing and meditative. You get a rhythm going and the stress of everyday life dissipates.

We invite you to join us on the trail in 2012!

Cinque Terre - Life is Beautiful

Words by Marina Grego, Pictures by Various Wayfarers!

I love the Cinque Terre Walk for many reasons.

First of all, the area where we walk streches along the Mediterranean Sea.

The landscape is beautiful and the vegetation too.

The brooms and the jasmine bloom in Springtime.

The Autum the leaves colors give a gold shade everywhere.

The fishermans villages are picturesque : every house has a different color,

so it is possible to recognize it from a far distance in the sea.

All in the palette of red , orange , jellow , rusty ...

The food is special and delicious. The cuisine is based on the local products:

the anchovies ( marinated with herbs ) , the pine nuts , the "borragine " ( a green vegetable like chard but more delicate ), the octopus with potatoes , the olive oil and the "limoncello "

( lemon liquer ) ....simplicity and creativity.

I could go on with memories , dreaming.

Colorado Dreaming

The Wayfarers' New Walk in Colorado - September 30 - October 6, 2012

by Julie Johnson

Last weekend I found myself standing a few feet away from real dinosaur prints, about 100 million years old. There were big ones, and little ones, and I reached over to put my hand on top of one. Wow, I thought, this is fabulous – these are the first dinosaur prints ever found in North America! I walked up to the top of the hill and around the corner and saw the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a naturally acoustic theatre created about 250 million years ago. I remembered the first time I stood on the Red Rocks stage, right where Bono, B.B. King, Elton John, the Beatles and so many of my favorites have performed. The valley between the amphitheatre and where I stood was lined with ranches, some as old as 1860. And as I turned back to my walk on Dinosaur Ridge, I got really excited about the prospect of showing all this to The Wayfarers’ in 2012 for the first ever Wayfarers’ Colorado walk. I put together an itinerary that would be amazing, filling our week in Colorado with my favorite spots.

Colorado is a vast state with lots to offer, so it wasn’t easy to whittle the trip down to one week. Here’s what I decided. First, we go to the beautiful Evergreen area to hike in one of the locals’ favorite trail systems in Jefferson County Open Space. The trails are lined with aspen trees which should be bright yellow in the fall, contrasting nicely with the view of the Continental Divide. Evergreen is one of the first spots in Colorado to host tourism – we’ll be staying in the oldest (and sweetest!) lodge in town, the Bears Inn. On our way to our next town, we stop at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Dinosaur Ridge to get an up close view of one of Colorado’s prettiest and most interesting areas.

Then we head to my home turf, Boulder, where I am the cultural resource manager for the city’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP). Boulder is graced with one of three of the nation’s remaining Chautauquas, a cultural and educational complex from the 19th century in continuous use in it’s original structures. We’ll hike from the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR) along a beautiful mesa into the Chautauqua, where walkers will stay at the Mission Lodge. This is truly a special place – I can’t wait to show it to my guests! OSMP has preserved 45,000 acres of land around Boulder, including mountains and plains with about 145 miles of trails in the system. We’ll hike in this glorious location with a naturalist who will tell us about the ecology of our unique ‘ecotone.’ We’ll also meet some ranchers whose families have been farming in the Boulder area since 1860. (We’ll probably even meet some horses and kittens while we’re at the ranch….).

We end the week at the beautiful Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, where we will hike one of my favorite trails at my favorite time of year. It doesn’t get any better than hiking in the fall near Estes Park, unless, of course, you find a ghost during a ghost hunt at the Stanley Hotel.

It will be a wonderful week -- I can’t wait to share it with you!

Join The Wayfarers in Colorado - September 30 - October 6, 2012