Get folksy at Get folksy at Sidmouth Folk Festival
Sidmouth has been entertaining visitors and locals at the Sidmouth Folk Festival music festival since 1955. Not surprisingly it’s the longest-running folk festival in the UK. It takes place the first week in August, taking over the town with around 700 diverse events including music concerts, workshops, storytelling, bands, sea shanties, Morris dancing, ceilidhs and everything that comes under the “Folk” banner. Some top events are ticketed so get online and book yourself some first-class entertainment at The Ham concert venue while you can.
Dive in to Shaldon Water Carnival
Hopefully August will bestow warm sunny weather on the first Saturday in August for Shaldon Water Carnival. For locals, it’s a year-long event as they organise fun events to raise money for the Water Carnival. It kicks off around 10:30 with events on The Green and royalty is present with the Crowning of the Queen at noon.
Stalls, games and food keep everyone occupied during an action-packed day. The procession is a highlight along with live music, bouncy castle, craft stall, the works! Described as a cross between a regatta and a carnival, this event has plenty for nautical fans including a pirate show, a beautiful boat parade and boat races.
Paddle in a sea pool
If you prefer to splash and play in calm water Westward Ho! has an excellent concrete swimming pool set into the rocks. The enclosed area of seawater is perfect for wading, paddling and swimming. It has plenty of natural rocks and is replenished daily at high tide. Enjoy the health benefits of seawater just like the Victorians when the resort first opened in 1856. The pool is free to enjoy, as are the many rock pools along the seashore. A little patience will reward you with tiny crabs, shrimps and other marine life. The four-mile sandy beach is another great reason to visit and enjoy a day at the seaside with beach huts, cafes and more.
Admire the Mewstone
If you fancy a scenic walk, the South West Coast Path has hundreds of miles of traffic-free paths that run continuously along the coast of North and South Devon. Be prepared for some up and downs (that’s the nature of cliffs and coastline) but you’ll find access to hidden coves, pretty hamlets and a host of wildlife.
One of the best places to walk is the 1.9 mile circular loop trail around Wembury Point taking in Plymouth Sound and the mighty triangular rock just offshore known as the Great Mew Stone. The area has a lengthy military history and you’ll pass old Military Marker Stones and the functioning Radar Station on the hill. Start at Wembury Point Car park (National Trust) and enjoy a cuppa at the cafe on Wembury Beach while kids scramble on the rocks or have a paddle.
Combe Martin Carnival
On a more modest scale, the Combe Martin Carnival is a local event including a parade of floats, community stalls, crafts, food stalls and plenty of family entertainment. It’s starts the second Saturday in August and is a week-long extravaganza. If you’re staying in the area, it’s a great bonus to Combe Martin’s pretty sandy beach, pubs, cafes and local shops. The official opening is on the car park at the Pack o’Cards Inn and past events have included a classic car show, homemade raft race, wheelbarrow race and fireworks after dark.
Be wowed at the British Fireworks Championships
My favourite event each August is the British Fireworks Championships which entertains thousands of people on the Hoe, Barbican, Mountbatten Peninsula, Plymouth Embankment, Turnchapel, Jennycliff, Staddon Heights, Mount Edgcumbe… in fact anywhere with a view over Plymouth Sound. These championships showcase the best of the best in pyrotechnics and 12 companies participate in putting on a free show (ten minutes each) with the hope of earning the coveted title of British Fireworks Champions.
They are hosted on the third Wednesday and Thursday in August. Watch the skies after dusk and prepare to be blown away with these dazzling displays. Arrive early on the Hoe to get a good spot and enjoy the fairground, music and refreshments stalls as part of the build-up.
Live life in miniature!
Babbacombe Model Village has been a popular attraction for generations of visitors to this lovely seaside town since 1963. In August, it is particularly magical as the village and four-acre award-winning gardens are lit with special effects in the evening on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. It’s delightful!
If you prefer, you can visit in daylight and enjoy some of the fun events. Pick up a spotter sheet and identify some of the model highlights and characters that depict Britain throughout the decades. Play a round of 9-hole Crazy Golf and relax in the coffee shop. Recommended tour time is three hours!!
Dawlish celebrates carnival
Guests staying in holiday cottages around Dawlish during the third week in August are in for a treat at Dawlish Celebrates Carnival! Cheer on your favourites in the “It’s a Knockout” event, look out for the pram race (you’ll be surprised what runs on four wheels!), cross your fingers as you sponsor a yellow plastic “quacker” in the Duck Race, admire pooches in the Dog Show and there’s rumoured to be a Mountain Bike Stunt Show. There’s a new Walking Parade in place of floats with representatives from most of Dawlish’s active community including the Majorettes, guides, scouts, dance groups, music bands and more.
Dig for dinosaurs!
Seaton Tramway has several family-friendly themed events during August including a Dinosaur Tramway Adventure on certain dates. Ride a restored tram with music and stories that take part in a fossil dig at the Dinosaur Activity Area of Colyton Station. Professor Percival the Palaeontologist will help you identify your finds.
The Seaton Tramway is open daily for rides on the open top tram through the Axe Valley on a three-mile trip between Seaton and Colyton. It’s the Gateway to the World Heritage Jurassic Coast. Check out the special events on other dates in August including the Pirate Tram, Birdwatching Tram, Story Tram, the Fairy Special and the Dinosaur Tram Adventure.
Spend a day at a castle
Powderham Castle is everything you expect of such a title – a traditional castle building surrounded by an ancient deer park in a stunning setting overlooking the Exe Estuary. Explore the castle on a guided tour and discover 600 years of history and heritage, stroll around the gardens including the Walled Garden visit Anna Fitzgerald in her art gallery and enjoy lunch in the Orangery or the Courtyard Cafe. The homemade cakes are delicious. Kids get their own lunchboxes with tasty food, a drink, fruit and a colouring book.
We’ll see you in Devon
Have you booked your holiday cottage in Devon this summer? There’s still time to grab a great place to stay and enjoy some serious fun.
What about next month? Here’s our guide to the top 10 things to do in Devon in September.
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.