Beacon Villages
Under Cosdon Beacon Dartmoor Devon UK
| Beacon Villages Journal | Sticklepath by David Watkins |
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photos by David Watkins |
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The pictures are of the immediate surrounding woodland of Sticklepath in late November 2005
STICK WITH IT In the 1950s an earthquake rumbled Sticklepath but had little effect on the village. Fifty years on and the place is much the same as it was then. OK, there is a museum and a tea room, more houses, broadband internet, satellite TV, 2 bus shelters, 2 traffic calming islands, a Glee Club and the "Cogs & Wheels" - but apart from that the place is much the same as it was then.
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In the early '60s, I had to drive through Sticklepath en route to Okehampton camp. The summer traffic was at its worse and I really hated the narrow road that passed through the choked village. I vowed this was a place I'd never go through again.
Funny old bloke. I like Sticklepath, I live here now. So what, you may ask, has happened this year? No earthquakes! No Glee Club Music Hall Night! No "Cogs & Wheels" at the Trafalgar celebrations! What happened was.
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| Sticklepath Stores & Post Office closed on April Fool's Day 2005 but was re-opened on June 11 th under the ownership of Stuart & Ros and continues to serve the village and visitors with kindness and civility. The Taw River Inn won CAMRA's "Best Pub Award - North Devon ". The Pub serves well-kept real ales at prices that other Devon pubs are in awe of.
The regular Sticklepath film show has been well attended and audiences have taken to the "SticklePathé News, a short Newsreel of Sticklepath events and people, shown prior to the main feature film. The SticklePathé News is produced by this writer.
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The Summer Ball, Beer Festival and Tea Dance were as popular as ever. Despite the showery weather the Flower/Vegetable Show was magnificent with beetroots and beans to die for!
September saw a visit from the Royal Navy and a post-chaise with messenger to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar and mark Sticklepath as being on the route of the new Trafalgar Way . Sticklepath is also on the "Pram" Race way with its annual "Cruise & Booze" event held through the Beacon Villages in October. |
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4000 people descended on the Foundry field to watch the Fireshow on Nov 5th. It rained for most of that evening but nothing dampened the audience's delight at the spectacle.
This month will see a brief visit from Santa Claus. If you have a note for him, he can be contacted at www.santadot.com/argos/waitrose/visa! |
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| St Clement is the patron saint of Blacksmiths and to honour that day in November, several of these craftsmen come to the Finch Foundry to demonstrate their skills and have a good time. They were accompanied by the baton wielding Cogs and Wheels, the world-famous (well, in Sticklepath anyway) "Doris Dancers" and a lady forcing the air from the bellows by jumping on them. |
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... and then - it snowed! |
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