Tour-Smart Limited

Nocturnal Encounters, a new exhibition at St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, Lymington running from Saturday 27th September until Saturday 8th November, will display a mix of new and earlier prints of the natural world by wood engraver Colin See-Paynton.

 

Entirely self-taught, Colin began to make wood engravings in 1980 and soon established himself as one of the world’s most revered printmakers. His work is based on the meticulous observation of the natural world, inventing complex compositions that link species and their habitats.

 

He uses his knowledge and imagination to construct engravings of great complexity and refinement and has evolved something new by the patterning and layering of his images. Colin’s works display a love and understanding of nature as well as the skill of a master engraver.

This exhibition mixes new work, focusing on a family of hares that made their home in Colin’s garden, and a selection of earlier work, which uses an increasingly abstract and fluid line to capture the fast and fleeting movements of birds and fish.

Tickets to Nocturnal Encounters and St Barbe Museum, which is open between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Saturday, cost £4 for adults, £3 for senior citizens and students, £2 for children aged five to 15, and £10 for a family of two adults and up to four children; under fives are admitted free of charge.

For more details visit www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk or telephone 01590 676969; for more information about Colin See-Paynton visit
www.see-paynton.co.uk.

Lives Less Ordinary, a new exhibition at St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery, Lymington running from Saturday 15th November 2014 until Saturday 10th January 2015, celebrates the lives of nearly 30 local residents who made a mark both close to home and nationally.

The exhibition provides a chance to discover more about this eclectic mix of people whose exploits and influence and vision brought them to prominence or notoriety on the New Forest coast and beyond. These range from GO Smith (1872-1943), the David Beckham of his day, captain of the England Football team and every schoolboy's idol to religious cult leader Mary Ann Girling (1827-1886), founder of a sect called The People of God, also known as the New Forest Shakers.

Other people of note featured in the exhibition include: occult novelist Dennis Wheatley (1897-1977); Arthur Philip (1738-1814), who originally founded the colony of New South Wales, and was the beginning of what would eventually become the nation of Australia; local hero Sir Harry Burrard-Neale (1755-1813, a British officer in the Royal Navy and MP for Lymington; John Howlett (1863-1974), who helped shape modern Lymington; Andrew Peterson (1813-1906) the eccentric builder of Sway Tower, a 66m high Grade II listed folly in the heart of the New Forest; and Charles William Retford (1875-1970), the best violin bow craftsman of his time.

The lives of contemporary figures will also be showcased such as Sammy Miller, championship winning motorcycle racer, in both road racing and trials, and Sir Ben Ainslie; the most successful sailor in Olympic history he has won medals at five consecutive Olympic Games including gold at the last four.

The exhibition is supported by law firm Clarke Willmott.

Tickets to Lives Less Ordinary and St Barbe Museum, which is open between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Saturday, cost £4 for adults, £3 for senior citizens and students, £2 for children aged five to 15, and £10 for a family of two adults and up to four children; under fives are admitted free of charge.

For more details visit www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk or telephone 01590 676969. Follow on Twitter @StBarbeMuseum and visit the museum’s Facebook page searching for St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery.

October half-term Lake District cottage for four reduced to £595pw

Set beside a gentle flowing beck, above bustling Bowness and the shores of Lake Windermere, Ryebank has been reduced down to £595 for four (saving £70 on the full price of £665) during half-term week from Friday 24th October. Families can take their pick from a range of attractions in Bowness including the famous World of Beatrix Potter, mini-golf, lake cruises, Royalty Cinema and the Old Laundry Theatre as well as the many shops, cafés and restaurants.

Book through Lake District cottage specialists Lakelovers on
015394 88855 or click on www.lakelovers.co.uk.




Former Milking Parlour with games room
near Wookey Hole Caves and Cheddar Gorge
October half-term £530pw for four

A former milking parlour sleeping four near the Somerset village of Wookey and the famous caves at Wookey Hole and Cheddar Gorge is available for half-term week from Friday, 24th October. When the children aren’t busy exploring underground they can play table tennis in the games room alongside the cottage. The cathedral city of Wells and Glastonbury with its tor are also within easy reach for days out. Newly converted using sympathetic local materials and preserving many original features, the smartly furnished cottage has oak beams and high vaulted ceilings. It’s priced at £530 for the week through Helpful Holidays on 01647 434063, www.helpfulholidays.com ref E31.



Update August 2014

Under £100pppw

In September, a North Devon cottage from £592pw (£74pppw) for eight plus dog

Prettily furnished Chapel Cottage is just over a mile from the coast at Welcombe in an unspoilt corner of North Devon. Sleeping eight plus the dog, it’s well situated for a late summer break walking the South West Coast Path with your four-legged friend, birdwatching and enjoying the natural landscape. An ancient, thatched good food pub is just 100 yards, while the large village of Hartland is around a mile and the sandy beaches at Bude in North Cornwall are 12 miles. Attached to an old chapel at one end, the aptly named cottage is priced from £74pppw (£592 in total) during September through Helpful Holidays on 01647 434063, www.helpfulholidays.com ref K29.

 

 

Thursday, 2nd October 7pm
Australian wine dinner with Berton Vineyard and Adnams wine shippers
The White Lion Hotel at Aldeburgh, is offering a rare opportunity to sample a selection of top quality wines at a gourmet wine dinner hosted by Paul Bartholomaeus from the Berton Vineyard in Yenda, New South Wales on Thursday, 2nd October in association with local wine shippers, Adnams. The exclusive evening will include a tutored tasting and wines masterfully matched to a four-course dinner with dishes created by the hotel’s talented Head Chef, Ben Hegarty. Arrive for a welcome drink at 7pm with the dinner served from 7.30pm. Early booking is recommended as places are limited for this event, which is priced at £45 per person for the four courses and wine, or make a night of it from £105 for two sharing an Explorer room including full Suffolk breakfast. To reserve a place call the White Lion on 01728 452720, www.whitelion.co.uk. The Australian wine dinner is an Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival Fringe event.
 

Friday 3rd October 7pm
An evening with Adnams and Simpers
The White Lion at Aldeburgh’s Head Chef Ben Hegarty has worked closely with fresh fish suppliers Simpers of Suffolk to create a local fish and shellfish menu carefully matched with Adnams beers and ales. The evening will be hosted by Jonathan Simper and Fergus Fitzgerald, the head brewer from Adnams, who will talk through their experiences and life working in Suffolk. Starting at 7pm with an aperitif, the evening is priced at £35 per person for the three courses and beers; overnight stays can be booked from £150 for two sharing an Explorer room including full Suffolk breakfast. To make a reservation call the White Lion on 01728 452720, www.whitelion.co.uk; the Adnams and Simpers evening is an Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival Fringe event.
 

Saturday 11th October 2pm
Mad Hatter Macaron and Mini-meringue Hands-on Cookery Workshop
The White Lion at Aldeburgh’s pastry chef and East Anglian award winning cake maker, Anmar, is hosting a hands-on workshop to make macarons and mini-meringues. She will also be offering tastings, tips and ideas and, at the end of the afternoon, you can take your cakes back home to share and enjoy with friends and family. The workshop will be followed by a sparkling afternoon tea with a glass of Prosecco themed on the popular novel, Alice in Wonderland. Starting at 2pm the workshop and tea is priced at £32 per person, to book call the White Lion on 01728 452720, www.whitelion.co.uk. The Mad Hatter Macaron and Mini-meringue Workshop is an Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival Fringe event.

Tuesday 7th October 9am
Meet the Chef Lunch and cooking demonstration
Spend the morning in Aldeburgh with the Brudenell Hotel’s Head Chef James Barber and walk in his footsteps on a tour of the town’s foodie destinations. The day starts at 9am for coffee and pastries in the hotel’s stunning sea-view private dining room. Afterwards, James will take you on a walking tour around Aldeburgh stopping first at the local fisherman's hut to collect fresh fish and meet Dean, who will explain more about his daily catch. The walk continues to Aldeburgh Market to pick up some fresh, local fruit and vegetables and back to the Brudenell for a live cooking demonstration on how to cook the fish en papillote and make the perfect bakewell tart with real custard. Then sit down to a two-course lunch and sample the fruits of your labour. Places are priced at £35 per person; after lunch spend the afternoon exploring the area and stay the night from £150 for two sharing an Aldeburgh room including a full Suffolk breakfast. To book call the Brudenell on 01728 452071, www.brudenellhotel.co.uk; the Meet the Chef event is part of the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival Fringe.

Wednesday, 8th October 7pm
M.Chapoutier gourmet wine dinner with Mentzendorff
Fine wine and food lovers are invited to join a gourmet dinner at the Brudenell Hotel on Aldeburgh on Wednesday 8th October to sample elegant wines from world famous producer Michel Chapoutier hosted by Matthieu Barrere, Brand Manager at shippers Mentzendorff. The experience begins at 7pm with an aperitif and canapés followed by the dinner at 7.30pm with a new wine carefully matched to each of the four courses. Places, priced at £45 per person, can be booked by calling the Brudenell on 01728 452071, www.brudenellhotel.co.uk, or wine, dine and stay from £210 for two sharing an Aldeburgh room including full Suffolk breakfast. The gourmet dinner is an Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival Fringe event.

Brudenell and White Lion Hotels plus restaurants around Aldeburgh

Thursday, 9th October 7pm
Aldeburgh Progressive Supper
Take part in a unique dining experience on Thursday, 9th October with each course taken at a different restaurant in Aldeburgh. The Progressive Supper starts at 7pm with drinks and canapés at the Brudenell Hotel and continues with a course at the White Lion Hotel and Regatta and Lighthouse restaurants. Places are priced at £39.50 per person for the supper and rooms can be booked from £105 for two sharing; to make a reservation call the White Lion on 01728 452720, www.whitelion.co.uk.The Progressive supper is an Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival Fringe event.

Both the white Lion and Brudenell hotels are privately owned and overlook the stunning heritage coast; the White Lion offers relaxed brasserie style dining while the Brudenell has opened a new AA two rosette Seafood & Grill, which has a more serious food and wine offer. It’s also idyllically located just steps away from the beach with spectacular, uninterrupted sea views. For information about the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival visit www.aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk and for others things to see and do in Aldeburgh see www.aldeburgh-breaks.co.uk.