Flaming Tar Barrels - Bonfire Night at Ottery St Mary in Devon

By Heather Woodland

Imagine a crisp November night. It's cold and dark, but you're out in the town square and it's so full of people it's almost warm: people drinking beer and talking, craning their necks and waiting for something to happen.

Around the corner is a bonfire, probably the biggest you've ever seen, because this is Bonfire Night, the 5th of November, when in 1605 Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up Parliament. And this is Ottery St Mary, in East Devon, where Bonfire Night is the biggest event of the year. So the bonfire, the fair and the fireworks are all here, but there's something unique to Ottery as well, and people come from miles around every year to see it.

Suddenly, a shout goes out, and the crowd starts to push forward and cheer, as some of the local people haul flaming tar-soaked barrels onto their backs and run around the square and through the streets. Each barrel is sponsored by a local pub or hotel, and is set alight there and carried through the streets. Boys have the smallest barrels and start in the late afternoon, followed by women and youths. Men have bigger barrels, with the biggest one, weighing 30kg, being carried around the square at midnight.

It's a great honour to carry the tar barrels. Some have been carried by generations of the same families, and the Guy for the bonfire has been made by the same family since 1958. But why do the people of Ottery do this?

Ottery St Mary has kept its tradition of flaming tar barrels for hundreds of years now. It's probably connected with Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, but the origin of the tar barrel tradition is unknown now.

In fact, here are some of the wildly differing reasons that have been suggested for it:

* Warning of the approach of the Spanish Armada

* Fumigating the local cottages

* Scaring away the Black Death plague rats

* Pagan rituals to ward off evil spirits

* Ridding the streets of the devil

Historically, the Westcountry has long traditions of torchlight processions and rolling barrels, which the residents of Ottery may have taken one or two steps further.

And it's good that they did: winter is cold, and the nights are dark. Every child in Britain learns to 'remember, remember, the fifth of November.' Why not remember with a fiery celebration, and flaming tar barrels carried through the night in the heart of Devon?

The Ottery Tar Barrel processions are held on the 5th of November every year, or on the 4th if the 5th is a Sunday. Read more, with photos of the Ottery Tar Barrels at http://www.otterytarbarrels.co.uk.

If you're considering a trip to Devon, visit Stairway to Devon, the Devon directory and travel guide for holidays in Devon.

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Devon With Toddlers - Five Family Attractions For Toddlers In Devon

By Heather Woodland

As one of the UK's most popular family holiday destinations, Devon provides many family attractions. Some are farm based, some are adventure based, some are quirky, and some are huge attractions that cater to all age groups. As a Devon native, I've visited many, and these are my favourite family attractions for visiting with toddlers.

1) Living Coasts, Torquay

This coastal zoo's small size makes it well suited for a half day visit, and ideal for a toddler's attention span, as well as older children. Designed for sea birds and coastal wildlife, it has penguins, which are always popular!

2) Haldon Forest Park, Kennford (south west of Exeter)

Haldon Forest Park has a family play trail with a playground (best for slightly older children) at the beginning, little wooden buildings, playgrounds and sculptures dotted around in the middle, and giant wooden musical instruments for the children to play with at the other end.

The trail itself is quite long, making 2 - 3 hours' walk with small children, so bring outdoor clothes, plenty of supplies and a sturdy pushchair if you're planning to walk the whole way round.

3) World of Country Life, Exmouth

World of Country Life is big enough for a whole day out, and has many indoor and outdoor play areas suitable for toddlers, including outdoor playgrounds and play houses, and indoor soft play areas for different age groups, with ball pits and ride on toys for the little ones. They also have areas with farm animals and pets, and a mini train ride to feed llamas.

4) National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth

The National Marine Aquarium is built on several floors, and you start at the top, where there is a children's soft play area and cafe (be warned - if you've paid to get in, you might want to whizz through that part and leave it till after-wards!)

The top floor is aimed more at older children, but the next one down has a tank for coastal animals and plants along one side of a room, at just at the right level for toddlers to look into, with a rock pool area in the middle. You'll need to lift up toddlers to look in the tanks along the next corridor, but around the corner there is a huge two storey room with a fish tank taking up the whole wall, and model whales overhead.

Corridors from this room lead to the shark exhibit, the coral reefs exhibit, and of course the lift, which has buttons to push and a colour-changing waterfall - probably at least as interesting to toddlers as the fish themselves!

5) Beer Pecorama

Beer Pecorama has rides on little trains - need I say more! Toddlers will have fun exploring all the hidden pathways, and you'll find it also has some very pleasant walled garden areas, outdoor playgrounds, an indoor area with model trains, and a stage area for children's entertainment.

Given the many excellent family attractions provided in Devon, I know this list is nowhere near complete, but I hope it might be a good starting point for those with very young children. Devon can be a great family holiday destination for all ages, so if you're planning a family holiday in Devon, I hope you and your toddlers have lots of fun there!

For more information about family attractions and family holidays in Devon, visit Stairway to Devon: the local Devon directory and travel guide for holidays in Devon.

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Welcome to Holidays in Devon

Welcome to Holidays in Devon, my new blog about (yup!) holidays in Devon.

I'm a native of Devon, I've lived there for most of my life, and it's about time I made something of that.

I'm not a retiree, or a second homer, I'm not downsizing or making a 'lifestyle decision'.  I just come from Devon, and I quite like it there.

I don't live there now because my mother in law has been seriously ill, and now we live here instead.  So I guess this is also my blog for when I miss Devon and plan a trip back there to see my family and friends some day.

If you're from Devon, please visit my Devon Directory to publicise your blog or your business