Brian Longland reports:  We had brilliant sunshine all weekend. Lots of stalls, bouncy castle, face painting, magician, dunk tank, splat the rat and other games. Over 50 rowing races including teams from the Dartmouth RNLI, Darthaven and Noss Marinas, Kingswear School teachers, Kingswear School children, parents and of course Kingswear Rowing Club members.

2.  Sharpham Vineyard Wins Trophy

Sharpham Vineyard on the banks of the river Dart has recently picked up a hatful of awards at both international and national competitions.

Nine medals were awarded at both the International Wine Challenge and the Decanter World Wines Awards. Also at the English and Welsh Wine of the Year Competition, Sharpham wines picked up a further 8 awards including the Trophy for the UK’s ‘Best Oaked White Wine’. Duncan Schwab – Sharpham’s winemaker said, “We are very proud to have achieved this recognition and it once again proves that our little vineyard, on the banks of the river Dart, is at the forefront of winemaking in the UK”.

3.   Good Beer Guide

Castle Hotel makes it to the 2010 CAMRA Good beer guide !!!  Of the 55 ,000 pubs in the UK only 4,500 make it to the good beer guide.  The Royal Castle Hotel is one of only 29 in the South Devon region which covers an area from Salcombe, through Kingsbridge and around the south side ot Dartmoor to Chagford and down to the Exe estuary.  Nigel Way the proprietor said " Nic was like a dog with two tails when he discovered he had got the hotel into the Good Beer Guide. It is a tribute to him and his bar staff that our cellar management and care of ales has been recognised, I think CAMRA is a great organisation, they have been campaigning for Real Ales and drinkers' rights since the early 1970 s.  We have been trying to get into the Guide since the 1980s and it takes a South African to do it !!"   Nic Ponticakis said " Mr Way was over the moon, you can't buy your way into this Guide; we have a policy of only using local products and we have 3 fine West Country products, Bays Beer from just across the river in Paignton, Jail Ale from up on Dartmoor and Doombar up from Sharpes Brewery in Cornwall.  Nigel Way said " Nic has also been invited to help judge the 'Champion Beer of Festival' from over 100 ales on offer at the South Devon Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale 27th Beer Festival which is to be held on 17th, 18th and 19th of September 2009, at the Newton Abbot Racecourse, Kingsteignton Road, Newton Abbot."

4.   Sea Roots weekend

Miss Torbay, Maddy Watkins and Lady in Waiting, Vicky Nagy get in the swim to open the Sea Fest Sea Roots community arts weekend.

The pair will be at Living Coasts this Saturday morning to open the third weekend of Sea Fest, Torbay’s marine heritage festival.  The weekend will feature art made out of seashore rubbish, sand sculpture, music and film.

The Sea Roots weekend, on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September, focuses on the connection between the sea and art.  Activities will be taking place at Living Coasts, Torre Abbey and Torre Abbey Sands.

6.   Small News

• Is your business visible on the Internet?  And can people find you?  We estimate that 95% of searches are carried out through Google or one of its associates.  They have a system called Google PageRank™ and on most search terms including the all important single word "Dartmouth" we are officially the second of the three major Dartmouth web sites.  On a lot of searches we are Number One, just try it??  So why not advertise with us?  Click here to make contact or call Dave or Jill on 01803 833366
  
   

• Fruits de Mer at Browns -Thursday 24th September.  James Brown invites you to celebrate Dartmouth's best produce with an evening at Browns. Platters of Fruits de Mer including lobster, crab, scallops, mussels and clams served with green salad and frites.  There will also be a selection of desserts for those with big appetites! The price of the seafood platter is a recession busting £19.50pp  Call 01803 832572 now to book your table
   

Why not come and visit Dartmouth?

• Self catering accommodation click here
   
• Dartmouth B and B  click here
   
• Dartmouth Hotels click here
   
• A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

Images copyright Dave Cawley,  Brian Longland & others.