Summer is here! This issue of the magazine has quite a bit going on that will be new to you. The over-arching theme is pleasure! Enjoying Exmoor will mean so many different things to all of you, some of them shared experiences, yet all of them of course unique, because our interaction with this beautiful place is shaped by our own personalities. For me, at pretty much all times, it involves six legs not two, as Hurley and I come as a unit. Apart from when I am in a boat. He draws the line at rowing.
Hurley and I were on duty at Exford Show where a lady on holiday with her horse came up to us and said she really thought that we should do circular rides in the magazine. It must have been fate; sitting next to me was Sara Hudston, who is both a rider and a writer. A plan was hatched. Find out more on page 85!
This is one of the joys of shows – it is great to meet our readers and hear their ideas. You will find us this year at both Exford Show and Dunster Show, and maybe more. Keep an eye on Facebook!
Another reader told us at an event last summer that they felt we should address the lack of cycling in the magazine as well. I happened to mention this to one of our photographers, who then had a word with someone he knew and, Bob’s your uncle, another plan was set in motion. Thus we introduce Gary Scarlett (known on Instagram as @Gazwagon) as a new addition to our team this issue; he has provided his first cycle route for us. And Gary has just emailed to say he’d like to donate his fee to CareMoor!
Next, we introduce Sarah Eveleigh, farming daughter of our farming writer Victoria Eveleigh. Sarah has a new column called ‘Mind Your Own Business’. This idea was dreamt up after an Exmoor day at the Moorland Hall in Wheddon Cross. There, Jo Laver (who manages our ads) and I had a very thought-provoking chat with Nick Hosegood from Three Atop. The gist of it was this: we wondered if there was anything we could do to help inspire young readers and their parents with stories of other young people making a real go of it in land-based work on a self-employed basis. Take a look at page 77 and see what you think of the new column.
As well as riding, cycling, walking and also now driving in this issue, we have a wealth of other pleasures on our pages and I hope that you find something that fits perfectly with your summer plans, whether you are out in the fresh air using arguably the best gym on Earth or cosied up in an armchair taking a trip down memory lane.
Wishing everyone happy reading and a really fantastic summer!
Naomi, Hurley and all the team.