Wray Valley Winter Update:
Festive greetings from Wray Valley! As we ring in the new year, we’re excited to share updates on our accommodation in this Winter Newsletter. Our B&B will be closed in January for a brief break and building work. However, our Eco-Bothies and campsite remain open for a sustainable Dartmoor retreat. But the real highlight is our upcoming wassail celebration and conservation weekend (24-25 January), where you can join us in toasting the orchard and lending a hand to conserve the woods. Keep an eye out for more details on this fun event, and don’t hesitate to book your Wray Valley escape soon.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to creating more unforgettable memories together in the future!
Happy reading!
Michelle & Kevin
- Sustainability Recognition
- A Festive Wassail and Conservation Weekend Combined
- Rural Winter Woes: Navigating Unpredictable Events in the Countryside
- Improvements & Eco-Friendly Upgrades
- Delicious B&B Recipes Now Online
- Annual Prize Draw: Share Your Feedback and Win
- Book Now for 2026: Discounts on B&B Stays and Eco-Bothies
- Whats On Locally
Sustainability Recognition
West Country Women Awards 2025
We are proud to share that Michelle was recently recognised as a runner-up in the WestCountry Women Awards’ Green Business of the Year category. This prestigious award is open to businesses across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, and Michelle was honoured to be among the finalists. While recognition is appreciated, our primary focus remains on improving energy efficiency and sustainability at Wray Valley, rather than pursuing awards. So, we have decided not to enter any more competitions, instead channelling our time and effort into further green initiatives.
As we continue to prioritise sustainability at Wray Valley, we encourage you to reflect on your own environmental practices and join us in our efforts to create a more eco-friendly world. Remember, small actions can lead to significant impacts.
Our Woods are Ecologically Valuable
Our wet woodland has been nominated as a County Wildlife Site by the Devon Biodiversity Records Centre, a testament to its ecological value. While the designation is pending confirmation in February, this nomination already underscores the importance of our conservation efforts. We’re excited to invite volunteers to join us for our upcoming wassail and conservation weekend in January. Together, we can celebrate the woodland’s potential while actively contributing to its protection and enhancement. Your participation will not only support biodiversity but also help us prepare for the possibility of officially becoming a CWS.
A Festive Wassail and Conservation Weekend Combined
Mark your calendars for our Conservation Weekend (24-25 January) and Orchard Wassail night 24 January.
Last year, we had the pleasure of having our apple trees wassailed by the Elfins from Woodcraft Folk and a parent member of Beltane Morris, and the result was a fantastic bumper apple crop! This January, weather permitting, we’re planning to hold another wassail evening with our neighbours, friends, and of course, all of you are invited to join in on the festivities. Come enjoy some mulled cider or apple juice and campfire treats as we celebrate together.
Volunteering
Combining festivities with conservation efforts, we’re also inviting you to participate in our conservation weekend, where we’ll implement the first stages of our woodland management plan. Activities will include holly thinning, alder ring barking, and more.
Celebrating
During the conservation weekend, we’ll fuel your hard work with delicious meals: soup and jacket potatoes in the evening, breakfast baps in the morning, and cake plus refreshments throughout the day. The wassailing celebration will take place on Saturday night, nestled between your conservation efforts, fuelled by cider and apple juice.
Staying
If you are volunteering on both days then you can stay in the Eco Bothies or on the Campsite for free. B&B accomodation may be available depending on the progression of the building work.
If you’re interested in joining us for the wassail, conservation work, or both, please let us know in advance so we can plan accordingly. We’d love to have you there!
Rural Winter Woes: Navigating Unpredictable Events in the Countryside
Winter in the countryside can be unpredictable, as recent events at Wray Valley have shown. Despite our efforts to prepare for the season, we’ve encountered some unexpected challenges, from an overturned gritter lorry to a cunning fox raid on our chicken coop. In this section, we’ll share how our community pulled together and what we’ve learned about securing our coop. Read on to find out more about our rural winter adventures!
Bizarre Roadblock on a Winter’s Evening
The past few weeks have been quite eventful. You may have seen photos in the Devon media, taken by us, of an upturned gritter lorry that caused quite a stir. The incident occurred near our neighbour’s driveway, where the lorry was jammed upside down, blocking the road at a 90-degree angle. The driver fortunately suffered only minor head injuries, but the spilled load of salt required a digger and road sweeper for clean-up, which took 8 hours. During this time, the school bus and other vehicles were stuck on the other side of the lorry. Kevin stepped in to direct traffic, as concerned parents arrived to collect their children who were escorted through a field during the twilight hours.
A Fox’s Sneaky Feast: Lessons in Securing the Coop
Unfortunately, amidst the chaos we were distracted and forgot to secure the chicken shed , leading to a tragic event. A cunning fox managed to sneak in and took four of our seven chickens, perhaps even one of your favourites. The remaining three traumatised chickens are now vacationing in the polytunnel during the day, and we have set up a trail cam to spot the sneaky fox!
Storm Bram: Dartmoor in Amber Warning Area
During the recent storm, Storm Bram, we were relatively lucky. Despite being in an Amber Warning area getting away with only a 3-hour power cut before midday. Fortunately, our backup solar battery kept us going for a couple of hours. A tree leaning against the HV lines—just off the Wray Valley Trail—had shorted the supply, but thankfully the damage wasn’t too severe. Several other trees and branches did come down in the woods.
Our weather station only recorded 40mm of rain in 24 hours, as we are fortunate to be in the Dartmoor rain shadow. The Wray Brook was still quite high draining areas higher up on the moor. The path to Oak pitch by the weir completely submerged. Our sleeper bridge was underwater, and we were relieved to see it still there once the river receded. The wet woodland (temperate rainforest) habitat is certainly living up to its name, and it’s making access to the hammock pitch areas quite tricky!
Test Content to see if it works
Improvements & Eco-Friendly Upgrades
During the quiet winter months we will be making several enhancements to our facilities.
A Spacious Redesign: Teign Bedroom & Bathroom Renovation
In our ongoing effort to enhance guest comfort and experience, we’re undertaking renovations in our smallest bedroom, Teign. We’re shifting the wall 18″ into the existing bathroom to create a more spacious bedroom. The bathroom will be reduced in size, but we’re upgrading it with a luxurious walk-in quadrant rainfall shower, replacing the toilet with an efficient low-volume dual flush, and updating the sink for a cohesive look. The bathroom will also receive new flooring, fresh paint, and new tiles for a complete transformation.
Please note that our B&B will be temporarily closed during the wall demolition and rebuild, currently scheduled for January. However, the Bovey and Dart rooms will be made available to guests once the wall is successfully moved, even as we finish up the remaining redecoration.
Stay tuned on social media for updates on our Teign bedroom and bathroom renovations, and be among the first to experience the refreshed space when it’s complete!
Going Greener: The Journey to Heat Pump Installation
As part of our long-term plan for a more sustainable Wray Valley, we’ve been gradually working towards the installation of a heat pump. Our ancient oil boiler, which we knew wouldn’t last forever, needed a greener replacement. Over time, we’ve prepared our property for this change by installing a heat pump-ready intelligent hot water tank, adding underfloor heating to our guest lounge and bedrooms, and increasing our solar panel capacity with an additional 16 panels and a battery.
This hasn’t been a straightforward process, as our unique house design, with its multiple extensions and rooms, doesn’t fit the standard heat pump installation mold. And our desire to selectively heat only occupied areas during the low season adds another layer of complexity.
An Air Tightness Test provided valuable insights into our home’s energy efficiency, and the results were encouraging! The test showed that we could use a smaller heat pump than the standard guidelines suggest, making our transition to greener heating even more efficient.
Heat pump installation is scheduled for the beginning of March but may be brough forward. Stay tuned as we continue to navigate this exciting journey towards a more sustainable Wray Valley!
High-Tech Hot Water Solution
Our resident tech guru, Kevin, is putting his software development skills to work on a unique solution for our hot water woes. During busy times, we’ve struggled with demand exceeding our tank’s capabilities. While our system heats water quickly, it can’t handle the drain of 5 or 6 showers at once—not to mention dishes! And some guests aren’t aware that we don’t have “hot water on demand”, so they drain away lukewarm water hoping it will get hotter – it won’t!
To address this, Kevin’s building a clever gauge system with a Raspberry Pi Pico and screen that we’ll install in the shower cabin. Soon, guests will be able to monitor the remaining hot water and gauge if there’s enough for their shower. This high-tech solution will not only improve the guest experience but also help us conserve energy and manage our water resources more effectively. Keep an eye out for updates as Kevin progresses with this exciting project!
Delicious B&B Recipes Now Online
Explore our freshly launched recipe page, showcasing dishes inspired by Wray Valley’s surroundings.
Michelle is excited to announce that she’s started adding her popular B&B recipes to our website. Currently, you’ll find Focaccia, Devon Apple Cake, and Cinnamon Rolls, but more mouthwatering dishes are on the way. Keep an eye out for Chard Soup, Sausage and Bean Casserole, and Chilli Con Carne. The only thing holding Michelle back from adding more recipes is her lack of photos—she’s usually too eager to serve the food to snap a picture!
If you try any of these recipes, please share your feedback and photos with us! We’d love to hear your thoughts and see your culinary recreations.
Annual Prize Draw: Share Your Feedback and Win
Every year, during your stay or visit, we invite you to complete our feedback survey. As a thank you for sharing your valuable insights, we offer a fantastic prize—a free 2-night stay in the Dart Room in our B&B before the start of the season. The prize draw is open to all visitors, including day visitors, not just the person who made the booking. Entries close on the 24th of December, so there’s still time to participate and enter for your chance to win. If you missed out this year, keep an eye out for next year’s draw.
Please note that only entries by genuine visitors to Wray Valley are permitted. We will verify the name of your lead guest and dates of stay/visit against our booking system before your entry is accepted.
Book Now for 2026: Discounts on B&B Stays and Eco-Bothies
Start planning your 2026 getaway! For B&B bookings, take advantage of discounts on stays of 2+ nights midweek and 3+ nights on weekends (excluding bank holidays). If you’re opting for an Eco-Bothy, use code ECO15 for 15% off.
Lock in your preferred accommodation today, as 2025 rates are valid until April 1st. Whether you choose the B&B, the campsite or an Eco-Bothy, booking early ensures you won’t miss out on your favourite spot!
Book Direct for Better Value
When you book directly with Wray Valley, you can enjoy the flexibility of cancelling without penalty up to 14 days before your arrival date, and we may even be able to offer flexibility with later date changes. This allows you to plan your trip with peace of mind, knowing that if your plans change, you won’t be stuck with fees or charges. As the business owners, we understand that plans can change unexpectedly, and we’ll try our best to work with you to find a solution that suits your needs and ours.
Whats On Locally
There’s something happening throughout the year so why not plan your stay around a local event. Here’s the broad outline of what is coming up in 2026 with the dates if we have them.
- Turning of the Year 2025 – 10 January in Moretonhampstead Parish Hall, musicians and storytellers celebrate the end of 2025 and the start of 2026 all for charity
- Lustleigh Orchard Wassail with Beltane Border Morris – 17 January 2026
- Bovey Book Fest 2026 – Childrens Book Festival
- Bovey Tracey Green Man Festival – Last Saturday in April (25th), pagan merriment, music and stalls
- Lustleigh May Day – first Saturday in May (2 May)
- Moreton Mini Music Day – tbc Free music festival celebrates musicians, aged 18 and under
- Bovey Craft Festival – 12 – 14 June, over 200 makers, workshops over 3 days
- Great Big Green Week Bovey Tracey – 13-21 June
- Moretonhampstead Flag Festival – tbc usually last 2 weeks in June (back after a year off)
- Moreton Music Day – tbc normally beginning of July – day of free music (noon till midnight) at several locations around the town in aid of local charities.
- Bovey Tracey Carnival – starts last Saturday in July (25 July) ending with the parade the following Saturday
- Dartmoor Folk Festival – 7-9 August, South Zeal
- Moretonhampstead Carnival Food Festival – first day of carnival week on tbc 22 August
- Chagford Show, 20 August, traditional large country show
- Moreton Carnival – a week of fun with a parade of floats on 27 August
- Manaton Show and Fair – tbc (8 August), traditional village fair
- Lustleigh Show – August Bank Holiday Monday 31 August
- Dartmoor Outdoor Festival – 28 August to 4 September, celebrating community and the best of what Dartmoor has to offer
- Bovey Festival – Food & Drink – tbc Saturday in early September
- Widecombe Fair – 8 September (always the second Tuesday in September)
- Devon Open Studios – 12 – 20 September 2025
- Lustleigh Boxing Day Duck Dash – December 26
Thanks for Reading
As always, thank you for your support and for choosing Wray Valley. We hope to see you soon, creating new memories and celebrating the beauty of Dartmoor together. As we wrap up this edition of our newsletter, we hope that you’ve found it an enjoyable read. We encourage you to share our newsletter with friends who might also appreciate the insights and updates from Wray Valley.
Your support means the world to us. We’d be truly grateful if you could take a moment to like and follow us on social media (@WrayValley) and subscribe to our YouTube Channel. By doing so, you’ll stay connected with our latest news, events, and developments, as well as help others discover the beauty and excitement of Wray Valley.
We wish you a wonderful time ahead, filled with unforgettable adventures, memorable experiences, and precious moments with loved ones. We look forward to sharing more stories and updates with you in the coming months and hopefully seeing you here soon. Until next time!
