A racing start to the New Year - and other things to do
The annual hangover season reaches its crescendo on New Year’s Day. But with resolutions to be kept, at least for a few hours anyway, you may have decided not to tarnish the first day of 2013 with a pounding head but to venture outdoors and see what’s on offer in the Westountry.
From bracing beach walks to horse racing on Haldon Hill and moorland ambles to icy plunges into the sea, if fresh air is your beginning of choice the Westcountry has oodles to offer.
Horse racing at Exeter Racecourse has been a tradition for more than 30 years, and when the first race comes under starters’ orders at 12.45pm there will be thousands of people enjoying the camaraderie of a day at the races.
Cheer home the winners with a group of friends, your family - racing is free to everyone aged 17 and under - or go in the hope of finding new love. It’s about the only sport you can feasibly say who do you fancy, when viewing the horses in the paddock of course, and with the racecard as an icebreaker, your New Year’s resolution of sorting out your love life may just be resolved.
The free bus leaves Exeter St David’s at 11.10am and Exeter’s Bus and Coach Station at 11.25am and returns half an hour after the last race. Tickets cost £17 and £22 on the day with discounts for pre-booked tickets and 25pc off up to midnight on Christmas eve. Go to Exeter-racecourse.co.uk or call 01392 832599 for more information.
A dip in the ocean is the beginning of choice for many, not least because the excesses of the night before will be fast forgotten. At Newquay Harbour, a fundraising swim will not only beguile bystanders, but help raise money for good causes too. Strip off for £5 at midday for CLIC Sargent, a charity which helps children with cancer.
You could be part of a merry throng shouting for English championship team Cornish Pirates who play Bristol at their home ground at Newquay. Kick off is at 2pm. Information on tickets is available at Cornish-pirates.com.
Dartmoor, in clear weather, is a delicious place to discover and a stroll followed by lunch will start the year in good style. Try the isolated Warren House Inn between Princetown and Mortonhampstead, a pub steeped in history where the fire has been burning since 1845, perfect to relax and enjoy lunch.
For a really unique experience head to the Exmoor Owl and Hawk Centre near Minehead and you can enjoy a taster day where a walk with alpacas is followed by an opportunity to fly two owls in a medieval barn, followed by soup, a roll, mince pie and cream. This costs £20 per person with children half price. The River and Field Bird of Prey Experience, at £30 per person, involves flying three bird of prey in fields and by the private river trails, or in the barn if the weather is poor. Pre-bookings are essential and can be made by calling 01643 862816 or visiting exmoorfalconry.co.uk.
The Discovery Trail at Haldon Forest Park, a 1.5 mile way-marked trail, is great for all the family, whether you’re on a bike or walking, and there are plenty of features for children to enjoy. If you are feeling more adventurous, try the 2.5miles lone Tree Trail which goes deep into the forest and passes some of Haldon’s tallest trees. Parking charges apply and the park shuts at 5pm.
Whether its fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast, an energizing walk along the coast path, a mosey along Plymouth’s waterfront, or a mad, chaotic fling to the retail sales, a clear head on January 1 will help ensure 2013 is a year to make things happen.
However, if superstition is true, the laundry should definitely wait until another day. Some say its symbolic of washing someone out of your life and for others it has been translated as: “If you work on New Year’s Day, you’ll be working all year.” In this day and age maybe that isn’t such a bad thing.
