Snowdrop Valley Update

Snowdrops on their way

2012-01-12T02:22:00.000-08:00

Well we are now well into January - apologies for the gap in posts, but we should start to have them a little more regularly now.
Things are all coming together nicely ready for 4th February start date. You should now be able to download our information flyer from the home page of the website, and paper copies will be out an about in the area shortly.
Down to the actual flowers themselves - with the warm weather we have been having, it looks like we may have a bumper crop this year, and in flower by the time we start in February, so if you are wondering when to visit, maybe look at the earlier dates to get the better views?
We are also very excited this year to report that West Somerset Railway are running special trains on three days during half term to include a visit to Snowdrop Valley. (No - extra rails haven't been laid! You ride the train from Bishops Lydeard to Dunster and then are transported on a bus up to Wheddon Cross.) Perhaps you could combine your trip with a train ride?
So some very exciting things happening. More to follow soon.

2012 Dates

2011-09-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

Well the 2012 dates for Snowdrop Valley Park are now available. The Park and Ride will be running from Saturday 4th through to Sunday 26th February, with Drapers Way remaing closed to through traffic for a further week up to Sunday 4th March to allow walkers to continue to enjoy the snowdrops.
More info as it becomes available! Keep checking in.

2011-08-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

Planning is already underway for Snowdrop Valley 2012. Do keep checking in for updates. We hope to bring you the dates for the Park and Ride Scheme very soon.

Last few days.....

2011-03-04T14:04:00.001-08:00

Friday 4th March 10pm
The flowers are getting a bit tired now but should last the weekend. The road is still closed but walkers can follow the green arrows from Wheddon Cross down to the valley. Those with limited mobility can borrow a mobility pass from our staff at the information trailer next to the Rest & Be Thankful Inn.
Thank you to everyone who filled in our questionnaire - especially those who left nice comments regarding the scheme as it's great to hear our hard work is appreciated.

Lost and Found

2011-02-28T07:48:00.001-08:00

Monday 28th February 3:40pm
Each year we collect a small number of items which have been found either on the buses, toilets or walking route so do let us know if you are missing something! We have an item of photography equipment (it is NOT kept in the information trailer!) so if you are missing something camera related please email snowdropvalley@googlemail.com with details of what the item is so we can return it to it's rightful owner. Any items still with us on Monday 7th March will be binned (e.g single gloves!) or taken to Minehead Police Station (hats, glasses, camera equipment etc). We are happy to report that a walking stick found and handed in to our staff has been reunited with it's owner.

No more buses!

2011-02-27T12:21:00.001-08:00

Sunday 27th February 8:15pm
Today was the last day of the park and ride scheme so the only way to see the snowdrops now is to walk or obtain a mobility pass. The road down to the valley is still closed and will remain so until next Sunday. The legal road closure order is provided by West Somerset District Council and enforced by the police so any vehicles using the road without permission can and will be reported to the local constabulary.
The flowers are still worth visiting, but I think the cold weather expected this week may bring them to an end before the weekend. The walking route signs will remain up and our staff will still be on hand in the car park to provide information and assistance.

Last weekend to enjoy the snowdrops by bus

2011-02-25T12:47:00.001-08:00

Friday 25th February 8:40pm
If you still haven't been down to see the snowdrops and wish to take advantage of the park and ride system, this weekend is your last opportunity to do so! From Monday until the following Sunday the road will remain closed with a legal road closure order and access will be on foot or using our mobility pass system available from the car park at the Rest & Be Thankful Inn, Wheddon Cross. Our staff will be on hand to answer any queries, and the green arrows marking the walking route will remain in place for this additional week.
The flowers are still out so grab your wellies (ESSENTIAL!!) as they are unlikely to last for another week.

Interesting day

2011-02-22T12:45:00.001-08:00

Tuesday 22nd 8:35pm
I have been reading responses to our questionnaire survey today and have been very pleased to see the number of positive comments about the organisation, catering, and staff. Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill in one of our forms - we read each one and take your ideas and suggestions to our steering group.
There have been a few comments about the mud (which amuses me as this is the countryside and we can't control the weather!) and a few regarding dog owners who have left dog mess on the paths. PLEASE pick up your dog mess as it's not fair on other visitors, not to mention dangerous.
Only a few days left so if you've not been yet, make sure you come soon before the buses stop running.....

New visitor

2011-02-21T13:27:00.001-08:00

Monday 21st February 9:25pm
Although Wheddon Cross has been stuck in a bank of fog all day today, there were still a few visitors around - one of which was non-human and covered in feathers. Today an Egret popped along to see the snowdrops so keep your eyes peeled and camera at the ready......

Half Term Begins

2011-02-19T10:45:00.001-08:00

Saturday 19th 6:45pm
The half term holidays have begun and we even saw a bit of sunshine this afternoon! Just a reminder to those people with children, under 5s travel on the bus for FREE but do remember to bring wellies and puddle suits.
We have just over 100 of the limited edition jute shopping bags left so don't miss out - buy now! They are amazing value at £4 and include features such as long handles, a mobile phone pocket and a zipped pocket for change.
The park and ride closes on the 27th February so come and ride the bus while you still can!

Water Water Everywhere.....

2011-02-18T07:34:00.001-08:00

Friday 18th 3:30pm
Unfortunately the ladies loos in the car park have decided to give up on us today and the work required to rectify the problem will be carried out later today or tomorrow. It appears that something has been flushed into the system that shouldn't have been so thank you to the person who did that.
Fortunately the landlord of the Rest and Be Thankful Inn has very kindly said that ladies may use his facilities but may I ask you to please be considerate and wash your boots off first so he doesn't have second thoughts....thank you!
My wonderful staff and the bus drivers are preparing themselves for the forthcoming schools half term holidays so please be patient if you arrive during a busy period - the snowdrops aren't going anywhere!

Watch your step

2011-02-17T04:57:00.001-08:00

Thursday 17th 1pm
Please be aware that it is still very muddy on the walk down to the valley and with large numbers of visitors expected for the school half term holidays it is unlikely to improve.
WELLIES ARE ESSENTIAL for those wishing to walk down to the valley and walking poles or walking sticks may come in handy too if you have them. Exmoor National Park Authority are going to be carrying out some works to the worst section first thing in the morning, but the weather conditions are not going to help the situation.
If you want to ride the bus down and back please also be aware that walking boots or wellies are advisable because of the puddles and sticky sections. We strongly recommend not wearing sandals, trainers, high heeled shoes or anything that cannot be washed off in a bucket!

Mud mud glorious mud!

2011-02-16T09:26:00.001-08:00

Wednesday 16th 5:20pm
Even though it has been very wet today there have been lots of people around. We are trying to get the message out that wellies are essential, but we've seen some 'interesting' footwear!!
Please be patient if you happen to arrive during a busy period and have to queue for the buses. We try to arrange the schedule to take account of peak times, but can't get it right all of the time.
Thank you!

Snowdrops selling fast!

2011-02-14T11:19:00.001-08:00

Monday 14th 7:10pm
Even though we had a hail shower this afternoon, Valentine's Day at Snowdrop Valley was bright and sunny with lots of people around enjoying the good weather.
The good news is the School Garden Club's snowdrops have been selling like hot cakes; the bad news is that there are not many left - at the moment! More snowdrop bulbs are on their way and will hopefully be available for sale during half term (the last week of the scheme). At only £1.50 per pot they are a bargain so bring plenty of change when you visit!!

Return of the rain!

2011-02-13T09:44:00.001-08:00

Sunday 13th 5:40pm
Even though it has been raining most of the day there were still quite a few people walking and busing down to the snowdrops. Obviously the puddles are bigger and the muddy sections muddier so PLEASE WEAR WELLIES!
The Snowdrop Cafe is not open on Monday or Tuesday this week however the Exmoor House Hotel Tea Room and Rest and Be Thankful Inn will be. The Snowdrop Cafe opens again on Wednesday and will be available to customers until the park and ride shuts on the 27th February. The Market Cafe will be open again on Saturday right through to the end of the scheme too.
Don't forget the Garden Club run for the school children is still selling potted snowdrops and useful carry bags too available from the information trailer in the pub car park.

Busy busy busy!

2011-02-12T09:04:00.001-08:00

Saturday 12th 5pm
Cars everywhere today so lots of people taking advantage of the good weather. I'd like to thank the bus drivers on duty for their hard work and also to my staff at the information trailer who dealt with all sorts of incidents including two lost elderly walkers (returned to their hotel by Digger) and queues of passengers waiting to travel down into the valley and back out again.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is very wet but the snowdrops don't mind it so put on your wellies and raincoats and come out anyway.
Oh, one last thing. If you've got little children, I can highly recommend putting them in a puddle suit - not only to keep mud off clothes, but also so they can enjoy the big puddles.....!!

Hail!

2011-02-12T06:06:00.001-08:00

Saturday 12th 2pm
I enjoyed a visit down to the snowdrops this morning and they are opening out nicely. We didn't see any wildlife, but plenty of people on foot and by bus enjoying the spectacle. One unwanted site was a pair of racing quad bikes and riders ignoring the road closure order so their number plates were noted and reported to the police. Driving into the valley without a Residents Pass or Mobility Pass means drivers are breaking a legal road closure order which is enforced by the police.
We enjoyed a cup of tea and slice of cake in the Snowdrop Cafe and managed to get home just before a sudden hail storm! Don't forget to bring wellies and rain coats - it is Exmoor after all.....

The weather man says.....

2011-02-11T08:31:00.001-08:00

Friday 11th 4:20pm
.....it's going to be sunny on Saturday! This should please the snowdrops. The valley is looking stunning but the paths are muddy so wear wellies if possible or walking boots.
The Market Cafe, Exmoor House Hotel Tea Room, Rest and Be Thankful Inn and Snowdrop Cafe in the Moorland Hall will all be open over the weekend for snacks, lunch and cake so come out for the day and enjoy the fresh air!
We love to hear what you think of your visit so do fill in a questionnaire available from the information trailer to let us know your thoughts. Also if you have any brilliant ideas for improving the scheme, pass them on.

Wild Visitors

2011-02-10T03:49:00.001-08:00

If you visit the snowdrops this year do keep your eyes and ears open for the animals and birds that live down there. Our busy Kingfisher has been spotted several times and can be heard throughout the valley. Look out for deer too - you may see they've made a little path down through the flowers. We've also been told otters have been around so watch out for their paw prints and let us know if you spot any creatures on your trip!
Cutcome School Garden Club are providing us with potted snowdrops again this year and you can also purchase a lovely jute bag for them to be carried in. The proceeds from these sales go to help the Garden Club project.
Not sure where the sunshine has gone, but at least there isn't any snow......

Muddy Boots

2011-02-09T13:23:00.001-08:00

Wednesday 9th 9:20pm
Just a reminder that we supply a huge bucket of water and a brush in front of the toilets for the purpose of cleaning boots. Please use it, rather than the sinks in the loos which then require unblocking.
Thank you!

The word is out

2011-02-08T06:31:00.001-08:00

Tuesday 8th 2:20pm
We've now had articles in local and national press as well as radio interviews on Radio Devon (thanks hubby for doing it when I wasn't here) and Radio Bristol (thanks 2nd in command Daphne and well done on doing your first one!). The sun is shining and there have been lots of people walking around the village as well as visiting the snowdrops.
If you are planning to visit, we suggest coming during the week and avoiding half term if possible purely for parking reasons, but if you can only come on a weekend or during half term please bear with us whilst we sort out queues and direct drivers! It would also be appreciated if you could have the correct change for the bus fare as it speeds the process up a bit - £4 adults, £3 Senior Citizens, £2 children 5 - 15 years old. Thank You!

Machines!

2011-02-07T08:10:00.001-08:00

Monday 7th 4pm
The rain has eased off but it's still windy, however this was the least of our worries today!
One of my staff found a large amount of glass on the road in the
valley, no reason for it to be there and no other evidence of a mishap, but fortunately he was able to clear it all up before the buses arrived -
thanks Shaun!
Later on one of the buses broke down (not a puncture!). Fortunately it wasn't in the valley, or worse still, going down Drapers Way. A substitute arrived promptly and normal service resumed.
I'd rather this sort of thing happened now than on a busy weeked or during the half term holidays.....
Onwards and upwards.

Park and Ride is underway

2011-02-06T01:09:00.001-08:00

Sunday 6th February 9:10am
Many people ignored the wind and rain and enjoyed a walk through the woods or a bus ride to see the snowdrops. Positive feedback regarding the welcome tea and cake on returning to the village as well as the cheery folks in charge of the information trailer and the bus drivers.
It is quite sticky on the paths so please remember wellies or walking boots!

WindyStart

2011-02-05T00:03:00.001-08:00

It's 8am and the wind is howling but the snowdrops will be nice and snug in the valley awaiting the first visitors of the park and ride scheme. Don't forget your camera, wellies and hat!

Visit if you can!

2011-02-04T08:18:00.001-08:00

Stop Press.....
The very latest news from the valley is that the snowdrops are looking stunning even though they are not yet fully out. Don't forget your camera!

Scheme starts Saturday 5th February

2011-02-04T07:10:00.001-08:00

What a difference a day makes. It's blowing a gale here in Wheddon Cross but don't worry, the snowdrops are safe in their snug valley - far too sensible to grow up here! The plants are showing their white tips nicely but have yet to bloom in full however the forrecast suggests that we'll have sunny spells on Saturday and Sunday afternoons which the snowdrops will love.
Don't forget to bring a few pennies to purchase our greetings cards, postcards, shopper bags, the Exmoor Magazine and hopefully some potted snowdrops grown by Cutcombe First School's gardening club. All proceeds go towards the scheme to ensure it's future.
The park and ride buses start at 10:30am on Saturday 5th February so we hope to see you soon!

Shhhh..... I see sunshine.....

2011-02-03T03:58:00.001-08:00

Hooray! It's warmed up a bit here and I can even see a few small patches of blue sky. Snowdrops like the warmth so fingers crossed a few days of this will bring them out in bloom. They are currently showing their white petals but have yet to open out so a few days will help.
If you plan to visit us please remember to bring walking boots or wellies as it will be a bit muddy thanks to the recent rain. We will have a bucket and brush in the car park where the buses stop (next to the toilets) so you can clean up before heading into the pub, tea room, market cafe or snowdrop cafe..... If you've got a dog it would be a good idea to bring plenty of towels!!
More news tomorrow.....

Not long to go!

2011-01-26T11:12:00.001-08:00

The white tips of the snowdrops are visible however they are very unlikely to progress much over the next week due to the cold weather of this week and more to come (according to the forecasters). Going on past experience I would suggest that the flowers will be starting to bloom just as the scheme starts so fingers crossed for some sunny days at the beginning of February!
Many of our regular visitors may be surprised to find that our usual parking area for long stayers is now a building site, but don't panic! The Exmoor Livestock Farmers have kindly given us permission to use their land where the old sheep market was for parking. You may also notice a change here too - the brand new livestock market is a stunning building and also includes a cafe. Lucy and Catherine will be opening the cafe on weekends during the scheme and half term. Please note that there will be livestock markets on Thursday 10th and Wednesday 16th and this will mean no parking there.
Many thanks to the Groundwork Trust for their work in clearing leaves from the path, and to Exmoor National Park Authority for all the signing and other works to help the scheme run smoothly.
If we could just find a crystal ball for the weather we would be sorted......

The Count Down

2010-12-29T08:54:00.001-08:00

Not long to go now and finally the snow has melted. We are hoping that this might mean no snow during February, but no bets have been placed. Our leaflets have been printed and are available on line as a download from the Wheddon Cross website as well as from the information trailer once the scheme begins. Staff are being signed up and rotas finalised so visitors will be greated by smiley people willing to help and point weary walkers in the direction of hot drinks and a bite to eat - the rota for the snowdrop cafe held in the Moorland Hall will be on the website soon. Exmoor House Hotel Tea Room and the Rest and Be Thankful Inn are taking bookings during the snowdrop period so to avoid disappointment, ring now!

Why bother?

2010-10-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

If you have read the previous entries on this blog, you may well wonder why a park and ride is necessary as it seems like a lot of hard work for something that rarely breaks even let alone makes a profit! I shall try to explain its history below:
The road that leads to the valley is a single track road with steep banks on both sides, no passing spaces and no where to park. The valley is home to several farms, houses and businesses, and before the park and ride scheme started these locals were often unable to carry out their normal daily routines as queues of cars blocked the road and the stench of burnt out clutches filled the air. Some visitors would park where ever they could blocking in residents or damaging the few verges along the road - many of which were home to snowdrops that got squashed in the process. Exmoor National Park Authority decided to run a park and ride scheme from Wheddon Cross to make sure that visitors could still see the snowdrops whilst residents were able to live as usual in the valley.
There is of course a conflict in running such a scheme - in order to let people know when the scheme is running, it has to be advertised which therefore encourages more people to come. On the plus side a huge majority of visitors to Wheddon Cross in February spend money in the pub, tea room, Snowdrop Cafe, accommodation providers, village shop and garage and also in businesses in adjoining villages during a traditionally quiet time of year. The only threat to the scheme is that of finances. If it continues to run at a loss the Parish Council may not be able to continue propping it up. Let's hope that we have a snow-free February in 2011 and that our visitors are generous!!

How does the scheme work?

2010-09-08T03:46:00.001-07:00

Snowdrop Valley Park and Ride Scheme would not happen without the assistance of several organisations. Badgworthy Land Company own the land known as Snowdrop Valley and without their permission the scheme would not be able to function. Badgworthy Land Company do not profit from the scheme - Cutcombe Parish Council make a small donation each year which does not reflect in any way the importance of their cooperation. A donation is also made to Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auctions who allow us to use their land for car and coach parking except on market days. If you have visited Wheddon Cross you will know that parking is a major issue and without EFLA's help there would be very limited options. We also give a donation towards the village website - without Cynthia we would not be able to update the site with daily weather details in a 'breaking news' fashion. Donations from the Parish Council are less than £600 so are not big earners for those who help us - good old community spirit is the key. We are also very grateful to Exmoor National Park Authority who provide practical advice and assistance from loaning the information trailer, organising volunteers to set up the rope barrier and clear the paths in the valley, to paying for the road closure order and clearing fallen trees on the public rights of way leading to the valley in the blink of an eye! If all of the above organisations decided to bill the scheme at 'real prices', Snowdrop Valley Park and Ride would never happen again.......

Work on Snowdrop Valley 2011 gets underway

2010-08-13T00:22:00.001-07:00

Ok, so it's not even the middle of August yet but already I am working on plans for February 2011. Letters have gone to local bus companies inviting them to tender for the park and ride scheme. Did you know that to just run the buses it costs over £6000 per year? On top of this cost are staff wages, leaflet production, equipment purchase, mobile phone costs and postage charges. Cutcombe Parish Council have now been running the scheme since 2008 and twice the project has made a loss. If bus tickets were priced with a view to making a profit, they would be very high indeed, so we aim to keep them at a reasonable rate and hope that happy visitors make a donation too......
I will be keeping the blog up to date with what is involved in organising the scheme so that when you visit you know it all!

Snowdrop Valley Park and Ride Scheme 2011

2010-05-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

Cutcombe Parish Council have agreed to run the scheme again in 2011 so watch this space for more details!

Snowdrop Valley 2010 Update

2010-03-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Snowdrop Valley Park & Ride Scheme for 2010 has now ended. Please follow this blog for up to date information on the 2011 scheme.