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Summer Celebration

Saturday 10 June, 2023, 10.30am-4pm


Join us for a wonderful day of activities and the chance to enjoy the splendour of Sharpham House and gardens at our Summer Celebration Day.

There are a host of activities for all the family including music, nature walks, garden tours, history talks & tours, mindfulness workshops, a vegetarian & vegan cafe, hot drinks, cakes, Dartmouth ice cream, cold beers and soft drinks. 

The historic Grade I-listed Sharpham House and Gardens will be open for people to explore.


IMPORTANT:

Free entry for adults and children but you MUST book parking in advance if you are coming by car: £5 plus booking fee, per car. 

Advance booking for car park space via Eventbrite is essential. Limited spaces available. 

Click here to book parking.


Nature action on the same day

Mammals like this shrew have been increasing in number on our rewilding fields

Our 2023 Wildlife Bioblitz will be running on the same day as our Celebration Day and will really add a 'buzz' to the atmosphere! 

It will be taking place in the rewilding fields, just 5 minutes walk away from the front of Sharpham House. You will be able to move between both areas as you please.

logo of the National Lottery Heritage FundThere are free, morning and afternoon wildlife sessions - thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The workshops are led by experts and open to all but advance booking is essential. 

Click here for more details and how to book for the Bioblitz

 

All-day activities


NEW Bioblitz - Help us to record the wildlife on the Sharpham Estate, by taking part in a packed programme of events where YOU are the citizen scienents! Advance booking essential. Click here for details and to book your place.

Sharpham Gardens - Open to sit, wander and explore.

Visit Sharpham House on our open day

Sharpham House – The principal rooms and amazing cantilevered staircase will be open to explore and enjoy (small charge of £2, to include a History & Heritage talk – sign up on the day at Information desk)

Sharpham House Café - Open all day for teas, coffee, delicious cakes and simple vegetarian & vegan lunches.

Music Tent & Bar – Live music, local real ale, wine and soft drinks.

Dartmouth Ice Cream - locally-made ice cream sold from a vintage bicycle and cart.

Under the Yew Tree – Campfire, fresh herbal teas and children’s nature activity.

Swimming pool (10m x 5m x 2m deep) – Timed sessions with limited numbers. Children MUST be accompanied in the water by an adult. Sign up on the day.  Lifeguards in attendance

Swim in the pool at Sharpham on our Open Day

Play traditional summer garden games with your children on Sharpham’s croquet lawn.

Sharpham summer open day - family event near Totnes Devon

For a full programme of music, workshops, talks and tours click on the 'Schedules' tab above. 

 

Can you help us on the day?


We are looking for volunteers to help on this day so if you would like to lend a hand, please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator on [email protected]

We are sorry but we do not allow dogs (except for guide dogs) 

For wheelchair users we've got ramps for accessing parts of Sharpham House - ask a staff member who'll be happy to help you - particularly if you need lunch (dining room is not accessible).

 

Cost


£5 plus booking fee, per car, for parking.  Advance booking for car parking space is essential. Limited spaces available. Click here to book parking.

£2 for entry into Sharpham House. All other activities are free.

People relaxing on the South Lawn at Sharpham as part of Summer Celebration open day

Parking / Transport / Directions


Limited disabled parking (behind Sharpham House) and field car parking at Sharpham will be available (advance booking essential - cost £5 plus booking fee - Click here to book parking). 

See details for how to get here on the Venue & Directions tab above.

Please help us to reduce the impact of cars by:

  • walking or cycling to the event - Click here view and download walking/cycling directions to Sharpham House, along the Carriage Drive foot/cyclepath, which begins close to the Steam Packet Inn in Totnes. There will be an area to park & lock bicycles behind Sharpham House.
  • considering car sharing
  • parking in Totnes and using the FREE Torbay Minibus Shuttle Service - SEE BELOW

 


Shuttle bus timetable
APPROXIMATE TIMES
(3 minibuses from Torbay Minibuses. Timetable subject to change)

FROM TOTNES:
Bus Stop D, o
pposite Town Mill, Coronation Road 

FROM SHARPHAM:
3-way junction

10.15am (first bus)

10.35am

10.20am

10.40am

10.25am

10.50am

11am

11.25am

11.05am

11.30am

11.15am

11.40am

11.50am

12.10pm

11.55pm

12.20pm

12.05pm

12.25pm

12.30pm

(bus stays at sharpham - lunch break)

12.45pm

(bus stays at sharpham - lunch break)

12.55pm

(bus stays at Sharpham - lunch break)

 

1.45pm

 

2pm

 

2.15pm

2.05pm

2.30pm

2.20pm

2.40pm

Drop off at The Lamb Bus stop - top of Totnes - 2.40pm

3pm

Drop off at The Lamb Bus stop - top of Totnes - 2.50pm

3.15pm

Drop off at The Lamb Bus stop - top of Totnes - 3pm

3.25pm

Drop off at The Lamb Bus stop - top of Totnes - 3.20pm

3.40pm

Drop off at The Lamb Bus stop - top of Totnes - 3.35pm

4pm

Drop off at The Lamb Bus stop - top of Totnes - 3.45pm

4.05pm

Drop off at The Lamb Bus stop - top of Totnes - 4pm

4.15pm - LAST BUS to Totnes

 

Saturday 10 June, 2023, 10.30am – 4pm


Free entry to the Summer celebration

£5 (plus booking fee) for parking - advance booking essential. Limited spaces available (click here to book),

£2 entry into Sharpham House

 

All-day activities

Event Details
Sharpham Gardens Open to sit, wander and explore
Sharpham House The principal rooms will be open to explore and enjoy (£2 including History & Heritage talk / £5 with Sharpham Heritage book and talk included – sign up on the day at Information desk)
Sharpham House Café Open all day for teas, coffee, delicious cakes and tasty vegetarian lunch
Music Tent Drinks Live music, local real ale, wine and soft drinks in the Music Tent
Under the Yew Tree Campfire, fresh herbal teas and children’s nature activity
Dartmouth Ice Cream Locally-made ice cream sold from a vintage bicycle and cart
Outdoor Swimming pool (10m x 5m x 2m deep) unheated Timed sessions (45 mins) with limited numbers, children must be accompanied in the water by an adult. Sign up on the day.  Lifeguards in attendance
Games on the Lawn Play traditional summer garden games with your children on Sharpham’s croquet lawn
Shakuhachi flute Listen out for flute sounds in the fgardens with Mike McInerney
Wildlife BioBlitz activities Over on the rewilding meadows, behind Sharpham House. A range of free, expert-led sessions available with different timings  - advance booking essential. Click here for details

 

Children's activities 

Time Event Details
11am - 12pm & 12.30pm  - 1.30pm & 3pm - 3.30pm

Children's music in nature activities with Martha Wright and friends

Sign up in advance at the information desk, suitable for age 5 and up – meet there too

2pm - 3pm Amazing Owl Discovery with Mike Langman

Children’s/ Family activity - a chance to dissect your owl pellet and discover what an owl had for dinner!

Sign up in advance at the front desk - limited spaces available

 

Music 

Time Event Details
11am-11.30am &
12pm-12.30pm
     

Indonesian Gamelan music

Shimmering Indonesian Gamelan instrumental music from Bali and Java, in the beer tent
1.15pm-2pm &
2.15pm-3pm
Blue Jewel Ceilidh Band A fantastic trio for the beer tent, playing vibrant folk and a ceilidh to join in with for the second set!    
Throughout the day Mike McInerney A roving player of the shakuhachi (a Japanese flute), performing hauntingly-beautiful and meditative sounds throughout Sharpham's gardens & grounds

 

History, Heritage & Walled Garden events

Time Event Details
11.15am - 11.45am & 2.30pm - 3pm

Sharpham History & Heritage Talks

With Claire Ash Wheeler, who grew up at Sharpham and Sharpham Heritage expert Lynnette Gribble. Limited spaces. Sign up at the Information Table on the day
11.30am - 12.15pm & 1.30pm - 2.15pm Garden & landscape tour Discover and learn about our beautiful formal, woodland and walled gardens around Sharpham House.  Meet at the front of Sharpham House. Sturdy footwear recommended    
11am - 11.30am & 12pm -12.30pm & 2pm - 2.30pm Walled Vegetable Garden Growing Talk and Tour With our team of trainee gardeners

 

Workshops – Mindfulness & Foraging

Free of charge but sign-up essential for some activities. Donations to Sharpham Trust welcome!

Time Event Details

11.30am - 12.30pm & 2.15pm - 3.15pm  

Mindfulness Taster Session

Join Katherine Weare to find out more about Mindfulness at Sharpham and how the practice of mindfulness can be of benefit to everyday life.
In the South Wing. Limited spaces – please sign up at the Info Table.

11am -  12pm & 1.30pm - 2.30pm 

Wild Food Forage Connect with nature and take a walk on the Estate to explore how to identify, safely pick and taste some seasonal wild food with Brigit-Anna McNeill. Meet under the Yew Tree. Children must be supervised at all times. Sturdy footwear recommended.

Sharpham House - home to meditation retreats, weddings, natural burials and mindfulness in nature

Click here for our How to Find Us page on this website. Advance booking for car parking space via Eventbrite is essential. £5 plus booking fee. Limited spaces available. Click here to book parking.

Click here to view, print or download directions and a map to Sharpham House

Click here view and download walking/cycling directions to Sharpham House


We are sorry but we do not allow dogs (except for guide dogs)

Free entry to Summer Celebration

£2 entry into Sharpham House

£5 plus booking fee per car for parking. Advance booking for car parking space via Eventbrite is essential. Limited spaces available. Click here to book parking.

Please consider arriving by other means, including our Torbay Minibus shuttle between Totnes and Sharpham (free - timetable on main page). Totnes stop: Main Bus Stop D - Opposite Town Mill in Totnes,  Coronation Road bus stop).

Retreats & Events

Entry to this event is free, although there is a cost of £5 plus booking fee for parking. Advance booking for car parking space via Eventbrite is essential. Limited spaces available. Click here to book parking.

Small charge for certain activities/workshops (see schedule for details)

Do check our Calendar, to see and book for our events - or join our mailing list by clicking here to be kept in touch about Sharpham Trust news, retreats & events.