South Devon Cattle World Tour

South Devon Cattle World Tour UK Farm Tour 2026

Day 26 and finallySome of the tour got up early to be met by Ben Head Groundsman at Sandy Park home of Exeter Chiefs Rug...
23/06/2026

Day 26 and finally
Some of the tour got up early to be met by Ben Head Groundsman at Sandy Park home of Exeter Chiefs Rugby. The pitch is a Desso Grassmaster hybrid surface and is currently having its end of season refurbishment. The hope is to replace the pitch next year but 1 million funding is required.
Next the tour left Exeter to make its way into Somerset to Fenix Carriages. Mark Broadbent is the very passionate owner of the carriage collection. One very special coach in the collection is the Devonport to London mail coach the only one left in the world, nicknamed Quicksilver for its speed in delivering the mail. Found and restored to original condition using expert knowledge and old letters. More than 20 carriages were on display made up of coaches, drags, Phaetons, gigs and breaks all having specific uses.
Our very last stop was to Sheppy’s Cider to have a ploughman’s lunch. We all said our byes as the coach departed to Heathrow for our tour members to make their way home.
Thanks to Dews coaches and our careful drivers Karl and Chris.

Day 25 part 2 - North Wyke ResearchAfter being unable to reach the research centre along the narrow lanes, Bruce and Sim...
22/06/2026

Day 25 part 2 - North Wyke Research
After being unable to reach the research centre along the narrow lanes, Bruce and Simon boarded the coach to give us an overview of the work done. Rothamstead was set up in 1843 by two men along with a scientist forunners of Agricultural science and chemical fertiliser industry.
North Wyke is a grassland research institute with over 400 staff 40 here in Devon and 350+ in Hertfordshire N London. The focus is livestock and environmental looking at greenhouse gases from livestock measuring methane emissions.
900 acres are farmed with a herd of 150 Stabilisers, a closed herd buying only bulls for breeding. Finished stock average of 300-350 kg dead weight. 80% of the farmland is grass and the rest arable for research.
There is a grass flume system to capture run-off to add to their research. 100 million data points are available to the public for use in research. Visitors are welcome.

Day 25 part 1 - ColchartonWe left beautiful historic Tavistock after taking our final group photos for a short drive to ...
22/06/2026

Day 25 part 1 - Colcharton
We left beautiful historic Tavistock after taking our final group photos for a short drive to Colin, Lowenna and Nick Edward’s Colcharton herd farming 420 acres with 140 owned, established in 1966 they currently have 120 S Devon cows 50% of which are polled and 180 followers. 90 are spring calving and the rest calve in the autumn. Currently running 4 pedigree S Devon bulls. Heifers are bred using a Galloway bull for ease of calving at 2. Pedigree bulls are selected and sold at Society sales in the spring. Bought in stores are reared for a local butcher selling 3 per week.
We were treated to a delicious hot lunch.
Grateful thanks goes to our last sponsor South Devon Herd Book Society.

Day 24 part 3 Bedfords FarmTim Bastard welcomed us to his Tregada herd with a delicious lunch in the cool. We got on a t...
21/06/2026

Day 24 part 3 Bedfords Farm
Tim Bastard welcomed us to his Tregada herd with a delicious lunch in the cool. We got on a trailer to view his S Devon herd of 45 cows and followers currently using 2 pedigree S Devon bulls and a home-bred bull. There have been S Devon’s there since 1945 started by Tim grandfather. Around 12 heifer replacements are kept and calved at 3 years old, surplus heifers and steers are finished and sold locally. Steers achieving 400kg. Some arable is grown for winter feed.

Day 24 part 2 TrewintWe left Tregondale across the fields to Trewint established in 1947 by Stuart Rowe, home to Peter, ...
21/06/2026

Day 24 part 2 Trewint
We left Tregondale across the fields to Trewint established in 1947 by Stuart Rowe, home to Peter, Ashley and families. They have a herd of 140 S Devon cows plus followers calving at 2 years old in the spring. Breeding bulls are selected for sale and sold at 2, surplus bulls are finished as bull beef at 14/15 months and average 400kg.

Day 24 part 1 Tregondale We left Falmouth and travelled north to Liskeard to visit Mervyn, Stephanie, Richard and family...
21/06/2026

Day 24 part 1 Tregondale
We left Falmouth and travelled north to Liskeard to visit Mervyn, Stephanie, Richard and family at Tregondale, prize winning herd of 85 S Devon cows. Farming on 220 acres plus 80 acres of rented. They spring calve using pedigree S Devon bulls studying EBV’s and also look at polled genetics. Prime beef is finished at 14-20 months including beef boxes. Some arable is grown to be self sufficient to maintain crop rotation.

More from Minnack Theatre
21/06/2026

More from Minnack Theatre

Day 23 part 4 - Minnack TheatreWe raced to our last visit down the coast to the Minnack Theatre, Porthcurno transferred ...
20/06/2026

Day 23 part 4 - Minnack Theatre
We raced to our last visit down the coast to the Minnack Theatre, Porthcurno transferred by mini bus to see the amazing theatre set into the cliffs, we were not disappointed as there was a lovely play being presented by local school children, the sun was shining and the sea was blue. Very tired tour members on the bus back to Falmouth.

Day 23 part 3 - Polkinghorne the Laity familyRodger, Philip and Oliver welcomed us to the Polkinghorne herd established ...
20/06/2026

Day 23 part 3 - Polkinghorne the Laity family
Rodger, Philip and Oliver welcomed us to the Polkinghorne herd established in 1947 developing their polled herd of cattle, currently 150 cows and up to 250 followers on 700 acres of which 300 is arable. They are running 5 bulls and finished bull beef is sent to a local abattoir, heifers are finished for Trevaskis farm shop.

Day 23 part 2 Trevaskis Farm We left Riviera Produce on trailers provided by Roger Laity for a quick visit to the Trevas...
20/06/2026

Day 23 part 2 Trevaskis Farm
We left Riviera Produce on trailers provided by Roger Laity for a quick visit to the Trevaskis herd along leafy lanes with Giles Eustice who has one of the oldest lines of breeding of S Devon’s kept in the traditional way.
We were treated to a delicious lunch in the Trevaskis Farm cafe and time to go in the farm shop.

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Newton Abbot
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