Join the giant Easter Bunny or Willy Wonka for an “ Eggstraordinary” Easter in Devon

Release Date: 08/03/2012

Visit Devon this Easter for a chocoholics delight! With more than 40,000 chocolate eggs to hunt, Devon is home to scores of “eggciting” Easter events which will be taking place at the county’s many theme parks, stately homes and gardens and tourist attractions. www.visitdevon.co.uk

From Willy Wonka to the giant Easter bunny there are plenty of fun filled ways to keep the whole family entertained this Easter in one of the most beautiful and stunning locations in the UK.

As well as Easter egg hunts there are a host of new spring lambs and chicks to meet and delight the little ones and for those who want to work off all that Easter chocolate then the inspiring landscape of Dartmoor beckons with the high adrenaline events of the first ever Active Dartmoor week. (31 March - April 7).

Make a date with a giant Easter Bunny and Woolly the sheep at the Big Sheep family attraction near Bideford in North Devon. The cuddly duo will be on hand to guide children through the Easter weekend on a magical Easter Egg hunt and the fun starts at 8am with a very special Easter breakfast.

Children are unlikely to be disappointed in their search for chocolate eggs at the Big Sheep as 30,000 eggs have been hidden there as part of the attraction’s annual Easter Eggstravaganza (31 March- 13 April) Fluffy bunnies, cute lambs, free face painting and Easter Egg painting are all part of the fun. http://www.thebigsheep.co.uk The award winning RHS Garden at Rosemoor at Great Torrington in North Devon will be bursting into colour with the annual spring bulb display but along with the daffodils this year will be Easter chicks and ducklings to enjoy. The garden will be hosting an Easter garden trail as well as an egg hunt but visitors will be able to delight in watching some chicks and ducklings hatching in an incubator in the garden foyer from Monday 2 April. Easter Trail available from Monday 2 April until Sunday 15 April (10am – 4pm). If you follow the Easter clues around the garden, you can win some treasure for yourself! http://www.rhs.org.uk/rosemoor For more details of accommodation and other places to visit in North Devon then please visit www.northdevon.com

Fans of Roald Dahl will be excited to meet Willy Wonka and his ‘sweet” assistant Mrs Fudge as part of the Chocolate Factory Fortnight at Powderham Castle near Exeter (1 – 13 April). Follow the Candy Trail and spot the Wonka bars on the tour of the castle or take a trip to the Imagination room to discover Mr Wonka’s chocolate secrets. www.powderham.co.uk/

There is free chocolate for very child over the Easter weekend at Crealy all weather family attraction near Exeter. Crealy is planning to give away 10,000 Cadbury’s Crème Eggs and they will be hosting one of the South West’s biggest ever Easter egg hunts. And there will be even more free chocolate available for those who turn up with an Easter bonnet or in Easter fancy dress. There will be the opportunity to meet Crealy’s new Easter bunnies in the animal barn and to see some live shows at the Crealy Showdome. www.crealy.co.uk

The world famous Donkey Sanctuary near Sidmouth in East Devon is also hosting a series of Easter events. Entry is free to the sanctuary which is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There will be a variety of Easter Fun activities including arts and crafts, a Donkey Easter Egg hunt; face painting is planned across the Easter holidays. 15 April is named Family Fun Day with dog show, stalls, bouncy castle, games, face painting and refreshments.

http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/ For more details of where to visit and stay in the Exeter, Mid and East Devon area then please visit : http://www.heartofdevon.com

Easter at Pennywell Farm in South Devon is all about celebrating new life and there will be plenty of spring baby animals to enjoy from lambs and chicks and bunnies. On Good Friday there are FREE hot cross buns for visitors before 11am and over the Easter Weekend (Sat 7 – Mon 9 April) enjoy Mega Easter Egg hunts, family games and an Easter film. Either Dan the Hat, Nutty Noah or Ben Cornish will be here every day throughout the Devon school holidays. www.pennywellfarm.co.uk For more information about where to visit and stay in South Devon please visit: www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk

After all those chocolate Easter eggs and hot cross buns, the place to be is Dartmoor for the adrenaline rush of Active Dartmoor Week. (31 March - 7 April) This includes a week-long series of challenging activities and sports. From zip wires and cycling, raft races, pony trekking, endurance events to a bake off there is something for everyone to really test their mettle at one of the UK’s most stunning locations. Active Dartmoor Week will launch on 31 March at the National Trust’s Castle Drogo at Drewsteignton with a day of fun and high-energy activities for all the family to enjoy. www.dartmoor.co.uk

For more information about Visit Devon, contact Rosie Bates, General Manager, T/: 01392 332828 or M/: 07854 952 352 or E/: rosie@visitdevon.co.uk or go to www.visitdevon.co.uk. For further press information please contact: Jane Adkins T/: 01935 813114 M/: 07960 698089 E/: jane@aheadforpr.co.uk Gail Livingstone T/: 01823 252415 M/:07767 055595 E/: gail@aheadforpr.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Visit Devon is the destination management organisation responsible for promoting Devon to the world. The organisation acts as a voice for tourism in Devon and its aim is simple - to increase the number of visitors to Devon by promoting the county as a year-round destination for business or leisure. The organisation brings together, adds value to and enhances the work and activities undertaken by the six Area Tourism Partnerships across the county. Visit Devon is committed to growing the tourism sector sustainably, increasing the skills within the industry, and raising the quality of the visitor experience. Visit Devon is a public-private partnership limited by guarantee. The not for profit company comprises nine member organisations including the six Area Tourism Partnerships (The Heart of Devon, Visit Plymouth, North Devon+, The Dartmoor Partnership, The English Riviera Tourist Board, and Visit South Devon, Devon County Council, The Devon Association of Tourist attractions (Data), and Devon Farms. Visit Devon is the trading name of Destination Devon Ltd.