Back in the good old days (pre-Covid), any local parent would tell you that one of the highlights of the first week of the school summer holidays was Heath Week, hosted by Clinton Estates and held on Woodbury Common.

Heath Week was quite literally a breath of fresh air and an opportunity to do some free stuff on our doorstep with the added bonus of educational benefits for our little ones. So, as we enter another period of Covid hokey-cokey rules changing, schoolchildren isolating, masks on/masks off, it is lovely to be able to write that Heath Week is taking place again this year albeit in a slightly different format. Gone are the festival-style events and larger gatherings, but there will be lots of things to do to get the kids out and about.

One such event has been put together by another local organisation who also pride themselves on great events for families. Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival has a very active Education and Outreach team who this summer have created a book trail for all to enjoy during Heath Week. The trail will be out on Woodbury Common from Sunday, July 25 July until Sunday, August 1 and details of the route can be found at www.budlitfest.org.uk/education-outreach. The team are also keen to promote their Instagram page and invite you to tag them in any photos taken around the route.

Optimistically, the literary festival has also just published its programme for September, hoping very much to hold in-person events at venues across Budleigh. With a stellar line-up including Darcie Bussell, Celia Imrie and Jacqueline Wilson to name but a few, tickets are already selling fast and can be booked through the website. The culmination of the literary festival is always the last weekend with the marquee on The Green in Budleigh hosting Children’s activities on both Saturday and Sunday; each year the marquee is themed and rumour has it, those completing the book trail on Woodbury will get a sneaky peek at this year’s theme.

I’m not sure as I sit here now, that we’re completely out of the woods with Covid yet. However, I am absolutely certain that there is nowhere better for children and young people than out and about in the fresh air. So while we’re not out of the woods, get into the woods and see if you can follow the book trail.

Full details of all Heath Week 2021 events are at www.pebblebedheaths.org.uk/media/ in the events calendar.