TLH Leisure Resort, Torquay

On Sunday 3rd August 2 intrepid teams representing TLH Leisure Resort and the Aztec Club entered the annual It’s a Knockout event on Paignton Green. It was great fun - honest - and everyone got soaking wet, especially as the weather wasn’t great! The best part of the day was everyone going into the sea at the lunch time break to gain 500 extra bonus points for the team!! Joss and Charlie from the Carlton Hotel even came prepared with bikinis so they didn’t get their t-shirts wet - now that’s what I call organisation! We all met down there at 9am and got the gazebo set up, mainly so I didn’t get wet! As soon as the breakfast van opened at 10am there was a rush for the bacon butties - supposedly to build up their strength! 

Unfortunately, in spite of dedicated training in the Aztec Gym and pool, we didn’t do as well as last year, with the Aztec team finishing outside of the top 8 and the TLH Leisure Resort Team team finishing 7th. But at least we raised lots of money for a great cause - Action for Blind People.  Over £1200 was raised by our 2 teams alone - so well done everybody. 

¼/p>

After months of training in the Aztec Gym for the Big Midnight Walk for Macmillan Cancer Support and Rowcroft Hospice, waking up on Saturday 7^th June 2008 to pouring rain and thunderstorms was not a good sign!  Sat at home not wanting to walk the dog in the miserable weather never mind doing the 13mile walk that evening, out of nowhere the rain stopped.  Suddenly there was a lovely evening sky, which gave us positive thoughts for the evening ahead.

Turning in to the car park at Clennon Valley the queues had already started, within half an hour the queues were heading out the car park and up the road.

After the warm up, registering and making sure we collected our free Galaxy Chocolate Bar, we were ready to go!

Waiting for us on the seafront at Pier Point Restaurant, friendly volunteers included staff from TLH Leisure Resort, offering hot drinks and flapjacks – much appreciated just before the killer hill up to Babbacombe, which we were approaching.

We received a warm welcome at the Babbacombe Cricket Club with drinks and a generous meal donated by Pasta King…. and of course a well earned sit down.

Proud of reaching the half way mark, we started the walk down towards the harbour.  Unfortunately Pier Point had run out of treats for us, so we started on the free Galaxy bar we were given at the start line to give us energy to get back.

I have lived in Torquay all my life and never known Paignton seafront to be so long! We were getting tired now and to make matters worse our torch decided to die just by the park leading down to the beach (which was pitch black at this point).  Luckily some other walkers were behind us with a working torch and we headed down to the beach encouraging each other along.

The finishing point was in sight now and I could see my car to take us home – at last!

Welcoming staff at Clennon Valley congratulated us on our efforts and headed us in the direction for food, drinks and most importantly chairs! Rummaging round in our goody bags, it was great to see a voucher for a well-earned spot of pampering in the Aztec Spa at TLH Leisure Resort.

I walked with my Mum and am really proud that we were involved in such a successful event raising over £179,000.00 for Rowcroft Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support, which are both charities close to our hearts.

Well done to everyone involved and see you in 2009!  

This week sees the 100th Anniversary of Torbay Carnival , in the heart of the English Riviera, and part of the events saw a Chefs Chase take place on Paignton Seafront.

The Second Chef from the Derwent Hotel, Lee Johnston, represented Torquay’s TLH Leisure Resort in the event and having recently completed the Torbay half marathon, was quietly confident and keen to get his hands on the £150 first prize.

The competitors had to weave their way through a course and collect a stack of plates which were precariously balanced, and then weave back to the start. Lee breezed through the first round and finished a comfortable second -  no point over-exerting yourself before you need to.

Then there was a mad dash at the start of the final and when Lee got to collect his stack of plates they had been knocked over by other competitors, so by the time they’d been put back together the winners had already finished and Lee trudged back to finish 4th. Disappointed, he made his way back to the Derwent Hotel and started thinking about next year.

Lee could still find himself on a winning team before then though, as he is one of 20 people making up two teams from Torquay’s TLH Leisure Resort in the It’s a Knockout Tournament on Sunday 3rd August. Any guests staying at TLH at the weekend are welcome to come along and cheer the team on! As you can see, they have been training hard, with Toby Lee Hound acting as referee during practice sessions.

What a spectacular evening’s entertainment last night when the Red Arrows came back to give a display over Torbay. And one of the best vantage points was definitely here at TLH Leisure Resort where we have got panoramic views from our sun terraces across the whole of the Bay.

The RAF display team were making a welcome return as one of the highlight’s of Torbay Royal Regatta week, and they certainly didn’t disappoint the crowds. Weather conditions were nearly perfect as the nine crack pilots thrilled the crowds with aerobatic routines taking place at around 400 miles per hour.

The town centre and sea front in Torquay were jammed, but here at TLH Leisure Resort, guests were able to watch the display in comfort with a drink from the new Aztec Bistro, which opens out onto the terrace areas.

For all the latest news on events taking place in Torquay and Devon, take a look at our local events pages on the TLH Leisure Resort website.

Torquay in Devon is the birthplace of the undisputed “Queen of Crime” and this year’s Christie Festival Week, from 10 – 16 September, looks set to be the biggest yet. Expect to hear talks by famous crime writers, street performances, creative writing workshops and screenings of Agatha Christie classics on film.

This year’s festival also coincides with the 70th anniversary publication of ‘Death on the Nile’ and to celebrate there will be an outdoor screening of the Peter Ustinov classic film adaptation. Lay your picnics and blankets out on the lawns of the stunning Oldway Mansion in Paignton and enjoy the Oscar-winning Poirot masterpiece.

Other unusual events being staged through the week include an Agatha Christie Tour at Kents Cavern, a Champagne and Strawberry river cruise to her former home at Greenway.

The Agatha Christie Festival is a great excuse to take a September break in Torquay, and where better to stay, of course, than at TLH Leisure Resort.

Yes – it’s true, Summer has officially started on Torquay’s English Riviera and TLH guests are basking by the outdoor pools in the glorious sunshine. So if you haven’t made any plans yet, don’t miss out on a last minute Summer break - pick up the phone and give us a call.

There’s loads going on in and around Torbay with some superb places to visit during your visit. Babbacombe Model Village is Devon’s great big miniature park and it just keeps getting better every year. During the Summer months there’s a daily festival of lights – every evening after dusk, plus a new 4D theatre experience with some amazing special effects. Then there’s Paignton Zoo, home to thousands of amazing animals and plants – a great day out for all the family, plus Living Coasts, Torquay’s coastal zoo, a unique, world class aquatic centre.

Some Summer events to watch out for include a display over Torbay by the fantastic Red Arrows on 29th August, Torbay Children’s Week from 20th-24th August, and the Chinese State Circus is appearing in Paignton until 27th August.

For more information about all of the fantastic attractions and events taking place, take a look at the local area section of our website, or visit www.englishriviera.co.uk.