THE Baring-Gould folk festival has unveiled its programme for its second year, and it is full of 'not to be missed' events for the folk music fan.

A first for any UK festival is a visit from Icelandic group Embla, ancient sagas retold accompanied on harp, fidla and langspill.

Their visit serves to highlight one of Baring-Gould's little known achievements in bringing the Icelandic sagas to Britain, although he is more famous locally for his folk song collecting here in Devon.

John Kirkpatrick will need no introduction for enthusiasts, he will be premiering a new set of songs gleaned from the Baring-Gould collection, recently rediscovered after 100 years.

The Mellstock band, as well as bringing their Hardy type village band sound to a concert and ceilidh, are hosting a very special dance workshop featuring the dances collected by Cecil Sharp on one of his visits to Lewtrenchard.

Sara Grey, Katie Howson and Jeannie Harris, Vic Legg, Mark Bazeley and Jason Rice, Bill Murray, Chris Foster, Marilyn Tucker and Paul Wilson, Voices in Common and Hocus Youth Chorus make up the rest of the line-up.

The festival runs from Friday to Sunday October 27-29, in the villages of Bratton Clovelly and Lewdown, all fuelled by Devon home cooking and washed down with real ale, cider or whatever you prefer!

Full programme and details from Chris Foster, Baring-Gould Heritage Project, Wren Trust, 1 St James Street, Okehampton EX20 1DW.