It is an area steeped in history, its remote coastline having been the scene of dramatic wrecks and smuggling exploits in days gone by.

The local "Chalers" are from hardy farming stock with the spice of sea salt in their veins from generations of eeking out their meagre living from the land with harvests from the sea.

Be it mackerel or Malmsey, the bounty brought up the beach by local folk has helped out in times when the harvest on land was not as good as it might be.

The storm lashed coast has been the graveyard of many a tall ship, and the homes and hostelries in and around Chale have stout oak beams that once formed the hulls of oceangoing merchantmen.

The people of Chale are proud of their community and welcome the opportunity to share it with the visitors who come to enjoy their company and the rugged beauty of the rural surroundings. This was recognised by the Calor Village of the Year competition in 2005 when we were awarded the title for the South of England regional stage. This is a great accolade and, we feel, greatly deserved. to read more about the competition have a look at the Calor website.