Monday, October 4th 2010

Our week of letterboxing continued today with a trip up the Avon Valley around Dockwell Ridge, Shipley Tor and Brockhill.

With an early start at Cross Furzes, WITC enjoyed the magnificent sunrise for the first few kilometres of the Abbots Way to Water Oke Corner, where we paused to look back at the site of Saturday's walk at Hameldown, and then walked on to Brockhill Stream. The water ran high after the past few days bad weather. The Avon Dam Reservoir was at capacity, and the water piled over the dam.

We walked down the paved track to the bridge below Black Tor meeting many day trippers making the most of the great weather. Then we left the convoy and up to Shipley Tor. The temperature and the bracken were high and we were relieved to finally reach the summit of Dockwell Ridge.

The walk on the East side of this ridge is in stark contrast to that of the West. Rolling, lonely hillsides descending to plantations and farmland were our company for the second half of the day. Finally retreating from the Moor across Lambsdown, and pausing at the Dean Burn Clapper to appreciate the atmosphere and history of the wooded glen.

With about 10 miles covered and 25 boxes found, it was a highly successful day, and fingers crossed that this week will continue in the same way.