Yellowmead Farm

Yellowmead Farm looks like it is undergoing a major overhaul. Since going up for sale in April 2009, it's subsequent purchase and renovation works have caught the attention of the National Park Authority and of the authors of dartmooronline.co.uk.

The new owners have dug a service trench alongside the farm track leading from the B3357 Two Bridges to Tavistock road. This was dug without permission and has left a lot of boulders displaced.

Dartmooronline.co.uk reports that restoration work of the land surface has been agreed after negotiations between land owner and the DNPA. Our photo suggests that the yellow in the farm is a mere facade, The entire property which at time of sale "required complete renovation", is retaining most of it's external walls for now at least...

The Widecombe way

WITC was up on Rowden and Wind Tor recently, enjoying the sunshine. We've tended to see the area has always been seen as a bit of a letterboxing backwater, with boxes frequently missing and within earshot of the sunbathing car drivers on the road verges below.

We were pleasantly surprised to find almost all boxes on site and several unexpected finds too. On the slopes of Wind Tor we were also afforded a grand view into the East Webbern valley. Here are found many hamlets, farmsteads and the quaint village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. A popular tourist destination, with a particular big draw being The Cathedral of the Moor, also known as St Pancras church (pictured), which is the unusually large church for such a small village. We did not take the chance to check out if the church's own letterbox is still on site! Apparently it is located in the South Transept.

We did return home with 8.94 more miles (thanks GPS!) under our belts and 29 boxes found.

A new addition

At long last, WITC took the plunge and purchased a new GPS. A brand new shiny Garmin Dakota 10. Sure, there are bigger and better things out there, with mapping and stuff, but this is more than adequate for us, and it was a bargain £90 on eBay.

Out on it's inaugural walk (above), and we are really very impressed. Clear display, good battery life, accurate and good satelite locks. Recommend.