Good Friday

Happy Easter to all my blog readers!

It was a joy to have a bank holiday off work, and with the sun shining, I set off for Frenchbeer Rock and a letterbox walk over to the River Teign and Manga Rock.  

The Three Boys longstone was my first destination.  Considered by William Crossing to be one of three support stones in a cromlech resembling Spinsters Rock.  This has been proven not to be the case.  

I had a few stamps to find close to Fernworthy Forest next.  Past Thornworthy Corner, close to the edge of the forest, a letterboxer had sited a memorial box for Di Hall-Say, who sadly passed away in 2006.  Under blue skies, in warm sunshine, and without a breath of wind, on a day like today, it'd be tough to find a better place to site the remembrance box.  The wall around the plantation led me North, and then when it turned West, I continued North to Stone Tor and Stonetor Gate, suddenly aware of something: I had not seen another soul all day - not even any training Ten Tor'ers.  This was a bit of a surprise since this was a public holiday.  There were plenty of sun seekers at Stone Tor - almost all were common lizards, such as the one pictured.  Manga Rails next, and since the Dartmoor Rangers replaced the rails across the Teign in 1991, two have disappeared.  Possibly in the latest Winter storms.  It did make for a tricky crossing, and I urge the Rangers to replace them again soon - please!

A loop of Manga Rock for a few boxes, and then I returned to the car via Kes Tor and Middle Tor.  It was at Middle Tor that I carried out my good deed of the day.  Middle Tor letterbox (stamp pictured) celebrates its 30th birthday this year and was registered in the catalogue as box number 1259.  Not one of the originals, but an early one nevertheless.  The box was in it's cave on the East side of the tor - box broken, and full of water, stamp in pieces, book turned to pulp.  I dried it out the best I could, confirmed it's identity and brought it home.  I intend to renovate it and re-establish it later this year.  If you know its owner, or its history, please let me know!