Tuesday 28 February 2017

Challenge 1: ✔️ Achieved

Have I mentioned these yet?

No, I don't think I have... 

During the next year, in my solemn, executive capacity as whoisthechallenger, I am aiming to complete certain monthly Letterboxing challenges.

These challenges are kinda personal to me.  I've considered challenges which will make me try something new, pushing the boundaries of conventional Dartmoor Letterboxing, or simply to provide a motivation to get out on the Moors each month.  I hope you'll join me on my journey.  Starting with this February.  Which despite the day of this post, had nothing to do with pancakes...

Challenge 1: REMOVE REMAINING UPLAND TROTTER LETTERBOXES

Within the past 12 months, and in-spite of the belief that I'd previously cleared Dartmoor of them, I've have had 2 sketchy reports of very old our own 'Upland Trotter' Letterboxes still on site.  Stories of one came via the Dartmoor Letterboxing-dot-org forum, located on Over Tor, near Merrivale.  We sited 'Its Called What...?! No.1 - Mrs Bray's Hand Wash Basin' in 1994, as part of a Word-of-mouth series of 4 stamps.  Armed with a newly provided 8 figure grid reference and a very old clue, I set out in snow in early February.  To my surprise, it was still on site, dry and stamp-able.  The book had long gone of course.  The day turned into a cold and increasingly snowy affair around Great Mis Tor, Mistor Marsh and Clay Tor.  I had a few new boxes to find, and a long overdue Christmas Letterbox walk to complete.  The dusting of white stuff did hinder progress somewhat...  

The second - and as far as I am aware - the only other original Upland Trotter box on Dartmoor was sited in 1993.  'Haunts of Dartmoor No.11 - Nine Maidens' was the final one of this set.  We had tried and failed to retrieve it before.  This one had been located by another Letterboxer, and I went to investigate.  With newly updated 10 figure grid reference in hand, I headed to Belstone.  I took the chance to do a short walk around Halstock Hill and Scarey Tor in warm sunshine, in stark contrast to the Wintry mix a few short weeks previously.  The walk culminated in the lofty site of our old Letterbox.


Curiously, in it's place I found someone else's Letterbox, but despite some intense and lengthy searching, sadly I could not find our 'Haunts', and must surmise from this that it has been removed already.  I'd really hoped to have evidence of this box to formally conclude it's 24 years.  It was not to be.  And so I must officially claim again, that Dartmoor is clear of Upland Trotter Letterboxes.

For now, at least!

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