Mum

In late April, my Mum passed away.

Jill Barber
1950-2019

It was all very sudden, very unexpected, and understandably very shocking to all family and friends, who remember a sprightly, passionate, hardworking, enthusiastic quilter, crafter, traveler, and cat lover.

You see, my Mum - Jill Barber - was remarkable.  She was one of my closest confidantes, and we shared many adventures at home and abroad.  Whether it be hiking in the Lake District or car rallying in Sweden and Germany.  She was great fun to be around, and I will miss her terribly.

Mum Letterboxed, of course.  She was one of The Upland Trotters (1991-2012), but tired of participation in the hobby well before my late Father did, so my return to the UK from World travels was good Dartmoor news for him, at least, as I provided some companionship on the Moor.  In more recent years, Mum peeped over the Letterbox 'wall' to see what was going on.  She attended the Meet with me to get Godfrey Swinscow's 98th Birthday Card filled with Personal Stamps.  She was sat along-side me again when I sold my Caves & Tunnels charity walk in 2017.

Far more eloquent and poignant tributes have been paid to Mum in the past few weeks, but she was very fatalist, and made her final wishes very clear.  She wished for her life and achievements to be celebrated, and my sisters and I will forever try to honour her memory and legacy.

A fine time to visit Fur Tor

Fur Tor: "The Queen of the Moor". The remotest Dartmoor Tor and the damn finest example of rocky outcrops you're ever likely to see.

To be honest, there is never a bad time to visit Fur Tor. Perhaps when the range is closed for live military firing. Or gale-force windy days, maybe. But on the whole, this is the ultimate, and destination-perfection.

And it's just got a whole lot better.

The original Letterbox - the one marked on old OS maps - the 1950s Letterbox - is back on site, after an absence of some 26 years. You may recall that I took a look at some of the Letterbox's Visitor's books in an earlier blog post (https://who-is-the-challenger.blogspot.com/2017/07/visitors-books-revisited.html). This is a heritage Letterbox. One that deserves to be on site, warmly welcoming Fur Tor's weary pilgrims. Converting walkers into Letterboxers, then converting Letterboxers into believers.

Believers that this rich and varied hobby has a history which deserves to be restored. And not just restored, but utilised to enhance Letterboxing. To educate, inspire, and enthuse a new generation of Letterboxers. Historical boxes restored, supported and celebrated!

The Bovey Tracey Bracken Basher reestablished this Fur Tor Letterbox (pictured). There will be many avid Letterboxers young and old who will have never found the original Fur Tor Letterbox during it's first 45 years on the Moor. There is now an opportunity to have another try!

I urge you - no - implore you, to visit Fur Tor. To find this Letterbox, leave a message in the book, leave a stamped-addressed postcard for the next visitor to post on. Have your own fine time at this heritage box. Then ask yourself: Where do you see this hobby of ours going in the 21st century? If not a technological route ala Geocaching (which most are no keen on), then how about a restoration led reinvention?

I'd welcome your comments on this!

To the Mires!

Dire forecasts of 4 weeks of snow motivated me to get out on the Moor this past weekend. In what was my first Letterboxing session since the new year, it was to the deepest South Moor that I was headed. Parking at Venford and striking out for Ryder's Hill, my destination was Fishlake Mire, vire Aune Head and Nakers Hill.

For peace and solitude these spots are unrivaled. As I sat stamping up on the grassy slopes overlooking Fishlake, I could not consider anyone other than a Letterboxed gracing this place with a visit. I stumbled on a geocache at Aune Head, so this Mire would be a little less lonely, but on the whole, and judging by visitor books, if you hate crowds, be here now.

With 8 boxes found and a welcome opportunity taken to stretch my legs and clear my head, twas a great day. The weather was kind too, saving the rain - as it did - to my final mile approaching the car.