Vixen Tor and other restrictions

Hmmm... WITC are reconsidering their Tor owning ambitions (see post 18th October 2010).

Vixen Tor continues to make the news. Access to this peak was closed to walkers in 2003. The owners decided that if they can own a Tor that it was too dangerous for walkers and climbers to visit it. Prior to 2003, paths were open to the public for decades and evidence suggests that historic rights of way passed the tor. Citing insurance reasons, barbed wire and keep out signs now surround the spectacular rock pile.

Attempts made by UN negotiator Colonel Bob Stewart, a Channel 5 documentary, the British Mountaineering Council, several mass tresspasses and Dartmoor National Park all failed to resolve the matter. Devon County Council's recommendation to allow public access to the Tor was successfully appealed by the owner. Then the Planning Inspectorate began a public inquiry into the issue. First the inquiry ran out of time to hear all the evidence, then the resumption of the hearing was cancelled due to December's adverse weather. News broke last week that yet another new date for the continued hearing has been scheduled for July 2011.

This made us think of Dave Bellamy's brazenly cheerful "accessing" activity on his web-page: http://www.davebellamy.co.uk/Views/tors_with_restricted_access.asp. Lets hope that July brings a successful conclusion to Vixana's sorry saga, and that we can finally lawfully hike to Vixen Tor, eh Dave?

Out with the old?

Thanks to a bout of sickness, excess Wintry weather, and other commitments, WITC has been anywhere but Dartmoor recently.

We did squeeze out on a walk recently from Pork Hill. Up to the Staple Tors and Roos Tor returning via Merrivale Quarry. It is an area of the Moor which is ever so familiar to us. For this reason we have a strange not-so-pleasant relationship with it. A kind of novelty-worn-off-long-ago, unexciting kind of familiarity that makes us kind of ashamed and embarrassed to admit it. There are many places on Dartmoor we have prefer to visit, are yet to visit, with hidden corners to search and distant peat banks to prod. Suffice to say, it has been a long time since we enjoyed the Staple Tors.

Perhaps we are being little harsh on the Walkham valley. WITC have maybe overdone it, BUT the views here are tremendous looking both East and West, and the local hostelry is excellent. In the curious Sett Makers Bankers, there no shortage of unique antiquities. The going is comparatively easy and you never come off the moor disappointed by the quantity of boxes found (though quality can be an issue sometimes, perhaps??)

We also were dismayed to see a Geocache hidden in a Sett Makers Banker. No, we didn't remove it., but thats a whole different discussion.

Our route ended with a well earned drink at the Dartmoor Inn. 23 boxes found.

Days of Summer

As we've passed the shortest day and, on the eve of another year, WITC's thoughts have turned to plans and forthcoming walks.  Snow, ice and fog have restricted our walks of recent, but scanning through our scrapbooks, we were reminded of our routes last Summer.

One stand-out walk was to Snowdon, Broad Falls and Huntingdon Barrow in late June. The parking area near Scorriton was empty and the moor appeared deserted of people. A couple of Dartmoor icons made their entrance: a rangale of deer we spooked, and then we were buzzed by two of the Army's low flying, tank destroying Apache helicopters.

Emphasising our solitary wander, the desolate landscape and utter wilderness around us, was Huntingdon Warren Farm. A warren possibly as early as the 1600's and only demolished shortly after WW2.

The weather was warm, with a light breeze and patchy sunshine. The boxes were easy to find the happy skylarks tweeted, and the miles passed quickly underfoot. Ahhh... memories, eh?

Happy New Year everyone

Merry Christmas

Seasons Greetings from WITC! This year, our Christmas Message goes out to the owners of Metheral Hill 7.

Your Dartmoor letterbox has had a good innings. In the near 20 years it has been out on the moor (so the sodden book suggests) it must have seen many visitors and several severe winters. Unfortunately, the smashed pot had become brittle since time, sunshine and mice have had their effect. We believed it should be brought in, and so we removed it. I'd love to say it is off to meet it's maker - the hand carved stamp was as good as new. If you are, or know of the creator - please inform them of our actions. WITC are not experts at removing other people's boxes. We are not thieves. We are just conciencious about litter on Dartmoor.

Similarly, if you know what box we have brought in, please let us know.

Who is responsible?

Dartmoor Chris has been in touch. He had planned to site some boxes on Dartmoor for just 3 days this Christmas. Due to the extreme weather we are suffering at the moment, these boxes will no longer be sited in the Gutter Tor area. To be exact, the email read:-

"Many roads around that area are far too dangerous to even attempt with snow and ice on them. I do not wish to cause you to damage your vehicles attempting to visit the boxes like last year at Holming Beam, where I understand that one or two of you did manage to allow the wall to jump out in front of you."

Thanks for thinking of us Chris. It made WITC wonder about who is responsible where letterboxing is concerned. Crashing the car on the way to the car park... Losing boots in the marsh... Twisting ankles in the clitter searching... Have legal issues ever arisen where charity or timed letterboxes are concerned? Such issues have to be dealt with where organised walks, such as the Abbots Way, OATS walk and Ten Tors are run. Charity walks have been released with advisories concerning river crossings, for example, before, but we have yet to see a cluesheet with disclaimers. A matter of time perhaps.

The Taw

At last, we had a thaw in the snow. Unfortunately, the weather forecast is not brilliant, so we took the opportunity to get out on the moor. Our destination was Steeperton Tor. We parked in Belstone village and followed the East bank of the Taw upstream. The Easterly wind was biting, and there was still plenty of ice lying on the ground, but the sun shone and fortunately all boggy ground was solid.

At Ottery Tor we said hello to the only other walker we saw all day.

We progressed along the hillside crossing Small

Brook, then Steeperton Brook and up to the summit of Steeperton Tor. This peak has one of the best views on the moor. It felt like the wind had

dropped and we lingered at the flagpole, before descending to Bow Combe. Due to the short days, WITC had already planned for this route to be linear, and that there would be a straight-forward walk back to the car. Our route was 8 miles long. With just 18 boxes found.

Serving time

Is it curtains for Dartmoor Prison?

The bill just arrived. The lease to the Duchy of over £660,000 per year, and this despite the jail housing fewer than 500 inmates. With critical Government reports in recent years, it's crumbling structure with increasing maintenance costs and Public Sector cutbacks looming. Can this institution be supported any longer? Website thisisplymouth.co.uk has reported that it could be closed down and become a tourist attraction. A bizarre idea? Maybe. It might work though... The current prison museum is renowned as a good day out, but to see Dartmoor Prison - a world famous, historical building made into a popular 'Alcatraz' style must-see can only be good for Princetown and the region.