Sunday, March 25th 2012 - Part 1

Welcome back to EEMOO!

The Spring Meet was as busy as ever when WITC stopped by this morning.  Obviously the early visit before a day in the hills was everyone elses plan too.  Blank postcards were purchased, a free copy of Dartmoor Active magazine was gathered, and a few one day stamps were collected.

From a few brief conversations with the charity walk sellers, business was brisk, and WITC helped out where they could.  We now have walks in areas to interest us over the coming season:  Sourton Tors, Hartor Tors and Cosdon to name but a few.

Saturday, 24th March 2012

WITC has been left red faced after todays walk out to Nakers Hill.  This was after two important things were left behind by accident.

Firstly, a camera, and as WITC is still yet to wake up to the world of Smartphones, and our mobile phone doesn't have a camera, no pictures from today folks!  Sorry!  We also forgot sunscreen.  We should have known.  It wasn't quite the warmth of Summer out there, but it was still wall-to-wall sunshine.  Mind you, visibility was far from perfect.  Perhaps the camera wasn't missed after all...

We began in the small hamlet of Michelcombe, and we used the public bridleway to access the moor close to Gibby Combe.  It was a sweaty climb up the Mardle River to Hapstead Ford and on up to Ryders Hill.  At Ryders Hill summit, we rested for lunch.  Here we greeted the assortment of walkers, day trippers and ten tor'ers who passed by.  It was then a relaxing, unrushed afternoon in the Avon valley, around Aune Head, Little Aune and Nakers Hill before returning as the shadows lengthened at the end of the day via Snowdon.  In absence of photos, here is a selection of todays stamps (including Mo's relationship box in the middle!), and Google Earth provides a slightly more distant view. 10 miles and 24 stamps collected.

Tomorrow is the Meet, and WITC will be there to purchase the new catalogue and a few charity walks too.  Hopefully, if the sunburn allows us, we'll continue this weekend of walks too.

Friday, 23rd March 2012

We looked out the window at home early this morning to see a thick mist, and we were understandably disappointed.  Our next hope was there would be a temperature inversion. The extraordinary phenomenon where temperatures after a cold still night, rise faster on higher ground than lower down.  It usually results in a 'sea of mist' effect, where you tend to drive from thick mist into bright sunshine at Dartmoor's boundaries.  

We ran for the computer, eagerly logging on to Dartcam (www.dartcom.co.uk) for a live weather image from Powder Mills.  Alas, it was thick mist.  No temperature inversion today... 

By late morning, the sun was shining, the sky was blue and only the smoke of various swales obscured the view.  Indeed the smoke added to a general haze which, by the end of the day led to an amazing sunset.

A late start was called for, so we packed the boxing gear slowly, and drove to Yar Tor and Corndon.  Our route took us from Rogues Roost, South, maintaining a low contour below Yar Tor, before climbing up to and over the tor and West to the Cave-Penny memorial cross.  We rounded Corndon Tor, taking a few minutes to enjoy the view looking to Ryders Hill past Sharp Tor (pictured).  This before heading North to the cairns and the ankle-breaking clitters and thick gorse of Cathanger Rock.  We stopped by Little Boy boundary stone (pictured).  From here, it was just a short descent to Rogues Roost and back to the car. 

7 miles and 22 boxes found. 

Perfect preparation

WITC is packing, preparing and plotting walks for the forthcoming weekend.  The Met Office forecast is for a few heavy showers developing on Friday, but otherwise it will be largely dry, with warm, sunny spells and light winds.

This is combined with the annual Spring Meet on Sunday at Lee Moor, which whoisthechallenger will be attending.  All in all, it means it'll be a great long weekend on the Moor for us.

See you there!

Making money

I love amazon.co.uk.  WITC loves amazon.co.uk.  There are always bargains to be had on amazon.co.uk, and no, WITC does NOT work for amazon.co.uk.  Other online retailers do exist.

An example of the offers available right now on Amazon include:

Ripcurl micro fleece, was £40 now £9.58:  Ripcurl Replay  Promo code: SPRING20
Karrimor KSB Orkney leather boot, was £130 now £34.32  Karrimor KSB  Promo code SPRING20
Columbia womens Venture On Omni-tech Jacket, was £100 now £24.46  Columbia womens waterproof  Promo code SPRING20

(Extra 20% off Promo codes expire 05/03/12)

However, sometimes the prices are even more surprising.  Look up Dartmoor books.  WITC already has a library of Dartmoor based literature, but Amazon are selling the familiar books at very high prices...

Jeremy Butler's Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities Volume 4  £150  Antiquities Vol.4
Eric Hemery's High Dartmoor  from £77.80 to £179.05  Hemery's High Dartmoor
Terry Bound's A - Z Dartmoor Tors  from £36.66  A - Z Dartmoor Tors

It all made WITC think.  Since ebay's prices aren't very different, perhaps we are a rainy day and photocopier away from raising extra cash selling our copies on line!

Always the last to know

WITC ventured back on to the bright yet chilly moor with a wander around Stalldown Barrow and Stall Moor.  We were last here in October to complete a WOM walk sited to celebrate the birthday of the letterboxer known as Gemini.  In typcal fashion, we were long overdue.  The stamps had been on site for a considerable time, and we found ourselves at the back of the visitors book, scribbling in our belated birthday wishes.  Nevertheless, all the boxes were on site, and all in good condition.  This despite the 10 figure GPS references issued, and being in a popular walking area for archaeologists and the population of nearby Plymouth alike.

Proof there, should it be needed, that if you are careful what information you divulge, and who you provide your clues to, the LBT will not ruin a good walk.  As it happened, on this occasion, we did not require the 10 figure grid references.  After homing in on a couple of bearings, we located the boxes swiftly by spotting the worn areas of turf.  As pictured, the flattened grass was a giveaway!

WITC had a successful day out this time also.  Though the thermometer barely rose above freezing. Reading some weather websites, it suggests that it will remain cold for the rest of February.  

7 miles, 16 boxes found.

Up for grabs

Its been a while since whoisthechallenger has been out on the Moors, but we're still watching...

Dartmoor is booming!  WITC reads that publicity generated by the movies War Horse and the upcoming We Bought A Zoo, and by the Sherlock episode on BBC recently, mean property prices in the uplands of the South West of England are defying the downturn.  (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-2099450/The-moor-merrier-Holmes-luring-buyers-South-West-s-rugged-uplands.html)

So WITC was positively salivating to see Estate Agent Knight Frank are selling a large swathe of South Dartmoor.  An area to the South and to the West of Avon Dam including Black Tor, Dockwell Ridge, Petres Pits, Ryders Rings, Wacka Tor, to the summit of Three Barrows, is for sale.  The brochure is here: Brochure.  The 2700 acres includes "a frontage on to the River Avon...Sporting rights...Open Moorland and a ruin"  (Make that at least 2 ruins cos we think Uncle Abs House and Brentmoor House form part of the package)  Its a snip at just £600,000.

Form an orderly queue please!