Roving the Ring Road

Returning to the South West for a rare, second consecutive weekend, whoisthechallenger went North to complete an attractive little charity walk around West and East Mill Tors.  The 11 box walk was sited in order raise funds for the Plymouth branch of the PDSA.  The 'Birds Eye View Of Dartmoor' series is the sixth and latest installment of this group's Charity walks, and their stamps and clues are always reliable.

We parked at Row Tor in bright sunshine, and were delighted to find that the wind was not bracing, nor was it bearing inhibitive.  All the boxes were within paces of the metalled army tracks, some of which formed the 'Okehampton Ring Road'.  This was looping track from Row Tor out to OP15 on Okement Hill.  The track was often rutted and pot-holed, with a couple of deep fords thrown in, but at least the Western (ford-free) half of the track was negotiable with a 2 wheel drive car.  On September 18th 2009 the track was closed to all public traffic.

The track has since been re-surfaced - with a fine gravel where the tarmac has failed, and the old arguments regarding the Ring Road closure will again be debated.  Whoisthechallenger always wondered if the MOD would let the track return to nature, or maintain it for it's own benefit.

The charity walk was being completed by several other letterboxers, and whoisthechallenger met up with the Colville Cobblers en route too.  Over the day, 7.5 miles were covered with 14 boxes found.

Tuesday, April 2nd 2013

 I can now confirm that the Rangale of deer set is off the moor.  Please delete your clues now.  I was delighted to discover that all the boxes were on site, and stampable.  I've had my fill of the East Dart valley for a while though...

Monday, April 1st 2013

A Bank Holiday off work and the sun shining, whoisthechallenger needed no further excuse to get out on the moors.  After purchasing a couple of charity walks at the meet, it was to Brat Tor and Arms Tor that we headed.  The car park wasn't exactly overflowing.  The Ten-Tor trainees were out in force though.  As the route took us up the River Lyd, we were fortunately sheltered from the chilly Easterly wind.  Early Spring is the best time to walk the Lyd valley - no bracken.

Boxes were generally on site, and for the first time in a long time, the moor was dry underfoot.  Circling Smallacombe Rocks, and heading up to Arms Tor, we suddenly found ourselves exposed to the full force of the wind.  Dartcom suggested winds peaked at 26 knots this afternoon - though I suspect their instruments are not as exposed as Widgery Cross.

Retreating back to river level, splashing across the Lyd and back to the car on High Down, WITC is pleased with the 8.5 miles covered, and the 38 box haul too.

The 67th meet

Whoisthechallenger was the Meet at Lee Moor today and was delighted to see such a healthy turnout!  With at least a dozen charity walks for sale (all doing brisk trade by the looks of things), and the mix of other traders and stalls, the village was positively buzzing even when I stopped by mid morning.  A sign of the times is perhaps the average price being charged for a set of clues has dropped to £2.50.  Credit crunch indeed!

Having invested in a selection of charity walks, we look forward to some interesting walks in the East Mill Tor, Brat Tor and Black Down areas.  This looks like an interesting Spring and Summer!

Rack 'em up!

From the latest update:

The 67th Letterbox Meet will be held on Easter Sunday, 31st March 2013 

at Lee Moor Village Hall from 10am to 4.30pm.

See you there!

Trees

A story which might have been missed last year concerns the humble larch.  The hardy, lofty, deciduous conifer tree which can be found throughout the UK, including the woodlands of Dartmoor.  A cash crop especially valued for its extremely hard wood.  You may recall the sudden and substantial clearances of trees within Burrator, or at Canonteign Woods, or at Cann Woods in the Plym Valley back in 2011.  Restocking of these forests is complete, but the cause was Ramorum Disease (Phytophtora Ramorum) - a fungus like infection that kills trees and shrubs, and the spread of the infection continues...

Dead oak tree painted by artist Henry Brudenell-Bruce (creator
of the Widecombe 'Giant Chair') in grounds of Delamere House
near Cornwood, to highlight the threat posed by Ramorum disease.

Image: Johnculf.co.uk

The infection was first discovered in the UK in 2002, and boosted by wet Summers and strong winds has since leapt species from Viburnum and Rhododendron to Bilberry and Japanese Larch.  It is estimated that the plantation surrounding Burrator Reservoir is 10% Japanese Larch.  

The disease is spread by spores that develop on infected plants, and the only known means of control is systematic felling of the trees, before they can produce spores.  The movement of the disease around the country has been ceaseless.  Initially limited to Devon, Cornwall and Wales, cases in Japanese larch trees were reported in the South East of England for the first time last September, and Scotland reported it's first cases earlier this month.

The Forestry Commission have stated that it is likely more Ramorum disease will be reported in Dartmoor woodlands - in fact there have been 4 new cases reported in 2013 so far - and it is likely more woodland will succumb to the infection, potentially infecting beech, birch and sweet chestnut trees.

Timber from infected trees can be used, but can only be processed and transported under tight restrictions.  There is no risk to human or animal health from the infection, but the Forestry Commission have the following advise to help minimise the rish of spreading the infection:

- Keep to marked paths, forest roads and hard footpaths

- Remove mud and soil from footwear after leaving woodland

- Keep dogs on short leads

- Not removing cuttings or other plant material from woodland

- Keep away from felling operations, and obey all safety notices

Common sense perhaps, but if letterboxers can do their bit to protect the forests of Dartmoor, it must surely be a good thing.

The camera doesn't lie

I live a long way from Dartmoor.  Too far.  The Solent shoreline typically receives a mild, occasionally blowy mix of settled weather.  Very much unlike the frequent wet and windy assortment experienced in the South West.  Portsmouth is neither South West nor South East.  We are almost halfway along the South coast, and forecasts rarely accurately describe our location well :(

Good day for a walk, bad day for a walk.  You decide.

Our climate is even less like the cold, misty and often stormy offerings provided on the moors.  Metoffice forecasts for Princetown are hit and miss.  Therefore I am often very thankful for an up-to-date view of Dartmoor conditions.  A veritable eye in the Dartmoor sky: Dartcam.

Dartcam is operated by Dartcom - a weather satellite and ground sensing equipment manufacturer located at Powdermills near Two Bridges.  The old 19th century gunpowder factory buildings accommodate numerous other operations including a Team building and outdoor pursuit organiser, a £15 per night bunkhouse and the famous Powdermills Pottery.  Powdermills is the home and workplace of potter Joss Hibbs.  You can read Joss's blog at the following link:  http://www.powdermillspottery.com/acatalog/Joss__Blog.html

On our most recent trip to Dartmoor found Dartcom, and the surrounding moor under several inches of snow.  We should have seen it coming...