Chagford

On the North-East corner of the Moor, nestled at the base of Meldon Hill is Chagford.  A neat and historic stannary town.  My most recent venture to the moor was here - enjoying the comfort of the Globe Inn to spend a night in the town.  Though I was in Chagford for explorations rather than letterboxing...

St Michael's Churchyard in Chagford is the resting place for the grandfather and founder of Dartmoor Letterboxing - James Perrott.  He died in May 1885, aged 81 in the town he called home.  Chagford parish's website records that the church was dedicated to St Michael the Archangel by Bishop Branscombe (of fellow Dartmoor landmark Branscombe's Loaf fame), who in 1261 was Bishop of Exeter.

James Perrott was a famous Dartmoor Guide, and is credited with taking amongst others, Charles Dickens on the route out to Cranmere Pool via Fernworthy.  Besides walking, Perrott was also a keen angler.

So it was for lunch that it was deemed appropriate to descend to the Teign Valley and the Anglers Rest public house.  The peaceful atmosphere on the deck at the waters edge is phenomenal. Watching Brown trout and dippers darting by.  En route, we passed the tented Castle Drogo.  I had never really considered how visible Castle Drogo was from all over the Eastern moor until this giant white wrap was placed over it in December. The Western Morning News call it the biggest tent in the world, and that if all the scaffolding poles were put end to end, they'd stretch 60 miles!  Despite being damaged by the Winter storms, the wrapping will stay in place till mid 2015, until the renovation work is complete.  I look forward to the grand unveil next year.

This numbers game

After last week's walk, I was thumbing through the stamps collected.  That I'd found as many as I had was pleasing for a few reasons.  Since stashing the GPS away last Winter, I had noticed a considerable decline in my success rates on walks, and Tuesday reversed this trend.  I'm also planning a trip to Cut Hill - where stumbling on unexpected letterboxes is expected - and the pace and efficiency required at the box site requires practise.  Also, my scrapbooks have big pages - I need at least 15 stamps to fill a page!

Yet there is the important question of motivation.

To some letterboxers, 'boxing is about the healthy walk, the fresh air, the landscape all around, the chance encounters.  Take a camera; Take a dog; Take your time.  The letterboxing provides a little je ne c'est quoi, a bonus, an extra.  To be on Dartmoor is enjoyable enough.  Why not select the boxes, and the places you enjoy visiting and finding?   If you find it - great - if not, never mind.  There'll still be plenty more boxes on the moor next time.  You'll never find them all anyway!  What with the price of petrol, there's also no reason to be criss-crossing the moor every weekend. 

To others, the letterboxing is the purpose.  There is always time for 'one more box'.  Even if there isn't time.  Maybe its competitive - between friends and family.  It could be about being first in book, completing the series, or being 'seen'.  To some its about ensuring maximum return of stamps from limited time on the moor.  Letterboxing is, of course, highly addictive, and the thought of passing potential letterbox sites unsearched is absurd.  There is the next badge to aim for: with just another 100/1000/10,000 stamps to go!  Aim high!  There is no such thing as bad weather: only the wrong clothing, and besides, if you go in the rain, you'll have the whole moor to yourself, and won't have to worry about being 'watched' by grockles at Combestone Tor. And when sunset forces you off, why not take a torch, and pack clues for the 'roadies' on the route home.  (Or was that just me?!?)

Which brings me on to which camp I sit in.  I have flitted between both groups at various times recently.  I get withdrawal symptoms when I am away from Dartmoor, not from letterboxing.  However, I miss letterboxing terribly when I'm on the moor without clues.  I would probably count myself among the first group at the moment.  During the past 2 years, I started leaving The Upland Trotter personal at home, and carried only the whoisthechallenger stamp instead, so I cannot be sure how many stamps I have actually found.  Who am I actually counting for?  Who counts anyway?

Above everything else, it's about personal choice.  The reasons for letterboxing can be so varied and individual. 

Letterboxing, eh?  This Victorian pastime.  This means to an end.  This numbers game.

Weather permitting

Surely one of the greatest joys of Summer is the warm sunshine lasting late into the day, concluding with spectacular sunsets and mild nights.

Today was forecast to be one of these days, with the risk of some mid afternoon showers.  So it was the longest walk yet for me this year.  I'm building up to a pilgrimage to Cut Hill, and I needed to test myself.  I haven't been walking as often or as far as I'd hoped at new year.

I parked up at Four Winds car park - the former site of Foggintor School - and started the day by completing a small letterbox series around Over Tor, Church Rock and Little Mis Tor.  It must be at least a decade or so since I've been here.  The Merrivale military range was closed today, and guns were audible beyond Roos Tor.  Thankfully I hadn't planned to go too far North, but instead to cross over the main road and complete a different set of letterboxes around Kings Tor, Swell Tor and North Hessary.

At lunch, sat on the bank of the Longash Brook below Merrivale Menhir as I was, the clouds built up, the wind strengthened, and the rain began to fall.  I was not put off, and layered up I rounded Kings Tor to Little Kings and Hucken Tors.  A particularly sharp shower forced me under the bridge for shelter.  After exploring the area around the corbel stones and climbing over Swell Tor quarries, I followed the old railway track around to Foggintor and, between boxes, I took some time out to watch the climbers and abseilers enjoying the steep drops on offer.  The military are responsible, I understand, for the large quantity of metal gear affixed to the lips of the deep quarry.

Then it was back to Four Winds.  I estimate the walk was about 9 miles in length.  I found 33 boxes which is a new personal record since my GPS was switched off!  Bring on Cut Hill!

New clues - A parliament of owls

A series of boxes sited on the popular ridge from Two Bridges to Higher White Tor.  These boxes will be on site until the end of November 2014.

Crockern Tor    (Contains visitors book)

Lydford Gaol   

Plympton  

Ashburton   (Contains visitors book)

Chagford   

Tavistock 

A parliament of owls   (Contains visitors book)

This series has now been removed from the moor.

White Tor

Between the rain showers, I grabbed the opportunity to complete a charity letterbox walk sited for the 'People's Dispensary for Sick Animals' around White Tor on the western fringe of Dartmoor.  I parked up at the quarry car park on Smeardon Down, and climbed to Boulters Tor.  The gorse is beginning to flower, and the bracken is growing fast. Another few weeks and this area is deep in the stuff.  

As well as the flora, the rocks around here are distinct too.  Boulters Tor, White Tor, Brent Tor, and other western outcrops around here are not of granite.  They are basalt, the result of lava flows during the Devonian period, some 400 million years ago, when this area of Britain was under the sea.  The rocks are black and far more angular than granite.

Stephens Grave was on my route, although this area is devoid of letterboxes.  This lonely spot is the supposed burial site of John Stephens of Peter Tavy. As someone who committed suicide in the 18th century, he was not allowed to be buried on hallowed ground, but instead was buried at a crossroads, far away from the parish church, to confuse the spirit should it feel like a wander. Witnesses claim to have seen his ghost, sitting as though lost, on the grave.

White Tor is an entertaining place to letterbox.  Lots of outcrops, and opportunity for bearings.  It never ceases to disappoint.  One bearing seems to be missing though - the white flagpole.  The base remains, but it appears the pole has been cut down.  There was no indication of this happening in MOD plans that I have read.

After completing the loop of the tor, I descended to Wedlake and the Colly Brook to trace back to the car.  A fantastic day and 19 boxes found.

Littaford and Longaford

My latest walk was on the popular and fascinating ridge above the West Dart River.  Parking at Two Bridges, close to the hotel of the same name.  First stop was Wistmans Wood.  The famous nature reserve wearing the Spring cloak of lush green leaves. Demonstrating Summer weather is almost here, but also that the forest is healthy.  Natural England, who own Devon's oldest woodland, say Wistmans Wood has doubled in size in the past 100 years.  It still, thankfully, retains the ethereal feel familiar with Dartmoor's high altitude oak woodland.

Next, I headed North to the take-off point for Devonport Leat and the boundaries of Longaford Newtake.  I passed the lesser-known Little Whiten Tor, and climbed up to Lower White Tor.  On July 4th, 1939, Fairey Battle K9391, a single engined RAF bomber on exercise crashed up here (Info credit due to Clyde North Aeronautical Preservation Group.) Some of the wreckage remains embedded on the slopes.

I returned to the car down the ridge, passing Higher White Tor and Longaford Tor.  Cuckoos were audible on both sides of the ridge - from Wistmans Wood and the trees surrounding Powdermills.  It is unknown if they were ones tagged in the British Trust for Ornithology/DNPA project to learn more about these elusive and increasingly rare birds.

I had a few letterboxes to find around Littaford Tor and Little Bee Tor.  It then was the long descent back to the car for well earned refreshment.  11 boxes found.

Heavy plant crossing

The below sign was spotted last weekend attached to the gate between Beardown and Lydford Tors.  It seems that August - the firing free month - and the season of all things North Moor, will not mean freedom to Summer Hill, North of Cowsic Head.  The sign is not clear of exactly what they will be doing to the "high plateau", but the mires project is all about re-wetting the moor, and the creation of pools and peat barriers.  

The Dartmoor Mires Project would be grateful if you would avoid approaching the area around 596 808 when work is taking place.  So get out there now while you have a chance!