The Tour of Britain 2014

I own a bicycle, but I'm not the most committed cycle nut.  I really enjoyed the cycling events I saw at London 2012, and the Tour de France coverage on TV this year was incredible.  So when I won a Twitter competition run by Dartmoor National Park, to join them on their open top bus at Haytor for the Tour of Britain this year, I was ecstatic!

A VIP ticket for the top car park, and a prime view at the summit of this King of the Mountain stage were on offer.  The 170km Devon section of this week long cycle event had several climbs, but this one was the headliner.  Thousands of spectators had walked, cycled or driven up to the moor to watch.  The route passed through Widecombe, Ponsworthy, Dartmeet, Two Bridges, Merrivale and Tavistock.  Then North to Lydford, Okehampton, and East back towards Exeter.  The NPA were understandably delighted by the turnout, and the weather.  Sir Bradley Wiggins, Marcel Kittel and Mark Cavendish were just three of a stellar line up of professional cyclists on the tour.  True - the build up, cyclists and race cars passed by within 20 minutes, but it made an exciting and unusual day out on the moor.

It was incredible to see the peloton speed up the hill, still chatting to each other as they cycled.  Massive congratulations to all the competitors.  If you haven't seen the Tour on the moor, then hope that it will return again soon.  It seems that the Rugby World Cup matches in Exeter in 2015 will prevent the event returning to the county next year.

A short cut?

It has been years since I last went to Cut Hill, and I'd urge you to make the effort to get out there too.  Summer is the optimum time to visit this remote spot at the centre of the Northern moor.  The planned route involved going in from a different direction, not from the usual Postbridge or Baggator car parks, but from Fernworthy Reservoir.  I'd calculated that this was the closest car park to home within striking distance of the Hill.

I took a few choice paths in Fernworthy Forest to emerge on the slopes of Tom's Hill, taking the 'digger' path over Sittaford Tor and over to Statts House.  In the distance I could make out 2 diggers around Flat Tor Pool.  A surprise, since the August work was only due on the Summer Hill plateau.  I was too far away to see exactly what they were doing though.  I descended to Kit Steps and leapt the East Dart at the confluence with Cut Hill Stream.  Here, the letterboxing began.

My clue list was long.  With not many distant bearings utilised, it was a test of my memory of Cut Hill's landmarks and artefacts: including the pipe, cable, outcrop, rain gauge, guide stones and blocks.  This is a big hill, and I had about 6 hours to scour it.  One landmark I hadn't seen since its discovery was the Cut Hill stone row.  Dr Tom Greeves discovered Dartmoor's highest row up here in 2010.  

The Hill was very quiet today, and I saw just one other person all day (even the diggers were silent).  The walk took me down to Cut Lane Stream, and around to Foresters House.  Underfoot, the grass was long, and damp, and it made for treacherous walking at times.  With 3 hours till Sunset I found myself at Lamerton Lane considering the best way back.  My clues were all for Cut Hill, so I packed up my clues, map and compass and headed down to the Teign valley, following the course down to the confluence below Sittaford.  Another ascent over this Tor, and I was a short walk back to the forest.  Stopping to take some pictures of Grey Wethers in the warm dusk light.  The paths in Fernworthy are not as plentiful as the newest OS map suggests.  Which is a touch frustrating, in that options are limited, though it could be seen to be safer this way, with less chance of getting lost.

A cracking day all in all.  The views from Cut Hill's summit stretch from St Austell to the Blackdown Hills, with both coasts visible at Torbay and Tintagel.  A tricky, under-used route though from Fernworthy, but one for the intrepid.  About 15 miles walked, and 26 boxes found.  

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.