Tranquility base

If the hustle and bustle of modern life is getting a bit much, and the stresses and strains of city living are weighing you down, read on.  If you feel like you need an escape, I think I've found the perfect place for you.  Obviously it is on Dartmoor!  I've found the national park is the perfect antithesis to everyday life.  It appears some talented architect agrees with me!

Riddon Brake is located at the northern end of Riddon Ridge, about half a mile from the village of Bellever and 2 miles from Postbridge.  It benefits from moorland views, almost 7 acres of land, a semi-wooded location, and open plan, timber construction.  A detached, 4-bedroomed, modern build with stables, workshop and paddocks to bring out the pioneer in you.

Stags Estate Agent of Totnes are advertising the property (Details here: www.rightmove.co.uk) which went on the market at the beginning of this month.  I expect this extraordinary £635,000 tranquil location to be snapped up, so book your viewing appointment early!  Or at the very least, imagine breakfast on your deck overlooking the East Dart,  See you at the estate agent!

Battle plans Part VI

The view North East from Holming Beam flagpole

Many months have passed since we have heard about the Ministry of Defence plans for Dartmoor's military training ranges.  The latest news comes courtesy of the Dartmoor Steering Group.  This group works in partnership with the MOD to encourage mutually agreeable use of the moor by the armed forces.  Many important stakeholders are represented on this group, who meet annually: The National Park Authority,  Duchy of Cornwall and Dartmoor Commoners Council to name just three.  Their most recent meeting was in November 2014 at Okehampton Camp.  

Following their own guidelines, the Dartmoor Steering Group publish the minutes of their meetings on the internet, usually within just a few weeks.  Today, after I tweeted the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) for them, the minutes from November's meeting have finally been published online here: Dartmoor Steering Group minutes; November 2014

If you've been following my Battle Plans posts over the past 4 years, you will know how much work was due for investment, but how budget cuts and delays were experienced in almost every scheme. One beacon of hope came in 2012, when the Dartmoor Steering Group had reassurance from the MOD that funding was secured for the work to replace Holming Beam hut.  Holming Beam hut looks like a temporary structure, situated at the end of a long metalled track north of Princetown.  Even in 2011, this building was considered to be reaching the end of it's useful life.  The Holming Beam area planned redevelopment including a less visually obtrusive mobile lookout and relocated flagpole appeared a real success story.  In 2014, HRH the Prince of Wales appointed architects to design the replacement building and consultation had begun.  With MOD funding to be made available in the 2013-4 financial year, construction would proceed in the year 2016-7.

However, and to quote the group's chairman: "disappointment and...significant annoyance" greeted the announcement from the DIO representative present at November's meeting that, despite the earlier assurances, funding for Holming Beam would not be available for another 2 years.  It was also suggested that the stakeholders may be forced to restate their case for any replacement, despite having done so repeatedly before.  Landscape, public safety, and visual obtrusiveness are key reasons given for both the redevelopment and for the wider Dartmoor byelaw review to include relocation of several flagpoles, huts and lookouts.

In May 2015, after a UK election result indicating further years of public spending cuts, any MOD investment in Dartmoor National Park's ranges will surely be scrutinised further.  Any byelaw review is unlikely until 2018, and the MOD's '2010-2020 Integrated Rural Management Plan' planned 2015 review, one suspects, is going to be a frustrating read.  When, and if any review is published, I'll report again.

See also:
Battle plans;
Battle plans Part II;
Battle Plans Part III - Any clearer?;
Battle Plans Part IV;
Battle Plans Part V

Nostalgia

I am simply thrilled with my latest purchase of a few Dartmoor Letterboxing antiquities. Namely, copies of Letterbox catalogues dating from Autumn 1985 to Spring 1991.  The 100 Club's official clue book - first published in May 1983 - was not quite the publication of more recent years.  

Firstly there is the old book's Latin subtitle: 'Ludus tantum est' roughly translated as 'Its only a game'. Godfrey Swinscow, the 100 club founder always considered Letterboxing to be just this.

Also, the clue for 'Watern Tor' - Registered as box number 1 with the 100 Club, and therefore not to be confused with Cranmere Pool, which is registered number 12 - is still listed in these earliest catalogues. 

The earliest copy I obtained is the 5th edition, printed on October 2nd 1985.  In this copy we are informed that Tigers Marsh letterbox (registered number 89) had been removed from the moor or lapsed into disrepair since the Spring.  Several of the first 100 registered boxes still feature in the clues though.  Rules in this book are scarce: although the importance of ensuring it's security and that no copy falls into the hands of vandals is repeated. This is just a pamplet consisting of  76 pages and listing all 879 registered Letterboxes then on Dartmoor.  It was part of an auction site lot combined with all subsequent catalogues up to 1991 - by chance when our own personal collection of catalogues start.  

The search is now on for even earlier editions!

Active Dartmoor article

The latest issue of Active Dartmoor magazine is out NOW.  Grab a copy, turn to page 18 and you'll find a segment on 'Getting Started in Letterboxing' written by me!

This came about after I was contacted by Jen - a co-owner of the magazine last year.  After a bit of consultation and numerous drafts and proof-reads I submitted the completed piece and I am thrilled with the finished article.  You can find the seasonal magazine at pubs, hotels, cafes, attractions and events on Dartmoor, or it is available to read online via the magazine website: 

http://www.activedartmoor.com

Spring Meet 2015

The 72nd Meet took place this past weekend.  It has been 37 years since Letterboxing's first Meet at the Forest Inn near Hexworthy.  A Dartmoor pub which has since closed, but up for sale for just a £1!

The bi-annual gathering now calls Lee Moor Village Hall home.  I did attend.  It was great to catch up with some familiar faces, and purchase the new catalogue.

The introduction to the new book of clues offers an update on Godfrey Swinscow - the 'father' of modern Letterboxing.  In the 1980s as the burgeoning hobby threatened to incur the wrath of the National Park, it was 'God' who stepped in and created the 100 club and the concept of registering boxes.  Godfrey - who celebrated his 96th birthday on Sunday - now resides in a Devon residential home with his wife, Anne.  He still has an interest in Letterboxing, albeit by only enjoying looking at stamps brought in by his visitors.  It was fantastic to hear how Godfrey is doing, as it has been so long since the last update.

With charity walks bought, Letterboxing routes must now be planned for the Lyd Valley, Cox Tor and Mel Tor areas.

The Getaway - Part III

My final far-flung Letterboxing excursion was to the closest National Park neighbour - Exmoor. Think of Exmoor and you may think of Lorna Doone or the Valley of the Rocks, Lynton & Lynmouth or perhaps Johnny Kingdom and the red deer.  I'd always considered Exmoor, away from the coastline to be characterised by tight valleys and grassy upland, far less rugged than Dartmoor.  I was keen to discover if my preconceptions were true.

I'd found two clues for boxes around Wood Barrow via Gamblenet.  This grassy hill sits to the West of the park, and the summit cairn straddles the Devon - Somerset border. It also is located on the Tarka Trail, an undefined long distance path that links the North coast with Dartmoor.  My walk up to Wood Barrow followed this trail from the main road at the Edgerley Stone - one of several uncut, local rocks intended to mark the 13th century boundary of the Royal Forest of Exmoor, but now marks the county line.  It is inscribed with 'F Isaac', 'F Bray', and an OS benchmark.

Wood Barrow is 470 metres above sea level - the highest of my out-of-area summits.  This puts it about the same height as Longaford Tor, but Exmoor's highest point - Dunkery Beacon - off to the East is one of the Southern England's highest points.  

The letterboxes were sited in the nearby Woodbarrow Hangings - a deep twisting combe winding off to the North.  One box, with just a six figure grid ref was found quickly and on site. Well hidden, and with just a dozen or so entries in the visitors book, this box has remained undiscovered for much of it's 23 years (!) on the moor.  The other box proved more elusive, and I failed to find it.  I suspected, as with many boxes on Bodmin Moor, it was missing, and this was due to the 10 figure grid reference it offered.  Anyone with a smartphone and a free App could locate this box, since the clue is widely available.  This is surely the same fate Dartmoor Letterboxes face with full grid references.

The views from the rim of Woodbarrow Hangings were impressive in the late afternoon sunshine.  The Bristol Channel is close by, and is full of ships, mostly large cargo vessels.  The narrow channel allowed views beyond to the Welsh mountains - a Letterboxing destination that would have to wait.  My route back to the car was via the absurdly named Pinkery Pond.  Pinkery is a local disambiguation of Pinkworthy (this IS North Devon!).  The manmade pond dams the River Barle, though the purpose for this 19th century creation remains unknown although several theories exist.

Heading South, down the river valley, I passed the Pinkery Youth Hostel and Outdoor Adventure Centre.  Clearly a significant investment has been made here in both the building and in a wind turbine to provide electricity.

This is a beautiful corner of Devon, and though it has much in common with the Moor next door, it is yet so different - not least in the geology - which is predominately shale, sandstone and slate.  The trip to Exmoor was well worth it.

The Getaway - Part II

View from the Bishop of Barf

With a week's annual leave, I put aside my studies for a while and made a long overdue visit to some friends in the North of England. This also provided me with an opportunity to attempt (again) Letterboxing in the Lake District. I've been here before.  I used to live in Keswick, in Northern Lakeland, and I have tried, unsuccessfully, on more than one occasion to find Letterboxes around here.  This time would surely be different.

The Bishop of Barf, or Bishop Rock

There are now longer lists of boxes in the National Park, but to cast my net wider still, I approached some Letterboxers who had links to the Lake District.  Perhaps they had knowledge of existing Letterboxes.  One reply sounded perfect...  last confirmed on site 2-and-a-half years ago by the owner...  No more than a mile from the road...  Hidden with a bottle of beer...  Lets go!

This particular box belongs to 'The old man of the Moor' aka 86 year-old Ken of Tavistock.  He has been Dartmoor Letterboxing for many decades, but has visited family in Applethwaite every year for 40 years.  Nearby, and on the steep, loose scree slopes of the absurdly named hill 'Barf' is a local landmark.  A bright white painted rock.  This is Bishop's Rock.  Legend has it that the Bishop of Derry wagered in a local hostelry that he could ride his horse to the summit of Barf via this direct, craggy route.  The rock stands at a point where both hapless horse and rider stumbled, and fell to their deaths.  Every few years, the local mountain rescue and other volunteers scramble up the hill to repaint the rock, which is visible for miles around.

Ken's Letterbox & Beer

In 1993, Ken climbed up to the 'Bishop of Barf' and sited a letterbox of the same name.  He informed me that the box was found sporadically during the early 21st century, and his last visit was in September 2012.  On this occasion he left a stamped addressed postcard to himself for the next visitor to return, and a bottle of local Jennings Beer.  He was yet to receive the card back so assumed it remained unfound.

Don't look down!!

Barf is located on the opposite side of the valley to Skiddaw - England's 4th highest mountain.  Barf is not so high, but quite dramatic.  At 460 metres, Barf is about the same height as Three Barrows, but the car park is at 60 metres altitude and only 400 metres distant from the summit.  You must understand that the gradients are unmatched on Dartmoor!  When asked by Ken if I wished to find his box, he did enquire if I was scared of heights, and advised against any decent from the rock, less I wished to lose the backside of my trousers!

View from Barf summit over Bassenthwaite Lake

The descent route

The box is sited 60 paces from a lone Rowan tree, named by Alfred Wainwright as the 'solitary tree'. On it's trunk I could make out some familiar, carved initials of OMOTM - the Old Man Of The Moor, not far from Bishop Rock. I found the box, and the beer, both on site and in great condition.  I pocketed the postcard, stamped the visitors book, and took a few copies of the stamp in rapidly worsening weather.  Hiding the box again, I considered how right Ken's advice was!  The box is about halfway up the slope.   I was between a rock and a hard place. So far this was a proper scramble. Above me, this terrain continued, with a semi-rock climb in gale force winds with rain and sleet pelting me as I approached the summit.  I am full of admiration of Ken who completed this route in 2012 in his mid-80s.  I collapsed in a heap upon reaching shelter near the summit cairn, struggling to catch my breath.

I took the walkers path back to the car, which was more like a stream and was very slippery in places.  

The day had proved that Lake District Letterboxing has little in common with Dartmoor Letterboxing.  Thoroughly enjoyable and hugely rewarding. Hard work, and potentially hazardous though.  The beer, unfortunately, didn't taste so good after it's long wait...

'Solitary tree' (centre) and Bishop Rock (bottom right) from descent route

The direct ascent route to the Bishop of Barf.

Next up: Exmoor