hike | camp | paint
East Hill was a riot of purple and yellow as I climbed up and contoured around to find the first tor of the day – Ashbury Tor. I managed to overshoot it and doubled back through the gorse fringing the edge of the hill to find it. Unsure at first, I managed to find … Continue reading Clitter and Clotted Cream
Every year close to Easter, we get together with a group of old university friends - a tradition that's been going on for 20 years now. Consequently we're running out of new places to go, and as we've evolved into family groups and acquired children and dogs, additional criteria that further restrict our choice of location … Continue reading Tors and Beaches – A week in Devon
With the others departed, I spend most of the last evening at the bunkhouse with maps and laminated tors spread out on a table in front of me, trying to come up with a route that fits my needs. With a forecast for a couple of virtually clear days with little wind, an overnight route … Continue reading Dartmoor: A North Eastern Backpack
I pull into the car park at the Plume of Feathers and find Phil, settle into the bunkhouse, while Phil proudly shows me his recent additions to his library - Crossing's book and the Dartmoor 365 book. As I unpack, Phil regales me with extracts from both.  First impressions of Crossing aren't great - it's closely printed text and … Continue reading Dartmoor: A Tale of Two Hessaries
The first thing that strikes me as I exit the car after the long drive from home is the cold. It's a four-layer, hat and gloves sort of cold. I soon warm up as I stride onto the hill in pursuit of my first objective: the Coffin Stone. I top a small rise and see … Continue reading Dartmoor: The Quest for Vag and a Coffin
I threw my rucksack in the boot and sat in the car with a sense of increasing urgency. Â It was 3:45 and the first signs of sunset were beginning to appear. A decision as to what to do next was needed straight away. A final weather check showed no change in the forecast, and so … Continue reading New Year, New Dartmoor – Part 6: The Camp
I was up in good time today, as I wanted to maximise my options. The forecast remained steady from 24 hours ago and I could see that the wild camp that eluded me last time (well, strictly speaking I couldn't be bothered), wouldn't this time. Equally, if I got a move on with today's walk, … Continue reading New Year, New Dartmoor – Part 5: Some Sun at Last
“It will be quite mild”, said the weather girl on the local news, stood there in her overly fancy dress at 7:30 in the morning. Her colleague, Carol Kirkwood, on the national programme concurred, although being Scottish I imagine anything above about -10C is mild to her. But let me make one thing clear - it … Continue reading New Year, New Dartmoor – Part 4: Brass Monkeys
"Ah, this is more like it. This is what I expect from Dartmoor", were my main thoughts as I trudged across a soggy, bumpy but otherwise featureless landscape through a blanket of fog. It seemed that today was the day of the test - could I handle "proper" Dartmoor ? Sunday 4 January 2014 For … Continue reading New Year, New Dartmoor – Part 3: Bogs and Fogs
“Turned out nice again”, quipped one of the group of 5 guys as they passed a dozen or so yards parallel to me, heading up into the clag for the dubious delights of the top of the hill. I continued my squelch downhill to the dry sanctuary of the car. Today really hadn’t turned out … Continue reading New Year, New Dartmoor – Part 2: Turned Out Nice Again
It’s a long drive down to Dartmoor, but today it flew by, helped by the fact that most of the traffic was heading the other way, leaving the south west in the post-New Year reluctant crawl back to work. Almost before I knew it, the distances to Exeter were falling into single digits, and the … Continue reading New Year, New Dartmoor – Part 1: Back on the Moor
The Cox Tor and Pew Tor Figure of 8 We repeat the process of 24 hours before and assemble in the Fox Tor before piling into cars for the short drive out to the start of the walk. Â Mist shrouds the top of North Hessary Tor as we drive out of Princetown, with the top … Continue reading Falling in Love with Dartmoor – Part 3: Some Strange Behaviour
It’s not a brilliant night’s sleep, due to Strange Bed Syndrome, and the fact that I never sleep that well in a dorm. I’m relieved when light comes and it’s time to get up. We head for the Fox Tor for breakfast and to await Rich’s arrival from the overnight sleeper to Plymouth. I glance … Continue reading Falling in Love with Dartmoor – Part 2: Granite and Funny Names
“…Dartmoor contains such a rich variety of landscape, as many boulders, foaming rivers and twisted trees as my heart could ever desire. . . . ” ― Alan Lee The Pull of the Moor I’m driving along the road from Moretonhampstead, an exercise in narrow twisty lanes and dodging big puddles of standing rainwater, none of which … Continue reading Falling in Love with Dartmoor – Part 1: The Introduction