Tuesday 15 February 2011

Into the Valley


Time for a long-ish run and in view of the claggy and breezy conditions I thought we'd head off down the Erme Valley.

We parked at Peat Cott (fast becoming a regular start point), down to Nun's Cross, Plym Ford and Broad Rock. The Erme was a bit lively after all the rain so we kept to the right bank, skirted Erme Pits and through Hortensford Bottom (more to come later for you fans of Dartmoor names!)

Just beyond Erme Pound and opposite Hook Lake a small tributary cuts through a steep-sided little valley bearing the scars of long ceased tin-workings and the remains of Bronze Age huts and enclosures. Both the stream and the workings are un-named on the OS map, but to those who know the moor these are Green Lake and Knackersmill Gulf respectively. 'Knack' is not uncommon in Dartmoor place-names and is thought to derive from Middle English meaning a sharp cracking sound. Wonderful name for a spot, anyway and well worth a visit just for that.

On the way back the weather gods smiled yet again and held off the torrential rain until we were back in the car.

12 comments:

  1. Knackersmill Gulf is a good one. I'm going to try to incorporate runs to interesting sounding places into my training schedule.

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  2. It was a snap decision - I had been flicking through one of my Dartmoor antiquities books, saw that one and thought it was about time I went back.

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  3. I've been naming local landmarks around our neck of the woods lately but having yet quite got the knack. 'Weird Turf Lump' doesn't have quite the same ring as some of yours...;-)

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  4. named by a scouser was it? 'im going to erme erme 'erme valley''

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  5. Hortens ford bottom - any relation to Anna?

    Call me childish if you like!

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  6. Ooo. That takes me back a bit..... :-)

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  7. 'Anna Ford's Bum' - hmmmmmmmm some punky George Fromby type late 70's if i remember - aahh Wavis O'Shave 'twas..

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  8. Yeah. Formative years and all that. Wasn't that John Shuttleworth?

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  9. Can't beat a bit of Skids :-)

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  10. "Albert Tatlock..." kids today - no appreciation of real music =)

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  11. Has been a right trip down memory lane......

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