4 Winds

Hounds of Love

2012-01-11T05:48:00.000-08:00

A crisp and cool perfect running day dawned and inspired by the latest Sherlock episode 'The Hounds of Baskerville', it was off to Hound Tor for a blast. I don't often get over to this bit of the moor (the last time was doing a nav course more than 2 years ago). It has atmosphere by the bucket load and a good choice of location, especially being close to a road with a burger van called The Hound of the Basketmeals in the car park during the summer months.

I know it's just a little pile of rocks, but they manage to punch above their weight and do things like 'brood' and 'loom' with a bit of 'menace' chucked in.

The tor-top shots from the episode were taken from here with the top secret military chemical weapons base tucked in behind Greator Rocks. The kids were 'shushing' me when I pointed this interesting fact out, along with the fascinating insight that the tor isn't surrounded by dense woodland either. My inner anorak lurks close to the surface. The pub shots and the creepy hollow were a bit of a mystery though along with the 'nocturnal activity' car park....

We descended past the medieval settlement of Hundatora and down to the Becka Brook before the slog up to Smallacombe Rocks. By now I was regretting the Helly and tights combo and wishing I'd worn my shorts. After a quick circuit of Black Hill we made for Haytor. The unmistakeable lump featured a few times in the episode and although lacking the charisma of Hound Tor can be photogenic when it wants to be.

After heading out to Saddle Tor we looped back to Holwell Tor before the steep little blast down to the Becka Brook followed by the sweaty ascent to Hound Tor and back to the car park.
I was chuffed they'd filmed it on the moor - only a few Hound of the Baskervilles adaptations have been. One was filmed on the Isle of Man to 'give a flavour of Dartmoor' Erm.....
The Futureheads' version's not bad but there's nothing quite like the real thing.....

Follow the Leaders

2011-12-29T01:28:00.000-08:00

A run of navigation courses kicked off with a NNAS Bronze Award runfest with Mark. We were parked at Combestone Tor on both days; day 1 taking in Puper's Hill and Eastern White Barrow and day 2 seeing us up the O Brook and on to Fox Tor before looping round to Naker's Hill and up to Ryder's Hill.

Luckily the weather held off with a lively westerly to remind us it was December.
A cracking couple of days in excellent company. See you next year!

Unknown Pleasures

2011-12-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

A couple of short back to back runs before festive beerage. Yesterday was a Grenofen Bridge/Double Waters hailfest and today's was a Peat Cott/ Eylesbarrow/Down Tor trackfest. Burned off a couple of mountainbikists. My work here is done.

Festive greetings to all.

Take Me To The River

2011-12-13T06:26:00.000-08:00

Dire warnings of hideous weather sounded like an invitation to get out and about and get a few shots of the Tavy doing its thing.

Parking at Lane End we had a quick trot up the Cleave while the weather was sorting itself out. Crossing at Rattlebrook Foot was interesting so after a quick visit to Sandy Ford we looped round Amicombe Hill and up to Kitty Tor.

By now the weather thought it was high time for a spot of snow with some lumpy bits in driven on a lively westerly. After a visit to Green Tor, it was on to Chat Tor followed by an exfoliation as the hail got into its stride and the wind picked up. We tacked up to Hare Tor and plodged through the clarts before the swoopy downhill back to the car.

With some surprise I realised that I haven't posted any Talking Heads yet. Time to put that right....

Once Round the Block

2011-11-30T07:10:00.001-08:00

This song drove me nuts for years. I heard snippits of it every now and again on the telly (and in Morrisons a few weeks back) but never enough to get a handle on it or ask anybody else what it was. Conversations went something like;

'Ah! it's that jingly jangly song. From back in the day, but not that long ago. You must know what it is. You know....(does poor impression)....sort of a bit flanged.'

'I think you're a bit flanged'

As luck would have it, it was on the radio the other day, but I only caught the band. A swift spot of yootoobing later and I'd found it.

Seemed like a good soundtrack for a quick windy round today. Parking at High Down we splashed through the Lyd and followed it upstream to its confluence with the Smallacombe Brook. Setting off up the brook we cut off up to Great Links Tor and over to the Dunnagoats before blasting down the peat track to Brat Tor, across the Lyd and back to the car.

Spooky Loop

2011-11-18T09:47:00.001-08:00

A combination of two things got me and Spook the Wonder Dog out in some less-than-promising windy claggy Dartmoor.

Being a Dartmoor anorak I couldn't resist going out to find an incised aluminium cross near Huntingdon Warren. I'd read it was located 'above Huntingdon, on a rock' which narrowed it down a bit.

Secondly, I've got a run of nav courses which I've planned in the area, so it was a good chance to get out for a recce.

Starting from Combestone Tor we shot up to Ryder's Hill, slurped through the clarts to Snowdon and swooped to Puper's Hill. Dropping down to cross the clapper bridge over the Western Walla Brook I spotted a likely looking group of rocks on the hill above the Huntingdon Warren House enclosures. As luck would have it 10 mins of checking likely boulders bore fruit.

Heading up to the Heap of Sinners cairn atop Huntingdon Hill I stopped to get a shot of Spook in full-on 'What're we doing next, boss, eh, eh?' mode. In between putting my camera away inside my freezer bag and zipping it up, viz had gone from good to Monster Mash grade clag. Weird.

Mind you, not as weird as Nurse with Wound.....

Second Skin

2011-11-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

After a run of wet and windy ones, Sunday's stunning weather meant it was out to give the 'Valley of Death' a bit of a going over. Feared and revered by the ramblers and letterboxers down here, the infamous valley is a half-decent incline either side of Sandy Ford on the West Okement. An out-and-back route would give me a chance to have a go at both sides. A cooling northerly breeze (not in the least bit snipey) promised cracking conditions.

Setting off into the wilderness, we followed a footpath all the way from High Down to High Willhays, plotting a slalom course between military huts and flagpoles.

A swoopy clarty downhill brought us to Sandy Ford which we splashed through before burning up the other side towards Fordsland's Ledge and on to High Willhays.

We retraced our steps to shoot up towards Kitty Tor. Although far from steep, it's fairly long and good training for my Perambulation run next year.
After Green and Brat Tors it was back in time for tea and cakes. Huzzah!
2hrs, 20mins.

The Runner

2011-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

After the Crematoria-like conditions of Sunday, the forecast for Wednesday was much more like it. Temps down by 10 degrees (not bad, but still a bit warm), 20mph south-westerly (getting better) with the off-chance of drizzle and even some lumpier bits in it (Ideal. Kit up. Dog in the back. Go.)

We parked up at Row Tor in the badlands of north Dartmoor. A minibus had just dropped a cargo of school kids and teachers off and they were tacking all flapping and excited up topwards Row Tor. The kids looked to be enjoying it too. An elderly couple in the car beside me looked a bit askance as I battled to get the door open and gave sympathetic greetings as we headed off into the wind-driven clag.

Didn't see another soul for the rest of the 3 hours. After a wind-assisted blast up Cosdon we followed the track up to Hangingstone Hill. Although Dartmoor has no hills to speak of, a spot of mist and murk does a fine job of lending it an atmospheric air. The light was changing so quickly that by the time I'd stopped and fished my camera out, that awesome shot had gone.....

From Hangingstone it was off to OP15, Sammy Arnold's Lane, High Willhays and Yes Tor before the swoopy run back to the car via West Mil Tor and Row Tor.

nice..........

Heliofan (sorry.....)

2011-10-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

Not usually fond of running in the heat I made an exception today to meet up with my lad who was walking the Abbot's Way again this year. This is organised by Tavistock and District Youth Forum and is a 25 mile cross-moor route from Buckfastleigh to Tavistock trod back in the day by monks from one abbey to the other.

Kicking off at 8:00 he finished with his team just before 17:00 in good shape. Last year was marked by lashing rain and a howling gale with some rivers rendered impassable, but happily this didn't put him off. Back in time for tea and cakes. Huzzah!

Despite being seriously warm it was nice to catch a few rays and Spook and me stuck to streams and rivers for a roundabout run via Naker's Hill.

I may end up being a helio fan yet.....

The Big Sky

2011-09-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

The start of the late September heat wave coupled with an industrial grade 'look' from Spook the wonder dog meant getting out for a run and taking a few photos. Warm southerly breezes must pick up scents along the way because they smell amazing. Half an hour into the run I was hitting my heat envelope and wishing for a minty sharp northerly.

Setting off from Two Bridges we padded up to Littaford and Longaford Tors before the plodge up to Higher White. From there it was up to Wildbanks Hill via Lower White for the big sky photo.

Not a soul to be seen (apart from the JCB and the blokes in hi-viz jackets on Stat's House Hill) Dartmoor wilderness, eh?
From here we dropped down to the waterfall on the East Dart and up to Broad Down for the start of the roller-coaster run to Cherry Brook Head and back up to Lower White Tor.
We'd just got to the top when we were beset by a swarm (?) of ramblers stretching off into the distance (unless they were just shorter towards the back) Their leader (for he was at the front and had by far the most kit) proudly announced that they were indeed ramblers and numbered 35! I noticed an embarassed looking young bloke at the back and asked him if he fancied a run instead. 'I wish' was the downhearted reply......or at least that's what I thought he said.

We finished off with a sprint past Longaford Tor, Littaford Tor and back down the Crockern track to the car park.

Could only be one song for today, really...
....tell 'em sisters.......

The Wait

2011-09-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

With the foot mended, not having run a step since the end of July and Spook making it abundantly clear that walks will simply not do, it was high time to go for a run.
I reckoned I could go one of two ways:

Plan 1 Softly, softly catchee monkey, or
Plan 2 Give it a shake and see what falls off

No prizes for guessing......

We set off from High Down on a blustery Monday and headed up to Kitty Tor. From there it was over to Hunt and Gren Tors before a blast up the rattlebrook Peat Track and cutting over to Great Links Tor. A swoopy downhill to Arms Tor followed before cutting across to Brat Tor and opening it up a bit on the descent to the Lyd. We avoided the squalls which brushed over to the north and were just clipped by the edge of a cheeky one on the run-in to the car park.

About 2 hours altogether and feeling chuffed that nothing hurts (yet!) and my fitness doesn't seem to have suffered much.

Good to be out there again.

Turn it up.

Lined Up

2011-08-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

The weird foot injury's well on the way to being sorted. Meanwhile, a spot of surfing with my daughter and an excuse to post a bit of Shriekback.....

Clear Trails

2011-08-01T02:30:00.000-07:00

Awesome event.

Easily the hardest run I've ever done made do-able by the superb checkpoint crews who looked after me like I was the only runner there. Brilliant to have met David (Ultra Running Collie) and Adam whose superb local knowledge made the night section a lot easier. By this point I'd lost the ability to read and remember the punchlines of jokes (something to do with a car and David Beckham, anyway)

Stand-out moments have got to be the Kentmere checkpoint/party, beef stew at Chapel Stile, dying for a beer at Ambleside and watching headtorches winding skywards into the night after Tilberthwaite.

Up the Hill Backwards.

2011-07-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

The last long run before the 50 saw yours truly and Spook the wonder dog heading out from Postbridge for a 30 miler taking in sundry lumpy bits on the way.
Seriously hot and got a cracking pair of 2-tone legs for my trouble.We stopped for a drinks refill near Kit Rocks on the East Dart. I don't mind peaty, but this had bits in it so after straining it through my sock I chucked a puritab in and set off. About 100 yards later the breeze brought the unmistakable aroma of a well-rotted cow carcase in the river, so I ditched the drink and headed a bit further upstream to try my luck again.

After whistlestop visits to High Willhays, Yes Tor and Cosdon we were on the return leg via a few other tors before heading for Sittaford and the run in to Postbridge.

Lessons of the day: Don't drink lumpy water. Don't try to show off in front of walkers at the start of a long run by blasting up the first hill. Take mini-cheddars as well as jelly babies. Enjoy.

Green and Grey

2011-06-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

Been back into 20 mile runs for a few weeks now and they're feeling much easier so I'm looking to stretch them out over the next few weeks. So far, nothing's dropped off.

Cracking run today from Princetown up to Flat Tor via Beardown Tors, Higher White Tor and Wildbanks Hill. The bog-fest from Flat to Lynch Tor didn't seem as bad this time - possibly because of the lack of rain. I've not seen the moor this dry for ages. Spotted a couple of walkers in Cowflop Bottom - it's unusual to see anybody out here. I love this bit of the moor and if I had my arm twisted painfully but expertly up my back with a demand to name a remote part of the moor, this would be it. No tracks, no paths no roads and nobody else here.

Closer to Lynch Tor are the remains of buildings associated with peat cutting. This area, along with most of Dartmoor, has seen a good deal of human activity over the centuries. It's probably as quiet now as it has been for 4000 years. Right in the middle of the Dartmoor wilderness - a brick wall.

Heroes

2011-05-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

Ten Tors over for another year and Cullumpton Community College and Mid Devon Team play a blinder! All the teams (one 55 miler, two 45 milers and two 35 mile milers) finishing well within time on Sunday and kept up a cracking pace throughout. It was a good year for finishers this year with dry conditions underfoot and dry but breezy weather on both days.

All of the aching limbs were quickly forgotten with a party atmosphere bubbling up in the minibus on the way back to base.

Congrats to all concerned - hope to see you again next year.

All The Young Dudes

2011-04-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

Another scorchio couple of Ten Tors training days on the south moor. Starting and finishing at Princetown the routes took us to Ter Hill and Venford Reservoir followed by a bit of micro-nav around Black Tor and Crazy Well Pool. The second day saw us trooping up to North Hessary Tor before striking off into the nether regions of the south moor with visits to Down Tor, Ditsworthy Warren and Higher Hartor.

After a stomp from Belstone to Bellever the weekend after next and a bit of micro nav/campcraft/kit packing/teamwork on the Sunday all that remains is to make the final team selection and look forward to the event itself. Team selection won't be easy as we're over-subscribed and I wouldn't fancy the job given the high level of commitment and ability we've got this year.

The Hills are Alive...

2011-04-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

with the sound of minibuses.

It's that time of year again when navigation courses and Ten Tors training are in full swing.

A cracking set of teams this year with their nav skills and fitness coming on apace. Just had a warm and windy Saturday followed by a scorchio Sunday, so hopefully a nice claggy wet and windy one soon to put the finishing touches to their training.

Looking forward to the event on 14th and 15th May.

Good luck to all the teams.

Paperback Writer

2011-03-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Funny Name Appreciation Club (F'NAC) for the inspiration for this month's West Devon Diary article (p26-7).

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1rm5g/WDDApril11/resources/index.htm

Other works of literary genius can be found by clicking the West Devon Diary in the links list.

2000 miles

2011-03-14T02:08:00.000-07:00

The start of a busy Ten Tors training season kicked off a couple of weekends ago with a preliminary stomp in the wind and rain to try to narrow the field down a bit. This weekend a few had been dropped, still leaving a good couple of minibus-loads. Training two teams at once means one 55 mile group, two 45 mile groups and two 35 mile groups to monitor, the latter two being well over-subscribed and still have to be trimmed down soon. Unfortunately, they all seem well capable of finishing their routes on the event, so selection time is going to be tricky. May come down to names out of a hat, barring injuries.

My group's navigation lacked a bit of confidence rather than ability, although they seemed happy by the end. Now we need a zero viz weekend to sharped them up. My mate Martin and I do most of the training now after a bit of a nightmare with a bloke I recommended to the Team Manager. Suffice to say teaching is not all about showing folk how clever you are......

Rounded off the weekend with the Grizzly (20 miles off-road) on a glorious day on the south coast of Devon. A stomp on the moor the day before wasn't the ideal prep, but I think it's my quickest so far. The exact route and distance varies from year to year and this was supposed to be the toughest yet. Nothing fell off and stuff seems in working order this morning.

B Line

2011-02-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

Half term has put the brakes on long runs so it was out for a swift out and back to get a couple of shots for an article I'm writing on Dartmoor place names. (Thanks to you place-name fans for the inspiration!)

Starting from Peat Cott, weaving between the platoons of squaddies trooping down the motorway to Nun's Cross we cut up to Little Fox Tor before visiting its big brother. Dropping into Sunshine Valley it was time for the pull up the Fox Tor Farm newtake to Mount Misery.

I couldn't resist a quick sprint out and back to the Ter Hill crosses before re-tracing my route to Mount Misery and on to Childe's Tomb (supposedly the resting place of a Saxon lord who froze to death out on the moor) How he managed that is anyone's guess - it rarely gets below hot and sweaty when I'm out running on it.

Following the Devonport Leat it was a sprint up the motorway and coming close to a total wipe-out in front of a huge audience of squaddies.

Can feel a barefoot session brewing.......

Into the Valley

2011-02-15T08:08:00.000-08:00

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.

Arnold Lane

2011-02-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

Blowing a hoolie with horizontal drizzle, but this weekend is the last one before Ten Tors training and navigation courses kick in. With this in mind, my mate and I set off for a mince on the north moor.

We parked at Row Tor, the wind ripping the car door from my grasp and making a mess of my neatly stacked old petrol receipts and assorted paperwork. Although the wind was rocking my car it wasn't too bad once we got going. The first section up to the junction of the ring road and Sammy Arnold's Lane was into the wind so we ended up shouting at each other in strange tongues as the wind screamed round our ears.

Into Sammy Arnold's Lane it let up a bit and we were able to fill in the gaps before the climb up to the junction with the Dinger Tor track. On up to High Willhays through the jet-propelled clag one of the deadly bottomless bogs ate one of Martin's legs to great comedy effect.

Up on High Willhays it was time for a photo shoot out the wind as the clag cleared briefly.

From there it was the superb wind-assisted descent to West Mil Tor and on to Row Tor and back to the car.

A young-ish couple of walkers in the car beside us started kitting up. Then kitting up a bit more. Then gaiters. Gloves. Then overgloves. Then a bit more kit. Hat on, hood up, a bit more kit, a rucksac with more kit in and off into the barren, hostile wilderness. Ten minutes later they'd gone about 200 yards and looked like they were about to head back. Still, they went further than the mountainbikists who didn't get as far as getting their bikes off the car before they turned round and went home......

I Can See For Miles

2011-01-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

A stunningly crisp Sunday morning was a no-brainer for a run. It's getting busy on a weekend with navigation courses and Ten Tors training on the way, so it was make hay while the sun shines.
Parking at High Down we blasted up the track between Brat and Arms Tors, cooled by a variable easterly and crunching over the frosty ground. As the track flattens opposite the Dunna Goats we carved down to the Rattlebrook, crossing at the Tavy confluence.

Following the Tavy we crossed the Amicombe just upstream from Sandy Ford and blasted up Fur Tor

On the way back we stopped off at Tiger Marsh to ping the site of the B17 crash for up-coming nav courses. A quick sprint later and we were splashing through the Lyd and back to the car.
About 2.5 hours.

I Wish I Woz a Dog

2011-01-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

Nearly at the end of a week of back to back short runs (10-15km). They're a dual purpose thing - get a bit of speedwork in and recce a few bits and pieces in prep for a busy run of navigation courses. No niggles, but the pins are starting to feel a bit leaden. Spook, on the other hand, starts each run as if it was his first and hasn't been out the house in weeks. He'll be like that tomorrow morning as well.

This short one took us down the motorway from Princetown to Nun's Cross Farm which lends itself to swiftness and then on up to Eylesbarrow. Down to Combeshead and then Hingston Hill stone row/menhir/cairn circle.

This is a cracking area for courses with a range of features to use. It's also on the edge of the 'Great Triangle' which is spookily devoid of Bronze Age stuff (or even 'restored' stuff.) A bit tongue-in-cheek, but worth pondering.....

I was on a course with a bloke once who was a reasonable navigator, knew the area quite well and totally lost it up on Down Tor in good visibility. Strange but true.....

Back up the stone row to Nun's Cross and a quick blast down the motorway, past a couple of mountainbikists, and back to Princetown.

Everything's Gone Green

2011-01-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

well, sort of fluro-yellow/snot green, anyway.......

Time to break in a new pair of Swoops with a round-about Cranmere Pool run. Parking at Row Tor, Spook the wonder dog led the way up the ring road to OP15, on to Ockerton Court then the gloriously clarty bogfest to the Pool which had been specially prepared by last night's rain. Signing the visitors' book I couldn't help but notice a bunch of ramblers had rocked up on the 2nd of Jan and laid claim to be the first of the year. The cheek of it.

Back through the grade 1 tussockfest (donning beanie and gloves due to a snipey breeze) we hit the ring road again and turned off down Sammy Arnold's Lane to the junction with the Dinger Tor track. From here we made a bee-line to High-ish Willhays and opened it up a bit on the track to Yes Tor before the swoopy roller-coaster down to West Mil Tor, Row Tor and back to the car.

New Year's Day

2011-01-01T04:30:00.000-08:00

Strewth, another one!

Time for a run to Cranmere Pool to sign the visitors' book before breakfast.
Far from being in the middle of nowhere, Cranmere Pool is spitting distance from the most southerly point of the military ring road. I can comfortably manage it in 45 mins from Row Tor and I am by no means swift.

The terrain from OP15 is a bit soft but still icy enough underneath to allow swift progress. The last entry in the book was on the 12th December - looks like the dusting we had kept everybody away.

A quick blast back down the ring road to the car made for a good speed session.

'All is quiet on New Year's Day
A world in white gets under way'

still gives me shivers..........

OK, perhaps more than a dusting..............

2010-12-23T01:54:00.000-08:00

After some half-decent snowfall by southern standards it was time for a run up to Great Links Tor.

Parking at the Fox and Hounds in preference to High Down with its famous Cresta Run access track we headed up to Nodden Gate and splashed through the Lyd.

With a stiff easterly in our faces I reluctantly broke out the windproof and Ron Hill hat/glove combo and we set off up the track between Arms and Brat Tors.

Even though the snow had been here a good four days there was only one set of bootprints I could see. The lack of intrepid walkers has pros and cons. A pro being you're pretty much guaranteed to have Dartmoor to yourself after a sprinkling, off the beaten track (or on it, sometimes) but a con is that it can be hard work whacking through knee-deep trackless snow. Never mind - all good training.

We turned for Great Links into the gathering clag and then half ran, half surfed down to Arm Tor, across to Brat Tor and then into my favourite descent towards the Lyd which was superb.

Luckily Spook didn't pick up a collection of snowballs in his undercarriage like he did last time.

After another cooling splash through the Lyd it was back to the car and back in time for tea and cakes. Huzzah!

foot-deep snow

2010-12-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

A bit of a light dusting overnight produced foot-deep snow (as deep as a foot, rather than 12 inches deep!)

The roads were a bit tricky so I ran over Whitchurch Down, over Pew Tor, Windy Post Cross, Roos Tor and on to Langstone Moor stone circle. Not a breath of wind and regretting the tights and Helly top option within 20 mins.

Ran through clean, fresh snow from Pork Hill to Langstone Moor after the last intrepid bootprints turned for home.

Can't beat running in the snow.

Remote patrol

2010-12-14T05:33:00.000-08:00

Time for another training run to Fur Tor. Although reputedly Dartmoor's most remote tor I can get there in about 40 minutes from Bagtor Gate and know other runners who could get there a good deal quicker. In fact, few spots on the moor are more than 3 or 4 miles from a road or drive-able track.

To get some distance in needs a bit of imagination so I parked up at Prewley Water Works and padded up past the ice works to join the Rattlebrook Peat Works track to Great Links Tor. From there it was a brief visit to the Dunna Goats before a trot over to Chat Tor and up to Hare Tor.

Following Dead Lake we cooled our heels crossing the Rattle Brook and then followed the Tavy to Sandy Ford. From here was the pull up to Fur Tor where we stopped for a photo shoot.

Crossing Cut Combe Water and Black Ridge Brook we headed for Broad Amicombe Hole and followed the West Okement to Shelstone Tor and back to the car park. 14 miles in 3 hours and 20 mins.

So it's not a wilderness and nowhere on the moor can really be described as remote - at least not by those who have had the good fortune to visit truly wild places. Small, fragile and often hauntingly beautiful could be closer to the mark.

Oh, and I haven't even started on barren, inhospitable, bottomless bogs and unpredictable weather yet........

man v wilderness in the northern wastes........

2010-12-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

Before the return of hot and sweaty running temperatures it was time for a blast round the 'north moor' which has a bit of a reputation down here as being a bit roughty toughty and not to be messed with. Bless.

After a bit of planning to make the most of as many lumps as we could, Spook and I set off from Row Tor, down to Cullever Steps and followed Irishman's Wall up and over Belstone Tor. Splashing through the ford we found the track which picks its way up to Cosdon and from there on one of the best tracks Dartmoor has to offer to Hangingstone Hill. Judging by the lack of bootprints in the snow or frost I was the the first here for the best part of a week.

Lots of wilderness here (its between the observation shelter and the flagpole)

Off down the track and splashing through the infant River Taw we climbed to OP15 (the observation posts are numbered) and down Sammy Arnold's Lane to Dinger Plain. The last climb of the run from here was up to High Willhays and after a brief visit to Yes Tor it was time for the swoopy loopy run up and over West Mil and Row Tors and back to the car.
13 miles in about 3 hours.

coldplay

2010-12-02T07:37:00.000-08:00

Never liked the band (Liam Gallagher, ever the wordsmith, summed them up quite well) but always liked the name. Evocative of something or other.

The much heralded dusting of snow arrived overnight and so Spook and I braved the Arctic conditions ;-) to drive up to Princetown for a run. As usual there was no more snow than in Tavistock, although knee-deep drifts had formed in the lee of the enclosure walls.

Off down the motorway and up to Eylesbarrow and the twisty-turny snowy descent to the Narrator Brook and on up to Combeshead Tor.

The sun made a brief appearance so I quickly took a picturesque tor and dog combo.

Then to Hingston Hill and the stone row (which, I'm afraid, is about as Bronze Age as me) but quite pretty in the snow.

On up to Down Tor, down to Newleycombe Lake (lakes are streams on Dartmoor) it was into the plod to Older Bridge up the track. On reaching the motorway junction I spotted a couple of runners a few hundred yards ahead (in shorts too, good effort lads!) and set about catching them. They were going at a bit of a lick but I caught the first one just before South Hessary Tor and his mate just after. A good bit of speedwork, but I wondered about the outcome if they knew I was trying to beat them. Never mind, a win's a win........

cool runnings

2010-11-29T11:35:00.000-08:00

With Spook giving me the 'look' it was time to go for a run up to High Willhays before the snow melted.

Parking at Prewley Water Works we headed round to the West Okement and crossed over just before Black Tor Copse. My resurrected Inov8s coped well with the terrain (can't remember why I stopped wearing them) as we padded upstream to Sandy Ford.

Climbing up to Fordsland's Ledge I was glad of the cooling breeze and was starting to wish I'd worn my shorts. On up to High Willhays for this shot.

Heading over to Yes Tor I arrived at the same time as a couple of comprehensively equipped walkers. One said 'You're making me feel overdressed.'
Picking a route down the north side of Yes Tor through the crispy snow and brown bracken stems was superb. Spook made it look effortless.

Heading across Homerton Hill we took the luxurious option of the footbridge crossing of the West Okement and back to the car park. Looking forward to more of the white stuff and the perfect running temperatures.

a heavy frost

2010-11-27T03:05:00.000-08:00

Dire Met Office warnings of Arctic conditions, as usual, came to nothing but a heavy frost/light dusting and a snipey easterly made for good running potential.

Off we went to High Down to get out in it before crampons scarred the pristine surface. A quick sprint up Brat Tor and up to Great Links Tor which was shrouded in a sort of semi-clag with the promise of snow.

Cracking the ice on the track to the Dunna Goats we picked up the track to Dick's Well and back over to Brat Tor for the brains-out descent to the Lyd and back to the car park.

Met Office mutterings of snow early next week..........

We're on a road to nowhere.......

2010-11-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

Despite being a vast wilderness ;-) it's surprisingly difficult to plan another 20 mile route in the southern half of Dartmoor from Princetown which doesn't repeat itself too much.

Starting from Princetown at 8:30 we were off down the Dartmoor Way to Bullpark and then down the arrow-straight Conchie's Road (so named as it was conscientious objectors who built/augmented the track during WW1) It ends abruptly, presumably as the war did.

From here it's down to the footbridge built on the site of a clapper known as Fairy Bridge and skirting Down Ridge to pick up the track winding up to Henroost Mine. On reaching the spring at the head of Skir Gut we cut across towards the Sandy Way track and on up to Ryder's Hill.

After a clarty plodge we were up on Snowdon where I got chatting to a bloke who had done the OMM on Dartmoor in October. Spook assessed his rucksac for sarnies but came away empty pawed.

On up to Puper's Hill we followed the Cumston Track before cutting down to Huntingdon Cross and up Buckland Ford Water to Crossways - leaving behind the Avon and heading into Erme country.

We padded down the track which follows the curve of Red Lake, down to its confluence with the Erme and up to Erme Pits.

For the last leg we climbed to Langcombe Head and followed the Langcombe Brook to Plym Steps. It's been a while since I ran down here and I'd forgotten how good it was.

After a fleeting visit to Drizzlecombe C (re-erected by no less than Turpin and Sons of Plymouth, those well known archaeological experts, in 1893) it was off up Thrushelcombe to join the track to Eylesbarrow, Nun's Cross Farm and back into Princetown for 13:00.

Up to the Erme Pits

2010-11-16T06:11:00.000-08:00

Time for the weekly long run and as the military were bombing the north moor I planned a 20 miler in the southern bit.

It's been a while since I ran down the Erme Valley so setting off from Princetown at 8:30 it was off down the motorway to Plym Ford and then following the Abbot's Way to Broad Rock. The cool and crispy conditions were perfect and the vis was HD sharp. In 3D too, which was a bonus.

Dropping down to Erme Pits it was time for a bit of pixie dust (not two like last time in case I was seized by another rant) and we followed the left bank at first along a smooth swift grassy track which merged into a bouldery boggy tussock-fest before opening out into more runable terrain.

A bit more bog and boulders later, past a cracking wild swimming spot (return visit in the summer) and it was time for the climb up the edge of Piles Copse and on to Sharp Tor.

From here it was a swift, if a bit boring, sprint up the Puffing Billy Track, the trackbed which served the Red Lake and Left Lake china clay works, before dropping down a nice runable track following Red Lake to its confluence with the Erme.
From here we were on very familiar ground, following the Blacklane Brook to Cater's Beam post, Fox Tor, Little Fox Tor, Headless Cross, Nun's Cross and back to Princetown at 13:00.

the quagmire strikes back

2010-11-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

A stunning clear day dawned and after a swift exchange of texts it was off to Prewley Water Works for a run with my mate Martin.

This route is always testy, far more than the distance or height gained would suggest. No idea why.

Martin had his sweet little collie Jess who, as usual, did a cracking job of keeping my boghound in order as we headed up to Branscombe's Loaf and the big skies of Corn Ridge.

We picked up the obvious track (which becomes a whole lot less obvious in the clag) and followed it until it began to curve north-west then cut down to the Rattlebrook Peat Works track.

As the track levelled we headed off towards Great Links Tor all the while having a go at the 'wilderness' brigade with the odd swipe at 'stone rows are ritual sites' crew and not forgetting the 'must carry an ice axe on Dartmoor' camp. It was at that point that I skittered about on an icy boulder in much the same way that Torville and Dean didn't and more by luck than judgement avoided breaking something. Serves me right.

Shortly afterwards, on a track specially chosen to avoid the clarts, Martin came a cropper (twice) while questioning the value of hill sprints. By now I had learned my lesson and kept my mouth shut.

Heading back without further mishap we had a soothing beer in the seriously strange Highwayman's Inn at Sourton.

pixie powder plodge

2010-11-09T02:18:00.000-08:00

Time to get round my south 20 mile loop on a day of sunshine and showers. My north run was fuelled by Morrison's trail mix with a dash of salt which worked OK so I thought I'd experiment with some SIS powders I'd had lying around for a bit.

Starting from the High Moorland Visitors' Centre in Princetown it was off for a warm up down the motorway to Nun's Cross Farm and round to the Scout Hut. The track to the ford was much improved being used as access to the Warhorse set at Ditsworthy Warren.

After recent rain the Plym was a bit lively and while I stood weighing up the pros and cons of a crossing Spook the Wonder Dog took the plunge, hauling himself out 20 yards downstream. He didn't fancy doing the return journey so I ran upstream to cross at a more sensible spot as he followed me on the opposite bank.

Excitment over, and me still being dry from the waist up, we headed up the Shavercombe on to Shell Top and half ran - half swam to Broad Rock. Dropping down to the Black Lane Brook I mixed a packet of pixie powder (or PSP22 as it said on the sachet) with fresh, sweet, peaty Dartmoor water, drank half and headed up to Green Hill. Skirting Fishlake Mire and on to Naker's Hill with its collection of ponds it was time for the slog up to Ryder's Hill. Always heavy going from this angle, the semi-solid ground sucked at my feet as the tussock grass grabbed my ankles. Spook, as usual flowed effortlessly over it, wondering what all the fuss was about.

Down to Wellaby Gulf it was west to Skir Gut, Terrill Posts, Sunshine Valley, Fox Tor and back to the track at Nun's Cross Farm via Headless Cross.

Two sachets of PSP22 seemed about right - I could feel a definite kick after about 10mins which only gradually tailed off and it didn't taste too bad either. South loop completed in four and a half hours, more or less the same time as for the north loop.

In the midst of a pixie powder-induced sugar rush I got to wondering about neuro-linguistic programming (as you do). If the small and delicate Dartmoor is continually referred to as a barren wilderness (sometimes by those who should know better), then that's what it will become. Before we know where we are the armed forces will be closing huge areas to the public, leaving skip loads of blank rounds and paralume cylinders and driving tracked vehicles across it (because it's hostile as well. And vast.). Then this practice will continue largely unchallenged despite its questionable value and the status of Dartmoor as a National Park. Mark my words.

Oh, and don't get me started on folk who call Bronze Age people 'our ancestors'

Wonder what the use-by date was on the pixie powder..........

Ultra training

2010-11-02T00:10:00.000-07:00

Spook the Wonder Dog had been in the slammer for three days, the weather was looking perfect and none of the ranges were firing so it was off on my 20 mile north moor loop.
Starting from Princetown (my south 20 mile loop starts from here too, so that when I combine the two it's easy to get refuelled, etc.) the route heads out along the railway track for a warm up to Rundlestone. Up to Little Mis Tor and then east through the clartfest to Black Dunghill and Holming Beam brings us to the climb onto Beardown Tors. From here we drop in to Foxholes for a drink, across the West Dart and follow the enclosure wall to Higher White Tor.

Down to Lower White Tor and through Brown's Bog brings us to Wildbanks Hill. Skirting the western slopes it's a clear run to Flat Tor and time for more munching.
The route west from here to Lynch Tor involves a fair bit of boggy, passing through the watersheds of the West Dart, Tavy and Walkham. I love this bit of the moor - if I had my arm up my back and forced to call a bit of the moor 'remote', this would be it. Would still draw the line at 'barren' 'hostile' and 'wilderness', though.

More munching at Lynch Tor, then off to Cocks Hill, a drink from the Walkham and the run up to Great Mis Tor. From here it's all downhill to Little Mis Tor again and down to Four Winds before picking up the track to Foggin Tor and back to Princetown.

Felt good all the way round in perfect running conditions. I'll be adding these longer runs to the mix gradually over the winter to get a good base for next year building up to a 40 miler in the Spring. So far, so good......

heart in the clarts

2010-10-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

Being a creature of habit, I tend to have a favourite quick everyday run, do it to death and then move on to another one and so on. The flavour of the month at the moment starts from the Yellowmede Farm track, past Foggin Tor Quarry, down towards Three Bridges, up Leeden Tor, round the track past Ingra Tor, back up the short-cut, along the railway track, turning off before the sight of Princetown spoils things and up to North Hessary Tor. From here it's a nice swift clarty descent past Hollow Tor and back to the car.

Being nice and flat I can usually nip round the 12km in about 1hr 15 mins although I sometimes run back down North Hessary as far as the newbuilds and back up to make the most of its modest incline.

Monday's run was in glorious sunshine with a gentle cooling breeze. Today's run was a water-cooled affair and an opportunity to give my Montane Atomic DT a good testing. All good - kept the rain out which was driven on a lively breeze and not too bad a job of dealing with sweat. May get the trousers for the Lakeland 50 too.

Just when I was smugly thinking that none of the swarm of gaiter-wearing, waterproof-encased walkers I dodged on Monday's blisteringly hot run would venture out in the rain today, I bumped into an old pal from my Dartmoor Rescue days out in the clag with a few mates.'I thought you only ran at night!' he said in ref to my latest West Devon Diary article. 'Ah, so this is the madman you were telling us about then, Terry?' said one. Fame at last. (or infamy more like)

The clarts, as usual, did not disappoint. The ones around Leeden Tor tend to be a bit gritty and grassy but on the way up North Hessary they have a smooth, more gloopy consistency which stick nicely to the leg hairs and Spook.

I can see this little run being a firm favourite for a bit.

morrison's mega-mix

2010-10-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

In the interests of ultra training and because Spook the wonder dog hadn't been for a run for two days, it was high time for Ewan and I to get out for a longish one. Parking up at Combestone Tor the idea was to run a rugby ball-shaped route in the south-eastern corner of the moor and get involved with some clarts from the top drawer.

The pull up towards Rounder's Hole got the furnace lit as we skirted Aune Head Mires and made for Naker's Hill. We then had the option of going round Fishlake Mire or through it. No prizes for guessing.

Emerging Swamp-Thing like and scaring the sheep we made for the pyramidal spoil heap of Red Lake clayworks. From there it was a simple matter of picking up the bleeding obvious cart track. Unfortunately my God of the Moors deserted me and we ploughed though the deepest, reedy, boggiest clarts in all Dartmoordom, eventually emerging with orange legs but with big smiles. I've traversed most of the moor's boggy bits, but that took the biscuit by some distance. Got to go and play in that again soon.

Finding the track, we made for Western White Barrow and on to Eastern White Barrow. By now the furnace was well and truly aglow and we were both sweating buckets. En-route a hugely well-equipped walker asked us if we were mad. Pot and kettle, I thought as he toiled under a vast rucksac looking like a cover for Ellis Brigham.

Down to Shipley Bridge through an ankle snappy boulder field and up the access road to Avon Dam led us to Huntingdon Warren and the return leg. From here we contoured the eastern flank of Huntingdon Hill and on to Ryder's Hill. Long swoopy downhill clarty tracks led us back down to the car.

In search of post-run beer we arrived just in time at the Forest Inn for a bit of refreshment. Many thanks to Monkey Boy for a top day out, to the landlord for staying open and to Morrison's for their cracking fruit and nut mix. More crystalised ginger and sugared chilli is the order of the day for next time.

Rough Tor Route

2010-10-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

A stunning day called for stunning running so I parked up at Two Bridges and padded off down the track towards Crockern Tor Farm. Following the West Dart (little brother of the East Dart) we passed above Wistman's Wood with its jumble of stunted oaks dripping in lichens and moss. Crossing the river it was time for the testy climb to Lydford Tor which can either be long slow and painful or short quick and painful. Digging in, we were up there in no time and on towards Devil's Tor and then into the easterly breeze to Rough Tor.

Rough Tor itself has been spoiled by two grey metal boxes which serve as military stables and a look-out with a flagpole stuck in the middle, but I reckon it has some of the best views on Dartmoor.

From here it was all downhill to Crow Tor, re-crossing the West Dart and a quick climb up to Longaford Tor. All downhill now to Crockern Tor Farm and a good opportunity to open it up a bit before the flat rough track back to the car park.

Flat Tor plodge

2010-10-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Chucking it down coupled with a Met Office severe weather warning meant ideal conditions to get out for a plodge in the clarts.

Parking at Postbridge I was eyed suspiciously by a couple of fat blokes in Dartmoor National Park fleeces in the visitors' centre as I set off clutching my camera and a dog lead.

The soggy conditions underfoot boded well for a good shot of the East Dart waterfall doing its thing and after a tricky crossing of the usually tame Braddon Lake we were soon on Broad Down. From there it was a bog-trotting tussock-fest for another tricky crossing of the Broada Marsh Stream with lumpy rain pelting in on a lively northerly.

Time to get the back of my vest wet I re-traced my steps to the Broada Marsh Stream from Flat Tor, followed it to its confluence with the East Dart and followed the river to the waterfall.

Although a modest river, the East Dart can put on a bit of a display at times.

From here it was up and over Broad Down and back down Drift Lane to the car park.
Nice to get out when the moor was moody.

Black Dunghill Run

2010-09-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

To round off a good week of running it was time for a 10k blast on the moor on Sunday. Luckily Ewan is setting about building milage in prep for the legendary Grizzly (sometime in March) and the Dartmoor discovery ultra-marathon in June, so training together sounded like a plan.

From Holming Beam to the wonderfully named Black Dunghill via all manner of clarts was the first leg, followed by a tussock-fest down to the Walkham and up to White Barrow via the cairn on Cocks Hill.

From here we joined the Lich Way, or Way of the Dead down to Traveller's Ford before the pull up to Lydford Tor. Long swoopy tracks beckoned towards Beardown Tors and down to the Cowsic before the testy little climb back to the car park.

A lady in a car took a look at the state of us and commented that she wouldn't want to get in the bath with us. No answer to that, really..................

Lakeland 50

2010-09-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

In a fit of something or other I got an entry in for next year's ultra. I've done a few in the past and quite enjoyed the total focus of preparation, etc. that goes along with it. Got plenty of time to ramp up the mileage and hope that my barefoot running has instilled some kind of efficient technique. If not, it soon will. So in amongst barefoot silliness I'll be boring you all with tales of terror from the weekend long runs.
Suddenly, the end of July doesn't seem that far off....................

kcsv

2010-08-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Methuselah's kitless exploits, I thought it was high time to ditch all of the kit and do a run on the moor. Carrying only my car keys, Spook's lead and a camera it was off for a blast to Langstone Moor stone circle from Pork Hill car park. Barefoot, of course without mincers or monkey feet as backup.
It felt cool to be kitless, although I must admit it took a few minutes to get used to not having a mobile (how did we ever survive back in the day?!)
Will be doing more, although it will take a bit of planning to avoid sweary bits.

Clouds and midgies and stuff

2010-08-23T01:06:00.000-07:00

The second day of a client's nav course and we'd been hoping for bad viz. Weather being nothing if not contrary it turned out to be some of the best viz for ages, and humid to boot. Happily, the entertaining company more than made up for being eaten alive by flying stuff and sweating buckets.

With temps in double figures, I was well outside my comfort zone. Spotted three runners (one wearing what I would consider winter kit) who tried to keep pace with us but who we left for dead!
Every time we stopped flying ants used us as a take-off platform and midgies tried their best to find a bit of skin without a lump. Off down the outdoor shop to get some industrial grade DEET.
The clouds, it's got to be said, were pulling out all the stops and putting on a show.

I could recommend The Cloudspotter's Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney for a good read on the subject and the barefooter's bible Born to Run by Chris McDougall for a wizzard wheeze.

blast down Brat Tor

2010-08-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

After a week of coast path running and surfing for me and a week in the kennels for Spook the Wonder Dog, it was time for us both to get out on the moor for a run. I thought it was about time to find the limits of grip from the monkey feet so I parked at High Down and ran up to Great Links Tor via Brat Tor.
The clag was refusing to shift from the top and was doing its best 'Hound of the Baskervilles' swirly mist stylee thing.

On the descent towards Arms Tor on wet, slippy short grass the grip was impressive with my toes splaying out to about half as wide again as my fell shoes. It seems what they lack in tread they make up for in area and I felt confident enough to ease off the brakes a bit.
On the steeper descent off Brat Tor I let rip a bit and got down to the River Lyd for a dip and feet cooling without mishap. Spook however, with his superbly designed 4x4 system had a few million years of evolution head start and was unimpressed.

Much ado at Ditsworthy

2010-07-29T04:59:00.000-07:00

A good morning to put in a few more bf/KSO miles and a good excuse to get out to Ditsworthy Warren House to check out the rumours of filming and set building. Parking at the Scout Hut it was on with the monkeys for a quick pad up to the old tin mine at Eylesbarrow then down to Plym Ford to give Spook a drink. from here through Evil Combe and contouring to Lower Hartor and a sprint up to Higher Hartor.
I was debating whether to go bf for the blast down to Drizzlecombe but my feet had already made their mind up so I went along for the ride. The grip on these things are superb (compared to aquashoes) and encourage a bit of haste. The grass was wet and greasy but I made it down to the stone row in one piece.

Theories abound as to the whys and wherefores of standing stones and stone rows and the enigmatic Chinese(?) characters etched into the face of Drizzlecombe C. Their significance and use probably changed over the centuries but the Drizzlecombe stones are still impressive bits of kit. Phallic symbol? Na, surely not..........

From here it's a quick pad to Ditsworthy Warren House. Sounds of hammering, sawing and swearing proved to be from a load of chippies busy building stuff in the house enclosure. Chatting to one it turns out they were building a barn for filming in 6 weeks. There have been auditions in Princetown for the film, imaginatively entitled 'Dartmoor'. To the point, I suppose. I padded along the newly surfaced track (take note DNPA ref. the ring road closure) past a stand of portaloos and 4X4s.

from mincers to monkey feet

2010-07-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Time to give the KSO Treks a test flight. Parked at Peat Cott for a pad down the motorway to Nun's Cross. So far, so good. Much more snug than the aquashoes with less ground 'feel' through the knobbly soles but still pleasant to run in. Off up to Eylesbarrow and the grip was pretty good on the wet grass and through the peaty boggy bits. The real test was the descent to the Narrator Brook: on my last venture this way in the mincers I came a cropper a couple of times and was lucky to get away with minor dings. No such probs this time and I soon felt confident enough to go with the flow. Then it was up to Combeshead Tor then to Down Tor where this shot was taken.
Then it was back to the Down Tor stone row, back to Nun's Cross and on to Peat Cott.
The monkey feet should do very nicely in place of the mincers for those knobbly sweary sections, but for the rest of the time you can't beat bare feet.

The Caterpillar Track

2010-07-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

Another cracking day for a bit of barefootery. This was the run I intended to do on Friday, but a grade 1 Dartmoor clag meant that the 10ft wide track disappeared and the moor mocked my efforts to find it, so it was back for an early bath.

No such vis problems today, though and the track sticks out like a sore thumb cutting in a dead straight line up to Langstone Moor Stone Circle. This track comes courtesy of the army who drove a convoy of tracked vehicles here and altered the surface of the moor about 18 years ago. That said, I'll not get on my high horse about it because part of the reason it remains visible today is down to the easier walking (and running) terrain compared to the tussocky moorgrass which dominates this part of the moor. In my defence, though I would guess that my barefooting has less impact than shoes and boots and probably about the same as Spook. There didn't seem to be many footprints on the track so I'm not sure about how much human footfall contributes to the persistence of the track. It could be that the shorter grass makes it easier for the sheep and ponies to graze on the young shoots, which they seemed to be doing this morning. This is more likely the case as the track seems to be of a similar texture right across the width: if human erosion was the main factor I would expect to see heavier wear on a narrower strip.

Perhaps if the DNPA hadn't spent quite as much on new livery for all of their vehicles, this could have been a nice bit of research.................

Back in Black - GWFR recce

2010-06-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

I only do do a couple of races a year (Brown Willy on Bodmin Moor on New Year's Day and the Grizzly in March) and so fancied having a go at the Great West Fell Race on Dartmoor at the end of July. Barefoot. It's an AS category race (short and sharpish) and I haven't found out yet if I'll be allowed to start as it's under FRA rules.

Apart from the first (and last) 20 yards which is mostly sweary rocks, the rest is pretty straightforward. The track which winds up the side of Longstone Hill is a bit knobbly but nice and soft just off to the side.

There are plenty of sheep trods from here to the top of Yes Tor and its easy to pick lines through the clitter. Once up to the trig point I was on familiar barefoot ground across to High Willhays.

The route from High Willhays to Black Tor is a bit tricky - tussocky with long grass and plenty of ankle-snapping holes to watch out for with just the odd sheep trod. this is the view from Black Tor down to Black-a-Tor Copse and the West Okement valley.

Another knarly track on the homeward leg, but it's easy to pick a line just off to the side. On my next recce I may stay higher off the the track from Black Tor and see how that goes.

From here it's back to the Longstone Hill track and down to the finish with a run along the dam and a short section of tarmac to the car park.
It seems a shame to don the mincers for such a short section of the race, but it's either that or fairy about at the start and finish. Another month of conditioning and another recce may change my mind, though............

barefoot heaven................

2010-06-18T04:45:00.001-07:00

to a soundtrack of skylarks.

Nuff said.........................

hammer down Hameldown

2010-06-13T07:42:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about the barefoot potential of this run for a while and today was the day to give it a go. Parking up at Bennett's Cross I followed the route of the Two Moors Way north to Shipley Tor and on to Hookney Tor and a nice rock dance down to Grimspound. This is a group of 24 hut circles, the remains of Bronze Age dwellings, enclosed by a wall. Excavation of pottery puts the site in the Middle Bronze Age, (3000 years ago) although the site may have been occupied before this time. The site had been used subsequently by shepherds and tinners for shelter and from 1894-1896 the dreaded 'reconstruction' of 18 of the hut circles compromised the original site further. Not quite as irritating as Bronze Age people being referred to as our ancestors, though...........

Then up to Hameldown Tor for a quick pad out to Hameldown Beacon via Broad Barrow and back again. The foot tingle was making a welcome return - the terrain was a good bit rougher than the last run which will do my sole conditioning a power of good. Gritty sections alternated with turfy bits but with a good measure of heather to make it interesting.

A cracking run back down to Grimspound and I spotted a troupe of mountainbikeists at the bottom heading up. Unfortunately they made the mistake of stopping and so came in for a bit of banter. They were still pushing their steeds up to Hameldown when I took this shot.

From here it was down to Headland Warren, up to Birch Tor and back down to the car park through a swarm of ramblers. Although they tend to be a 'well-equipped' lot, the bloke on the far right takes the digestive. At least some were wearing shorts though........

back to barefoot with a bang

2010-06-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

After a couple of weeks off bf I thought it was about time to break the duck and get out bogtrotting again.

Parking up at Row Tor the weather was about perfect - a nice cool north-easterly which would help the outward uphill run. Only a minibus in the car park, presumably for the kids bouldering and scrambling in climbing helmets on Row Tor. One of them said 'Look, he's got nothing on his feet!'. I forget how weird it must look. Almost stopped Spook in time before he investigated a rucsac for chocolate........

A nice run off the other side and a stoney sweary bit (out of earshot of the kids) across the track and off up West Mil Tor. This is one of my favourite bf bits - with beautifully soft turf giving way to clitter and bilberry then a smooth section round the top of the tor and down to the bogginess of the upper reaches of the Red-a-ven Brook.

The climb up to Yes Tor is similar, just a bit longer and with more clitter and bilberries to pick through. Before long I was up to the trig point and padding along the 'ridge' to High Willhays.

The terrain felt generally softer today; probably because the vegetation softens towards the summer or my soles are being conditioned or I'm getting used to it, but more likely a combination of all three. I noticed that I haven't got the post-bf tingle on my soles. Pity.........

Stone row, or no?

2010-06-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

I could feel a motorway sprint coming on, so it was up to Princetown under changeable skies, park up at the Plume and zip up the track to South Hessary Tor. The were quite a few folk up there today - a couple pushing a buggy on the track and another pair with a buggy taking in the views on the tor. Further along at the junction with the Older Bridge track was a clutch of hacked-off looking squaddies (don't think they were the crew shooting at each other last time I was up here)

A quick rock dance down to Older Bridge, past a load of schoolkids (who always seem to have the right level of kit, ie very little) and up to Crazy Well Cross, past another clutch of squaddies to join the Devonport Leat and race it down Raddick Hill.

As I crossed the aquaduct I remembered seeing a double stone row marked on the OS to the south west of Black Tor, directly uphill from the aquaduct.

The northern part of the row has been incorporated into a boundary wall and only sections of the southern part remain easily visible. Because it's partly hidden it probably plays second fiddle in the visitors stakes to its more famous and obvious double stone row neighbour further up on the east bank of the Meavy. Although I'm not convinced that this is a stone row, double or otherwise, it lies slap bang in the middle of a number of Bronze Age remains clustered round the upper reaches of the Meavy.
Dropping down to Black Tor Falls for a shot of the remains of the blowing house with its mysterious XII inscription on the lintel before nipping up to Hart Tor, South Hessary Tor and down to the car park.

Me and whose army?

2010-05-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

A routine trot from Peat Cott turned into something a bit more exciting in the end.
From Peat Cott it was a mincer-clad trot down the motorway to Nun's Cross Farm and then proper barefoot up to Eylesbarrow. The uncomfortably hot temps (hot for a northerner, anyway) had given way to fresher, cooler conditions. Up to Combeshead Tor and then to Down Tor where Spook had a brief 'chat' with one of those wiry-haired little terriers. A draw in the end although with a couple of penalty appeals.

From there it was across to the stone row (usually called Down Tor stone row, although called Hingston Hill stone row knowingly by the 'experts') The terrain is just about perfect for bf here - lovely springy turf. Unfortunately, this is one of the many 'restored' prehistoric remains on Dartmoor and it is difficult to say which of the stones are original or in their intended positions. Many of the stones were re-erected in 1874 and the largest three secured with 'a little Portland cement'. Whether we see the row as the original builders intended, or as the 'restorers' thought looked right we will never know.

Back to Nun's Cross and back on with the mincers for the return leg. I could hear the crackle of gunfire and thought that the activities on the live firing ranges on the north moor were being carried on the wind. As I ran further up the track the gunfire was getting close so I began thinking that it must be firing on the Cramber Tor training area, which used for occasional 'dry' firing about 2 km to the ENE. As I got further up the track I could see that two groups of squaddies were shooting at each other across the track. Sizable chunks of the north moor are closed to the public on a regular basis for live firing and two areas on the south moor (Cramber Tor and Ringmoor Down) are available for dry training as and when required. So I carried on running between the warring factions. One shouted 'Cease fire! Civvy!' to which I replied 'Yes, cos it's a ******* national park!'

They were clearly well outside of their training area on a busy track used by a number of 'civvies' at the time so I felt a bit better after grassing them up to the DNPA.........................

Brown's Bog barefoot blast

2010-05-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

Spook was giving me the 'look' as it was a couple of days since he had been out for a run. The break from barefooting was also at an end after a few dings and scrapes I had picked up had healed and I was missing the feel of peat under my feet.

Initially I had planned to set off from Two Bridges but changed my mind at the last minute (no idea why) and parked up at Postbridge. I marvelled at the walkers kitting up with all manner of stuff despite it being almost too hot to stand up by 10:30 and set off in vest, shorts and mincing slippers up Drift Lane.

Mincers off at the newtake gate and I picked my way up onto Broad Down following the newtake wall to the Cherry Brook, stained with peat and limonite (the brook, not me, yet). From there it was up to Lower White Tor and the traditional look round for the elusive Fairey Battle crash site. No luck today - maybe next time.........

Down to the West Dart (mincers back on because of that harsh wiry stuff which could be heather) before strapping them to my Camelbak again for a squishy sprint through Brown's Bog. Always makes me smile to see walkers picking their way gingerly around bogs when they're missing all the fun!

A herd of stroppy cows with calves forced a diversion up onto Wildbanks Hill, from where these shots were taken.

From there a narrow sheep track leads above Brown's House and up onto the Broad Down outcrops. A touching memorial to a young boy is now permanently sited on the top, having been placed unattached lower down the outcrop for a number of years.

I had heard that the Dartmoor National Park Authority are not too keen on memorials of this type, although this is probably not the case as they were more than happy when Charlie wanted to airlift a memorial to his mate Ted Hughes to a spot hear Hangingstone Hill.

Remote it isn't. Barren it isn't. Rugged it isn't (just spent two hours running barefoot over it), but Dartmoor makes you stop and think sometimes........

Cut Hill Stone Row

2010-05-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

The start of a good spell of weather meant kit up and get out for a long-ish one. It's been a few months since I had a run up to Cut Hill and a good opportunity to get a few shots on the way for a talk I'm giving on aircraft crash sites on the moor.
Starting from Postbridge, down Drift Lane and up onto Broad Down. From there it was over to the crash site below Flat Tor, stopping to have a good look at this hut circle/shelter on the way. If it's a hut circle it's unusual in being remote from any others and if it's a shelter it's a bit on the small round side. It could also be a cache or tool store for use by tinners or peat cutters. Either way it's not recorded on the OS.

A swoopy downhill and a bit of bog-trotting brought us to the crash site. The remains of the Sea Vixen which crashed here in 1965 can still be seen round the edges of the pool (not marked on the OS either.)

A bit more bog-trotting and a sort-of uphill and we were at the top of Cut Hill. Close by is a recumbent stone row, now thought to be Neolithic which was officially investigated by Tom Greeves in 2004. It has almost certainly been recognised as such for many years before this since being exposed by human activity and natural erosion around the start of the last century.

Radio-carbon dating of the peat under the stones suggests a date of 3500BC which would imply that the stones have been recumbent for this long and that, as only one of the stones showed evidence of a hole with packing stones, they may never have been upright. Let's hope that they aren't subjected to the 'restoration' which has compromised so many other Dartmoor 'antiquities'.
Back to the car at Postbridge two and a half hours later feeling much better for the leg-stretch.

Cranmere Pool plod

2010-05-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

Up and early out to High Down to catch the big skies before the cloud bubbled up. There were already a couple of cars in the car park which is unusual given the early mid-week start. Off up the Dick's Well track, round the Dunna Goats, onto the Rattlebrook peat track and up to Kitty Tor. From there it was down the wonderful ring rock track for a while before curving off to Great Kneeset where this photo was taken.

A short tussock-hop away is Cranmere Pool where I signed the visitors' book before bounding through the bog to Black Ridge. I don't know if this is technically the most romote spot on Dartmoor but it feels like it sometimes.

Slightly surreal terrain with a slightly surreal collie

From there it was up and over Amicombe Hill, my original plan being scuppered by firing on the Willsworthy range and back down the track to Brat Tor for a good downhill blast. Under 3 hours all told with plenty of stopping for photos and drinking in the big skies.................

Ten Tors 2010

2010-05-09T23:09:00.001-07:00

Another good one by all accounts - close to 2500 participants and only about 100 didn't finish which is about par for the course. There's an explanation of what it's all about on the Ten Tors homepage link.

Chuffed to bits with the teams I trained - all completed with a full team well within the time and apart from a few aches and pains (not surprising after 45 miles) in good spirits too. They won't forget that in a hurry and in a week or so will be queueing up for training for next year.

This shot was taken close to the confluence of the Rattlebrook and the Tavy at the start of the long boggy treck to Lynch Tor. After giving a mate a hand out with his kit to the Dartmoor Rescue Group assistance point I shot off for a run round Amicombe Hill, picking up the ring rock track to Kitty Tor. By now most of the teams had moved through apart from a couple who seemed to be making heavy weather of it. Then down to the ruins of the Rattlebrook Peat Works picking up the track to the checkpoint at Chat Tor. By now I had warmed up enough to take my windproof off (snipey north-easterly again!) and enjoyed the sprint up to Hare Tor and back to where I'd left the car at Willsworthy Range.

Having being involved with the training and the peripheral safety cover aspect of the event for 10 years it's got to be said that nothing compares to training a team and watching them finish. Looking forward to next year already.......

barefoot to Beardown Man

2010-05-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about the barefoot potential of this run for a while and today was the day to give it a go. Starting from Holming Beam and padding down to the footbridge the northerly breeze was a bit snipey as my mate would say. Five mins later on the pull up to Beardown Tors it was all but forgotten on this cracking track.

The surface underfoot was what I hoped it would be - just harsh enough to condition my soles, but not so harsh that I would have to break out the mincers. From Lydford Tor and over the stile the track leads through a refreshingly boggy section, to a nameless outcrop and on to Devil's Tor and the Beardown Man standing stone.

From here it was a quick pad to Rough Tor and then down to Crow Tor, descending into Foxholes and back up to the Lydford Tor stile. From here, a sweet swoopy descent leads back to the footbridge and up to the car park.

High Willhays fairy dance

2010-05-02T04:28:00.000-07:00

Spits and spots of rain driven on a brisk north-eastery and the tors wreathed in a Hammer Horror-type mist. Perfect running conditions, then!

Powering up to Yes Tor like a frisky young chamois and picking my way with grace and skill to High Willhays (or is that High Willes) to take this shot.

Retracing my steps to Yes Tor I minced back down to the car like a total fairy as it was well slippy after the rain.

Terrill Posts trot

2010-04-29T05:09:00.000-07:00

With the weather taking a turn for the cooler and wetter and Spook giving me the 'look' it was time to kit up and get out for a run. I knew my route would involve a variety of terrain (well....... boggy, stony and back again) so I would be allternating barefoot with mincers.

Parking at Peat Cott it was on with the mincers for a blast down the motorway to Nun's Cross Farm and up to Headless Cross. From here there's a nice track to Little Fox Tor so it was barefoot up to there and on to Fox Tor. By now the few spots of rain had organised themselves into a bit more of a shower, so no hanging around as I dropped into Sunshine Valley(!) and up the Fox Tor Farm newtake wall to Mount Misery Cross. From here it's a quick jog to Terrill Posts (two crosses about 100m apart)

Then it really started to honk it down, just to please Spook even more about stopping.
The rain eased off nicely for the return run via The Boiler and Sam Parr's House. The mincers went back on at Whiteworks before a quick sprint back to the car.
My barefoot run times are about the same as they were with fell-shoes, even with the stopping to change. This could be due to less weight on the feet (wet Swoops weigh a ton) or maybe I'm getting fitter. Who knows ;-)

Ten Tors countdown

2010-04-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

My teams' last training weekend with warm and windy conditions on Saturday for a route from Okehampton to Bellever. Spook looking chuffed to bits with something to cock his leg against, at last.

A group of ramblers enjoying the solitude(!)

Wetter conditions on Sunday meant a bit more of a navigational challenge and on with the day-glo rucksac covers, which made tracking them easier. This was taken on a section of the Lich Way or Way of the Dead.

Good luck to all the teams. I'll skip the usual patronising twaddle along the lines of 'Isn't it marvelous that these young folk are doing this rather than sat at home on their Playstations?' and let the Challenge speak for itself.......

hot foot to Fur tor

2010-04-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Supposedly Dartmoor's most remote tor, Fur Tor is a mere 45 minute pad from Bagtor Gate. After a bit of an incline up to Lynch Tor it's pretty much flat but wiry little heathery things meant on with the mincers for nearly all of the run.
Fur Tor's quite a handsome pile of granite with lovely views on a good day. There were signs up warning of nesting ravens which made for a handy 'tripod'. To the pedants (of which we have a few down here....hi Shamus!) this should be Vur Tor although few, if any, of the names which appear on the OS are original or authentic. In fact, 'Vur Tor' is just the second to last name in a long line.
This was the longest bf/mincers run to date - everything ok so far although the balls of my feet took a battering on the army track.
Gorgeous skies

back in bog

2010-04-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

Time to put the Swoops back in their cage and head off with Spook, who, after three days in the slammer, was well bouncy and in need of a run. I'd reccied the ground last week during Ten Tors training from Combestone Tor to Ryder's Hill and it looked just the job for barefoot. As it turned out it didn't disappoint and we cruised up to Ryder's Hill in no time (where the photo was taken). Nice to see skies without contrail scars.
A quick sprint to Snowdon (grassy lump on Dartmoor, not the mountain) just to run through the boggy bit in the saddle and back again. I ran this bit in fell shoes during the winter and nearly froze my feet off but it was squishy and warm today. Back up to Ryder's and the long swoopy descent past Horn's Cross and back to the car. Gradually ramping up the barefoot mileage (so far, so good)and off out again tomorrow morning to take advantage of the glorious weather.

Pendle Plod and Kentmere Canter

2010-04-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

Based in Preston for a couple of days meant a good opportunity to get out running in bits I hadn't been to before. Pendle Hill from Barley on Tuesday afternoon was an ideal leg-stretch after the long drive. V friendly sheep up here(!) - more to do with the lack of Spook than my magnetic ovine personality I think.......

Off to Kentmere on Wednesday and the first time I've been running down this corner of the Lakes. Gorgeous day - a bit chilly in the morning which explains the full-on Arctic kit. By 11 it was warming up nicely - luckily a north-easterly breeze kept me from cooking.

The roller-coaster run back to the car.............

there are two sorts of navigators................

2010-04-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

The penultimate weekend of Ten Tors training and the weather was kind. A long yomp on Saturday was followed by a footsore flit across the central portion of the moor from Sheepstor to Combestone Tor on Sunday. As ever I'm impressed with how quickly the teams have got the hang of the art of navigation - in fact few teams mess it up in training or on the event. I've seen all sorts of much more experienced folk mess it up big time - from MR team members on call-outs to total navigational meltdown on WGL assessment as well as myself out running at night. Makes the progress of the teams even the more impressive.
Spook can just be spotted saying hello to one of the team.

west dart recce

2010-04-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today's run took me from Two Bridges up to Littaford and Longaford Tors via the Crockern Farm track, taking the mincing slippers off at the farm. Then up to Higher White Tor, over the stile and on to the not much lower Lower White Tor. Heading down to the West Dart from here the surface took a turn for the harsh with lots of low-growing heather which played merry hell with my feet. Mincing slippers back on for a bit, then off again as the terrain softened towards the river where the photo was taken. It was a good chance to check out the terrain further up the West Dart or out over Broad Down for future barefoot runs. With my soles toughening nicely, thoughts turned to a barefoot foray to Fur Tor. Up to Crow Tor and back up to Longaford before the nice sweeping descent back to the Crockern Tor Farm track and back to the car.

back to barefoot

2010-04-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

Another cracking run this afternoon and the second totally barefoot. Took the mincing slippers just in case - I can see me leaving them at home before too long though. Felt nice to have the mud squishing between my toes and the pleasing harshness of the moorgrass. Weird.
Set off from High Down, up to Brat Tor and on to Great Links Tor returning by the same route. Amazing how quick you learn that it's not only where you plant your feet, but how you do it that's important.

slushfest

2010-03-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Nipped up to Princetown for an afternoon sprint down the motorway. There had been a bit of snow - what us from the north would call a 'frost', but enough for me to forget any barefoot or even mincing slippers ideas and don the full-on Swoops. A nice cool northerly lulled me into a false sense of something before trying to stop me on the way back. When the hail hammered in on the return leg I was grateful for the hood on my windproof, having neither hat nor hair (to speak of). To nicely round off a cracking run I bumped into a couple of mates in the Fox Tor Cafe who were cycling from Plymouth to Ashburton.

I think this is where we get the expression 'hangdog' from....................

nav training

2010-03-30T10:45:00.001-07:00

A cracking weekend training and weather-wise. Managed to avoid the rain until about the last 15 mins on the way back to the car. Two days on the moor in good company - couldn't ask for more. MattR mentioned it being the best job in the world and I suppose it could be a contender - I find training folk quite easy and natural thing to do. Just lucky I suppose. Worked with a bloke once training Ten Tors teams who managed to completely hack the kids off before they had left the car-park, carried on in a similar vein all day, brought them back de-motivated and dis-spirited and managed to upset the team manager to boot.....needless to say, he wasn't asked back!

now I'm a Bellever................

2010-03-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

A quick trot round the forestry tracks of Bellever and up to the tor before swooping down through this little rock garden which mountianbikelists would call 'technical'.
Wet and windy but felt good in the mincing slippers (aquashoes) with the insoles taken out.

Doing a spot of navigation training on the south moor from Shipley Bridge over the weekend so may well be posting a few pics from that.

don't stray from the path..............

2010-03-24T08:45:00.001-07:00

Claggy and wet to start with, out for a quick sprint from the Plume of Feathers to Eylesbarrow via the motorway. The track is a bit stony and gritty for my sensitive little feet so I had the aqua shoes on all the way. Hopefully be confident to barefoot it before long. Still vest and shorts though (not totally soft and southern) much to the bemusement of the hyper-equipped walkers getting back to their cars as I was setting off. I enjoy the attention, really.

Returning back along the motorway after the 'feet in the peat' shot I stopped off at the Fox Tor cafe for something hot and wet.

feet in the peat

2010-03-21T10:38:00.001-07:00

Barefoot all the way this time. Set off up Cox Tor, Wedlake Corner, Roos Tor, Great Staple and back in. Felt good, nothing dropped off. So far so good.

Spook giving me evos................

barefoot fun

2010-03-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

For the first barefoot run of the year, I set off from Two Bridges and up to Higher White Tor via Littaford and Longaford Tors and returned via Wistman's Wood. I kept the aqua shoes on until the end of the Crockern Farm track and then chanced my arm with my first ever totally barefoot run. The nice springy turf and the southerly breeze made it easy. Atop Higher White I donned the aqua shoes again for the rockier return leg, feeling strangely over-equipped.

Ten Tors

2010-03-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when every other weekend is given over to training groups for the annual Ten Tors event (link opposite)

A bright and cool weekend made for a gentle introduction to Dartmoor for the teams who havn't done the event before and a good start to the navigation, teamskills and campcraft training.
My 35 mile team had a cracking day. This was taken as they approached Higher Hartor

This was taken a bit later on from Gutter Tor at about the halfway point.

Got a good run in by keeping ahead of them and checkpointing. Spook was much taken by the squaddies doing an exercise on the top of the tor.

mtb mayhem (ahem)

2010-03-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

A standard trot from Peat Cott turned into something a bit more exciting towards the end. First up to Hart Tor and an opportunity for Whitefang of Dartmoor to do a bit of posing.
Then down to the aquaduct, up Raddick Hill, Crazywell Pool and down to the track which leads back to Peat Cott. Passed a mountainbikist on the first steepish section (exchange of banter) and stopped at the top to get a photo.

Just about put my camera away as he passed with some comment about 'Tortoise and Hare' This was red rag to a bull and I replied with 'No worries, I'll catch you up later' Having thrown down the gauntlet I worked hard to make sure he didn't get too much of a lead on me over the next flattish section so that I had a chance of taking him out on the steep knobbly bit leading up to the car park at Peat Cott. Luckily I passed him about two-thirds of the way up. Competitive? Me?

re-sprung spring

2010-03-01T06:23:00.001-08:00

A return to sweltering sub-tropical conditions saw a welcome return to the shorts and vest ensemble. It was the sort of day to run forever, but this would mean missing Suzi tonight on the Gadget Show.

2010-02-26T04:11:00.000-08:00

Another bright and breezy day for a trot up to Great Links Tor via Brat Tor and returning via the wonderfully named Dunnagoats. Spook, as you can see, was overjoyed to be stopping for a photo shoot.

A moment later Great Links Tor was bathed in sunshine.

A dusting on the roof of Devon

2010-02-19T07:57:00.000-08:00

Not a major snowfall, but the higher tors were looking spruce in their winter regalia.

The weather was switching between hail, snow, sleet and the odd shaft of sunlight.

A soft, white, swift run-off from Yes Tor and back to the car

Slush Puppy

2010-02-18T04:40:00.000-08:00

Broke a week-long running duck with a snowy/slushy trot from Princetown to Eylesbarrow via the Peat Cott motorway. A comedic diversion was provided by a group of squaddies at Nun's Cross Farm who flagged me down to ask the way to Princetown. Bless.

Made for a good swift pace to blow away the cobwebs. Spook has been giving me the 'look' for a couple of days so I thought I'd better kit up and get out.

2010-02-09T04:26:00.000-08:00

Is Dartmoor a vast, barren wilderness of bottomless bogs plagued by unpredictable and sometimes extreme weather?

Nope.

I can run across it comfortably in 5 hours. Every inch has had some human attention at some point. Every stream and hill has a name. Bogs are for running through. The weather is no more unpredictable than anywhere else. It rarely snows. Check the Dartmoor Rescue call-out logs to see how often folk come to grief on the moor.

It is however, a small fragile gem sometimes hauntingly beautiful with a subtle charm not easily caught on canvas or camera.

Thought the icicle wind chimes were cool......................

bright and breezy broad down

2010-02-05T05:24:00.001-08:00

A gentle-ish end to a heavy week's training. The going was soft after all the rain but this made for interesting descents. Nobody else out who I could see.

frosty trot

2010-01-30T06:34:00.001-08:00

Just enough of a frosting to pick out the tracks.

Spook enjoying the sun

Taken below Kitty Tor, the line of the Rattlebrook Peat tramway can be just made out.

From Great Links Tor as a bit of weather swoops by.

spring!

2010-01-18T05:59:00.001-08:00

Mild,spring-like conditions saw me getting my legs out for the second time this year for a trot up to Great Links Tor via Brat Tor. The snow was hanging on in small pockets - with a bit more of a thaw the walkers down here may leave their avalanche tranceivers and spare ice axe at home........................

langstone moor standing stone

2010-01-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

Hilly it isn't, but Dartmoor is a dab hand at atmospheric sometimes

fox and hound

2010-01-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

Parked at the Fox and Hounds and slogged up to Great Links Tor through lovely knee-deep powder.

Got a bit moody at the top (the weather, not me)

A brilliant run-off down towards Brat Tor

This slab of snow was just asking to be run down. Rude not to, really...............

The view back from the ford below Nodden Gate towards Arms Tor. Spot the intrepid walker...........

a bit more snow

2010-01-06T03:16:00.001-08:00

A dusting of snow and the south-west grinds to a halt - schools close and buses stop. Not like it was when I were a lad............

Got a bit blowy on the top of Pew Tor

Almost like proper snow...................

Spook was in his element..........................

another nippy run

2010-01-04T07:46:00.001-08:00

Another cold and frosty morning and a run too good to miss. This time I headed up Row Tor, West Mill Tor, Yes Tor and High Willhays. Luckily I captured the weird atmospheric effect which looks for all the world like a wonky horizon........

A minute later and it was back to being flat again.................

New Year's Day

2010-01-01T04:55:00.000-08:00

Perfect conditions for an early morning run. A beautiful sunrise on one side competed with a stunning moonset on the other and a gentle (if nippy) northerly breeze on my back. Must have been below freezing as my Camelbak tube iced up and I couldn't get my shoes off when I got back home as the laces were still solid.

First to sign the book at Cranmere Pool. Everybody else took the sensible option and had a lie in...............

Me and the mutt about to set off down the Ring Road and back for breakfast.

snow!

2009-12-20T09:25:00.000-08:00

A light dusting of snow on Saturday followed by a flawless blue sky on Sunday meant another early-ish morning run. The roads were like a skating rink so I ran from home across Whitchurch Down and up to Pew Tor.

Then a quick sprint across Barn Hill and up towards Cox Tor as the footprints gradually thinned out until there were only ours.

The last climb to the trig point was rewarded with this view.

early one morning.........

2009-12-14T01:23:00.000-08:00

OK, so perhaps the sun had been up for a bit, but a 8:30 start on a Sunday was early for me. This used to be one of my regular routes but I havn't been round here in months. Parking at Pork Hill, up over Cox Tor, down to the enclosure wall, up to Roos Tor and then that track to Great Staple, Middle Staple, cross the Beckamoor Brook and back to the car then breakfast.

sunshine!

2009-12-10T05:02:00.000-08:00

Running on Dartmoor in the rain is a bit like banging your head against a wall - it isn't half nice when it stops..............
This run took me from Postbridge, past Hartland Tor to the Grey Wethers stone circles.

The climb to Sittaford Tor brings these north-easterly views of some cracking running country.

The track up to Statt's House was a bit moist after all the rain and Spook found a patch of black, foul-smelling porridge. Excellent early-warning system is a collie................We dropped down to Sandy Hole Pass to get cleaned up a bit and take this shot.

High-ish Willhays

2009-11-28T08:54:00.000-08:00

A cool easterly breeze made for cracking running conditions up and over West Mill and on up to Yes Tor. I love that flat track to High Willhays - good for a leg stretch after the pull up to Yes. Bumped into a beardy Dartmoor Rescue bloke and his mate in a Landrover involved in their group training weekend -(could have walked up, lads?)
After a nice swoopy descent to Dinger Tor and down Sammy Arnold's Lane a quick sprint up East Mill led up to West Mill and back to the car.
The bright conditions were just giving way to a bit of winter.............

Peat Cott trot

2009-11-20T05:53:00.000-08:00

This is one of my regular runs - a good variety of terrain with tracks, boggy bits, a couple of streams to cross and inclines to get stuck into. At a smidge over 8km, I usually nip round in about 45mins.
This is the Nun's Cross motorway - ideal for a good quick start.

The start of the mudfest approaching the top of Eylesbarrow. Lovely!

The descent from Eylesbarrow.

The view across the Newleycombe valley to where the route joins the Older Bridge track

Part of the Older Bridge track. Ideal spot to overtake mountain bikers....

Cranmere Pool run

2009-11-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

Some good runnable tracks, some bog, some tussocks, sunshine. Nobody else out who I could see. Bootiful