When I started the #walk1000miles challenge in January, I got off to a flying start and even thought it might not be quite challenging enough. Ah, how are the mighty fallen! Starting a new job combined with the dark, cold evenings meant that practically no mid-week walking took place, and I quickly fell way behind target.
My lowest point came on the 17th March at a huge 50 miles behind where I needed to be. Once the clocks changed though and I became a little less tired, suddenly it seemed much easier to put my boots on and head outside.
As Spring gets well underway, there have been lots of new appearances for us to enjoy. The bluebells are out in force, carpeting the woods with their gorgeous colour. We found it impossible to properly capture their rich bluey-purple hue and the sheer quantity of them – I’ve never seen so many bulbs in one place.
The pond has been disappointing us with its total lack of otter activity for months, but there are some new arrivals who are trying their best to make up for it!
Unfortunately for the little goslings, we also spotted Mr Fox prowling around the neighbouring field – I think Mr and Mrs Goose need to keep their eyes open for the foreseeable future..!
The pond is going to be a regular destination for the next few weeks as I expect that we’ll be seeing ducklings appearing soon, and hopefully we’ll be able to watch the goslings develop as well.
The better weather and the prospect of new developments in the plant and wildlife world has made it much easier to get outside and go that little bit further every day. I only managed 48 miles in February, increasing to 77 in March, but I’ve already walked 103 miles in April with a full week left to go.
I’m very happy to say that as of Saturday, I’m now back on target with my miles for the first time since January 31st, and have clocked over 300 so far this year. I’m aiming to have reached the halfway point by the time we head off to Norway at the beginning of July so there’s still a long way to go – I’d better get my boots back on!
I can’t say either of us were blown away by the ruin though; I think the castle has the (unwelcome) distinction of having the most uneventful history of any that I’ve visited. It has seen no battles, hosted no armies, waged no wars, but it does have some very well preserved garderobes. I wish I was joking, but the medieval facilities were the star feature of the audio-guide, taking up nearly half of the commentary..!
At first, we were a little disappointed because we could hear a lot of traffic which detracted somewhat from the ‘wilderness’ aspect of the walk, but as we headed further south we thankfully lost the noise from the road.
We were lucky with the weather and although it was cloudy and very blustery we did see some sunshine and blue skies. From the Reservoir we climbed up to Yes Tor and then across to High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor (and yes, we did carry up a stone each from the bottom to add to the cairn).
We also had a chance to ‘road-test’ our new walking socks! Sam’s Mum, Lis, is a very talented lady and has dyed, spun, and knitted our gorgeous walking socks. We’re very pleased to report that as well as being super cozy, we managed 15 miles without even the hint of a blister. Thank you!
Before setting out, I’d read all sorts of horror stories about the dangers of the mists and the mires and was worried that we were totally unprepared for such an environment. Sam, with his usual level-headedness, was not so worried – and while I’m sure that in bad weather it would be incredibly easy to lose your way, on our bright and clear day there was really nothing to worry about. Once off the Tors we mainly stuck to the army tracks as they made the going so much faster, and we made a fantastic 15 mile circular walk, taking in views of Ockerton Court Pool, West and East Mill Tors, and Rowtor.
We were heading home on the Sunday and couldn’t do another long walk, so planned to take an easy route around Cosdon Hill and Little Hound Tor. On the map, there was a clear footpath marked that would take us on a circular route from South Zeal and back at the car in time for lunch. Hmm – I thought it seemed too good to be true and it was. There are no other paths marked on the map, but in reality the area was a maze of criss-crossing tracks in every direction, and of course there wasn’t a single waymarker in sight. Oh, and the path that we were supposed to be following turned out to be more like a stream…
Despite the difficulties with the terrain, the route we did end up taking was spectacular. Along with enjoying far-reaching views, we also got to experience some of Dartmoor’s human history. I love prehistoric remains; hill forts, barrows, and ancient settlements all fascinate me, but my absolute favourite are the standing stones and stone circles that were constructed millennia ago.
Although the day was clear, it was very windy and cold which made me appreciate even more the effort that it would have taken to build the row. It’s thought that it may have been longer at one point and there are also (at least) two burial chambers associated with it but the stones have seemingly been taken to build walls and gateposts. I’m very glad that at least some of it remains.
Very near to the circle was a menhir, the Whit Moor Stone (okay, so it’s not a true menhir as it is most likely associated with the circle, but it’s good enough for me) which I loved.
“I have never seen anyone yet when coming across a menhir that has not resisted the urge to reach out and touch it”
The extra hour of light in the evening is definitely helping, as is the beautiful weather we’ve had over the last couple of weeks. I’ve always loved this time of year; there’s something so special about watching plants that have lain dormant for months suddenly spring to life, and in many ways this really feels like the actual beginning of the year.
Towards the west we could see into Snowdonia, although Snowdon itself and Cadair Idris were both wreathed in cloud. The Shropshire hills dominated the south-easterly view, and to the north-east we could see the foothills of the Pennines. There is also a trig point at the summit, so I was a happy bunny!
On the Sunday we only had time for a short walk in the morning before heading home, so we took a quick stroll through the grounds of Powis Castle. Sam used to work in the restaurant as a chef making the cakes and desserts while we were at school and in university holidays, so it’s a very familiar building to him!
We wandered through the deer park (although sadly didn’t see any deer this time) and back along the canal into Welshpool.
I’ve done this walk – or variations of it – quite a few times when living in Welshpool, and I’d always just taken it for granted that I could simply step out of my front door and be in such picturesque surroundings. There’s so much in the area that I either haven’t done (or haven’t done enough) despite years of living there, and now that I’m based so far away I really regret it. Thankfully, Mum is still there so we can visit often, continue to explore, and try and make up for all of the times that we’ve taken the area for granted.
Year of Adventures 