Thursday, January 2
DARTMOOR DAY 4: Tuesday 10/9/2024 HOLLWELL TOR (return home)
Sheltered from the wind the evening's entertainment was to watch construction work on the saddle between Haytor Rocks. No idea what the pair of diggers were up to, although I did find signs of path works near Saddle Tor the following day.
It may says something about the locality that the machinery was eventually locked down in a strange configuration, hard up up against the eastern wall of Haytor, bucket and arm high in the air to lean against the rockface. Although whether this was as protection from the weather, or to deter potential digger thieves, was unclear.
The weather turned overnight, as it always seems to hereabouts, with gustier wind and gathering rainclouds.
All part of wandering across high ground - it goes, quite literally, with the territory.
I made my way across to the Granite Tramway, still defiantly standing despite two centuries of existence amidst a hostile environment.
They knew how to lay a rail track in those days.
A clear path leading onto Holwell Tor (750 776) for a brief visit, at which point the rain finally arrived.
Towards Holwell Tor
Cutting back between Haytor and Saddle I headed for the car and the trip back home, now eager to be finally out of the wind.
Back at the car, hopping on one foot whilst trying to change out of waterproof trousers and boots, the wind had a final laugh, picking up my other sock from the car boot and blasting it across the car park. As the rain hammered down.
(Haven't we all been there?)
Always seems happens at precisely the right moment of personal exposure.
Only quick action on my part prevented it disappearing away with the wind and down into Haytor Vale far below.
Perhaps to start a local legend of the one-legged figure, hopping across the desolate moorland, everlastingly searching for the other sock.
Or not.
I can't recall a single night when I've wild camped in this immediate area without wind gusts, despite the map topography indicating protection from the prevailing south westerly airflow.
But as a simple start/stop jumping off point for my car journey from Dorset, with a quick and low risk access to a tortop wild camp, whatever the conditions, it’s worth the irritation.
Now that I've eventually visited the area behind Haytor Rocks I've little interest in returning, and my initial instinctive avoidance of the vicinity felt validated.
Great for a family day potter about, but compared to open moorland - not particularly attractive.
Now, with only a couple more Tors to tick off that's the majority of this area now complete, except for an occasional daytrip to visit the few outliers left.
Labels: dartmoor, National Park, wild camping
Wednesday, January 1
DARTMOOR DAY 3: Monday 9/9/2024 SADDLE TOR - HAYTOR TOR-BLACK HILL-(LEIGHON TOR)-SMALLACOMBE ROCKS
Dartmoor. Sun? Surely not.
Making my way back to the car via Sharpitor I drove over to the Haytor area looking for a safe spot to leave the car overnight. After all – Haytor is known locally as a prime area for car break-ins.
I've been avoiding directly visiting this area for a number of years, electing to wildcamp on a number of surrounding tors.
But, inevitably it was finally time to explore the area around the dreaded Haytor Rocks - Dartmoor Ground Zero for tourists and ice cream vans.
But first a magical mystery tour of the (very) narrow road which circumnavigates the whole of Easdon Tor (733 822) Marked on the Dartmoor camping map as ok for wildcamping, it looked great on the map. Far from through foot traffic, and a solitary location.
But after a half hour drive on increasingly narrow roads I could see few safe places to park up and marked it down as a walk-in visit for a possible future date.
Back then to the immediate Haytor area. A dry day, with a screaming wind putting off many of the day trippers cautious of losing the tops off their ice-cream cornet.
Finally I settled on the CP at 753 764, and headed up onto Saddle Tor (751 763). A pleasant spot, much quieter than Haytor,but not a day to tarry in the wind.
Saddle Tor
As you may expect the tracks onto Haytor are easy to spot. From Saddle Tor I worked my way upwards onto the western slope towards the top and decided the effort of climbing onto the rocks themselves really wasn’t worth the effort.
Haytor Rocks
Back to Haytor Quarries where the the plan was to take a direct line towards Black Hill (762 787) in an attempt to find/visit Leighon Tor (758 786)
This is not marked on my 2015 OS map (it was added late 2022 I’ve since discovered), but I’d spotted it on the interactive Dartmoor camping map and was intrigued as a spot to spend the night.
Along the way I spent a fruitless 20 minutes trying to follow tracks through the gorse to the north of the quarries before finally accepting defeat and, for me, a rare occasion of retracing my steps back to a more clearly visible track heading north towards the Templar Way.
Much, much easier. Being an intrepid trailblazer is all well and good. But a mixture of pack weight, gorse and rocky/broken ground eventually persuaded me that I’d prefer my ankles the way I like them – unbroken.
Nothing ventured…..
After that it was a clear and easy route to Black Hill.
View to Black Hill
A bit of faffing about in an attempt to confirm I’d visited Leighon Tor. Or perhaps not?
It’s a bit of a bugger to locate as the excellent Tors of Dartmoor site can confirm, also explaining the eventual addition to later OS maps.
The area to the NE of Haytor is great for a ramble, but with no real distinguishing features, or wind shelter, not that interesting.
Which brings me to yet another 'right to roam' conundrum this trip.
I eventually set up for the night in the ' wildcamping allowed' area (or was I?) at Smallacombe Rocks (755 783) in an attempt to avoid the worst of the NW wind was becoming irritating.
That's the trouble with arbitrary interactive maps when your actually present on the ground.
Smallacombe Rocks
I could see more sheltered spots nearby, but according to the permissive map they were out of bounds.
Meanwhile the permissive area, to the north of my eventual overnight spot, is actually a steep slope covered in bracken. A promising spot for a leg break, midges, and looked pretty bare of ground to camp. Even the animal tracks are missing.
Safe to camp?
Yet its ok to camp there.
Looks good on a map. Useless, if not dangerous, on the actual ground.
Ho hum.
I bedded in for the evening, well sheltered from the wind. Not really caring whether I was in or out of any permissive boundary.
There’s some really fine flat and sheltered spots around the rocks. On a sunny summer’s day they would be a delight.
But September winds. Hmmm,
But at least a view of Haytor in the distance. Without the associated foot traffic
View to Haytor from Smallcombe
And early in the evening I had a more welcome visitor for short while - the rabbits here are Huge.
Labels: dartmoor, hints, mapping, National Park, planning, right to roam, wild camping
Sunday, November 3
DARTMOOR DAY 2: Sunday 8/9/2024 SHARPITOR - PEEK HILL TOR-LEATHER TOR
Pew Tor morning
Heading bright (not) and early back to the car, the continued intermittent rain meant that my plan circular of tors to the NE & SW of Burrator Reservoir was likely to be a boggy dismal affair.
One of the basic tenets of successful wildcamping is adaptability, so Plan B time (or perhaps C or even D) Something in the same area, to visit new locations, but without the concern over low cloud navigation and wet boots.
The easiest access onto Sharpitor was along the gentle ridge from the car park at 557 708.
I’ve nothing to prove on walkabouts nowadays. I wander at will with the enjoyment of the experience being the aim, not miles covered etc. Got the T Shirts for that already ta very much.
If I can save a walk uphill, carrying a full load, I’ve learnt a little bit of careful review of my start point saves wear and tear on the knees & hips. As they remain fully functional, despite impending retirement age, I’ll stick with the approach.
And so it proved to be this time. Initially I had to keep a wary eye on a couple of dog walkers trying to prevent their semi-pit bulls from ‘playing’ with the livestock, trying not to hang my head in despair yet again.
Uncontrolled dogs have been an increasing concern for the last 12+ months whenever I’ve been out on the New Forest. So much so that I now carry a citronella spray as a norm.
Partly for the dog.
More for the owner.
I figure training the trainer might be a more productive application of the repellent discharge – this stuff is expensive after all.
Within a very short time I was crossing over SHARPITOR [TOR?] (559 703) where I’ve camped a couple of times before (That was back in 2007 & 2021 according to my trip diaries, although it only part of those ever made it onto this blog. Troubled times back then and my head wasn’t in it)
Sharpitor
South onto Peek Hill Tor (556 699) a spot with an excellent view, but far too exposed to the wind today. So E to Leather Tor (562 699)
Leather Tor from Peek Hill
This is a weird one. More reminiscent of the Lake District rocks. Shucking off my sack I scrambled up to the start of the rugged ridgeline, took one look along the edge, and scrambled back down. I know an ankle breaker when I see one.
Always that necessary judgement of risk to be assessed when out solo, and its kept me healthy and safe all these years.
Pitching for the night to the W of the tor I was supping my first brew when I spotted a group of walkers bashing their way through the scree & bracken clearly intent on climbing up the steeper side of the tor.
I had a friendly word – IMHO this is not the sort of clamber for the inexperienced, but the guide (some sort of outdoor pursuit set-up?) sounded like he knew the area and the terrain, so I was entertained over coffee watching a string of brightly clothed people work their way up onto and along the ridge disappearing away into the distance.
All safe, so well led that man. I wouldn’t have liked the responsibility for the group. But I wildcamp solo, so maybe a riskier prospect. But then I have sole responsibility for the safety of my party, and he’s a really sensible and pleasant chap, even if stingy with any sort of guiding fee.
Another typical Dartmoor evening with rain, wind, rain, low cloud.. and rain.
But the view in the gaps - just right.
Labels: dartmoor, hints, National Park, planning, right to roam, wild camping
Saturday, November 2
DARTMOOR DAY 1: Sat 7/9/2024 VIXEN TOR - FEATHER TOR-HECKWOOD TOR-PEW TOR
Family issues had meant that this was my first wildcamping trip this year.
Frustrating really as my exercise regime during the last few years had really benefitted my walking pace & pack carrying stamina.
Ho hum. Pay it forward, never a false economy in these, my advancing years.
But leaving it this late in the year meant that I wasn't over optimistic of stringing together many nights on the tops.
After the usual dreary drive across from Dorset, and a little exploratory reconnaissance, I loaded up at the car park west of Merrivale (GR 540 750)
A typically dreary start, with intermittent rain throughout the day.
A wander down to Vixen Tor (GR 541 742) for a looksee at just what "private land" offers.Ringed by barbwire (satisfyingly broken down in places) it presumes to be a jealously guarded spot mimicking some frontline battle line.
Which for many it still remains - being an early sign of things to come.
I originally mentioned it back in 2007 and 17 years later it remains deeply symbolic of the expanding conflict between private ownership and public access.
And to be honest, really not that great a spot to safeguard from the marauding hordes of drooling ramblers milling around the spot.
Well not really.
But at least the welcoming sign made me smile - best of luck enforcing!
Welcome to Vixen Tor
Onwards to tick off Feather Tor (534 741) .....
..
Feather Tor
....and its view onto Heckwood Tor (537 738) the next waypoint .....
Heckwood Tor
....where there was a suitably atmospheric glimpse of Great Mis Tor in the distance, a favourite overnight spot of mine with panoramic views down to the sea beyond Plymouth.
The leat and cross discovered along the way made a pleasant photo opportunity, initially suggesting a future wildcamping spot for a long hot sunny day. But it quickly became clear that this was a focal point for walkers in the area. Quickly crossed off my list - I prefer more solitary resting spots.
A short hop and already I was at the evening's camping spot Pew Tor (532 734)
4 tors ticked off in less than an hour - more a leg stretch than a walk. But after the early drive it was all I really required for a kit shakedown exercise.
Pew Tor
I wouldn't really consider any of these tors for a revisit, and certainly not for an overnighter.
From memory Pew Tor seemed quite popular with occasional visitors, with its proximity to the Merrivale car parks.But not anything that sticks in my memory as I write this now.Labels: dartmoor, Fitness, National Park, right to roam, vixen tor, wild camping
Thursday, June 23
Dartmoor 5 nighter
Friday, May 27
Still upright, still breathing!
Preparing for my next wildcamping escape to Dartmoor I've been reviewing over 20 years of trip notes in an attempt to consolidate it all onto one single map.
Which has meant turning the house upside down looking for old trip notebooks, for details of precise routes.
Which in turn resulted in a review of all my Dartmoor photos, trying to locate/date various interesting spots I'd marked as potential revisit spots one day.
Which brings me back to this blog.
(Phew, talk about a long winded way to eventually get to the point)
In these days of Facebook\Vidlogs etc I'd long ago come to the conclusion that the glorious days of 'The Outdoor Blog' were over.
And it really doesn't help that so many of the original (and much mourned) fellow travellers seem to be no longer around to swop notes and ideas in such a suitable forum. Many since gone on their own solo walk from which they will never return - miss you folks.
So it seems the useful days of shared information exchange have largely disappeared with the spattergun effects from the impact of Facebook et al.
Then there is the look & feel of this blog's format itself. I have trouble finding information myself! And I wrote/host it, so what chance do the rest of you have?
In the days of laptop\web browser viewing it worked, but for mobile users? Nah a right pig to navigate. Whatever the value of the content, if you can't get to it easily, it may as well be manure. Not to be waded through recklessly.
Time for a think as to this site's future.
Once it was a useful method of recording my trips logs, but became a generally beneficial communication tool for others seeking information or (whisper it gently) entertainment.
After my next trip, with time again to spare, I'll see how relevant this remains. Depends if I have the drive to transfer my trip jottings over to the web.
(At least recording my trips on here I don't have to spend fruitless time searching for my bloody trip reports)
And perhaps there is a simple way to migrate this site to a new platform, one that is mobile friendlier. (any tips out there?)
Tapping out these jottings are a little like whistling into a deep mineshaft of solitary disinterest, so if there's anyone still out there, why not leave me a comment?
It'll inform my decision on where this goes next.....
Cheers wildcampers
Labels: Backpacking Advice, blog media, dartmoor, Mental Health, National Park, UK Outdoors Blogger, uk walking blog
Sunday, March 21
New Forest Waterfall
Another period of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Sunday, March 7
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Sheltered from the wind the evening's entertainment was to watch construction work on the saddle between Haytor Rocks. No idea what the pair of diggers were up to, although I did find signs of path works near Saddle Tor the following day.
It may says something about the locality that the machinery was eventually locked down in a strange configuration, hard up up against the eastern wall of Haytor, bucket and arm high in the air to lean against the rockface. Although whether this was as protection from the weather, or to deter potential digger thieves, was unclear.
The weather turned overnight, as it always seems to hereabouts, with gustier wind and gathering rainclouds.
All part of wandering across high ground - it goes, quite literally, with the territory.
I made my way across to the Granite Tramway, still defiantly standing despite two centuries of existence amidst a hostile environment.
They knew how to lay a rail track in those days.
A clear path leading onto Holwell Tor (750 776) for a brief visit, at which point the rain finally arrived.
Towards Holwell Tor
Cutting back between Haytor and Saddle I headed for the car and the trip back home, now eager to be finally out of the wind.
Back at the car, hopping on one foot whilst trying to change out of waterproof trousers and boots, the wind had a final laugh, picking up my other sock from the car boot and blasting it across the car park. As the rain hammered down.
(Haven't we all been there?)
Always seems happens at precisely the right moment of personal exposure.
Only quick action on my part prevented it disappearing away with the wind and down into Haytor Vale far below.
Perhaps to start a local legend of the one-legged figure, hopping across the desolate moorland, everlastingly searching for the other sock.
Or not.
I can't recall a single night when I've wild camped in this immediate area without wind gusts, despite the map topography indicating protection from the prevailing south westerly airflow.
But as a simple start/stop jumping off point for my car journey from Dorset, with a quick and low risk access to a tortop wild camp, whatever the conditions, it’s worth the irritation.
Now that I've eventually visited the area behind Haytor Rocks I've little interest in returning, and my initial instinctive avoidance of the vicinity felt validated.
Great for a family day potter about, but compared to open moorland - not particularly attractive.
Now, with only a couple more Tors to tick off that's the majority of this area now complete, except for an occasional daytrip to visit the few outliers left.
Labels: dartmoor, National Park, wild camping
DARTMOOR DAY 3: Monday 9/9/2024 SADDLE TOR - HAYTOR TOR-BLACK HILL-(LEIGHON TOR)-SMALLACOMBE ROCKS
Dartmoor. Sun? Surely not.
Making my way back to the car via Sharpitor I drove over to the Haytor area looking for a safe spot to leave the car overnight. After all – Haytor is known locally as a prime area for car break-ins.
I've been avoiding directly visiting this area for a number of years, electing to wildcamp on a number of surrounding tors.
But, inevitably it was finally time to explore the area around the dreaded Haytor Rocks - Dartmoor Ground Zero for tourists and ice cream vans.
But first a magical mystery tour of the (very) narrow road which circumnavigates the whole of Easdon Tor (733 822) Marked on the Dartmoor camping map as ok for wildcamping, it looked great on the map. Far from through foot traffic, and a solitary location.
But after a half hour drive on increasingly narrow roads I could see few safe places to park up and marked it down as a walk-in visit for a possible future date.
Back then to the immediate Haytor area. A dry day, with a screaming wind putting off many of the day trippers cautious of losing the tops off their ice-cream cornet.
Finally I settled on the CP at 753 764, and headed up onto Saddle Tor (751 763). A pleasant spot, much quieter than Haytor,but not a day to tarry in the wind.
Saddle Tor
As you may expect the tracks onto Haytor are easy to spot. From Saddle Tor I worked my way upwards onto the western slope towards the top and decided the effort of climbing onto the rocks themselves really wasn’t worth the effort.
Haytor Rocks
Back to Haytor Quarries where the the plan was to take a direct line towards Black Hill (762 787) in an attempt to find/visit Leighon Tor (758 786)
This is not marked on my 2015 OS map (it was added late 2022 I’ve since discovered), but I’d spotted it on the interactive Dartmoor camping map and was intrigued as a spot to spend the night.
Along the way I spent a fruitless 20 minutes trying to follow tracks through the gorse to the north of the quarries before finally accepting defeat and, for me, a rare occasion of retracing my steps back to a more clearly visible track heading north towards the Templar Way.
Much, much easier. Being an intrepid trailblazer is all well and good. But a mixture of pack weight, gorse and rocky/broken ground eventually persuaded me that I’d prefer my ankles the way I like them – unbroken.
Nothing ventured…..
After that it was a clear and easy route to Black Hill.
View to Black Hill
A bit of faffing about in an attempt to confirm I’d visited Leighon Tor. Or perhaps not?
It’s a bit of a bugger to locate as the excellent Tors of Dartmoor site can confirm, also explaining the eventual addition to later OS maps.
The area to the NE of Haytor is great for a ramble, but with no real distinguishing features, or wind shelter, not that interesting.
Which brings me to yet another 'right to roam' conundrum this trip.
I eventually set up for the night in the ' wildcamping allowed' area (or was I?) at Smallacombe Rocks (755 783) in an attempt to avoid the worst of the NW wind was becoming irritating.
That's the trouble with arbitrary interactive maps when your actually present on the ground.
Smallacombe Rocks
I could see more sheltered spots nearby, but according to the permissive map they were out of bounds.
Meanwhile the permissive area, to the north of my eventual overnight spot, is actually a steep slope covered in bracken. A promising spot for a leg break, midges, and looked pretty bare of ground to camp. Even the animal tracks are missing.
Safe to camp?
Yet its ok to camp there.
Looks good on a map. Useless, if not dangerous, on the actual ground.
Ho hum.
I bedded in for the evening, well sheltered from the wind. Not really caring whether I was in or out of any permissive boundary.
There’s some really fine flat and sheltered spots around the rocks. On a sunny summer’s day they would be a delight.
But September winds. Hmmm,
But at least a view of Haytor in the distance. Without the associated foot traffic
View to Haytor from Smallcombe
And early in the evening I had a more welcome visitor for short while - the rabbits here are Huge.
Labels: dartmoor, hints, mapping, National Park, planning, right to roam, wild camping
Sunday, November 3
DARTMOOR DAY 2: Sunday 8/9/2024 SHARPITOR - PEEK HILL TOR-LEATHER TOR
Pew Tor morning
Heading bright (not) and early back to the car, the continued intermittent rain meant that my plan circular of tors to the NE & SW of Burrator Reservoir was likely to be a boggy dismal affair.
One of the basic tenets of successful wildcamping is adaptability, so Plan B time (or perhaps C or even D) Something in the same area, to visit new locations, but without the concern over low cloud navigation and wet boots.
The easiest access onto Sharpitor was along the gentle ridge from the car park at 557 708.
I’ve nothing to prove on walkabouts nowadays. I wander at will with the enjoyment of the experience being the aim, not miles covered etc. Got the T Shirts for that already ta very much.
If I can save a walk uphill, carrying a full load, I’ve learnt a little bit of careful review of my start point saves wear and tear on the knees & hips. As they remain fully functional, despite impending retirement age, I’ll stick with the approach.
And so it proved to be this time. Initially I had to keep a wary eye on a couple of dog walkers trying to prevent their semi-pit bulls from ‘playing’ with the livestock, trying not to hang my head in despair yet again.
Uncontrolled dogs have been an increasing concern for the last 12+ months whenever I’ve been out on the New Forest. So much so that I now carry a citronella spray as a norm.
Partly for the dog.
More for the owner.
I figure training the trainer might be a more productive application of the repellent discharge – this stuff is expensive after all.
Within a very short time I was crossing over SHARPITOR [TOR?] (559 703) where I’ve camped a couple of times before (That was back in 2007 & 2021 according to my trip diaries, although it only part of those ever made it onto this blog. Troubled times back then and my head wasn’t in it)
Sharpitor
South onto Peek Hill Tor (556 699) a spot with an excellent view, but far too exposed to the wind today. So E to Leather Tor (562 699)
Leather Tor from Peek Hill
This is a weird one. More reminiscent of the Lake District rocks. Shucking off my sack I scrambled up to the start of the rugged ridgeline, took one look along the edge, and scrambled back down. I know an ankle breaker when I see one.
Always that necessary judgement of risk to be assessed when out solo, and its kept me healthy and safe all these years.
Pitching for the night to the W of the tor I was supping my first brew when I spotted a group of walkers bashing their way through the scree & bracken clearly intent on climbing up the steeper side of the tor.
I had a friendly word – IMHO this is not the sort of clamber for the inexperienced, but the guide (some sort of outdoor pursuit set-up?) sounded like he knew the area and the terrain, so I was entertained over coffee watching a string of brightly clothed people work their way up onto and along the ridge disappearing away into the distance.
All safe, so well led that man. I wouldn’t have liked the responsibility for the group. But I wildcamp solo, so maybe a riskier prospect. But then I have sole responsibility for the safety of my party, and he’s a really sensible and pleasant chap, even if stingy with any sort of guiding fee.
Another typical Dartmoor evening with rain, wind, rain, low cloud.. and rain.
But the view in the gaps - just right.
Labels: dartmoor, hints, National Park, planning, right to roam, wild camping
Saturday, November 2
DARTMOOR DAY 1: Sat 7/9/2024 VIXEN TOR - FEATHER TOR-HECKWOOD TOR-PEW TOR
Family issues had meant that this was my first wildcamping trip this year.
Frustrating really as my exercise regime during the last few years had really benefitted my walking pace & pack carrying stamina.
Ho hum. Pay it forward, never a false economy in these, my advancing years.
But leaving it this late in the year meant that I wasn't over optimistic of stringing together many nights on the tops.
After the usual dreary drive across from Dorset, and a little exploratory reconnaissance, I loaded up at the car park west of Merrivale (GR 540 750)
A typically dreary start, with intermittent rain throughout the day.
A wander down to Vixen Tor (GR 541 742) for a looksee at just what "private land" offers.Ringed by barbwire (satisfyingly broken down in places) it presumes to be a jealously guarded spot mimicking some frontline battle line.
Which for many it still remains - being an early sign of things to come.
I originally mentioned it back in 2007 and 17 years later it remains deeply symbolic of the expanding conflict between private ownership and public access.
And to be honest, really not that great a spot to safeguard from the marauding hordes of drooling ramblers milling around the spot.
Well not really.
But at least the welcoming sign made me smile - best of luck enforcing!
Welcome to Vixen Tor
Onwards to tick off Feather Tor (534 741) .....
.. Feather Tor
....and its view onto Heckwood Tor (537 738) the next waypoint .....
Heckwood Tor
....where there was a suitably atmospheric glimpse of Great Mis Tor in the distance, a favourite overnight spot of mine with panoramic views down to the sea beyond Plymouth.
The leat and cross discovered along the way made a pleasant photo opportunity, initially suggesting a future wildcamping spot for a long hot sunny day. But it quickly became clear that this was a focal point for walkers in the area. Quickly crossed off my list - I prefer more solitary resting spots.
A short hop and already I was at the evening's camping spot Pew Tor (532 734)
4 tors ticked off in less than an hour - more a leg stretch than a walk. But after the early drive it was all I really required for a kit shakedown exercise.
Pew Tor
I wouldn't really consider any of these tors for a revisit, and certainly not for an overnighter.
From memory Pew Tor seemed quite popular with occasional visitors, with its proximity to the Merrivale car parks.But not anything that sticks in my memory as I write this now.Labels: dartmoor, Fitness, National Park, right to roam, vixen tor, wild camping
Thursday, June 23
Dartmoor 5 nighter
Friday, May 27
Still upright, still breathing!
Preparing for my next wildcamping escape to Dartmoor I've been reviewing over 20 years of trip notes in an attempt to consolidate it all onto one single map.
Which has meant turning the house upside down looking for old trip notebooks, for details of precise routes.
Which in turn resulted in a review of all my Dartmoor photos, trying to locate/date various interesting spots I'd marked as potential revisit spots one day.
Which brings me back to this blog.
(Phew, talk about a long winded way to eventually get to the point)
In these days of Facebook\Vidlogs etc I'd long ago come to the conclusion that the glorious days of 'The Outdoor Blog' were over.
And it really doesn't help that so many of the original (and much mourned) fellow travellers seem to be no longer around to swop notes and ideas in such a suitable forum. Many since gone on their own solo walk from which they will never return - miss you folks.
So it seems the useful days of shared information exchange have largely disappeared with the spattergun effects from the impact of Facebook et al.
Then there is the look & feel of this blog's format itself. I have trouble finding information myself! And I wrote/host it, so what chance do the rest of you have?
In the days of laptop\web browser viewing it worked, but for mobile users? Nah a right pig to navigate. Whatever the value of the content, if you can't get to it easily, it may as well be manure. Not to be waded through recklessly.
Time for a think as to this site's future.
Once it was a useful method of recording my trips logs, but became a generally beneficial communication tool for others seeking information or (whisper it gently) entertainment.
After my next trip, with time again to spare, I'll see how relevant this remains. Depends if I have the drive to transfer my trip jottings over to the web.
(At least recording my trips on here I don't have to spend fruitless time searching for my bloody trip reports)
And perhaps there is a simple way to migrate this site to a new platform, one that is mobile friendlier. (any tips out there?)
Tapping out these jottings are a little like whistling into a deep mineshaft of solitary disinterest, so if there's anyone still out there, why not leave me a comment?
It'll inform my decision on where this goes next.....
Cheers wildcampers
Labels: Backpacking Advice, blog media, dartmoor, Mental Health, National Park, UK Outdoors Blogger, uk walking blog
Sunday, March 21
New Forest Waterfall
Another period of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Sunday, March 7
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Dartmoor. Sun? Surely not.
Making my way back to the car via Sharpitor I drove over to the Haytor area looking for a safe spot to leave the car overnight. After all – Haytor is known locally as a prime area for car break-ins.
I've been avoiding directly visiting this area for a number of years, electing to wildcamp on a number of surrounding tors.
But, inevitably it was finally time to explore the area around the dreaded Haytor Rocks - Dartmoor Ground Zero for tourists and ice cream vans.
But first a magical mystery tour of the (very) narrow road which circumnavigates the whole of Easdon Tor (733 822) Marked on the Dartmoor camping map as ok for wildcamping, it looked great on the map. Far from through foot traffic, and a solitary location.
But after a half hour drive on increasingly narrow roads I could see few safe places to park up and marked it down as a walk-in visit for a possible future date.
Back then to the immediate Haytor area. A dry day, with a screaming wind putting off many of the day trippers cautious of losing the tops off their ice-cream cornet.
Finally I settled on the CP at 753 764, and headed up onto Saddle Tor (751 763). A pleasant spot, much quieter than Haytor,but not a day to tarry in the wind.
Saddle Tor
As you may expect the tracks onto Haytor are easy to spot. From Saddle Tor I worked my way upwards onto the western slope towards the top and decided the effort of climbing onto the rocks themselves really wasn’t worth the effort.
Haytor Rocks
Back to Haytor Quarries where the the plan was to take a direct line towards Black Hill (762 787) in an attempt to find/visit Leighon Tor (758 786)
This is not marked on my 2015 OS map (it was added late 2022 I’ve since discovered), but I’d spotted it on the interactive Dartmoor camping map and was intrigued as a spot to spend the night.
Along the way I spent a fruitless 20 minutes trying to follow tracks through the gorse to the north of the quarries before finally accepting defeat and, for me, a rare occasion of retracing my steps back to a more clearly visible track heading north towards the Templar Way.
Much, much easier. Being an intrepid trailblazer is all well and good. But a mixture of pack weight, gorse and rocky/broken ground eventually persuaded me that I’d prefer my ankles the way I like them – unbroken.
Nothing ventured…..
After that it was a clear and easy route to Black Hill.
View to Black Hill
A bit of faffing about in an attempt to confirm I’d visited Leighon Tor. Or perhaps not?
It’s a bit of a bugger to locate as the excellent Tors of Dartmoor site can confirm, also explaining the eventual addition to later OS maps.
The area to the NE of Haytor is great for a ramble, but with no real distinguishing features, or wind shelter, not that interesting.
Which brings me to yet another 'right to roam' conundrum this trip.
I eventually set up for the night in the ' wildcamping allowed' area (or was I?) at Smallacombe Rocks (755 783) in an attempt to avoid the worst of the NW wind was becoming irritating.
That's the trouble with arbitrary interactive maps when your actually present on the ground.
Smallacombe Rocks
I could see more sheltered spots nearby, but according to the permissive map they were out of bounds.
Meanwhile the permissive area, to the north of my eventual overnight spot, is actually a steep slope covered in bracken. A promising spot for a leg break, midges, and looked pretty bare of ground to camp. Even the animal tracks are missing.
Safe to camp?
Yet its ok to camp there.
Looks good on a map. Useless, if not dangerous, on the actual ground.
Ho hum.
I bedded in for the evening, well sheltered from the wind. Not really caring whether I was in or out of any permissive boundary.
There’s some really fine flat and sheltered spots around the rocks. On a sunny summer’s day they would be a delight.
But September winds. Hmmm,
But at least a view of Haytor in the distance. Without the associated foot traffic
View to Haytor from Smallcombe
And early in the evening I had a more welcome visitor for short while - the rabbits here are Huge.
Labels: dartmoor, hints, mapping, National Park, planning, right to roam, wild camping
DARTMOOR DAY 2: Sunday 8/9/2024 SHARPITOR - PEEK HILL TOR-LEATHER TOR
Pew Tor morning
Heading bright (not) and early back to the car, the continued intermittent rain meant that my plan circular of tors to the NE & SW of Burrator Reservoir was likely to be a boggy dismal affair.
One of the basic tenets of successful wildcamping is adaptability, so Plan B time (or perhaps C or even D) Something in the same area, to visit new locations, but without the concern over low cloud navigation and wet boots.
The easiest access onto Sharpitor was along the gentle ridge from the car park at 557 708.
I’ve nothing to prove on walkabouts nowadays. I wander at will with the enjoyment of the experience being the aim, not miles covered etc. Got the T Shirts for that already ta very much.
If I can save a walk uphill, carrying a full load, I’ve learnt a little bit of careful review of my start point saves wear and tear on the knees & hips. As they remain fully functional, despite impending retirement age, I’ll stick with the approach.
And so it proved to be this time. Initially I had to keep a wary eye on a couple of dog walkers trying to prevent their semi-pit bulls from ‘playing’ with the livestock, trying not to hang my head in despair yet again.
Uncontrolled dogs have been an increasing concern for the last 12+ months whenever I’ve been out on the New Forest. So much so that I now carry a citronella spray as a norm.
Partly for the dog.
More for the owner.
I figure training the trainer might be a more productive application of the repellent discharge – this stuff is expensive after all.
Within a very short time I was crossing over SHARPITOR [TOR?] (559 703) where I’ve camped a couple of times before (That was back in 2007 & 2021 according to my trip diaries, although it only part of those ever made it onto this blog. Troubled times back then and my head wasn’t in it)
Sharpitor
South onto Peek Hill Tor (556 699) a spot with an excellent view, but far too exposed to the wind today. So E to Leather Tor (562 699)
Leather Tor from Peek Hill
This is a weird one. More reminiscent of the Lake District rocks. Shucking off my sack I scrambled up to the start of the rugged ridgeline, took one look along the edge, and scrambled back down. I know an ankle breaker when I see one.
Always that necessary judgement of risk to be assessed when out solo, and its kept me healthy and safe all these years.
Pitching for the night to the W of the tor I was supping my first brew when I spotted a group of walkers bashing their way through the scree & bracken clearly intent on climbing up the steeper side of the tor.
I had a friendly word – IMHO this is not the sort of clamber for the inexperienced, but the guide (some sort of outdoor pursuit set-up?) sounded like he knew the area and the terrain, so I was entertained over coffee watching a string of brightly clothed people work their way up onto and along the ridge disappearing away into the distance.
All safe, so well led that man. I wouldn’t have liked the responsibility for the group. But I wildcamp solo, so maybe a riskier prospect. But then I have sole responsibility for the safety of my party, and he’s a really sensible and pleasant chap, even if stingy with any sort of guiding fee.
Another typical Dartmoor evening with rain, wind, rain, low cloud.. and rain.
But the view in the gaps - just right.
Labels: dartmoor, hints, National Park, planning, right to roam, wild camping
Saturday, November 2
DARTMOOR DAY 1: Sat 7/9/2024 VIXEN TOR - FEATHER TOR-HECKWOOD TOR-PEW TOR
Family issues had meant that this was my first wildcamping trip this year.
Frustrating really as my exercise regime during the last few years had really benefitted my walking pace & pack carrying stamina.
Ho hum. Pay it forward, never a false economy in these, my advancing years.
But leaving it this late in the year meant that I wasn't over optimistic of stringing together many nights on the tops.
After the usual dreary drive across from Dorset, and a little exploratory reconnaissance, I loaded up at the car park west of Merrivale (GR 540 750)
A typically dreary start, with intermittent rain throughout the day.
A wander down to Vixen Tor (GR 541 742) for a looksee at just what "private land" offers.Ringed by barbwire (satisfyingly broken down in places) it presumes to be a jealously guarded spot mimicking some frontline battle line.
Which for many it still remains - being an early sign of things to come.
I originally mentioned it back in 2007 and 17 years later it remains deeply symbolic of the expanding conflict between private ownership and public access.
And to be honest, really not that great a spot to safeguard from the marauding hordes of drooling ramblers milling around the spot.
Well not really.
But at least the welcoming sign made me smile - best of luck enforcing!
Welcome to Vixen Tor
Onwards to tick off Feather Tor (534 741) .....
.. Feather Tor
....and its view onto Heckwood Tor (537 738) the next waypoint .....
Heckwood Tor
....where there was a suitably atmospheric glimpse of Great Mis Tor in the distance, a favourite overnight spot of mine with panoramic views down to the sea beyond Plymouth.
The leat and cross discovered along the way made a pleasant photo opportunity, initially suggesting a future wildcamping spot for a long hot sunny day. But it quickly became clear that this was a focal point for walkers in the area. Quickly crossed off my list - I prefer more solitary resting spots.
A short hop and already I was at the evening's camping spot Pew Tor (532 734)
4 tors ticked off in less than an hour - more a leg stretch than a walk. But after the early drive it was all I really required for a kit shakedown exercise.
Pew Tor
I wouldn't really consider any of these tors for a revisit, and certainly not for an overnighter.
From memory Pew Tor seemed quite popular with occasional visitors, with its proximity to the Merrivale car parks.But not anything that sticks in my memory as I write this now.Labels: dartmoor, Fitness, National Park, right to roam, vixen tor, wild camping
Thursday, June 23
Dartmoor 5 nighter
Friday, May 27
Still upright, still breathing!
Preparing for my next wildcamping escape to Dartmoor I've been reviewing over 20 years of trip notes in an attempt to consolidate it all onto one single map.
Which has meant turning the house upside down looking for old trip notebooks, for details of precise routes.
Which in turn resulted in a review of all my Dartmoor photos, trying to locate/date various interesting spots I'd marked as potential revisit spots one day.
Which brings me back to this blog.
(Phew, talk about a long winded way to eventually get to the point)
In these days of Facebook\Vidlogs etc I'd long ago come to the conclusion that the glorious days of 'The Outdoor Blog' were over.
And it really doesn't help that so many of the original (and much mourned) fellow travellers seem to be no longer around to swop notes and ideas in such a suitable forum. Many since gone on their own solo walk from which they will never return - miss you folks.
So it seems the useful days of shared information exchange have largely disappeared with the spattergun effects from the impact of Facebook et al.
Then there is the look & feel of this blog's format itself. I have trouble finding information myself! And I wrote/host it, so what chance do the rest of you have?
In the days of laptop\web browser viewing it worked, but for mobile users? Nah a right pig to navigate. Whatever the value of the content, if you can't get to it easily, it may as well be manure. Not to be waded through recklessly.
Time for a think as to this site's future.
Once it was a useful method of recording my trips logs, but became a generally beneficial communication tool for others seeking information or (whisper it gently) entertainment.
After my next trip, with time again to spare, I'll see how relevant this remains. Depends if I have the drive to transfer my trip jottings over to the web.
(At least recording my trips on here I don't have to spend fruitless time searching for my bloody trip reports)
And perhaps there is a simple way to migrate this site to a new platform, one that is mobile friendlier. (any tips out there?)
Tapping out these jottings are a little like whistling into a deep mineshaft of solitary disinterest, so if there's anyone still out there, why not leave me a comment?
It'll inform my decision on where this goes next.....
Cheers wildcampers
Labels: Backpacking Advice, blog media, dartmoor, Mental Health, National Park, UK Outdoors Blogger, uk walking blog
Sunday, March 21
New Forest Waterfall
Another period of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Sunday, March 7
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Pew Tor morning
Heading bright (not) and early back to the car, the continued intermittent rain meant that my plan circular of tors to the NE & SW of Burrator Reservoir was likely to be a boggy dismal affair.
One of the basic tenets of successful wildcamping is adaptability, so Plan B time (or perhaps C or even D) Something in the same area, to visit new locations, but without the concern over low cloud navigation and wet boots.
The easiest access onto Sharpitor was along the gentle ridge from the car park at 557 708.
I’ve nothing to prove on walkabouts nowadays. I wander at will with the enjoyment of the experience being the aim, not miles covered etc. Got the T Shirts for that already ta very much.
If I can save a walk uphill, carrying a full load, I’ve learnt a little bit of careful review of my start point saves wear and tear on the knees & hips. As they remain fully functional, despite impending retirement age, I’ll stick with the approach.
And so it proved to be this time. Initially I had to keep a wary eye on a couple of dog walkers trying to prevent their semi-pit bulls from ‘playing’ with the livestock, trying not to hang my head in despair yet again.
Uncontrolled dogs have been an increasing concern for the last 12+ months whenever I’ve been out on the New Forest. So much so that I now carry a citronella spray as a norm.
Partly for the dog.
More for the owner.
I figure training the trainer might be a more productive application of the repellent discharge – this stuff is expensive after all.
Within a very short time I was crossing over SHARPITOR [TOR?] (559 703) where I’ve camped a couple of times before (That was back in 2007 & 2021 according to my trip diaries, although it only part of those ever made it onto this blog. Troubled times back then and my head wasn’t in it)
Sharpitor
South onto Peek Hill Tor (556 699) a spot with an excellent view, but far too exposed to the wind today. So E to Leather Tor (562 699)
Leather Tor from Peek Hill
This is a weird one. More reminiscent of the Lake District rocks. Shucking off my sack I scrambled up to the start of the rugged ridgeline, took one look along the edge, and scrambled back down. I know an ankle breaker when I see one.
Always that necessary judgement of risk to be assessed when out solo, and its kept me healthy and safe all these years.
Pitching for the night to the W of the tor I was supping my first brew when I spotted a group of walkers bashing their way through the scree & bracken clearly intent on climbing up the steeper side of the tor.
I had a friendly word – IMHO this is not the sort of clamber for the inexperienced, but the guide (some sort of outdoor pursuit set-up?) sounded like he knew the area and the terrain, so I was entertained over coffee watching a string of brightly clothed people work their way up onto and along the ridge disappearing away into the distance.
All safe, so well led that man. I wouldn’t have liked the responsibility for the group. But I wildcamp solo, so maybe a riskier prospect. But then I have sole responsibility for the safety of my party, and he’s a really sensible and pleasant chap, even if stingy with any sort of guiding fee.
Another typical Dartmoor evening with rain, wind, rain, low cloud.. and rain.
But the view in the gaps - just right.
Labels: dartmoor, hints, National Park, planning, right to roam, wild camping
DARTMOOR DAY 1: Sat 7/9/2024 VIXEN TOR - FEATHER TOR-HECKWOOD TOR-PEW TOR
Family issues had meant that this was my first wildcamping trip this year.
Frustrating really as my exercise regime during the last few years had really benefitted my walking pace & pack carrying stamina.
Ho hum. Pay it forward, never a false economy in these, my advancing years.
But leaving it this late in the year meant that I wasn't over optimistic of stringing together many nights on the tops.
After the usual dreary drive across from Dorset, and a little exploratory reconnaissance, I loaded up at the car park west of Merrivale (GR 540 750)
A typically dreary start, with intermittent rain throughout the day.
A wander down to Vixen Tor (GR 541 742) for a looksee at just what "private land" offers.Ringed by barbwire (satisfyingly broken down in places) it presumes to be a jealously guarded spot mimicking some frontline battle line.
Which for many it still remains - being an early sign of things to come.
I originally mentioned it back in 2007 and 17 years later it remains deeply symbolic of the expanding conflict between private ownership and public access.
And to be honest, really not that great a spot to safeguard from the marauding hordes of drooling ramblers milling around the spot.
Well not really.
But at least the welcoming sign made me smile - best of luck enforcing!
Welcome to Vixen Tor
Onwards to tick off Feather Tor (534 741) .....
.. Feather Tor
....and its view onto Heckwood Tor (537 738) the next waypoint .....
Heckwood Tor
....where there was a suitably atmospheric glimpse of Great Mis Tor in the distance, a favourite overnight spot of mine with panoramic views down to the sea beyond Plymouth.
The leat and cross discovered along the way made a pleasant photo opportunity, initially suggesting a future wildcamping spot for a long hot sunny day. But it quickly became clear that this was a focal point for walkers in the area. Quickly crossed off my list - I prefer more solitary resting spots.
A short hop and already I was at the evening's camping spot Pew Tor (532 734)
4 tors ticked off in less than an hour - more a leg stretch than a walk. But after the early drive it was all I really required for a kit shakedown exercise.
Pew Tor
I wouldn't really consider any of these tors for a revisit, and certainly not for an overnighter.
From memory Pew Tor seemed quite popular with occasional visitors, with its proximity to the Merrivale car parks.But not anything that sticks in my memory as I write this now.Labels: dartmoor, Fitness, National Park, right to roam, vixen tor, wild camping
Thursday, June 23
Dartmoor 5 nighter
Friday, May 27
Still upright, still breathing!
Preparing for my next wildcamping escape to Dartmoor I've been reviewing over 20 years of trip notes in an attempt to consolidate it all onto one single map.
Which has meant turning the house upside down looking for old trip notebooks, for details of precise routes.
Which in turn resulted in a review of all my Dartmoor photos, trying to locate/date various interesting spots I'd marked as potential revisit spots one day.
Which brings me back to this blog.
(Phew, talk about a long winded way to eventually get to the point)
In these days of Facebook\Vidlogs etc I'd long ago come to the conclusion that the glorious days of 'The Outdoor Blog' were over.
And it really doesn't help that so many of the original (and much mourned) fellow travellers seem to be no longer around to swop notes and ideas in such a suitable forum. Many since gone on their own solo walk from which they will never return - miss you folks.
So it seems the useful days of shared information exchange have largely disappeared with the spattergun effects from the impact of Facebook et al.
Then there is the look & feel of this blog's format itself. I have trouble finding information myself! And I wrote/host it, so what chance do the rest of you have?
In the days of laptop\web browser viewing it worked, but for mobile users? Nah a right pig to navigate. Whatever the value of the content, if you can't get to it easily, it may as well be manure. Not to be waded through recklessly.
Time for a think as to this site's future.
Once it was a useful method of recording my trips logs, but became a generally beneficial communication tool for others seeking information or (whisper it gently) entertainment.
After my next trip, with time again to spare, I'll see how relevant this remains. Depends if I have the drive to transfer my trip jottings over to the web.
(At least recording my trips on here I don't have to spend fruitless time searching for my bloody trip reports)
And perhaps there is a simple way to migrate this site to a new platform, one that is mobile friendlier. (any tips out there?)
Tapping out these jottings are a little like whistling into a deep mineshaft of solitary disinterest, so if there's anyone still out there, why not leave me a comment?
It'll inform my decision on where this goes next.....
Cheers wildcampers
Labels: Backpacking Advice, blog media, dartmoor, Mental Health, National Park, UK Outdoors Blogger, uk walking blog
Sunday, March 21
New Forest Waterfall
Another period of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Sunday, March 7
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Family issues had meant that this was my first wildcamping trip this year.
Frustrating really as my exercise regime during the last few years had really benefitted my walking pace & pack carrying stamina.
Ho hum. Pay it forward, never a false economy in these, my advancing years.
But leaving it this late in the year meant that I wasn't over optimistic of stringing together many nights on the tops.
After the usual dreary drive across from Dorset, and a little exploratory reconnaissance, I loaded up at the car park west of Merrivale (GR 540 750)
A typically dreary start, with intermittent rain throughout the day.
A wander down to Vixen Tor (GR 541 742) for a looksee at just what "private land" offers.
Ringed by barbwire (satisfyingly broken down in places) it presumes to be a jealously guarded spot mimicking some frontline battle line.
Which for many it still remains - being an early sign of things to come.
I originally mentioned it back in 2007 and 17 years later it remains deeply symbolic of the expanding conflict between private ownership and public access.
And to be honest, really not that great a spot to safeguard from the marauding hordes of drooling ramblers milling around the spot.
Well not really.
But at least the welcoming sign made me smile - best of luck enforcing!
Welcome to Vixen Tor
Onwards to tick off Feather Tor (534 741) .....
..
Feather Tor
....and its view onto Heckwood Tor (537 738) the next waypoint .....
Heckwood Tor
....where there was a suitably atmospheric glimpse of Great Mis Tor in the distance, a favourite overnight spot of mine with panoramic views down to the sea beyond Plymouth.
The leat and cross discovered along the way made a pleasant photo opportunity, initially suggesting a future wildcamping spot for a long hot sunny day. But it quickly became clear that this was a focal point for walkers in the area. Quickly crossed off my list - I prefer more solitary resting spots.
Pew TorLabels: dartmoor, Fitness, National Park, right to roam, vixen tor, wild camping
Dartmoor 5 nighter
Friday, May 27
Still upright, still breathing!
Preparing for my next wildcamping escape to Dartmoor I've been reviewing over 20 years of trip notes in an attempt to consolidate it all onto one single map.
Which has meant turning the house upside down looking for old trip notebooks, for details of precise routes.
Which in turn resulted in a review of all my Dartmoor photos, trying to locate/date various interesting spots I'd marked as potential revisit spots one day.
Which brings me back to this blog.
(Phew, talk about a long winded way to eventually get to the point)
In these days of Facebook\Vidlogs etc I'd long ago come to the conclusion that the glorious days of 'The Outdoor Blog' were over.
And it really doesn't help that so many of the original (and much mourned) fellow travellers seem to be no longer around to swop notes and ideas in such a suitable forum. Many since gone on their own solo walk from which they will never return - miss you folks.
So it seems the useful days of shared information exchange have largely disappeared with the spattergun effects from the impact of Facebook et al.
Then there is the look & feel of this blog's format itself. I have trouble finding information myself! And I wrote/host it, so what chance do the rest of you have?
In the days of laptop\web browser viewing it worked, but for mobile users? Nah a right pig to navigate. Whatever the value of the content, if you can't get to it easily, it may as well be manure. Not to be waded through recklessly.
Time for a think as to this site's future.
Once it was a useful method of recording my trips logs, but became a generally beneficial communication tool for others seeking information or (whisper it gently) entertainment.
After my next trip, with time again to spare, I'll see how relevant this remains. Depends if I have the drive to transfer my trip jottings over to the web.
(At least recording my trips on here I don't have to spend fruitless time searching for my bloody trip reports)
And perhaps there is a simple way to migrate this site to a new platform, one that is mobile friendlier. (any tips out there?)
Tapping out these jottings are a little like whistling into a deep mineshaft of solitary disinterest, so if there's anyone still out there, why not leave me a comment?
It'll inform my decision on where this goes next.....
Cheers wildcampers
Labels: Backpacking Advice, blog media, dartmoor, Mental Health, National Park, UK Outdoors Blogger, uk walking blog
Sunday, March 21
New Forest Waterfall
Another period of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Sunday, March 7
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Still upright, still breathing!
Preparing for my next wildcamping escape to Dartmoor I've been reviewing over 20 years of trip notes in an attempt to consolidate it all onto one single map.
Which has meant turning the house upside down looking for old trip notebooks, for details of precise routes.
Which in turn resulted in a review of all my Dartmoor photos, trying to locate/date various interesting spots I'd marked as potential revisit spots one day.
Which brings me back to this blog.
(Phew, talk about a long winded way to eventually get to the point)
In these days of Facebook\Vidlogs etc I'd long ago come to the conclusion that the glorious days of 'The Outdoor Blog' were over.
And it really doesn't help that so many of the original (and much mourned) fellow travellers seem to be no longer around to swop notes and ideas in such a suitable forum. Many since gone on their own solo walk from which they will never return - miss you folks.
So it seems the useful days of shared information exchange have largely disappeared with the spattergun effects from the impact of Facebook et al.
Then there is the look & feel of this blog's format itself. I have trouble finding information myself! And I wrote/host it, so what chance do the rest of you have?
In the days of laptop\web browser viewing it worked, but for mobile users? Nah a right pig to navigate. Whatever the value of the content, if you can't get to it easily, it may as well be manure. Not to be waded through recklessly.
Time for a think as to this site's future.
Once it was a useful method of recording my trips logs, but became a generally beneficial communication tool for others seeking information or (whisper it gently) entertainment.
After my next trip, with time again to spare, I'll see how relevant this remains. Depends if I have the drive to transfer my trip jottings over to the web.
(At least recording my trips on here I don't have to spend fruitless time searching for my bloody trip reports)
And perhaps there is a simple way to migrate this site to a new platform, one that is mobile friendlier. (any tips out there?)
Tapping out these jottings are a little like whistling into a deep mineshaft of solitary disinterest, so if there's anyone still out there, why not leave me a comment?
It'll inform my decision on where this goes next.....
Cheers wildcampers
Labels: Backpacking Advice, blog media, dartmoor, Mental Health, National Park, UK Outdoors Blogger, uk walking blog
Sunday, March 21
New Forest Waterfall
Another period of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Sunday, March 7
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Preparing for my next wildcamping escape to Dartmoor I've been reviewing over 20 years of trip notes in an attempt to consolidate it all onto one single map.
Which has meant turning the house upside down looking for old trip notebooks, for details of precise routes.
Which in turn resulted in a review of all my Dartmoor photos, trying to locate/date various interesting spots I'd marked as potential revisit spots one day.
Which brings me back to this blog.
(Phew, talk about a long winded way to eventually get to the point)
In these days of Facebook\Vidlogs etc I'd long ago come to the conclusion that the glorious days of 'The Outdoor Blog' were over.
And it really doesn't help that so many of the original (and much mourned) fellow travellers seem to be no longer around to swop notes and ideas in such a suitable forum. Many since gone on their own solo walk from which they will never return - miss you folks.
So it seems the useful days of shared information exchange have largely disappeared with the spattergun effects from the impact of Facebook et al.
Then there is the look & feel of this blog's format itself. I have trouble finding information myself! And I wrote/host it, so what chance do the rest of you have?
In the days of laptop\web browser viewing it worked, but for mobile users? Nah a right pig to navigate. Whatever the value of the content, if you can't get to it easily, it may as well be manure. Not to be waded through recklessly.
Time for a think as to this site's future.
Once it was a useful method of recording my trips logs, but became a generally beneficial communication tool for others seeking information or (whisper it gently) entertainment.
After my next trip, with time again to spare, I'll see how relevant this remains. Depends if I have the drive to transfer my trip jottings over to the web.
(At least recording my trips on here I don't have to spend fruitless time searching for my bloody trip reports)
And perhaps there is a simple way to migrate this site to a new platform, one that is mobile friendlier. (any tips out there?)
Tapping out these jottings are a little like whistling into a deep mineshaft of solitary disinterest, so if there's anyone still out there, why not leave me a comment?
It'll inform my decision on where this goes next.....
Cheers wildcampers
Labels: Backpacking Advice, blog media, dartmoor, Mental Health, National Park, UK Outdoors Blogger, uk walking blog
New Forest Waterfall
Another period of rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Sunday, March 7
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Burbush waterfall is back in residency once more & all just a few steps away from a usually busy car parking area.
Hope the New Forest Authority don't cotton onto this as a potential tourist attraction!
Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Smoke on The Water: New Forest Style
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Wednesday, February 10
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Looks like Spring is a-sprung as locals welcome the new tourist season with their Old Tradition of Setting Fire to the First Caravan of the New Season.
Apparently not. More like the semi-regular gorse burning to take advantage of the wet ground underfoot, before it starts to dry & harden.
At last. Its been a long Winter this year.
Labels: National Park, nature, New Forest
Press Sense-or-ship?
The episodic Darren Effect once more comes into play
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Monday, February 8
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Anybody who follows the link to the BBC Scotland page on my post yesterday will find it has been mysteriously removed.
Is that a letter to my MP I feel coming on? (lol)
More seriously there's a pragmatic exchange of views bursting across the BloggoSphere today with updates from PTC & Darren along with thoughts from Chris 'Beardy Man' Townsend.
General consensus is Loch Lomand has a problem that needs to be resolved, and their approach is being handled with a degree of sensitivity & polite consideration.
Which bearing in mind the experiences of my local National Park has to be a positive move all of its own sweet self.
This is getting to be all very grown-up.
Happily - for once.
Thanks to Chris T for identifying the cause of the BBC link failure - which has been corrected. Bugger's up my Conspiracy Theory though as it was my error in the end.
(But let's not allow that teeny fact get in the way of a good story!)
Labels: blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Scottish Wildcamping & the Pressgang(ed)
Today's mutterings come to you courtesy of the letters L, P & W.
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in Weird Darren - Oops make that Whitespider1066.
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Saturday, December 5
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
L - as in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park current garnishing opinion as to their proposal to put in place byelaws that would ban informal camping contrary to Scotland's Right To Roam enshrined under their own recent statute.
P - as in Petesy (aka PTC) the first Blog article across which I stumbled across earlier this evening.
Happily - I know not how- someone else has recognised Petesy's credentials and invited him to contribute to Tuesday's BBC Good Morning Scotland program.
Well ok, it may only be radio, but on top of his past pieces for Trail Magazine (back when they paid contributors), surely that means a move onto the Celebs F list?
That's still a couple of legs higher than Katie Price IMHO.
Eeerr ...that didn't come out quite as I intended it to.
Oh well.......and finally ..............
W - as in
Stalwart of the Legalise Wildcamping Campaign Darren wandered into the 2009 Backpacker's Club AGM. May be his attention was still a-wandering. For by the time he left the meeting he'd become the BPC's latest Club Secretary.
(Now there's a sneaky move - looking for committee nominations at the end of a long meeting when the audience's defences are down)
Since then Darren's been doing a steady job representing the BPC.
Which is why his is the second Blog article concerning Loch Lomand plans that I bring to your attention this evening.
And nothing to do with the fact that the BBC (THE BBC for Chrisssakes!) quote him by name.
And even provide a hot link through to his Blog. (Now which Celeb list does that qualify him for I wonder?)
Nice one gents - you even scooped my usual Outdoor News Ticker Tape.
Labels: Backpackers Club, blog media, E-Petition-Wildcamping, National Park
Lake District Weatherline - New telephone number
I've one telephone number stored away on my mobile phone that whilst infrequently used, will never be deleted. When wildcamping high on Lakeland fells part of my evening routine is to call, phone signal permitting, The Lake District Weatherline service.
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)
Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)
That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
HmmmmLabels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Tuesday, September 29
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Over the years I've found the forecasts to be accurate, detailed & (for a solo hillwalker), key when pondering the next day's route.
To go high…..or low?
An important question for a walker travelling with no schedule to keep, other than to see what's beyond the next range of felltops.
But no matter what my intent, realism dictates that I should bend with the weather's vagaries, especially where extreme conditions are forecast.
(Wildcamping - ah so pretty)Even in less inclement weather the choice between a high ridge walk in dense rain cloud, or a valley meander accompanied by patchy showers, can be the difference between a hard day with little enjoyment or an pleasant day of exploration.
(Wildcamping - ugh not so pretty)That's even more relevant when high wind speeds are the alternative between safe passage low down or the increased risk of being knocked off my feet when ridging along exposed tops.
So thanks to the latest TGO Magazine for alerting me to the fact that the telephone no. for The Lake District Weatherline has recently changed to 0844 846 2444.
(Being curious, I tried the old number earlier today, only to be met with a recorded message giving a company's name and address details. But not a lot of guidance as to whether it will rain in Keswick tomorrow)
And whilst on the subject of Lakeland weather - fancy a job as a Fell Top Assessor?
"….report on the fell conditions from the summit area of Helvellyn from December through to April. Working seven days on and seven days off, including weekends and bank holidays, you will need to be able to climb from Glenridding to the summit of Helvellyn and back in four hours"
Well that’s probably me out of the running.
Then again the daily commute from the south coast might just get me down in the end.
Wonder whether any of the Assessors have ever thought about just wildcamping for their week in a nearby sheltered spot?
Now there's an idea.
And to get paid for it as well.
Hmmmm
Labels: Lake District, National Park, nature
Three things to do to Enjoy England
As you may have spotted on other sites some outdoor Bloggers have been approached by Jam to contribute to the Guardian's forthcoming ‘Enjoy England’ feature.
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
Tuesday, March 31
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
Speed reading the invitation my initial thought was 'Great! Finally hit the big time. A chance to kick over the traces of the day job".
Regrettably, a later slower perusal revealed a less glittering outcome.
But hey-ho; Ideas for these ramblings of mine can come from any direction and are all encouraged in whatever guise they might arise. So here's tonight's jottings, based around a common theme.
Solitude
According to recent government statistics the UK will soon only have living room for 423,138 more people before our landmass achieves its maximum level of population saturation.
New laws, allegedly being drafted as I write, plan to introduce measures that will require all UK inhabitants to take Breaths-In & Breaths-Out in an alternative mode to their nearest neighbour, rather than risk those in coastal areas being slowly edged off into the sea as the majority of the populace inhale simultaneously.
A little like a living Penny Fall shuffle fairground machine.
Well perhaps things aren't quite that bad. Yet. I may even have (whisper it gently) exaggerated so very slightly. But its true that urban living, now encompassing anyplace, short of living at the bottom of a lake, is becoming increasingly over populated & pressurised.
Here's a secret. This is a facet of modern society which can be so easily thwarted with a little personal effort.
Park the car. Start walking away from the road, and into your nearest piece of countryside. Take care to avoid well worn footpaths & tracks. Just keep going, veering clear of any signs of human habitation. Especially tourist features (Particularly Forestry Commission attractions. Honey pot to the Urban Daytripper. A wasp filled jam-jar to this writer)
Now Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And just listen to that glorious sound of ..... your own sweet self. Finally alone with nature.
Like this early morning alarm clock during my Dartmoor Dawdle in June 2008
"I had a lie-in until the sun poked its nose over the ridge, giving me the chance stay in my sleeping bag and listen to the song of the skylarks for twenty minutes of so. And I mean really listen. Lying there with no other distraction my concentration was fully given over to their repetitive trills, before their song veered on to yet another melody. No other background noise to taint the sound. A sublime experience"
Wildcamping
Despite somewhat draconian camping constraints under English law there are still pockets of wild uninhabited places in England that allow one to simply disappear from everyday humanity with little fuss, effort or expense.
With minimal equipment & a easy willingness to dispense with life's trappings & fripperies whole areas of England, rarely visited by most of the population are opened up.
Entry is free!
True it requires some degree of self-reliance & self confidence. In turn the benefit is a self-awareness at a level that most people would find difficult to comprehend. The easily discovered ability to spend a night in a wild place, somewhere apparently uninhabitable for so many, builds a bond with the natural world that once experienced cannot be forgotten.
Unlike so many shiny promises offered in our ' enlightened' times a repeat of this experience always seems to triggers some primordial Sigh from deep down within the brain's limbic region.
Freeze, Flight or Fight?
Not necessarily. Some of us know of a fourth way (Grasshopper).
Reckon I should start a cult?
Dartmoor
A desolately inhabited place of some 368 square miles, and yet an area both within easy access of millions of urbanites with major road access, and a place that positively encourages Wildcamping.
To the majority, trundling across tight moorland roads, it may seem an endless expanse of open land & weirdly sculpted Tor tops, mostly shrouded in thick mist & heartily driven rain. To guests of the HMP Dartmoor establishment, at Princetown, possibly a beckoning view, somewhere green & encouraging beyond thick Napoleonic walls of retribution.
For some an equally scary proposition when viewed from the comfort of a car. But after a few visits into Dartmoor's interior, by foot, the rich history of earlier human habitation springs into being. Neolithic stone rows to the more recent historic drippings of mine tramways, all underline that this was once one of the more densely populated place in England during past eras when a wooded valley was a places of Danger & Threat.
Forget the forlorn baying of the Sherlock Holme's Baskerville Hound. Instead learn to celebrate a place once full of life, and eager to share its secrets, many long forgotten, for those prepared to explore away from the modern day tarmacadam detour of bland conformity.
Or just stay inside the safety of that car.
Going from Nowhere. Leading to Nowhere. Please exit at the cliffside departure gate along with your fellow lemmings.
Was that Three Things to Do in England? Perhaps not quite what the Guardian invitation had in mind?
Whatever - just get out into some distant English wild place, and soak up its true nature. Far from the crush of humanity.
Better be quick. Tourist No. 423,139 arrives in 4 years time. And then this island starts to slowly sink into the sea.
Me? I'll be on Yes Tor. Having a brew & watching the sunset.
Glug .... glug .... glug.
Labels: dartmoor, media, Mental Health, National Park, nature
South Downs National Park-here we go again?
As intimated during a past post, and undoubtedly timed to recognise the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, comes the announcement that the South Downs area has received National Park status. England's ninth National Park, and the UK's fifteenth.
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.Labels: National Park
Once again reaction has been mixed, especially from those within the proposed boundaries. Some of whom are already organised.
Thoughts naturally turn westwards to consider the recent, still sensitive (and still rumbling) experiences associated with the establishment of its New Forest counterpart.
Tonight, down amongst the sleepy South-East hamlets, there were be an opposition preparing for a long battle as they start to come to terms with the modern considerations involved in being granted National Park status.
Labels: National Park
All site material © John Hee - ask before you snatch
