Has anyone else ever been woken up in a tent by a lionness roaring at quarter past three in the morning? On Dartmoor? This was my second Girlguiding adult-only residential in September. Two weeks ago I was at Try Inspire Qualify and now I’m pitching my tiny yellow tent in the rain at a zoo! … More We snoozed at the zoo!
Dartmoor is 70! Well, it will be the day after tomorrow, October 30th. And by 70, I mean it’s 70 years since it was designated England and Wales’ fourth National Park. The other three weren’t far ahead, all designated in 1951 too. The Peak District came first, in April, followed by the Lake District in … More Happy 70th birthday to Dartmoor! | Glamping at Launceston 2021
Because I’m Doing A Badge, i stopped off at Roadford Lake on my way to my steamroller living van on the Cornwall/Devon border for a spot of paddleboarding. And because you never know what the traffic will be like, I left plenty of time. In fact, I reached the lakeside two and half hours before … More At Roadford Lake | Glamping at Launceston 2021
In mid-June and late July, I went camping just off the edge of Dartmoor. It was supposed to be two weekends in June but the campsite was booked out and so I had to change my dates (and got a free night thrown in). I’d like to talk about the campsite but I have such … More Oaktree Lane Dartmoor campsite review | Camping on Dartmoor July 2021
After my last post about hiking solo, today I’m taking you along on a solo hike! I needed a Dartmoor logbook walk (10+km, in Open country – there are lots of other details but that’s the important bit) but I also wanted quite a gentle walk and my guidebook suggested this one, a Princetown branch … More A gentle Princetown branch railway walk | Camping on Dartmoor June 2021
Last week, I finished my Dartmoor blog back at the car at Haytor, after a 10.13km round walk taking in Smallacombe Rocks, Becka Brook, Greator, Hound Tor and Saddle Tor, which is where I should have started. So let’s go back to the campsite. I mentioned that it was steep and it was basic. It … More Dartmoor: a warm, windy walking weekend (part 2)
I went to Dartmoor last weekend. I’d expected half the country to be joining me on my drive westwards on a hot September Friday but it seemed there was more traffic heading east and definitely a lot more caravans. Had Devon and Cornwall kicked out all the holidaymakers? I’d set off reasonably early in the … More Dartmoor: a warm windy walking weekend (part 1)
I used to enjoy walking but in recent years I’ve gone off it. So I make a point of going on as many Region walking weekends as I can. The last time was South Wales nearly two years ago. They often clash with other plans. But this time I was available. This was a Level … More Bits fall off me on Dartmoor
You may have noticed that I went camping in North Devon recently. I really like Ilfracombe and my little mind was blown by the scale of the beaches – although I was less impressed by the number of washed-up jellyfish. I had a free weekend and I’d have a weekend away in the UK. I … More Camping in North Devon
From the hill above my campsite – well, actually, the campsite continues right up onto said hill – you can see two huge expanses of beach, Woolacombe Sands and Croyde Bay. I’m very impressed with them both and the beaches of North Devon were to continue to impress me. I went to Woolacombe when I … More The vast beaches of North Devon