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Dartmoor Explorations

Three Men in a Gorge

Here follows a delightful account of three men who visited Lydford Gorge in 1895 and who were being guided by a ‘local’ with an intimate knowledge of the terrain. Today it is easy to navigate yourself around Lydford Gorge and all that it has to offer but that has not …

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Grey Wethers 1942

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Visiting Dartmoor’s noted landmarks for the first time is always an exciting experience and something that lodges pleasant thoughts in the library of the mind. I can remember such thing when I first went up to the Grey Wethers stone circles. I have stumbled across this similar visit paid to …

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Heart of the Moor 1903

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  Today it’s easy to drive around the roads of Dartmoor apart from the fact that at the slowest speed of 40 miles per hour, usually with other vehicles following behind, it’s impossible to absorb the many interesting facets that the Moor has to offer. Imagine then being able to …

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Holiday Rambles 1877

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I came across these reminisces of a family holidaying on Dartmoor in the 1870s. The family consisted of the husband Ronald, his wife Cecilia, their son Billy and the horse Phoebe Junior. As you read it there are various remarks about their experiences that makes you that that maybe things …

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Wistmans 1896

Imagine you are at Bridestowe and wanted to get to Wistman’s Wood how would you get there? Possibly ask some local advice or if you had a car consult one of the online route planners. These would provide you with a route that was 17.07 miles long and take about …

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Dartmoor by Donkey

Ever since early visitors began exploring Dartmoor they have done so in a variety of ways. Some on foot, others by charabanc tours, a few with a private Dartmoor guide such as James Perrott whilst occasionally there were those who hired a donkey cart. Now follows and account of four …

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Words of Wisdom

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Here is an account come guide book come survival guide for Dartmoor which was written in 1873. As can be seen somethings never change whilst others give just a glimpse of days long gone by and never to be seen again. Some will say it’s a good thing whilst others …

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Lungs of Devon

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Having recently spent the night at the Two Bridges Hotel it was fascinating to come across this story of another guest who stayed there 122 years ago and the reason for his vacation. Back in those days there was a consensus of opinion that many ailments could be cured by …

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Widecombe Wanderings

“Upon one side of the space wherein they stood rose a lichgate, and springing from it extended an ancient Church House—partly used as dwellings for the needy and partly as a school. Before it ran a heavy porch on granite pillars above cobblestone pavement ; beside it lay Widecombe’s treasure, …

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Holne and Back

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Take a winter’s day back in 1877 and a good round ramble from Holne and here you have a very evocative narrative of that trek.“A four miles’ drive from Buckfastleigh takes us to that most comfortable of hostelries ‘The Church House’ at Holne. Our coming had been duly notified and …

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