A magnificent seven get blown around Dartmoor

Today, of all days, we had a walk around the tors and archaeology above the River Dart valley. Amazingly six people turned up, so with me that made the magnificent seven.

We started from Bel Tor Corner car park and headed off to Sharp Tor, one of several with that name on the moor. As we headed up the eastern slopes we saw several reaves, clearly visible amongst the gorse and bracken. Derek headed up to the summit where the wind was so strong that we beat a hasty retreat and headed off between the two rock piles, skirting around the head of the Row Brook valley, visiting several hut circles on the way. A quick visit to Easdon Cott, down in the valley was rewarded by a break from the wind and then we headed back up the slope to see the magnificent Bronze Age roundhouse that sits just below the Ashburton to Two Bridges road.

From there we crossed the road and up to the summit of Yar Tor. I had thought we could have a coffee break out of the wind in the spiral cairn at the top but I had reckoned without the strength of the wind today. We made it into the centre of the spiral, but were still being buffeted by the wind so decided to head down to take shelter amongst the rocks below. By this stage the gusts of wind were so strong that at times it was all we could do to keep our feet as we scrambled down!

Whilst we had our quick coffee  we kept watching the summit of Corndon Tor, our next destination,  disappear and then reappear in the worsening weather! Not a very reassuring sight. As the quickest way back to the start was that way anyway we headed off, passing the Money Pit kist and the more modern Cave-Penney cross on the way.

We had planned a lunch stop on Corndon Tor, but by this time the weather had really set in so it was a quick yomp down the side of Corndon and across Sherberton Common back to the cars.

It was a shame that a walk with such magnificent views lost that aspect today, but I was as impressed as ever with our members’ determination not to let a little bit of rain spoil their day. Only this time it was rather a lot of rain and coming at quite a speed. There should have been some photgraphs of the landscape in this spectacular part of Dartmoor to go with this posting, but it was not a day for stopping to take pictures.

Needless to say my house, like several others I can think of, is still festooned with dripping waterproofs, or not so waterproofs. And the forecast for tomorrow is dry and warm – bother!!

A Farewell to Ale

No 4 in an occasional series about raising funds for the DPA.

Almost a month since my last post – too long ! This blog entry is dedicated to Tessa, my most recent sponsor. She must have read my previous post and thought that the results of this project would be modest and therefore sponsored me for a handsome amount to become my most generous sponsor.

Happy Sunday – more fun than the gym and we don’t charge. Dartmoor Preservation Association volunteers continue conservation work on Hawns and Dendles

A dozen of Dartmoor Preservation Association’s most committed archaeological conservation volunteers spent Sunday 5 February strimming, cutting and raking around five Bronze Age hut circles on Hawns and Dendles, north of Cornwood village on south Dartmoor.  The weather was just right.

This task followed on from similar work to the ruined post-medieval farmstead carried out last November.  The archaeology is now easier to see – the farmstead is just south of the wall at about SX615626 and the hut circles are scattered just north of the same wall.

The site is some distance from a parking area, so volunteers walked in from Higher Hele, with tools carried in by four-wheel drive.

Thanks to strimmers John W and Nigel, to Bob who marked out the work site, Adam who took the photos, Derek and Chris for organising and transporting the tools, Elaine for the cake and John V, Rachel, Hilary, Stephane and Sylvia, for lopping, slashing, pulling and raking.

Also thanks to the farmer for allowing parking in his farmyard and to the Cornwood Inn for use of their car park and providing a welcome refreshment break after work.

Summer will include a day on Hawns clearing tracks.  There is more archaeology to investigate and clear later in the year.

New volunteers are always welcome – details are on the website.

Hey! Hey! What a gorgeous day on Devonport Leat!

Devonport Leat with a cleared walkway on the left ....... Click image for larger version

Friday 2nd February was our 14th day of conservation work on Devonport Leat and what an absolute beauty of a day it was! Sometime, the fates are bound to look less kindly on us, however, today was a real blue sky Dartmoor day, although it was very cold.

I saw -2°C recorded on the car instrumentation but after we started work I took off the old Barbour jacket and an old fleece – leaving just a winter shirt and a long-sleeved thermal polo-neck! I was not going to be cold, no matter what weather came along.

My many, many thanks to Bill, Bob, Chris, Clive, Derek, Elaine & John, Helen, Jack, John & Rachel, Kieran, Keith, Paul, Roger, Stephanie, Steve, Sylvia and Val who with myself made twenty volunteers.

A special “Thank-you” goes to Sylvia who brought (wait for it) two sorts of cake! This time we had great fruitcake AND orange chocolate bars. Someone told me the bar pieces were good – but I already knew that!

Another special “Thank you” also to our hero who is often taken for granted – Derek. He brings our tools religiously and takes them back again but there is a lot of work in between – checking, cleaning, servicing, etc. Its bad enough doing your tools at home – today Derek brought tools for twenty! I’m saying this particularly because I had a taste of it last week!

The photograph above shows the leat with little growth in it – what there was is removed. There is a cleared 2-metre walkway on the left and the road on the right. A number of logs are visible on the right bank ready for residents to collect.

After the work was finished, several of us retired to The Rock Inn at Yelverton, where a period of welcome refreshment ensued, interspersed with sociable conversation. If you would like to join this happy band then contact the DPA via the web site, clicking on “Volunteering” or “Conservation – Devonport Leat”.

Everything Everywhere brave the elements to help Dartmoor

On Wednesday 25th January, our usual band of volunteers were joined by 24 visitors from Everything Everywhere making 38 of us altogether. We had a busy day clearing gorse and scrub vegetation from the Bronze Age hut circles and reeves (walls) on Leeden Hill. At 1,200 feet above sea level it is one of the more exposed sites we are working on at the moment.

The weather was hardly what we would have chosen, low cloud was a bit of an understatement – it seemed to be reaching all the way down to ground-level in places! With extra wet weather clothing supplied from Val’s stocks we all set to work undeterred. Bob and Bill had planned out our tasks the day before so there was plenty to keep us busy.

We owe a big thank you our visitors for working so hard and remaining cheerful despite the conditions. Some even said that they were enjoying themselves! In our usual tradition, we encouraged them with plenty of cake.

Getting to grips with the gorse

Now that's what I call getting stuck in to the job

Beats being stuck at the desk all day

We hope that they will come again on a nice, sunny day. Thanks also to so many of our own volunteers for turning up for work on such a damp day.

What a day on Devonport Leat!

Saturday 28th January was our 13th work day on the leat – and what a day! I watched the weather forecast with the usual anxiety but there it was: clear sky and sunshine all day but clouding in after 3.00 pm. In the common vernacular, it was “a cracker”. Cold, clear blue sky and sunshine – those bones I cast must be a good set!

We met at Clearbrook as usual and then walked to the near end of the tunnel while I drove the tools around. We cleared some larger trees that were left on previous occasions.

Sheep join us for lunch ..... Click image for larger version

I have to thank Adam, Andrea, Barbara & Roger, Barry & Tanya, Becky, Bill, Bob, Chris, Helen & Tony, John & Rachel, Kathy, Mally, Stephanie and Sylvia, who, along with myself, made a total work party 19.

I also want to thank Mally for bringing two varieties of cake, again! Walnut and date or ginger – spoiled for choice again, James! Ho yes – the leat is the place to be!

Besides the cake, or empowered by it at coffee time, we worked very hard. Perhaps both with the calories it gave us and to burn it off anyway, just in case?

When we sat down for lunch at 12.50, we were almost invaded by a flock of sheep who were grazing the ivy on the trees that had been cut on the rising bank of the leat. I believe there are 26 in the photo above. The photo shows how close they came to us. This could be the start of another “working in partnership” scheme?

I want to say a special “Thank you” to Andrea, the Dartmoor Ranger for the area, who joined us for the morning. Her visit was very helpful in deciding some of our actions.

By 2.30 pm some of us had worked so hard that we were at a stand-still. More than enough work had been done to warrant clearing up and repairing to The Rock Inn at Yelverton for the usual discussion, libation and responsible rehydration. A good day.

Once more unto the leat, dear friends!

As the title suggests, today, Friday 20th January, we returned to work on Devonport Leat. Over the Christmas period I heard the term “green gym” used – I never thought of it before but perhaps working on the leat excuses me from going to the real gym? It works for me, as they say …..

Lunch break on the leat, waiting for the sun to come out again! Click image for a larger version

The group in the photo above look very content – worn out, perhaps? I suspect that their happy expressions derive to some extent from the very welcome cake that Mally brought for us – in fact, two types of cake. Thanks, again, Mally. Now we really are “cooking on gas” along the leat!

This was our 12th work day and to say that we covered some ground is an understatement. We finished near the property at SX 52005 66678, which means we covered over 200 metres of leat.

My thanks once more to Barbara & Roger, Bill, Chris, Derek, Elaine & John, Helen, Ian, John, John & Rachel, Kathy, Mally, Nigel, Stephanie, Steve and Sylvia, who, along with myself, made a total of 19.

Following a meeting with the Secretary of the Commoners Association last Monday, we looked again at some of the slightly larger trees that we had left, pending his further advice. Today, we carried out more of the Commoners’ wishes in removing some of the larger trees in and on the leat banks that could cause damage in the future.

As on previous, days, we ended up in The Rock Inn, and well-deserved it was, too!

If anyone would like to join this happy band on future work days, you would be very welcome. Either check out the DPA Volunteering web page, the DPA Devonport Leat web page, or call Keith Ryan on 01752 405245.