| The Dartmoor National Park is one of the most | | | | clothing, a good map and decent walking shoes. Many |
| beautiful areas in the UK. The landscape is ancient, | | | | Dartmoor Tors are easily accessible, providing gentle |
| largely made of volcanic rocks, and the weather | | | | climbs and spectacular scenery, such as Hound Tor, |
| unpredictable to say the least. The famous quote | | | | but others are much more difficult, so you can |
| about the weather is that Dartmoor has all five | | | | choose what suits your ability. |
| seasons in one day: winter, spring, summer, autumn | | | | As far as equipment is concerned, I always use the |
| and one season all Dartmoor's own! | | | | Ordnance Survey Landranger series of maps, as |
| The area is sparsely populated and the main | | | | these show small details on a large scale, hopefully |
| industries are subsistence farming and tourism. The | | | | preventing walkers from getting lost. If you were |
| countryside is speckled with small villages, towns and | | | | thinking of climbing some of the less accessible |
| hamlets, plus many hill farms. The lives of hill farmers | | | | peaks, it's a good idea to have a compass, |
| continue to be hard work, for both they and their | | | | particularly as the weather changes like lightening, and |
| animals. Some farmers still live in very basic conditions. | | | | mist often rolls in quickly. |
| occasionally with no grid electricity and relying on | | | | I generally wear walking shoes rather than ordinary |
| well-water. The older industries such as tin and | | | | outdoor shoes, as these provide more support, and |
| hematite mining, or woolen manufacture have | | | | very occasionally in the summer you might come |
| declined, but their effects have shaped towns and | | | | across a dozing Adder, although snakes usually hear |
| villages. | | | | you long before you see them, and slither away. |
| Dartmoor attracts tourists all year round, as those | | | | Nevertheless I wouldn't want to have a close call |
| interested in outdoor pursuits are a hardy bunch, so | | | | with a snake if I were just wearing flip-flops! |
| bed and breakfast establishments and hotels are | | | | Dartmoor towns and villages often have picturesque |
| open throughout the year, and there are many of | | | | thatched cottages, and traditional market places at |
| them to choose from. | | | | their centre, although the roads can be little more |
| Activities within the park include, hiking, rock climbing, | | | | than lanes traditionally used for the herding of animals |
| caving, horseriding, and letterboxing to mention just a | | | | to market. Although the narrow lanes are well worth |
| few. My favourite of these is hiking, because it is | | | | negotiating to experience some of the wildest |
| accessible to all ages and abilities and it is free, once | | | | scenery in the UK, and the warmest welcome from |
| you have some basic equipment, such as waterproof | | | | locals. |