Blogs from Dartmoor, Devon, England, United Kingdom, Europe - page 3

..Shire...Bagginssss... It's no secret that Tolkien had the english countryside in mind when he thought up the Shire and the jovial Hobbits. And now I'm atop my black bike overlooking...the Shire.. I'm on Dartmoor overlooking the cornish countryside, mile after mile of rolling hills in different shades of green, dotted with forests, hedges and trees. In the walleys, small hamlets with -combe names, bell towers, white walls, thatched roofs, the village pub and the village green. Small winding roads and old stone bridges. Humid, lush, rich greenery. Lichens climb and thrive on the trees. The Shire. And I have a feeling that I'm not going to be Sam-the-Hobbit, charging down on Bill-the-Pony. Or the she-elf on the white strider (For those of you who hasn't read the books but enjoyed the films-read the books. It's not ... read more

Our first outing in the car... The first weekend after we acquired our new car, we were itching to hit the road and begin the exploring. Top of our list was a day trip to the nearby Dartmoor National Park, a trip made so much easier now we didn't have to rely on public transport. So, with a fully charged camera battery and an itinery promising to showing a selection of Dartmoor higlights, we set off one Sunday mid-morning. The plan was to travel in a clockwise direction, heading through the towns of Princetown, Tavistock, Okehampton, and then back to Exeter - an 80 mile round trip. While the weather was a bit dreary and cold (suprise, suprise), the scenery was just beautiful - exactly like we had stepped into an episode of Doc Martin. ... read more

It was a nice evening when we all set off to spend sometime surrounded by the peaceful nature around Fingle Bridge and Drewton woods. With a choice of routes the walk along the River Teign gave a chance to admire a spectacular scenic view down the Teign Gorge. Fingle Bridge, its very name sounds like something straight from the pages of a fable story, does it not conjure up images of woodland spirits, or witchcraft? I was so curious to find the history behind the name of fingle Bridge which finally led me to spend sometime on the internet searching for a clue. I was not entirely satisfied yet but this passage gave me a kind relief for my utter inquisitiveness. With regards the name Fingle, this is the name of a stream that rises on ... read more

Mum and Dad were off to Paree for a few days, so we had organised our own little jaunt: some friends we met on Lake Titicaca (as you do) are in Exeter, so we decided to abuse their hospitality. The drive started with a pfffft: we waited for ages to get onto the M4 due to the ubiquitous roadworks, but as soon as it cleared up the Mighty Proton (our steed) roared and we flew down the motorway. Not quick enough for some, though - the Brits do tend to chug along, and anyone holding up proceedings is quickly subjected to close rear inspection. We found our place in the slow lane, despite adhering to the speed limit. First stop, Avebury - it's Stonehenge's poor but much larger cousin. A ring of stones is enclosed by ... read more

Hello all, So the month of November finds me on an outdoor leadership course in DEvon and Cornwall. Hopefully this will lead to a career along these lines. Or at the very least a great experience. It certainly has been a tough experience and each night I have been knackered. Its been really tough. The first week saw us all go on a group development course. It was fun. Abseiling down cliffs. Running through bogs, and I mean real daddy swampy bogs, hiking on Dartmoor and diving into freezing cold weirs. I guess the week was to show us what we would be expected to do when we all enter the industry. Certainly doesnt seem to be a boring industry to get involved in. This last week has been all rock climbing and to be honest ... read more