Helen ClaytonWalking Princetown to Ashburton for #SlowWays today. Bit of a grey start but mist & cloud starting to burn off so hopefully will be a good day for it.
Photo of Dartmoor prison.
The East Dart River at Dartmeet, just before it ‘meets’ the West Dart.
Just upstream of the bridge is an old, partly collapsed stone ‘clapper bridge’. I would have taken a photo but there were half-naked people sunbathing on it, which spoilt the scene somewhat 😁
A great walk - just over 15 miles. After a not very promising start with drizzle & low cloud, the sun really came through (in fact I’ve even got a bit sunburnt 🙄).
From the high moor, down into the wooded dart valley, crossing the river a couple more times, to Ashburton, one of my favourite local towns. Found a lovely frock in a vintage shop while waiting for my bus ☺️.
Just downloaded photos from my camera. This pic of a Northern Wheatear (female I think) on a waymark post turned out ok for a point & shoot (all my photography is point & shoot).
Jan Jones@helenclayton so cute x
Cambirdsong@helenclayton I really like the photo’s composition.
@cheriecreationstruck thank you! More luck than skill!
NoctisEqui 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇪🇹🏳️🌈Wow, such a long walk through beautiful country, so lovely of you to share it. It sounds a perfect day. Thank you for beautiful photos.
Book@helenclayton That bridge looks magical. If the river were gentle and chill, I'd spend all day there reading.
@book it’s a popular spot for swimming & chilling in the summer. Good for canoeing when flows higher (not that I canoe myself). Quite dramatic when a raging torrent.
Virgile Andreani@helenclayton Such beautiful scenes and pictures!
@Armavica the Dartmoor landscape is made for photos!
@helenclayton I really appreciate that according to their website, they have an explicit (and mostly reasonable) policy about backpack camping. It is rarely the case in French natural parks, and when it is not explicitly forbidden, in the absence of information you have to assume that it is illegal, and tolerated at most, which refrains some of my long-distance hiking aspirations…
@Armavica well…the backpack camping has a bit of a story. The right to camp was challenged, lost & recently re-won. It may not be over yet but fingers crossed 🤞
I thought it was more tolerated in France so it’s interesting to hear you say that. I‘m always very impressed by the path network in France too but I guess without explicit laws it can be easy to block or dispute access?
@helenclayton I am seeing indeed that since a 2015 decree, bivouac is authorized in France everywhere where it is not explicitly forbidden (under a set of rules such as not too close to habitations or water sources)! I was remembering that many natural parks, i.e. the best hiking areas, used to explicitly forbid it. But it looks like this is changing and some parks lifted restrictions in the last few years, which I am very happy to see! The best is still to confirm it with the "maison du parc".
@helenclayton I also really enjoy the French trail network, especially combined with a relatively dense train network that allows car-less access to almost all GRs…
There is also a European network! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_long-distance_paths
There is also a European network! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_long-distance_paths
@Armavica that would keep me occupied for some time! Maybe when I’ve retired, if I’m still fit 😂.
Did some stages of the Cathar Way earlier this year with a friend - we thought about doing all of it but had so many other things to do in the area. We’re going back next year to do more. But every time we saw a different GR route we thought ‘we could do that too’! Endless possibilities.
@Armavica that sounds great, really progressive.