One Mad Dash

OK, not a post of checked clues this time around.

Mid August on a day where the weather looked good on the forecast friends of mine and myself decided to do a rather mad thing. So that they could go climbing and I could do some letterboxing, we went to Dartmoor. For the day. From Sussex. OK, I can see the raised eyebrows now, but it's actually quite possible to spend a decent amount of time on Dartmoor even on a day trip from Sussex.

We left at 6.00am. Early I know, but it's a longish drive and if there was any traffic on a Saturday we wanted to avoid it. That we did and we whistled over the top of Worthing and round the bottom of Chichester (the two places where traffic normally causes problems). The journey down went well and without breaking speedlimits left right and centre we arrived at the Haytor visitor centre at 9.45.

My friends climbed and I letterboxed round Haytor, without much success bar some of the kids letterboxes and a tribute one. After a few hours we stopped, headed back to the centre for some sarnies and then started to explore a bit fo the moor. More success once into the wilds with what I count as my first official Dartmoor letterbox. The Admiral Benbow (from Treasure Island). Very well hidden and almost discovered by chance, but I suspect that is how I'm going to have to find my first 100. We ended up at the at the quarry near Sadle Tor and found quite a number of proper boxes there.

The intention then was to make our way to Sadle Tor and then across to Ripon Tor before heading back by about 6pm for the drive home. (Getting home by 10pm being fine, yes it's a long day but you'd get 8 hours on the moor). Unfortunately the weather, which had been variable, decided to close in making it both unpleasant and potentially dangerous, so we headed back. By the time we reached the road back to the visitor centre there were a load of foriegn students on a trip trudging woefully back in the same direction. Back at the centre we headed into Haytor Vale for a quick drink and to dry out a bit. Picked the Rock Inn. Very pleasant and very happy to serve us despite the sodden condition we presented outselves in. Even managed to get a stamp from place as well. Looking through thier visitors books was impressive. In the end I ended up with about 20 stamps of varying standards.

The journey back was ok, only down point was the breaks grinding on the way back due to long term wear and tear, so they had to be sorted out the following week. Still never mind.

More to come of some Sussex based letterboxing I've done in the last few days, listing successes and failures again.

South Downs Letterbox Walk

Sorry, have been away for a bit, so need to do some catch up posts today and tomorrow.

First off was some letterboxing on the South Downs. Set off to find a number of boxes that are located from the Parnham Post area more or less heading westwards. The car park has been renamed, but you should be able to work it out from the maps. It's just to the west of Storrington on the B road heading towards Amberly. Its quite a nice car park as it's at the top of the downs, so for those who want to avoid climbing up the downs more than is necessary it's quite useful.

There were 7 boxes that I figured I could look for in a circularish route. Sadly I wasn't able to find any of them :-(. A combination of things stopped me really. I think that some of the boxes may no longer be there. Others may still be there but were inaccessible due to head high stinging nettles and similar obstructions. I will try the walk again at another time of year and hope there isn't as much blocking my path. I've listed the boxes I looked for below. If anyone has been able to find them this year, please do say.

SOUTH DOWNS - DUCK BOX - LS, TQ.062.124, OS Landranger Sheet 197. From Parnham post carpark follow SDW westward to brake in established trees. From water tower go 30p S of SDW then 53p 186° to water trough. Box underneath.

SOUTH DOWNS - FISH BOX - LS, TQ.054.126, OS Landranger Sheet 197. From opposite trig pillar follow SDW westward for 70p. Box is 12p S of SDW under recumbent thorn.

SOUTH DOWNS - TANK BOX - LS TQ.071.119, OS Landranger Sheet 197. From Parnham post car park walk on bridleway on approx 130° (not SDW) to cross paths - then go 250° to object then a futher 200p to a large ash with ten trunks beside track now continue towards tank for 30p and through strip of hedge to a blown over thorn. Box underneath.

SUSSEX WEST - KANGAROO BOX TQ.0507.1255, OS Landranger Sheet 197. From signpost where footpaths cross on Rackham follow track 80p on 165° till between cypress and silver birch. Box is by roots of second cypress 4p behind birch.

SUSSEX - WEST - ARUNDEL - LS, TQ.057.119, OS Landranger Sheet 197. From signpost and six bar gate at map ref TQ.056.123. follow bridleway on 140° for 420p to short path on right into field there is a 2' ash tree with ivy 2p S of this path. Box is under 9' tall holly bush 10p N.

SUSSEX - WEST - COW BOX - LS, TQ.077.126 OS Landranger Sheet 197. From Parnham post car park grid TQ.070.125 go 700p 90° (not SDW) to cross paths then go 200p 20°until you see an ash tree with five large trunks 20p below track. Box is 2p E of ash tree.

SUSSEX - WEST - EAGER EAGLE - LS, TQ.032.121, OS Landranger Sheet 197. Proceed along 'No Through Path' from map ref. 034.125. for 1km to end then 270 on initially 75° to below ivy tree. Now go 99p further to hazel-beech clump beside path then go 19p 299° to seat. Box is 9p 199° under stones.