Join us to discover the hidden gems of Dartmoor. You will walk ancient tracks; be regaled with stories by local people of local people and history; and be driven between destinations in a luxury or vintage Landrover. Tich Scott is a 14th generation Dartmoor farmer who runs 'Proper Dartmoor Tours'.
Walking from Batworthy above Chagford, we’ll explore the Shoveldown Bronze Age ritual complex including several stone rows, 4-fold cairn circle, standing stone, and possible stone circle. We will debate why the granite ‘cow bridge’ doesn’t appear to go anywhere, and what the meaning might be of a mystery inscription on Kestor nearby the largest rock basin on Dartmoor.
Learn map and compass skills in a hands-on, practical afternoon workshop. Build confidence to explore new places and walk off the beaten track. We will also discover other ways to feel your way through the landscape e.g.: natural navigation. And walk a little at dimpsey (dusk) for extra practice.
Join us for a short walk from dark to dawn through the extraordinary soundscape of the waking chorus of birds. Yarner Woods is a bird haven so we hope to hear, and possibly see redstart, pied flycatcher, wood warbler, blackbird, song thrush, mistle thrush, great spotted woodpecker, raven, jay, blackcap, and many many more. If we are lucky, we may even here the pre-dawn churring of nightjar.
Share in the joy of finding and eating wild foods. This foray around Steward Wood will open the world of edible spring plants to those who wish to discover and share knowledge. Along the way, you will sample yummy wild goodies, and be introduced to recommended guidebooks and websites.
Join Dartmoor’s Daughter, the Pi Society and like-minded singles for a stunning walk along part of the disused Princetown railway and old Tavistock-Ashburton Packhorse Track through Foggintor Quarry to the Merrivale stone rows. Our walk will end with a well deserved lunch and drink at the Plume of Feathers in Princetown.
Join us on a voyage through the solar system. Blending puppeteering with animation and shadow puppetry, this is a family-friendly event and we encourage you to ask lots of space-themed questions. Once our voyage is over, we'll head out onto Dartmoor for a short walk to watch one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year. Telescopes and other stargazing equipment will be on hand.
Join us for a guided walk and talk to visit Drizzlecombe – the best preserved and most impressive of all Dartmoor’s prehistoric ceremonial sites. Dartmoor’s Daughter is collaborating with archaeologist Jane Marchand, the recently retired Head of Archaeology for the Dartmoor National Park Authority for this walk.
Walk with us through an ancient ceremonial landscape on Dartmoor. The eight stone circles on North East Dartmoor form an approximate arc. What is the purpose of the stone circles, and this particular formation in the landscape? Are the circles connected to each other? Was it deliberate architecture that five rivers rise in the centre of the arc as well as the nearby Whitehorse Hill cist? Is there a full circle of stone circles across the north moor?
Enter into the world of fungi with Dartmoor's Daughter, Devon's top mycologist Dr Christian Taylor, and Daniel Thompson-Mills at Steward Community Woodland. Dartmoor's Daughter will lead us on a walk through the woods where you will learn how to identify edible and other fungi and find out all about this marvellous kingdom of nature. And for a delicious treat, we will fry up any edible mushrooms we find to accompany our tea.
Enter into the world of fungi with Dartmoor's Daughter, Devon's top mycologist Dr Christian Taylor, and Daniel Thompson-Mills at Steward Community Woodland. Dartmoor's Daughter will lead us on a walk through the woods where you will learn how to identify edible and other fungi and find out all about this marvellous kingdom of nature.
Enter into the world of fungi with Dartmoor's Daughter, Devon's top mycologist Dr Christian Taylor, and Daniel Thompson-Mills at Steward Community Woodland. Dartmoor's Daughter will lead us on a walk through the woods where you will learn how to identify edible and other fungi and find out all about this marvellous kingdom of nature. And for a delicious treat, we will fry up any edible mushrooms we find to accompany our tea.
Children will be invited to pair up or form teams to find natural and man-made features in the landscape using grid references on an OS map and the four cardinal directions. There may even be a letterbox or two to find along the way! A photo on their phone (or yours!) will be proof that the object has been located. And each object found will piece together to solve a picture puzzle with a yummy prize for all!
Enter into the world of fungi and lichens with Dartmoor's Daughter and Devon's top mycologist Dr Christian Taylor. Dartmoor's Daughter will lead us on a walk through wooland, open moorland, and a churchyard so we can determine the rate of lichen growth. You will learn how to identify edible and other fungi as well as lichens. And find out all about this marvellous kingdom of nature.
Build confidence to explore new places and walk off the beaten track. Learn map and compass skills in a hands-on, practical way. We will also discover other ways to feel your way through the landscape e.g.: natural navigation.
Join Dartmoor’s Daughter and the Pi Society for a beautiful walk and to meet other like-minded single people who enjoy the great outdoors. The Belstone range of tors and Taw Marsh offer some of the most stunning scenery on Dartmoor. Walking a circular route from the beautiful village of Belstone, we’ll walk up and along majestic granite tors; pause a moment at a Bronze Age cairn with a legend of nine dancing maidens; wonder about the real story behind the Irishmen’s wall; and hear how the River Taw inspired 'Tarka the Otter’ as we wander along it’s pretty bank. We will enjoy a drink and pub dinner together afterwards at The Tors Inn in Belstone.
'We don't need to reconnect to nature, we are nature.' Discover wholeness and health as Brigit Anna McNeil and Dartmoor's Daughter lead you on a journey into the moor and the woods along the river to explore Autumn's edible offerings.
Join us to experience the dark skies magic of Dartmoor. Among the astronomical treats to enjoy on this evening will be Mars and Saturn - two of the most iconic planets in our solar system - as well as galaxies, nebulae, constellations and more. Dartmoor’s Daughter will lead the walk and talk about the landscape context and tales from the area. And Dartmoor Skies will talk about the Solar System and pitch their large telescopes to offer everyone the opportunity to view some of our neighbouring planets and more.
Walk with Dartmoor’s Daughter to a beautiful river wild swimming spot. The views are stunning. And along the way we will learn about the history of Dartmoor, the legend of the ‘Witches Pool’; and map out the main river routes moor to sea.
Dowsing has been used for thousands of years to find water, archaeological remains, missing people, and allergy testing. Led by Dartmoor’s Daughter and a member of 'Devon Dowsers', we will learn how to dowse for water, 'earth energies', and archaeological remains at the impressive Drizzlecombe ceremonial complex. The best preserved of Dartmoor’s prehistoric ceremonial sites, it includes stone rows, standing stones, the ‘Giant’s Basin’ cairn as well as barrows, cists, and hut circles.
Bring your children on a fascinating wander and wonder through ancient history. We will walk through the ruins of Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements and ritual complexes to explore how people lived thousands of years ago. And we will sit together in nearby ruined hut circles to make a clay pinch pot like our Neolithic ancestors may have done or a simple woven bracelet made from Dartmoor sheep wool.
Join Dartmoor's Daughter's and the Pi Society on for a walk and wild swim near the stunning range of Belstone tors. We’ll walk below the tors; pause a moment at a Bronze Age cairn circle with legend of dancing maidens; wonder about the real story behind the Irishmen’s wall; and swim in a beautiful river pool.
Join Dartmoor’s Daughter and Sam Goodwin, who has been single-handedly training ponies to carry packs. Giving people the opportunity to step literally into the past and experience Dartmoor and its distinctive breed in a unique and authentic way.
Experience a Wild Walk with Dartmoor’s Daughter around the ancient tenements at the centre of Dartmoor. We will explore hidden hamlets, walk lush green driftways, discover an ancient stone row and tall standing stone, and enjoy stunning 360 degrees views. We’ll pick ripe whortleberries along the way, and hear tales of local rogues, and understand why Laughter Tor is no laughing matter! This stunning walk is a new offering at the 'Something Wild Trail Running Festival' 2018 following the 10K runners route.
Dartmoor’s Daughter, Wildwise, and others have been invited to create a weekend of inspiring, fun and interesting activities for children joining ‘TAKE KIDS OUTDOORS’ summer family retreat.
Unlock the ancient skill of sensing direction from stars and plants. Forecast weather from woodland sounds. And predict the next action of an animal from its body language. Build your outdoor awareness and expert intuition by noticing certain patterns, signs and clues. This practical, outdoors walking workshop will help you to learn the keys to your ‘sixth sense’.
Join us to discover the hidden gems of Dartmoor. You will walk ancient tracks; be regaled with stories by local people of local people and history; and be driven between destinations in a luxury or vintage Landrover.
Tich Scott is a 14th generation Dartmoor farmer who runs 'Proper Dartmoor Tours'. He is an award-winning local dialect speaker, has been on BBC Spotlight several times, and knows everyone there is to know as one of Devon’s best loved comedians, story-tellers, and folk singers!
Empower yourself to walk off the beaten track. Build confidence to explore new places. Learn map and compass skills in an experiential and practical way. We will also discover other ways to feel your way through the landscape e.g.: natural navigation.
Recent participants said 'Brilliant day practising navigation skills - map reading, taking bearings and pacing distances to hidden features, then picking the best routes across the open moor. The day was lead in a very friendly and welcoming way with lots of information shared and the opportunity to learn in a non-pressured environment.'
Walk from sunset to sunrise with Dartmoor’s Daughter and Tony Whitehead to experience the extraordinary soundscape that is Dartmoor.
Some of you will love the dark, some may fear it. Join our small group for a slow and safe meander up tors, down valleys, and along riverbanks with plenty of 'sit spots' along the way to drink it all in.
As well as stunning vistas and changing sun-and-moon-light, we hope to hear, and possibly see, churring nightjars, tawny owls, skylarks (they sometimes sing at night), buzzard, blackbird, song thrush, mistlethrush, meadow pipit, stone chat, linnet, yellowhammer, great spotted woodpecker, raven, jay, blackcap, and, if we’re lucky, a curlew.
Celebrate the Summer Solstice and Midsummer by walking through an ancient and ritual landscape on Dartmoor. Our intention is to engage and reconnect with the landscape - past, present, and future. We have chosen to walk through 8 stone circles, several stone rows, megaliths and monoliths on an auspicious day near the Summer Solstice as well as Midsummer. Let's gather to honour these places, the time of year, each other, and this wild and ancient landscape that has brought succour to thousands of men, women, children and animals throughout the centuries.
You are also invited for early breakfast at Gidleigh Village Hall so that we can park our cars here, gather early, and have full bellies before setting off in the morning.
Join us for a storytelling walk where we will discover some of the flowers special to Dartmoor meadows, and hear stories about plants that we find along the way. Expect tales from across Britain that inspire, provoke curiosity and explore the connections between people and nature.
With beautiful views of Holne Moor to the west, and set high at 1,200 feet, the field supports a stunning profusion of wildflowers and grasses in the summer, with four kinds of orchid reaching their peak in mid-June - Southern Marsh, Greater Butterfly, Heath Spotted, and Twayblade. Part of a larger group of small fields that make up a County Wildlife Site, the field has had no applications of agricultural chemicals for a generation and has been managed for wildlife and biodiversity for several years.
Want a confidence boost to explore new places? Memories of how to use a map and compass faded?
Join us to visit a Dartmoor that's off the beaten track, and a day to help regain your confidence to visit places you've never been to before. Providing a reminder of how to use a map and compass as well as an opportunity to to discover other ways to feel your way through the landscape e.g.: natural navigation (feeling and seeing the landscape). Experience how to always know where you are and how to get to where you'd like to be, whatever the weather.
You'll be walking with others of similar ability and led by Verran Townsend, qualified walking guide and navigator who along with 'Dartmoor's Daughter', loves to encourage and enable others to experience the wildness and beauty of Dartmoor.
Join us for a privately organised visit to the Bones Cave in Buckfastleigh where there is one of the most important and extensive deposit of bones of animals which lived on Dartmoor during the Last Interglacial Period of about 125,000 years ago.
Bring your children on a fascinating meander through ancient and modern history. We will walk through the ruins of Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements and ritual complexes (stone circle, rows, and a standing stone) to explore how people lived 4-5,000 years ago. And we will sit together in nearby hut circles to make a clay pinch pot like our Neolithic ancestors may have done or a simple woven bracelet made from Dartmoor sheep wool.
Join us for a walk from dark to dawn through the extraordinary soundscape of the waking chorus of birds. Yarner Woods is a bird haven so we hope to hear, and possibly see redstart, pied flycatcher, wood warbler, blackbird, song thrush, mistle thrush, great spotted woodpecker, raven, jay, blackcap, and many many more. If we are lucky, we may even here the pre-dawn churring of nightjar.
