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Beautiful Bigbury – 26/09/2020

With October rains fast approaching and the last weekend spent driving up and down the motorway in preparation for a house move, Emily and I were keen to make the most of this past weekend’s beautiful weather. Fancying another stretch of the coastal path we rose early to be out to Mothecombe in the crisp morning air shortly after the sun rose. It was cold but glorious, and we had the place almost to ourselves for 20 minutes before setting off along the cliffs to Bigbury-on-Sea.

An empty Mothecombe – as beautiful and as cold and crisp as it looks!

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Wild Camping: Dartmoor – 12/09/2020 to 13/09/2020

If you follow what Emily and I you will know that Dartmoor is one of our most regular haunts. So when old university friends Simon and Maisie mentioned coming down to visit for an overnight wild camp, we were thrilled. I was tasked with sharing some Dartmoor highlights during an afternoon walk, as neither of them have seen or done much hiking in the National Park. So we drove to Venford where we shared one of our favourite walks that covers the brook, waterfall, Bench Tor and ridge line before circling around the reservoir.

Back again

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In the Gutter: Dartmoor – 29/08/2020

An early morning start saw Emily and I heading to Dartmoor before the bank holiday crowds. Taking the car through the smallest of country lanes to get to Gutter Tor car park we were thrilled (and a little relieved) to be out on such a clear and crisp morning with miles of moorland more or less to ourselves.

Gutter Tor

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Get Lost: The Cornish Maize Maze – 22/08/2020

Doing something totally different is always fun and doing it with friends is even better. So, when offered a day out in Cornwall wandering around fields aimlessly, Emily and I jumped at the chance! We teamed up with friends Martyn and Steph to tackle the Cornish Maize Maze. A great day out, and an annual event that changes each year. This year we wandered around a pirate themed puzzle searching for Blackbeard’s Treasure.

Pre getting lost…

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Parfect Cornwall: Par to Fowey – 08/08/2020

An early morning train ride into Cornwall is always something to look forward to as it usually means Emily and I are on a mission. This weekend was no different. Par to Polperro via an overnight stay at Fowey. Disembarking at Par we made a beeline for Par sands and the coastal path; only stopping to pick up some free fresh produce for our journey. Armed with overnight bags we set off, making the most of the sunshine and tramping through sand onto weaving cliffs as we made good time to Polkerris.

The sand was glistening at Par

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A Different Perspective: Warleigh Point – 11/07/2020

Browsing the Devon Wildlife Trust website and following their instagram has long been a way for me to find out new nature reserves, trails and places to explore. Recently while being determined to spend more time in the beautiful and on my doorstep Tamar Valley AONB, I discovered that one such nature reserve and trail was just outside of Tamerton Foliot. Warleigh Point Nature Reserve. Armed with the promise of stunning views over the rivers Tamar and Tavy, it gave Emily and I a chance to go out with my parents and blow the working week away without having to do much forward planning. Perfect as we have been house viewing nonstop recently!

Deceptively close to the city

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Gunning for Gunnislake – 28/06/2020

I think getting outside and walking is one of life’s simple pleasures. It is pretty much free, and it gives you the opportunity to see and do things that you would have missed out on by staying indoors. As with all simple pleasures, sharing these walks with friends and family is even better than venturing out solo. That is why, after being tipped off that the Tamar Valley trains were running for free, I jumped at the opportunity to head out to Gunnislake with the family in tow. Suspension of cash payments due to Covid19 is a slim silver lining I had to take!

River views from the train

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Tors Galore on Dartmoor – 31/05/2020

Driving across Dartmoor in sunny weather is always stunning. Heading out of Princetown, Emily and I stopped near Merrivale to start our afternoon. Walking to Kings Tor we wrapped around the Bronze Age settlements, taking in the stone rows, circles and standing stones that have been in place these past 4000 years. I always find it hard to imagine what it must have been like for prehistoric man in such a windswept and open environment. It makes it all the more amazing to think that as a species, even with the most primitive tools, we shaped our environment so early into our history that it would last for millennia.

Emily by the standing stone with the clearly visible remains of a stone circle in the background

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Venford Venture – 25/05/2020

After a Covid19 lockdown initiated hiatus, Emily and I made the most of the bank holiday and got out onto Dartmoor. It felt like it had been ages, and in all honesty it really had. 6 months of travel, poor weather and a strict lockdown had prevented us getting out to our local National Park for the best part of a year. Still, that’s the best thing about the outdoors. It’s there waiting for you and it’s all the more glorious for it.

Nothing beats rugged Dartmoor on a sunny day

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The 6 Mile Wembury Loop – 19/03/2020

In these uncertain times, it is going to be the little details that make 2020 bearable for a lot of us. To avoid cabin fever, having spent the past 2 months working hard on acquiring government jobs only to have our start dates pulled out from under our feet, we felt the need to stretch our legs. Isolating for physical health is obviously going to have a long-term impact on mental health for a lot of people, and Emily and I decided to regain some sense of normality by heading out to Wembury (one of our favourite places) and picking out a new hike there. Who says you need to social distance inside anyway?

Rugged isolation

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