Stepping Into the Wild
Mood: Grateful | Post Type: Behind the Scenes | Weeks Until Show: 43
Exploring Dartmoor on Foot
Finally, we managed to explore a new part of Dartmoor! Every weekend seems to come with an endless to-do list and household chores, so this time we made a conscious effort to carve out space — and protect that time — for a proper hike. We checked the forecast and chose the best day for the weather.
To make sure we didn’t back out, we told our friends about the plan and invited them along. Once it was in the diary, there was no turning back — it was officially a date!
We’re still relatively new to this part of the world, having lived here just over three years. One of the best parts of moving here was that we already had friends nearby. My husband’s best friend of over 30 years lives just down the road — they worked and lived together in London years ago. I also worked with him for many years, though only lived with him for short stints during our kayak tours back in our younger, sportier days.
When we first saw this house, we had to call and say, “We’ve just found a property, but it’s only five minutes away — how do you feel about that?” At the time, we were looking across both Devon and Cornwall with no fixed plan, but this one just felt right. Thankfully, they were thrilled for us — and having them nearby has been such a gift. It’s made settling in so much easier, and they’ve become our unofficial tour guides to this beautiful part of the world.
The Legend
In my research, I wanted to visit Bowerman’s Nose, perched on the northern slopes of Hayne Down. My interest was sparked by the Dark and Dastardly Dartmoor book, which tells the legend behind this curious landmark. The granite stack, shaped uncannily like a human head, is said to be the petrified form of a giant named Bowerman — a hunter who, despite his great size, was a gentle soul loved by the locals.
According to the tale, one fateful day Bowerman crossed paths with a coven of witches. Offended by his intrusion, they exacted a terrible punishment, turning him and his pack of hounds to stone. The great rock we see today is said to be Bowerman himself, and the scattered stones across the hillside are his faithful hounds — all frozen for eternity.
Paper versus Tech
During the week, we’d been messaging back and forth about possible routes, but after much indecision, we agreed it would be easier to decide once we were all together in the car park rather than over WhatsApp. Out of the four of us, three are trained cartographers — the very reason we all met through work — yet it was the one non-map maker who had her paper map out, enthusiastically showing us a few route ideas!
My husband and I always carry a paper map too, but we tend to use the OS Maps app to plot our route and keep us on track. Many footpaths aren’t well marked or maintained, so it’s easy to drift off-piste without realising it. That little red GPS triangle often saves us from adding a few unplanned miles to the day.
A Dartmoor Circuit of Giants and Tors
Our route was roughly five miles, with Bowerman’s Nose as our first landmark. We had considered trying to bag a few more tors, but our main goal was to visit the stone giant — and, of course, enjoy a social walk for both us and the dogs. In the end, we decided to include a couple of previously visited tors — Hound Tor and Greator Rocks — in our route, giving us plenty of time to chat, explore, and take in the views along the way.
We were truly blessed with the weather — sunglasses were required, and there wasn’t a waterproof in sight! That’s what I call an outstanding success for an October day on Dartmoor.
The Slow Photographer on the Trail
And yes, I did take the opportunity to capture a few photographs — well, quite a lot actually! My love of photography definitely contributes to my slower pace when hiking. Add to that a pair of slightly dodgy knees (the result of fourteen years of gymnastics and three operations on each), and downhill stretches are never the easiest. I always hike with a walking pole, but juggling it every time I want to take a photo can get a little frustrating.
Over the years, I’ve also adapted my camera gear. I’ve gone from carrying a heavy SLR with bulky lenses, to using a compact camera with full manual control, and now mostly rely on my iPhone — taking advantage of its RAW capability. It’s not what I thought I’d end up using, but it’s lighter, simpler, and captures exactly what I need.
Interestingly, my SLR, compact, and iPhone all have one thing in common these days — roughly the same pixels per inch! While my phone doesn’t offer full aperture control, it works well enough for now. I know a tripod would probably improve my shots, but it would definitely test the patience of my fellow hikers. So, for the moment, I’m between a rock and a hard place — excuse the pun.
From Tors to Trees
I’m chuffed with the photos I took — and I even managed to bag a few more gnarly Dartmoor trees, which is always a win. I’m permanently on the lookout for new trees for my glass pendants, and I’ve spoken to plenty of people who admit they’re often more interested in the trees than the tors!
Now I just need a new phrase — after all, you can bag a tor, but what do you do with trees? Maybe branchmarking or root finding could catch on… or perhaps it’s perfectly fine to just bag a tree, too.
This is Episode 8 in my ‘Solo Show Diary’ series — a behind-the-scenes look at how my work develops. You can find my earlier posts here.