Thursday, January 24, 2008

Dartmoor Animal Park


Much as we enjoyed our visit at the cousin's cob cottage, it was time to move on and so we said our goodbyes and headed towards Dartmoor National Park where another cousin lived. All 234,000 acres of the park are owned by someone, but the park guarantees legal access for the public. So the folks who own the land go about their business of raising sheep, the public enjoys walking amongst the tors, the wild horses wander anywhere they want, the sheep sleep on the roadway, and somehow(!) they all exist in relative harmony. You can go on your own tour of the park or learn more about it here. www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk

This is the medieval Clapper Bridge.
At one point we got a little confused so the Lord of the Manor stopped to ask a local for directions, but just like in St. Ives, we couldn't understand a word he said!


The wild ponies were everywhere and being protected, are free from molestation. Tarmac or moor makes no difference to them. They do whatever needs doing wherever they are. The cars simply stop and wait for them to pass. Or get out and visit with them as we did.




The sheep, being of value, are more tightly controlled. Whilst heading home one afternoon we had to pull over and wait for this to pass. The farmer told us they needed to continue to use the roads to move the sheep between pastures or their rights to do so would be taken away. He further told us he had to have the sheep shorn, even though it was financially a loss, because it was so hot lately.
The sheep calmly walked past me and made their way down the lane and around a corner. A common occurrence here, but very unique for us.



And tomorrow.......... Over the river and through the woods to Cousin James's house we go.

4 comments:

closed account said...

Hi Larau

http://westerwitch.blogspot.com/

, lovely post again, yhose little ponies are just adorable...look forward to reading the next chapter.....
As promised here is my friends blog, now this link may not work Laura! but here it is anyway...ooops it jumped up to the top, silly me....
please feel free to email me if you have difficulty linking it, my email is

kathpark@blueyonder.co.uk

pop back soon, x Kath x

closed account said...

oh, don't worry Laura, she is not a witch!!!!lol, it;s a pet name from her website, it all geared round Harry Potter, will post you a link to it, later...
So no concern, Gill is lovely, and NOT, a witch!!! lolx Kath check out my blog for links to Gills webpage, she and her husband own and run the most beautiful farm steading cotahes to let for holidays, it is situated in Killin, oh this si getting worse !!lol even the name of the village is rather creepy!! but is so pretty with wonderful scenery ...
i will post up all the links for you today, she also runs an amazing website , I think you would enjoy it , so many nice people on it, all crafter, writers, and people of many talents are all in one big family, thet talk daily to each other through a comments and blog section on the site, have a look at and see what you think!

Gretel said...

Hello, I was just going to leave a comment about Dartmoor, as I used to live on the edge of it near Bovey Tracey, then I saw Beeswax's comment and thought, what a small world, Gill/Westerwitch is indeed lovely, and her site is full of friendly people, many of them British country dwellers, a really friendly bunch (including me from time to time!)

http://www.purple.dreamhosters.com/

Zoƫ said...

I think I have recommended PurpleCoo to you in the past too.