Anowre Cornwall
“I think I’m quite ready for another adventure.”
On Sunday we said “Anowre” (goodbye in Cornish) to Cornwall and Devon. After 10 days in Penzance and 11 days in Bodmin, it was time to leave the southwestern peninsula and begin our slow trek north.
A favorite was Dartmoor National Park. We incorporated into our onward journey a visit to a remote spot in the north of the park. Leaving the main highway, we passed through villages brimming with thatched stone cottages and bearing village names like Sticklepath, Throwleigh, Wonson, and Gidleigh.
After 20 minutes of driving along so many narrow, unnamed roads it seemed certain Siri was exacting revenge for all the times I’ve cursed her name aloud—the tiny unofficial car park appeared.
Entering the moor, you cross this small stream that passes under an old moss-covered stone wall.
North Dartmoor is rugged, wild, and breathtaking. It is also littered with prehistoric stone circles, burial mounds, and settlements.
Scorhill Circle is one of Devon’s biggest and most intact stone circles. Constructed in the Bronze Age (3300 BC to 1200 BC), it has 23 standing stones and 11 laid flat. We wanted to visit Scorhill without a hefty hike, thus the circuitous drive to the unmapped car park.
Just down the hill from Scorhill Circle are two small rivers. The first is really more of a brook than a river, and thus its name Wallabrook. It is crossed using this amazing stone bridge.
The second is the North Teign River, with this amazing stone bridge. In the evening, the sun would be setting directly behind us.
As desolate as the moor often is, apparently on a Sunday around noon, it is literally teaming with youth. We encountered at least five groups of young people, each displaying a large team number, who were backpacking across the moor while learning to navigate by map and compass. They didn't appear to be Boy Scouts per se, but something like that, and it did bring about some nostalgia, along with tremendous pleasure in seeing young people not only outdoors, but actually learning old school skills.
All that to say—we had someone to take our picture! 😀
The North Teign River
After a quick mile and a half walk around the moor to break up our drive, it was back in the car. After negotiating with a ram who had escaped his field and seemed to be contemplating butting our car, we made it to our first big highway in weeks—the M5.
Nettleton
Our new home, Dovenby House, is about 30 minutes north of Bath. You can check it out on the map below, and we’ve also included this video tour of the house: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXL0d3npLxs.
Ta-ta for now!
