Hi there! It’s been a while since I wrote a blog, sorry about that, but I have been a bit busy moving house and exploring my new surroundings. The good news is – it is a fab place to live!
We now live on the northern side of Dartmoor. I get to go on super walks every day, lots of streams and hills and all sorts. Where we live, we look out at a great big hill. It seems to have two names (I don’t know why!) Cawsand Hill or, as we ‘Locals’ like to call it ‘Cosdon Beacon’. We can walk on to it right from our front door!
For those of you who aren’t lucky enough to live right here, but would like to come and enjoy some lovely walks, there is a free car park in South Zeal!
So, park in the car park and just head towards the great big hill, you really can’t miss it! There are lots and lots of bridle paths and tracks that wind their way up onto the Beacon. You ought to take an OS Map with you (EXPLORER OL28) just to be sure, but basically walk up… and then head back down again.
The little tracks are lovely and mostly dry underfoot, although there are some muddy bits (which I really enjoy!), so you will need walking boots or wellies. There are lots of streams and little waterfalls in the area and the wildflowers are lovely at this time of year. Some of the footpaths are a bit rocky, and it is generally quite steep, so have a look at the map and try a more meandering route (big word) if you want a more gentle climb.
If you keep going upwards, you will pop out right on the moor! This is jolly exciting, and the views are fab! This is where you need to make sure you know where you are going and consult a map, or get a walking book. Ones by my friend Sue Viccars include walks in this area. There are miles and miles of lovely walks to be had! Turn to the right as you reach the moor and walk for 5 minutes and you can see Belstone. You can do a lovely circular walk dropping down into Belstone Cleave and back through Skaigh and Sticklepath.
Or, you can go to the top of the Beacon and find the trig point (that is a bit of a puff to get up to!) or seek out one of the stone rows of circles. It is a very interesting hill – you can read a bit about it on this link http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/cosdon_beacon.htm
Views are panoramic (She says, I don’t know what that means!).
Between 1st March and 31st July, I have to be on a lead, so if you are taking your doggy companion with you, please make sure you keep them under control… it’s all to do with lambs and baby birds, and stuff.
And so… as you meander back to your car… you will probably walk past The King’s Arms in South Zeal, so why not stop for a pint and something to eat? This is my local so you might even meet me! They serve very good fish and chips and pizzas and all sorts. They always give me dog biscuits, which is very decent of them. I like living here, lucky me!
About Moss
I am Moss, a German Wirehaired Pointer and I live on Dartmoor and, let me tell you, it is a great place to be a dog! Not only are there zillions of great places to walk, rivers to jump in and rocky bits to climb, it’s also a really dog friendly place. Pretty much everywhere I go I am welcomed. Pubs and Hotels give me dog biscuits and when I go to events I get to meet lots of my doggy friends. If your people are looking for a place to take you on holiday, Dartmoor is a fab choice.
If you are looking for dog-friendly accommodation for your adventure on Dartmoor take a look at our dog-friendly page