It’s really tempting at this time of the year to just hide under the duvet and turn up the central heating. But then my husband suggested going to see the sun rise from the top of Ripon Tor on Dartmoor and despite myself, I had to agree! We consulted the weather forecast and today looked the best in terms of brightness, although the temperature was supposed to be sub-zero. At 6 o-clock the alarm went off and we reluctantly got up and dressed, packed everything warm we possessed into the car and set off. The roads were bright and frosty, the car temperature gauge read a balmy 1 degree.
As we got onto the moor the sky started to lighten with a false dawn, as the sun made its presence felt just below the horizon. When we got to the foot of the Tor, we still had 20 minutes to go before official sun rise time. The wind was bitter, but luckily I was toasty in my many layers, fleecy neck and ear warmers and skiing gloves. As they say there is no such thing as bad weather, just inadequate clothing. We climbed to the top and whilst Rod set up his tripod, I found shelter behind a pile of stones, only to be told I was in shot and would have to move! Five minutes later some of the clouds to the east acquired a frilly edge of red light, followed by the sun peering through the haze.
Walking back to the car, the landscape glowed.
Our reward for getting up so early was to treat ourselves to breakfast at the Fox Tor café in Princetown. The “small” breakfast was more than enough. Luckily our early start meant we got a place by the woodburner, as the place was soon full.
Next on our itinerary was Wistman’s Wood near Two Bridges. We have talked about going there for a while, as it is a place that inspires many artists around Devon and beyond. One of three high altitude woodlands on Dartmoor, the twisted dwarf oaks cling onto the hillside above the West Dart. It is only half an hour’s walk from the car park, and even today when the sun was shining and the sky a bright blue, when we got into the wood it felt dreamy and mysterious. Because the ground is covered in a “clatter” of granite boulders, there is no clear path and it’s hard going to leap from stone to stone. The people in front of us went into the wood only a few minutes before we did, but we could not see them at all. When I was a child growing up in Cornwall, the legend of the wood was that it walked with you so that you never got out. It was told to warn prisoners at the nearby Princeton prison that escape was impossible.
The trees are gnarled and bent into strange shapes, covered with ferns and moss. Lichen hangs from the branches like witch’s hair. But I am pleased to report that we did come out of the wood and made it back for a cuppa at the Two Bridges Hotel.
So whilst it was tempting to stay inside because the forecast was freezing and we were warned about treacherous roads, venturing out this cold winter morning resulted in a fabulous adventure. I am always amazed that people often celebrate holiday time by sleeping in. Why sleep away your own time? Getting up early and seeing the sun come up was amazing. The sharp frost and biting wind certainly made me feel alive. Winter sun produces those sharp icy blue skies, and the views across the moor were stunning. So this is the season to be out in the cold as well as home in the warm.
Walkspiration 