The song jolts us out of our lethargy and we quicken our pace - keen to reach the summit of Cox Tor. Slowly the sky clears to a brilliant blue - the like of which we have not see for days and there is a sense of urgency- in case the cloud returns and views lose their clarity.
The dogs run on ahead of us, occasionally turning to check we are keeping up. They love this open moorland. The Collie is always keen to lead the way. Our 14 year old Lakeland seem to sense this is the type of terraine her breed was meant for and she still tries to leap from boulder to boulder. Her head is willing but, sadly, her legs often are not. But typically of her breed, she keeps going, finding ways around the rocks and snacking on the fresh sheep droppings!
As always, our ascent is watched by wary natives, this year wearing red designer coats. Despite hiding behind rocks - they are easily spotted. We keep the dogs under close supervision and they (very slowly) amble away. The Lakeland is trembling with excitement - in her mind, she thinks she can still chase anything that turns tail and runs. (Click on the photos to enlarge.)
You can see how quickly the weather can come in. The clouds are building and views may disappear but we are with in reach of the Tor. The views are worth the walk.
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| What better way to clear the head than to just stand and stare? |
What stunning scenery and lovely photos, H! I don't know Dartmoor but can see I would love it as I love all wide, bare landscapes, such as the Pennines, Lake District and Highlands which I do know. Thanks for the introduction :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat glorious views and beautiful countryside. Are the horses wild horses? There seems to be a lot of them.
ReplyDeleteI can appreciate the dogs enjoying their outing ... as did their owners:)
We are enjoying discovering Dartmoor ...but it is wet. At the moment we seem to live under a grey cloud most of the time - it takes a little getting used to but it encourages us to get out to the wide open spaces.
ReplyDeleteThe ponies run wild - but are all owned and rounded up once a year by the farmers. The premium Dartmoor pony is dark brown and are registered to keep this native breed pure - there are also native Exmoor ponies. The other ponies are a mix and known as Dartmoor hill ponies. They were used in the tin mines.