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| Merrivale Stone Row at sunset |
The Curate and I still enjoy exploring Dartmoor. The Collie loves the open spaces and we love the ever changing skies and scenery. But I am also fascinated by the remains of ancient stone structures that we come across. The stone hut circles are thought to belong to the Bronze age and we often come across these circular groups of stones that once formed the base of a Bronze Age hut. They had a conical roof supported by one central pole and the floors were covered in slabs of stone. They are usually in groups and you can begin to imagine the village life that went on in the area.
Recently I rode out to one of the the stone rows that can be found on Dartmoor. Nobody seem quite certain what these were constructed for. You are left to imagine why these long rows of standing stones were placed with considerable effort and skill in the open moorland. This one seemed to run from east to west and may have been aligned with the rising and setting sun.
Another favourite walk for us is to the standing stones at Merrivale. Different times of the day and the changing light seem to change the feel of this ancient site. Dartmoor has a way of getting under my skin. It stimulates the imagination and arouses the senses and makes you stop and stare at its sheer magnificence.
