By: Blonde Two
I nearly managed my day off … here is an experiment with shorter blog posting …
Like many parts of this fair isle, the place names of Dartmoor, in particular the tors, are intriguing to say the least. When you say them out loud, they have an almost musical quality. At Ten Tors weekend, as leaders fret over their teams’ progress, the tor names become mantras to which to cling. People can be heard all over camp chanting them; “Sourton, Kitty, Chat … Lynch, Mis, Staple … Sittaford, White, Beardown …”.
With recent route changes, there will be some necessary relearning of these well weathered lyrics this year. If we are not careful, the honey-like flow will be lost in the confusion of new visitors to the musical feast. “Holming Beam, Fernworthy, Postbridge …” equally intriguing but arguably less mellifluous.
I was surprised, when route planning yesterday, how happy writing lists of tors made me feel, it didn’t take long before I was reciting them out loud. It takes a few days after Ten Tors weekend before I can stop them playing in my head.
I was looking at the new routes with dear father a couple of days ago. Very bizarre. Places I’d never heard of, some not even tors!!! And the southern moor might as well not exist. Quite sad really but sort of understand why the changes have been made.
Having not been on Dartmoor quite so much in the past year I have lost some of my Tor spotting expertise. Hoping to boost it today on a soggy bimble-not sure where to head for the best though!!!
I think you should pick a musical sounding route and chant it as you walk. Be aware though that you will have to change it due to strange weather!
Well we visited Horns Cross if that’s musical enough! Didn’t chant as we went, laughed a bit when I fell over, not once but twice!!! There was a definite squelching chant about our walk though but pleased to announce that all Farley feet were bone dry at the end! Great to get out x
You could start with the tune from “I love to go a wandering……”. We sometimes sang it while trekking home from town to get all four sisters and me home without thinking about tired feet when you were smaller. Nowadays, you’d have to sing very loudly to get me to walk anywhere!