By: Blonde Two

For the next three days, the Two Blondes and their troupe of Gold DofErs will be Exploring-on-a-Different-Moor.  I think this has quite a poetic ring to it and is almost certainly a metaphor for breaking out of the mould and trying something new.  Or it might not be, there is a chance of course, that it is a euphemism (I love spelling that word) for something that I shouldn’t mention to the kids.

Exmoor, as places go, isn’t really that far away from Dartmoor but once you are there, it feels as alien to a Dartmoor Blonde as if they were Exploring-on-a-Different-Planet. Please don’t mistake my meaning, Exmoor is very lovely but it is not the same.  The valleys are steeper, the sea is right next door and the hedges are a lot more organised. I should perhaps, qualify this last statement; Dartmoor has chaotic, multi-plant hedges sat atop on banks and completely impenetrable.  Exmoor has neatly arranged beech hedges which are trimmed and allow you to see the view through them.  There are so many of them that I wouldn’t be surprised to find a by-law that makes the use of any other plant for hedging illegal.

I am looking forward to telling you about some of our Exmoor adventures (hopefully with some pictures) so watch this space … that is, of course, if the local stag hounds don’t get me first!