By: Blonde Two
I don’t know if you are the same as me but whenever I go on holiday, I like to imagine what it would be like to live there and often have a peek into estate agent windows to choose my perfect house and find out which house I could actually afford. The Two Blondes love this game and are always finding new houses when they are out on their walks around Dartmoor.
We have big discussions about who would buy which house and which area of the moor would be beautiful (most of them) or practical for work (none of them). My perfect Dartmoor house has a sunny back garden with a gate that opens onto moorland, it is in a hamlet and the shop and pub are within easy walking distance. There is probably a stream running by (which never floods) and there is definitely a view from the front over a stone walled valley.
On Saturday, we walked with a group of youngsters from Widecombe and went past a house that could have been the perfect Blonde house. We had already chosen one each at Dunstone. This had been a very Blonde moment – Dunstone is mentioned in our Dartmoor 365 book and we knew that we could tick off another square if we found a cross that has previously eluded us. The girls we were walking with were walking quite slowly so, as we passed the little lane up to Dunstone, we caught each other’s eye and both veered off to the right shouting “carry on walking” to our group and ran up the hill (Blonde running). We didn’t find the cross so if anyone knows where it is, do let us know.
Anyway, the possible perfect house was a bit later on the walk. It met lots of the criteria but the best thing about it was that it was two houses joined together. What could be more perfect? One house for family Blonde Two and the other for family Blonde One. We could go walking whenever we wanted and share the (rather long) drive to work.
If you look closely at the picture, you will see that there is a room between the two houses above the archway. I had a brief moment of concern when considering which one of us should get the extra room but Blonde One had the perfect solution – the extra room could be a Two Blondes map room. It would have a door opening from each side and a huge table by the window from which we could plan our adventures. Can you imagine having a map room? What a wonderful thing that would be!
We will find another perfect house next time we are out on Dartmoor – what a shame we can’t buy them all!
My Dad has a “Hobbies Room” where all his maps and equipment live. He had his garage converted just for this!!!!
The house looks lovely but a little too modern looking for me!!!! I always imagine myself as having a “Dartmoor Hideaway” which would be a tiny stone cottage in the middle of nowhere with a couple of bedrooms, a little bathroom and a little kitchen inside a cosy little lounge with a huge log fire! The dream also involves lots if snow and roast lamb!!!!!
Regarding Dunstone, it took me three attempts to find the little ******!!!! The grid reference is wrong in the book. Should be 716758! I somehow miss the turning on the Widecombe Road and eventually found it by turning off at Cold East Cross and following that road! I know in true Blondeness you like to walk to all the squares so maybe next time you’re at Widecombe head for Lower Dunstone!!!
We are going to have to go back to Dunstone again – oh well, it is very near to the pub! Maybe third time lucky.
Maybe you should use the map room at Pete’s Eats in Llanberis as inspiration… Fry up and contour lines?!
Oooh, I had completely forgotten about Pete’s Eats – haven’t been there for ages and ages. I remember huge mugs of tea, large pieces of cake and lots of dripping people!
Hi,
The Dunstone cross sits on the small green opposite the farm at Lower Dunstone at Ordnance Survey grid reference SX 716 758. Close by is the ‘Dun Stone’ which is where the manor courts were once held
http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/dun_stone.htm
Thank you very much. We will have to go back again (third time lucky!) We love your website by the way, so much work must have gone into it. We would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about exploring Dartmoor.
Thanks and hope you find it, maybe our path’s will cross on the moor one day – enjoy reading your posts by the way 🙂
Right Blonde Two, let’s go! Dunstone Cross here we come.