Letterboxing

If you have an Ordnance Survey map of Dartmoor, the Outdoor Leisure No. 28 is best, a compass, stout shoes or walking boots and plenty of patience, you can...

Letterboxing is not about looking for big red post boxes, but searching for small plastic containers, hidden in holes, under rocks, in fact almost anywhere on Dartmoor within the Code of Conduct.

Inside a "Letterbox" you will find a rubber stamp and a visitors' book. What you need is an ink pad and some paper or postcards to take a copy of the stamp and a pen or a 'personal' stamp to sign the visitors book. A personal stamp is a rubber stamp that is personal to you or your family.

To first find a letterbox you need a clue. However, there are a few marked on the 0.S. map, one is at Ducks Pool grid ref. 62 67 and another is at Cranmere Pool grid ref. 60 85. Fortnightly updates containing clues, information and details of charity walks can be obtained by sending 201) per issue and a S.A.E. to: T Moore, 25 Sanderspool Cross, South Brent, Devon, TQ1O 9LR.

Or a catalogue of Letterbox clues is also available £6.20p, which includes the postage.

When you have visited 100 boxes on the moor and collected a copy of them, you can join the '100 Club' by sending a list of them with a S.A.E. and £1.50 for each cloth badge required to: G Swinscow, Cross Farm, Diptford, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 7NU. Alternatively come to 'The Meet' in Princetown on the 'Clock' change days or the last Sunday in March and October at the Prison Officers So

cial Club. Dartmoor is by no means a 'safe' playground there are hidden dangers everywhere. However, if you are sensible and have the proper equipment you can enjoy yourselves, for there is plenty to see on Dartmoor, not just the wonderful scenery, but if you are quiet, there is an abundance of wildlife to be found, as well as all the antiquities, like settlements, crosses and tinners' workings, to name but a few, which have a lot of history behind them.

The weather is somewhat unpredictable, so be prepared for a sudden change.

The equipment listed below is recommended:

Map Compass
Waterproof Coat Food/drink Waterproof Trousers Hat Stout shoes/walking boots Gloves
Warm clothes Ink pad Pen Paper/postcards Whistle Common Sense

For further reading:

Dartmoor Letterboxes by Anne Swinscow

More Dartmoor Letterboxes' by Anne Swinscow '101 Dartmoor Letterboxes' by John Haywood

Available from all good book shops and Dartmoor National Park

Information centres at £3.95 + 5Op post and packing or from:

Forest Publishers "Woodstocks", Liverton, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQJ2 6JJ

Any Questions or problems

The best areas to start

How do I get a stamp made

Free demo of the letterboxing

Computer program

Then please just drop us a line at :-