Hello from Ed Ballenger

Just a quick hello from a fellow walker.

I started walking on Dartmoor a couple of months ago and came across letterboxing. I saw a couple with their posteriors in the air and was wondering what they were doing! To be honest with you I wasn't sure if I should even approach them!!

My main interest is in the walking side, however with the added bonus of finding a box or two on a long trek is a big plus!

I've recently purchase a Sylva Type 54 sighting compass so it will be interesting once I am able to buy the letterboxing catalogue to see exactly how it works.

I'm sure I've got lot's of studying to do on here, so............where do I start?

Welcome to the forum Ed - I am sure you will enjoy this fascinating hobby once you really get in to it. You will find all you need to know about how to start letterboxing in the 'sticky' at the top of this Letterboxing Index under 'Beginning Letterboxing'
Once you have your catalogue you will be well on your way to your first 100 then you can join the 'club'.One of the easiest ways to get quite a few boxes is to buy one of the Charity walks for a couple of pounds. You will find these listed under 'Charity Walks' about half way down the first page. Happy hunting.

Hi Sowerby Streaker, thank you for your advice. You mentioned buying charity walks, are these readily available through the catalogue if so would that mean that I can't purchase these until I have bought the catalogue? I take it these are a type of walk with a list of letterboxes over a route on Dartmoor?

I will check out the other threads, there's so much to read on here!

Thanks again,

You really should say hello on the main page as I keep missing these...
Anyway that's my fault... but welcome to the site I hope you can get lots of info from here that will help you in your new hobby - if you have any questions we are more than happy to give you advice no matter how daft or sesible your questions might be - we all used to be newbies once... well there might be one or two who were never newbies

Thank you 4 your advice, forums are a new thing for me so working out what section (threads?) to put my message will give take some getting used to. I'm sure there will b lots of questions coming your way! I've been going through the 'How To' section so I've got some ideas. Thanks in advance.

Ed The Walker wrote:Hi Sowerby Streaker, thank you for your advice. You mentioned buying charity walks, are these readily available through the catalogue if so would that mean that I can't purchase these until I have bought the catalogue? I take it these are a type of walk with a list of letterboxes over a route on Dartmoor?

I will check out the other threads, there's so much to read on here!

Thanks again,

Hi, all the contact details for purchasing the charity walks are on the 'Charity Walks' thread. You do not need to be a member of the 100club or have purchased the catalogue to buy them. At the Bi-annual meet in Princetown, lots of charities set up stalls to sell these walks. They are normally a set of 12+ boxes set out with grids/bearings in a circular walk. Usually by poking around the box sites you can come home with twice that amount. Most when selling these walks at the meet have a map on view so that you can see where the walk goes. Some are short, some 8miles long. So be warned - get fit!!!!!

Sowerby Streaker :-I like the sound of doing a charity walk, at least these will presumably placed onto the moors by the persons working for the charities and must have a guideline to go by for how to place them on the moors. Not just that for me it will be a good way of gaining knowledge of the moors.

Nik - KOTM you wrote:
You really should say hello on the main page as I keep missing these...
Anyway that's my fault... but welcome to the site I hope you can get lots of info from here that will help you in your new hobby - if you have any questions we are more than happy to give you advice no matter how daft or sesible your questions might be - we all used to be newbies once... well there might be one or two who were never newbies

Thank you but just the one question so far, what type of container do you use for taking copies of the letterboxes in? I may take an ice cream tub or something to put my cards in or maybe an A4 pad so I can use one sheet for all the boxes.