Sheepstor

Hi all,

just a quick question really. I see that there are a handful of boxes on sheepstor so i was planning to go out this week and visit them just for a short walk with the family. However, experience suggests that places like sheepstor, that are more accessible to joe bloggs tend to have a higher degree of missing boxes. Has anybody visited sheepstor recently and can put my mind at rest?

thanks

some years ago I had three boxes stolen from there and looking for boxes is a minimal result in recent years - there used to be about 25 boxes up there - now I would be lucky if I found three now

Too much bracken on sheepstor for a good scavenge. You'd be better off looking at Combshead or Down Tor if you are in the area.

Sadly I had my whole walk stolen from Sheepstor last year, although there were a few boxes around.

Earlier this year I spent an hour poking around there and found only one! May say more about my abilities as a letterboxer than the paucity of boxes!

Duckpool

Why on earth would people steal boxes?

Collected 6 of them while up there not long ago, seem's a shame that given 5/6 years ago there was at least 10!!

I agree with Rowan,Why would anyone steal box's? Being new to this exciting world is theft a big problem?

Teignmouth Trampers, Hi!

I am by no means an authority, as I am only just back in to the game, but, from what I can gather from reading posts on these forums, there is a shady and nefarious character (characters?) by the name of 'The letterbox Thief'. The romantic view would be some Hooded villain who runs around the Moors in moonlight, stealing peoples stamps for some secret collection.
I suppose the reality would be that it's some twisted and perverse individual (individuals?) who likes to go around stealing stamps for their own agenda. Couple that with people who would just smash a box when they find one, or maybe landowners that don't like letterboxing or children out having a bit of spiteful fun, then I think the number of boxes on the Moor, especially around easy accessible and public locations, can be a bit diminished.

On the other hand, sometimes I miss a box just due to rubbish map and clue reading or shoddy compass work. That aside, having recently looked around Mel Tor, Sharp Tor area, using a 2008 catalogue, I turned up quite a few stamps. Lots of crawling around under rocks, Holly trees etc came up trumps too and gave me a few stamps that were not in the book...joy!

i have found at least 20 boxs at sheepstor in the last few months and know friends that have found ones i have not got yet, there are some places you can find 3 within 20 ft and there not all in the new catalog.