scottyplym
2013-05-13 10:28:29
Yesterday, two friends (Lauren & Simon) and I gambled with the weather and tried our luck letterboxing in and around Nat tor and Ger tor. To get to these tors its best to turn off past the Mary Tavy pub and folllow the windy roads to the parking space at grid reference 5382.
The weather held, but dark clouds loomed overhead. We had a cracking start, finding five boxes in our first 30 mins, this before we had even reached Nat tor. After a whirlwind start we were confident of putting up some big numbers. Reality took a chunk of my bottom.
The next 2 hours were painful, we found nothing. Searching around Nat tor left us with no more inprints in our books, we then crossed the Leat and searched the vast amount of rocks inbetween Nat tor and the River Tavy Cleave, again nothing. I did find, what looked like a letterbox, peeled back the rock, to find a half decaying sheeps head looking at me, which was pretty gross. A prank played by our army one suspects.
As we climbed the steep incline up to Ger tor, the weather changed, fog restricted our vision and the heavens opened. We stopped for lunch in the shelter of the tor and continued our search. Finding a letterbox had become a distance memory!
Finally, among the rain and the fog, Lauren found one and our letterboxing mojo restored. We searched the outer reaches of Ger tor and found another four boxes. With our total at 10, we were all happy to reach double figures and make our way back to the car. All drenched, but happy, our 4.5 hours in around these 2 tors had been tough, but enjoyable.
The standard of the letterboxes were impressive, I would say 8 out of the 10 were good-great boxes, making the day worthwhile. When the fog did clear, the views across the Tavy Cleave were spectacular.
The walk to Nat tor would be good for families, there is an easy way and a hard way to get to Ger tor, I would not recommend the steep river side climb. This is a letterboxing area where the quality of boxes outweighs the quantity.
Scott
The weather held, but dark clouds loomed overhead. We had a cracking start, finding five boxes in our first 30 mins, this before we had even reached Nat tor. After a whirlwind start we were confident of putting up some big numbers. Reality took a chunk of my bottom.
The next 2 hours were painful, we found nothing. Searching around Nat tor left us with no more inprints in our books, we then crossed the Leat and searched the vast amount of rocks inbetween Nat tor and the River Tavy Cleave, again nothing. I did find, what looked like a letterbox, peeled back the rock, to find a half decaying sheeps head looking at me, which was pretty gross. A prank played by our army one suspects.
As we climbed the steep incline up to Ger tor, the weather changed, fog restricted our vision and the heavens opened. We stopped for lunch in the shelter of the tor and continued our search. Finding a letterbox had become a distance memory!
Finally, among the rain and the fog, Lauren found one and our letterboxing mojo restored. We searched the outer reaches of Ger tor and found another four boxes. With our total at 10, we were all happy to reach double figures and make our way back to the car. All drenched, but happy, our 4.5 hours in around these 2 tors had been tough, but enjoyable.
The standard of the letterboxes were impressive, I would say 8 out of the 10 were good-great boxes, making the day worthwhile. When the fog did clear, the views across the Tavy Cleave were spectacular.
The walk to Nat tor would be good for families, there is an easy way and a hard way to get to Ger tor, I would not recommend the steep river side climb. This is a letterboxing area where the quality of boxes outweighs the quantity.
Scott