Newbie

Hi All

Just wanted to say that I only found out about letterboxing at the weekend whilst in Dartmoor. Had walk and found a few boxes completely by accident. Me, hubby and three children now fascinated and slightly addicted. My hubbies parents have a place near Chagford and we are therefore frequent visitors.

Can you give me some clues (not where the boxes are though that would be great) on where I can obtain a listing of boxes etc. Or do I need to just keep looking randomly.

Love Chocolate Crisp

Welcome to this forum! We started quite by accident too and we all know what you mean by being addicted.

Keep looking for boxes, try the most popular areas such as Saddle Tor, bonehill rocks etc. When you have collected 100 stamps (not too difficult) you can then join the 100 Club, have a look here:

http://www.userfriendly-devon.com/100club/index.html

This will give you a emebership number which will entitle you to purchase the catalogue. This lists all the registered boxes, with clues of how to find them.

Happy Hunting!

Thank you for that, was just looking at that site.

I think we have about 18 so far and that was only about 1hr work - didn't walk very far though. But our children are 5 and then twins 2 so it was really good fun for them.

What information will I need? I obviously take a print of the stamp and then do I need to log where I found it? As in which Tor. Also do I need dates etc. Don't want to collect the magical 100 and then find out I don't have all the info. Didn't manage to find any official numbered boxes. Are they harder to find?

I have been told that there is one a certain Chagford store! Will be going to get that one. I know that pubs have some but are they generally anywhere else.

Was chuffed as managed to get a travelling stamp too.

Sorry for the all questions - just excited!

Regards
Chocolate Crisp

No problem - ask away, we're all quite friendly here and are more than happy to help.

The 100 Club seems to based on trust, you could order and pay for 1000 club badge tommorrow, but your only kidding yourself really. When we reached our 100 we sent our book of stamps to Godfrey. He returned it with our 100 Club badges with a note saying please don't send the stamps it would a shame if they got lost in the post. When you reach 100 stamps just write to him with the correct payment.

As far as recording them goes, we use a type of notebook, we date a page when we start so we know which day we collected the stamps. We also note the number if it's a registered box (from the catalogue if it isn't in the box). We sometimes add little notes at the end of our letterboxing session if we have seen anything worth remembering eg, a deer, woodpecker etc. We once got caught in a snow storm at Bellever so that got noted too. It builds up to be quite a diary after time!

Welcome to the site, you will find everyone to be very helpful here.

It's easy to get bitten by the letterboxing bug, the fresh air, beautiful areas, exercise, the search and the usual shouts of 'I've found one!'.

The winter is now upon us, so kitting yourself out with the right gear, warm clothes, good boots, gaiters, food, flask, first aid box, map & compass (see the tutorial in the Navigation Forum) just names a few of the things you will be needing. The weather gets a little wet, windy and makes the moors a little on the boggy side, with unexpected rain and mist appearing out of nowhere. Be prepared and you will for sure enjoy yourselves.

Have fun and welcome!

Dizzy

Hi and welcome
Bonehill rocks used to be a great spot for boxes but appears to have recently been cleared almost completely of boxes
Saddle Tor, Haytor and Hounds Tor are all a good bet and any of the smaller Tors in that region are worth a wander if you happen past a car park.
Happy Hunting to you.

Do you know if your box survived StannyD?

Hi,
I'm new here too. We were on Bonehill a couple of weeks ago and found two very nice boxes - Curious Cats and Paces Outcrop. I think the latter is a new one.
Cheers,
Blinch

Our box was fine - thank you for asking after it
I think it was far enough from the tor to not be spotted ( I'm hoping that the same can be said for Dizzy's boxes too although I forgot to ask him for the clues so I can't be sure as I don't know where they are! Could have kicked myself for forgetting to ask before I left for the moor!)
We have taken it in for the winter (didn't want Lucky getting cold!) and it will be going back out in the spring.

Just realised I forgot to say hi Blinch!
Welcome to the site!

StannyD wrote:( I'm hoping that the same can be said for Dizzy's boxes too although I forgot to ask him for the clues so I can't be sure as I don't know where they are! Could have kicked myself for forgetting to ask before I left for the moor!)

Hi Stanny, not been able to check on all three of my boxes near Bonehill so hopefully they are all ok. I will be leaving my boxes out there for the winter period. Fingers crossed because I've hidden these away from Bonehill Rock they should be ok.
Remember to P.M me for the clues when you need them.

Cheers
Dizzy

Hi

Welcome to letterboxing!

We agree with all that's been said previously. Would add that in July we found 30 boxes in 2 hours on Top Tor and Pil Tor.

We keep a record of our boxes on an Excel document in this format:
date / type (moor/building/traveller) / name of box or description of stamp / registration number (if one) / grid reference where found / rough location (eg Pew Tor).

You can get your 100 and catalogue by the end of the month!

Have a great time!

welcome to the site... .. the 100 club is quite relaxed about your stamps. as long as you can show that you haven't just got them from walking around the meet they are pretty good......
normally what tor you have been collecting on and then a bit about each box you find.. ie:- the condition or who have put it out etc....
________
Integrated Motor Assist

slightly addicted

Hmmm... Not found anyone slightly addicted yet - its all or nothing

But welcome to the site - it is nice to see some new mea... I mean new faces on the site

Anything you want I dare say someone on here will accomodate you


Seriously though if you want to do boxing on a serious level - make a note of all the boxes you find - write their names down and location (it helps). If it comes with a number write that down too!

I like Letterboxing because it is a good way to get yourself fit, learn how to map read, and use a compass, to learn about survival techniques and introduce you into the history of Dartmoor which is fascinating - it isn't all moor and sheep you know...

If you want to do it in true letterboxing fashion - you are supposed to find your first hundred boxes WITHOUT the use of the clue book - which is available from the 100 club. There are a few people on here who have done the 100 without the clue book (myself included).

I didn't really read the rest of the posts up there - but the catalogue is available (for a fee and the new one is blue) with an update every month either by post or e-mail, providing you with useful info about new stamps, deletions, meetings etc.

Thanks (I think!!) for the welcome.
Do many people bring their boxes in for the winter?

Some people do bring their boxes in for the winter, mine not included. As you are aware the moors can be very wet and cold over the winter period so many boxes do suffer because of this.
Depending on what the stamps are hidden in and the quality of the container and if the last visitor seals the box properly, depends on weather they will withstand the harshness of the winter months.

Dizzy

oddly the best boxes I have found for boxing are the Lock and lock boxes that were sold on QVC a short while ago

Ours stay out all year round.

Mine is out all year round too.

Because the box has been found so few times, even the book is original ... and of course, as dry as a camel's flip-flop

.... Hmm. I've never seen a camel in flip flops
Anyway thanks. So if I manage a trip to Dartmoor in March or thereabouts - there'll still be some boxes to look for .
That's made my day!

Blinch.

i like the moors in winter that horrible bracken dies back. makes those boxes easier to find
________
Lincoln-Mercury

The winter is the best time for letterboxing, no bracken, much quieter.

I agree, I also like letterboxing in the winter, quieter and easier to get around. Mind you the letterboxes are fewer due to a lot being taken off the moors for the winter.

Dizzy

I like the winter best too but the kids don't always agree. You can tell it's us with the cries of "it's too windy!" as one of them gets blown over.

Dartmoor is wonderful all year round for me. But like you say, winter has no horrible overgrowth. As long as it is dry ... I am happy.

There are hidden dangers whilst boxing in the winter months - apart from the obvious cold wind and short days.

You do need to be able to have something with you that will allow you have some hot intake - a flask of tea/coffee or better still soup.

Get firmly ingrained into your minds the states of hypothermia, and any sign of hyperthermia in your group - you ALL get off the moor and get into the warm.
Hypothermia is a killer - obvious signs are chatterng teeth and shivering - this state is ok and you can continue.... but be wary of the next phase
Chattering stops speech becomes slurred or silent, the victim becomes lethargic - this is a serious state, you need to do something about it.
Get out of the wind, change clothes. Especially if they are wet!
And get off the moor - - - - - Is that just-one-more-box worth a life?
It will be there next time and you can learn from what happened.

Oddly most people when out on the moor on a cold day go out there wrapped up to the nines and not remove any layers of clothing.
I know this is me ... but I was shown many years ago if you maintain a quick step you can almost go out in a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops in the middle of winter (well not quite..) it is when you stop you feel cold and if you have something thin to put on you will feel warmer... it is to trap air between layers of clothing that is the secret not great big thick coats!

And when it gets really cold I recommend a helly-hansson thermal shirt - thin it may be - warm it certainly is... anyway thats enough waffle for now....