MOOR (more) DARTMOOR.

Yesterday being Sunday we decided we would have a bit of a lay in after a late night at the "Kings Arms". So after pottering about and an hours oxygen it was off to the Caravan/camping shop in Ashburton, for more bits for the trailer tent. After an hour or so and a bit more money spent there, we deciced it was far to nice a day to be indoors, so as we were already on the edge of "Dartmoor"a ride around would be in order. Now for any of my readers who are not from these shores perhaps I ought to tell you a little about beautifull Dartmoor. Firstly it is in a high and sparsely populated part of Devon, due to its height the weather can be at times very grim. Dartmoor itself covers 368 sq miles, it is 22 miles long from East to West, and 24 miles North to South. The highest "Tor"is High Willhays and is 620 metres tall. "Tors" are probably most easily explained as huge "hills" with large granite stones sticking up from and around them. These hills are surrounded by fairly barren moorland a lot of which is so remote its rarely farmed other that for Sheep, Cattle and of course to graze the famous ponies. The remotness is part of its beauty, mind if you were a prisoner in the famous old dartmoor prison at "Princetown" in might not be so beautifull due to its bleak remoteness. The original prison was built in around 1809-10 and housed lots of war prisoners mostly American and French. In 1850 ish it was turned into a criminal prison. During most of that century it was one of the most feared prisons in the country mainly because to try to escape was suicidal especially in the cold winters, today the average nightime temperature here is under 6c for 8 months of the year, the prison is still in use today.
To start we headed up through Ashburton on to the moor stopping off at "Buckland in the Moor", this is a real picture postcard village and an extremely expensive place to buy property (what little there is), we stopped to take a few photo's. After this we carried on up just meandering around taking more photo's.
Above, We stopped on the way home at a convenient little mobile Tea/coffee/ice cream van and had a cuppa. Sue just crossing the road after photographing Dartmoor Ponies.
Above, The frost was only just going off this sheltered bank at 3.00 pm, this shows a typical moor stream.
Above, A remote farm midway between "Widdecombe" and "Buckland", note the pony taking an interest in us.
Above, this beautifull little thatched roadside cottage just begged to be photographed, probably for the millionth time. It is one of three I took in "Buckland" itself, I liked all three so much I cant decide which to use on my desktop?.
Above, how lovely, quiet, quaint, can this Hamlet be, shame about the car though.(one more of the three, the best one I'm Saving for another blog) this is again in Buckland.

Joke of the Day.

BBQ rules

After months of cold and rainy weather, we are finally coming up to summer
and BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the
etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity, as it's the only type of
cooking a 'real' man will do, probably because there is an element of danger
involved.

When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put
into motion:

Routine...
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat f or cooking, places it on a tray along with
the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is
lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.

Here comes the important part:

(4) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.

More routine....
(5) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks
her and asks if she will bring another beer while he deals with the
situation.

Important again:

(7) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

More routine....
(8) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces,
and brings them to the table.
(9) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

And most important of all:
10) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed "her night off." And, upon
seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some
women.