Clapper Bridges and Stepping Stones

[boblong]

Did a great 10-miler on Dartmoor today . The weather was sunny periods, with occasional rain and hail showers - I can smell spring! I love clapper bridges ans stepping stones, and Dartmoor has its good share of them, so have attached some I walked across today. The last pic is where I had lunch - life doesn't get much better.

Bob.

[Catherine]

Well done with the walk, Bob!

Had you tried it here, you'd have been pelted with hailstones periodically!

I love the Clapper Bridges. What's their history? Do any go back to prehistoric times?

I remember the 'Tors' on Dartmoor, and also those amazing bridges, but I hadn't realised what they were called. How did they get that name?

Most of our Dartmoor experience was in Devon, and I remember vividly both the beautiful Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Buckland-in-the-Moor (with Drake's Drum - no, not the pub, but the one in the abbey!)

[rolf]

Looks like another excellent day out Bob, Dartmoor is one of my favourite places, hope to be down there in a couple of weeks.

[boblong]

It sure is a wonderful area.....just getting to know it of course, only having moved down last summer. Apparently, "clapper" is of Gaulish origin, meaning pile of stones. I think they're more medieval, though of course signs of prehistoric (Bronze age) times are strewn across the Moor (standing stones, hut circles, stone rows, etc.). The best example of a clapper bridge (in my opinion) is in Postbridge - and coincidentally is the first of my pics above! Hiking is my other passion, to add to birding. Unfortunately, hiking for 10 miles across that sort of terrain means I never take my normal camera (with 500mm lens) or binoculars - great shame sometimes, like today (!!), when I passed a couple who had just been watching crossbills munching on a couple of fircones. Would have loved to snap a crossbill.

Bob.

[ladylouise62]

They are lovely. I've not been to the area, but would certainly love to see something like them.

[Catherine]

Found these amongst old 40+-year-old slides I was converting to jpegs the other day.

They're pretty poor as they must have been taken in low light with a very simple camera. Also the slides have been damaged by moisture.

However, you can still see one of the Clapper bridges in one, and Drake's Drum (in Buckland Abbey) in the other. How young Glen looks there - just a baby!

Forgot to give this link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake's_Drum

Wonder if it will beat if we Alec gets his wish and Scotland votes for Independence? Maybe I'll need to get a passport if that happens too!

[rolf]

Lovely old photos Catherine, Glen certainly does look young.

You won't need a passport to get to Scotland, but a visa to get back England.

[Catherine]

Hrrrumph!

So it's only Louise coming here for something to eat when you're down this way?