Kestor, Dartmoor National Park
Blue sky! A rare enough sight in recent days.
Even better that it should coincide with a much anticipated day out to meet Em from
I have been following Em’s blog for over a year now, enjoying her fabulous photographs from the moorland close to her home.
It feels quite strange seeing in real time sights that have become so familiar on the computer screen.
Snippet and Jack
It was hard to catch them sitting still, even for a second..
But lovely to see them racing around, with boundless energy and seemingly limitless space to run around in.
Em was careful to call them back when we wandered close to any sheep.
Dartmoor ponies
Long views out across the moor.
I took Mike’s small camera and struggled with it a bit. I should have taken the DSLR.
But would he ever have forgiven me…
..had I dropped it in here?
You can see how fierce the wind was, from the angle of the grass.
Windblown Snippet
Em and the dogs, getting closer to Kestor
She is a talented artist, you can see some of her work on her blog.
Who would fail to be inspired in these beautiful surroundings.
Fernworthy reservoir.
And then back to the house for a warming cup of tea.
Thank you so much Em, for your hospitality, I had such a great day.
Seems like you had a lovely time with Em on Dartmoor. Love the photo of Snippet and Jack in the brown grass, I’m beginning to think it was a very clever idea of Ems to get black dogs as they stand out against most backgrounds!
We had a super day! The dogs have a great time racing about on the moor. They are very lucky.
I follow Em’s blog too and really enjoy the contrasting countryside compared to the moors here. Fantastic.
The scenery is just stunning up there, and it feels like being on top of the world. We were looking across at a helicopter at eye level!
Looks a fantastic walk, lucky Em and dogs to have that on their doorstep. Your last photo is just gorgeous. x
It certainly gave me my exercise for the day, need to get fitter!
What a lovely day out! And what luck with the weather.
Totally jammy with the weather. The days before and after it was hurling it down.
I think we should start an annual ‘blogger’s day out,’ taking it in turns to host it at our houses. What could possibly go wrong?? 🙂
Excellent idea!
Dear Jessica – that looks like my kind of day – how lovely to be out on Dartmoor with a fellow blogger and the dogs. Lovely photos – I am sure that the outing in such beautiful surroundings set you up for the rest of the week.
I will now pop over and visit Em.
It’s a very wild and unspoilt place and we had it pretty much to ourselves. Great for blowing the cobwebs away.
What a lovely day out. As you know, I am a great believer in the therapeutic powers of a good walk!
Very invigorating! Your rambles around the Lakes must keep you very fit Jayne.
You’d think so but in truth there are times when I gasp and wheeze up those slopes like a 40-a-day habit.
As it is a quarter of a century since I had the sense to give up smoking I guess I have to blame the cakes and biscuits instead :}
That is reassuring to hear, for me anyway. I was well puffed out and decided I must be grossly unfit, even with the 84 steps up the hill, gardening on steep slopes etc etc.
You were lucky with the weather. It seems strange seeing Jack and Snippet over on your blog! Your images are lovely and so sharp with Mike’s camera. It must have been lovely to walk with Em on the moor.
Sarah x
Em is a lovely person to meet and we didn’t stop chatting all day. It was nice to find we had so much in common, from my perspective at least.
Lovely to see Em and the dogs and those stunning views again. It is such a fabulous place with all that wild countryside. I’m glad you had blue skies and a wonderful day!
We were really lucky with the weather, it just started drizzling as I left!
Such a glorious place for walking. Wonderful for you to meet up with a blogging friend. I’m sure you all had a fantastic day.
It is indeed a glorious place, and nice to accompany someone who knows the best places to go. And the very best place to stand to get a good picture!
Now that looks a glorious spot to be out and about Jessica and in my experience meeting fellow bloggers is always enjoyable 🙂
Em has such a lovely natural and chatty style on her blog I felt I already knew her, even before we met. It’s like meeting a friend you haven’t seen for a while, certainly not a stranger.
Whatever the camera you use your photos seem to be crystal clear. It’s always good to get out and about on a clear day to blow the cobwebs away isn’t it 🙂
It is that Sue, and there was plenty of breeze to blow them away. I slept very well that night.
Glad it stayed dry for you!
Just! Always a risk down here, but then we are used to it. Thanks Sue.
Looks like you had a super day out and were also lucky with the weather. The dogs look as if they were having fun too. Lovely landscape and great ponies:)
The dogs have a fantastic time, running free out on the moor. The weather can turn very quickly though, I’m glad that it was relatively mild that day. Em was much better prepared for the elements than me.
What a beautiful place to walk, I’d be in heaven there, wind or no wind. The views are to die for. How lovely that you got to meet a fellow blogger and her adorable dogs. A lovely post.xxx
Thanks snowbird. The views are incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk. We were so lucky to get such a clear day.
thanks for taking me with you….and introducing me to em!
You’re welcome Steph! Next time I go I may ask you to knit me a hat…
I had such a great day too and I think you did fantastically well with the camera. It was so nice to meet someone so like minded and next time I’ll try and be more organised with cake rather than boring old soup! Lovely to see my landscape from someone else’s perspective too. Can’t wait to see you next time. x
The soup was delicious, honest! And just the thing for a bracing walk. I should have brought the ‘big’ camera, but I was worried about rain. Mike fishes a freezer bag out of his pocket in such instances, I’d have been too embarrassed!
It looks like such a lovely place, very windswept, but I like that about being on any of the moors, you feel as though all the dust and cobwebs are blown away (just realised that makes me sound like Miss Havisham, but I’m not!), you really do feel so invigorated don’t you! Glad that Mike’s camera didn’t come to any trouble, I like your blog too much for the pictures to stop! xx
It really does blow the cobwebs away and has made me even more determined to do more walking this year. Thanks Amy.
What a beautiful place to go for a walk, lucky you. Glad you had such a good time. I always find walking in the countryside is such a good tonic.
I do too. It is a matter of deep regret that we live so close to the Devon coast path and rarely find the time to make the most of it. I feel a belated resolution coming on..
Meeting blogging friends is such a pleasure! I would love to meet Em too, and you! She lives not far from my sister. Perhaps I should plot….
Plot away Elizabeth, and let us know when you are coming!
Wow, thanks for taking me along with you to the moors. I thought your photos were great and I loved the info about the place and your friend. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
Thanks Natalie. Our National Parks are not as big as those in the US, but it still felt very wild and remote up there.
It was wild and remote as I expected it to be. The moors have been mentioned in so many pieces of literature I’ve read and loved so it was especially nice to have an image I could remember. Hugs, Natalie 🙂
I am strangely drawn to wild and remote places. Had we not moved to Devon it was going to be Scotland. For much the same reason. I thought the weather would be better in Devon though. Ha Ha!
How fabulous to actually meet a fellow blogger♥️
Once again, the landscape blows me away…the windswept grasses…..the ponies….delightful!
Hope to keep in touch with Em….she seems such a nice person….
Enjoy the rest of your weekend…
Cheers!
Linda :o)
I know, like me, you love grasses. So much movement!
what fabulous photos…… feel like I’ve been on a walk myself!!
We were lucky we had such a clear day. It is raining yet again today, even though there is supposedly a less than 5% chance..
It is indeed lovely to meet other bloggers, Jessica, and quite surreal too – what a lovely day for you both!
Totally surreal! And yes, a very lovely day too.
It must have been a really nice day to meet a fellow blogger in the surroundings she often blogs about. I wish I lived closer as I would definitely come to see your cottage in the woods – I really need help with planting advise for our steep banking and you probably are the best person I know to ask!
The steep banking is indeed a challenge, and very trial and error. Now that I’ve cleared it I’ll be doing more planting this year, and no doubt not all of it will work. But if you are ever down this way you would be very welcome.
Hi Jessica, thank you for putting together such a lovely blog – I feel like we are facing similar challenges in rural North Wales! It is lovely to see the little things celebrated as well as the ongoing challenge of taking on a project! With reference to your recent comments on Welsh Hills Again blog re acquiring ex- battery hens, yes, absolutely if you can offer them a loving home, please do so … it’s so rewarding for them obviously, but they give an awful lot back too … we got our first 6 in 2011 and a further 6 in 2012. They are such characters, the eggs are amazing, but the true reward is seeing these girls who have never seen the outdoors, basking in the sunshine, scratching & dust bathing – the most natural thing in the world for them. They are intelligent and naturally inquisitive ( know when to jump on to our windowsills to peck on the window if we are a bit late with treat time!) I am new to this but if I get your email address will happily send you before & after pics of our girls – unrecognisable!)
Hello Sophisticat and welcome to rusty duck.
I’d love to have chickens. We need to find a space for them and get a hen house etc, but I enjoy seeing the wild pheasants in the garden, so it would be a natural extension of that.. plus eggs! I can imagine how rewarding it must be too, your hens must love you to bits for rescuing them and giving them such a good life!
Wonderful Blog date. I’ve loved meeting other Bloggers too !
It’s fun isn’t it? A real bonus that I never thought would come from blogging.
So so beautiful! I love the openness of it all. I am surrounded by houses, people, and cars. A walk in the country would be such a pleasure. 🙂
Thanks Tammy. It is truly beautiful on Dartmoor, Em is very lucky to live so close. It’s a bit more of a drive for me but so worth it!
This is my first visit to your delightful blog, which I have book-marked and shall return again.
Thank you Mel, and welcome!
What a glorious day out. Bucketfuls of fresh air, good company and the joy of meeting a friend and sharing a walk with dogs.
Absolutely Janice!
When did you find a day when you could walk on Dartmoor, I must have missed that one! Stunning scenery to enjoy all around you, it must have been wonderfully invigorating!
I know, the weather has been awful lately. It was a lucky break, and definitely invigorating.
Wonderful photos especially of Snippet and Jack! x
Thanks Simone. They are fun dogs, brimming over with energy!
What a fabulous place to visit. Those doggies are so lucky having such beautiful surroundings as their playground, I bet they’re very well excercised.
They are extremely lucky and much loved, and yes, very well exercised!
Stunning photos – reminding me I haven’t been on Dartmoor for years and want to walk there very soon!
It’s beautiful, you must go! I love it in the Spring, with all the lambs and foals.
Gorgeous!! I really want to get back to Dartmoor. It’s been a very long time (25 years!) I loved it. Love your photos.
It probably hasn’t changed that much either, as a National Park it is protected.