[fusion_builder_container admin_label="" hundred_percent="yes" hundred_percent_height="no" hundred_percent_height_scroll="no" hundred_percent_height_center_content="yes" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="https://www.rustyduck.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Castle-Drogo-011-Cw.jpeg" background_position="left center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="fixed" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="100px" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" undefined="" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="600px" padding_right="0px" padding_bottom="0px" padding_left="0px" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_separator style_type="none" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" sep_color="" top_margin="" bottom_margin="0px" border_size="" icon="" icon_circle="" icon_circle_color="" width="" alignment="center" /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container admin_label="" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="50px" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" undefined="" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_title hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" content_align="center" size="2" font_size="" line_height="" letter_spacing="" margin_top="100px" margin_bottom="0px" margin_top_mobile="40px" margin_bottom_mobile="" text_color="" style_type="none" sep_color=""] Castle Drogo, Devon [/fusion_title][fusion_separator style_type="single solid" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" sep_color="#8bc34a" top_margin="0px" bottom_margin="20px" border_size="2" icon="" icon_circle="" icon_circle_color="" width="30px" alignment="center" /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] Castle Drogo, Dartmoor, Devon It has taken us a while to get around to visiting this place even though it's one of the most local of the National Trust properties. Perhaps part of the reason is that it's currently undergoing extensive restoration so there's not much to see from the outside. Unless you are heavily into scaffolding and tarpaulins that is. Above, the only part of the structure that is visible today. In spite of appearances, Castle Drogo ( here ) is relatively recent. Designed by the renowned architect of the time, Edwin Lutyens, it was finished in 1930, built in the medieval style as an ancestral family home for Julius Drewe, the founder of ‘The Home and Colonial Stores’ who retired a millionaire, aged just 33. As you do. Sadly for Lutyens and Drewe the construction did not go quite according to plan. Lutyens used asphalt on the flat roof, a new and relatively untested building material at the time, which failed before the Castle was even completed. It has leaked ever since and by 2012 the steel infrastructure was under severe threat. The National Trust embarked on a six year, multi million pound project to make the building watertight which is due to conclude in October this year. Perhaps things will improve when the furniture is returned, but for me the interior of Castle Drogo wasn't especially inspiring either. Mike suggested that it had no soul, a comment I found later had also been made on Trip Advisor, where it receives mixed reviews. To me it just seemed cold and bleak. Far more interesting was the opportunity, now standard practice at National Trust renovations it seems, to go up on the roof. There are restrictions. One has to don a luminous hard hat and hi-vis waistcost. My hat was too big and like being at Royal Ascot on a windy day I found it necessary to hold it in place which perhaps rather defeats the object. Prospective climbers of the scaffolding tower also need to be a minimum of 1.5m in height which could have been more of a problem, given that is pretty much where I am. Fortunately I was not submitted to the indignity of being measured. Nor was there need to declare recent consumption of a large glass of Pinot. Which is also just as well. One of our favourite hostelries is conveniently located en route and it was close to lunchtime. And almost the weekend (this rationalisation thing is really useful isn't it?). We ate at a table once host to David Bowie. I had the lamb curry. I don't know what he had. The view across Dartmoor from the top of the scaffolding. Along with the next shower of rain.. By the time we'd descended we were getting wet. But really, it is the gardens which make this place. Apparently there was a fight between Lutyens and Drewe as to the location of the formal gardens. The architect suggested they be placed on the eastern elevation overlooking the gorge of the River Teign which flows beneath the castle. Drewe's preference was for a place slightly removed from the castle where the family could relax away from the view of the servants. Well, of course. In the end both won. The gardens rest in Drewe's nominated position, which necessitated more digging out of rock and the construction of terraces, but to Lutyens contemporary design. Imagine what it will be like in a month or two when the rose beds, the perennials on the middle terrace and the wisteria, clipped low on the top of the far wall, are all in bloom. The long vista through the garden culminates in a tantalising glimpse of the moorland hills beyond. For the moment it is all about tulips, which provide splashes of colour against the hard granite landscaping. A vibrant combination of purple, orange and red. The castle walls and crenelations are mirrored in the structures within the garden. Erythronium But for me maybe, the most enjoyable part of all was a quiet wander through the woodland, or rhododendron garden, now almost at its peak. Sheltered from the wind and with new pools of colour around each and every corner it was a lovely place to finish up the day. Would we go back? Yes, probably. There are longer walks on the estate for better weather days, down into the River Teign gorge. And it would be very interesting to see what the castle looks like when the scaffolding is removed in October and the interior has perhaps had returned to it a little more of that essential soul. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

[fusion_builder_container admin_label="" hundred_percent="yes" hundred_percent_height="no" hundred_percent_height_scroll="no" hundred_percent_height_center_content="yes" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="https://www.rustyduck.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dartmoor-048-Cw.jpeg" background_position="right center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="fixed" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="100px" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" undefined="" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="600px" padding_right="0px" padding_bottom="0px" padding_left="0px" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_separator style_type="none" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" sep_color="" top_margin="" bottom_margin="0px" border_size="" icon="" icon_circle="" icon_circle_color="" width="" alignment="center" /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container admin_label="" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="50px" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" undefined="" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_title hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" content_align="center" size="2" font_size="" line_height="" letter_spacing="" margin_top="100px" margin_bottom="0px" margin_top_mobile="40px" margin_bottom_mobile="" text_color="" style_type="none" sep_color=""] Ancient Dartmoor [/fusion_title][fusion_separator style_type="single solid" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" sep_color="#8bc34a" top_margin="0px" bottom_margin="20px" border_size="2" icon="" icon_circle="" icon_circle_color="" width="30px" alignment="center" /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] Ahh, there's nothing like a bit of fresh air. And boy, was this fresh. Don't be deceived by the deep blue sky and abundant light, glorious though it all was. Up here among the tors the wind was ferocious. But then isn't Dartmoor one of Devon's last truly wild places? It's what I love about it. Pockets of snow lingered in those spots where the sun doesn't quite reach. To the right of the patch of snow, Snippet, the very lucky dog of my good friend Em. We became friends through blogging and Em still posts her stunning photographs from daily ramblings on the moor through her Instagram account: @wiggy55 ( here ). Last week I got to join her for a day. Weather worn granite The road to get here is a challenge, at least it is for the typical woman driver who is hopeless in reverse. Mentioning no names. There is barely room for one car let alone two and precious few passing places. Those that exist couldn't exactly be described as generous. I pulled into one such place in the face of an oncoming van. The driver stopped and gesticulated impatiently toward the sky. I shuffled forward and back in an attempt to gain another inch until the sickening crunch as wing mirror and granite met. In these parts high banks which may appear soft and yielding quite often aren't. Leaving Yours Truly in the doghouse. Again. And I thought chez rusty duck held the National Collection of mosses. Hut Circle, or round house, in Dartmoor National Park They are all that's left of the dwellings of the people who lived here in the Middle Bronze Age, between 1400 and 1000BC. Given the climate on the moor, and the rough terrain, agriculture has never been carried out as intensively as in other parts of the country and thus many of these prehistoric remains survive, largely unchanged, to this day. Some of the huts, like this one, had a sunken floor with a step down and were partially built into the hillside. Large rocks were placed vertically to line the inside edge. It's a very odd feeling standing within a structure that was someone's home over 3000 years ago. The roof, resting on the low stone walls, would most likely have been made of a thatch consisting of turves, heather, rushes or bracken, supported by wooden posts, tent like, in the centre. The ultimate 'des res' came equipped with a porch and possibly even a stone deck, for sitting outside in the sun. Or maybe a barbie with the neighbours. With an estimated 5000 hut circles found across Dartmoor it was clearly a well populated place. There were possibly even more, given that over the intervening years stone could have been robbed to build walls, roads and other buildings or structures. There is more information on the construction of these houses on the Legendary Dartmoor website ( here ). It's really quite fascinating. Looming over the cluster of hut circles is Kestor, or Kes Tor This is an area rich in ancient monuments. Shovel Down double stone row Looking up the row from the other direction we get a hint as to how extensive the system is. It follows a sort of skewed letter 'Y' with the photographer stood in the puddle at the bottom end. In new wellies I'm relieved to say, no longer the leaky ones. One arm of the Y extends off towards the horizon to the upper right and the other, more difficult to spot, up the hill to the centre left. At the junction of the arms of the 'Y' there is a series of rocks forming a circle and the remains of a cairn, or cist (burial chamber). The Long Stone, with Kestor in the background. At 3.1m it is the fourth tallest remaining menhir (or standing stone) on Dartmoor. In later years the stone became a boundary marker. We can easily make out the letters etched into one side - GP or Gidleigh Parish. On the face to the right of it, slightly lower - DC, Duchy of Cornwall. Out of view on the rear face is C, Chagford Parish. (ref. Legendary Dartmoor, here ) I've scoured google in an attempt to find an interpretation for the arrangement of these stones but come up with a blank so far, other than a general nod to them having an important ceremonial purpose. Most likely no-one knows for sure. A secret lost forever to the moorland mists of time. Not only the humans bracing themselves against the wind.. Iconic Dartmoor It can't always be the easiest of places to live in.. but my goodness it must be worth it. Thank you Em, once again, for your hospitality and a properly invigorating walk! [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]