Saturday 28 December 2013

A magical mystery dip

I was on a mission to find a secret pool in the middle of Dartmoor that I'd read about.  I set off, OS map in hand, and headed out in what I thought was the right direction.   However the path soon petered out and I started to feel rather lonely, without a human soul for miles and only sheep for company.  I kept looking at the map and just couldn't work out where the track was that I was supposed to be following. (Later I learnt that I'd  made a fatal error right at the start).
  I could see Bala, Red and Middle Brooks in the distance and so decided to go and explore them instead.  After only a minor mishap when I got stuck in a quagmire - quite alarming when you're on your own actually -  I found an enchanting pool at Red Brook with crystal clear water and waterfalls; a kind of bower with moss and ferns where piskies might live.  I was rather hot by this stage, having clambered over tussocks, sunk into muddy patches and forged various streams, and so stripped off and plunged in, no doubt terrifying any piskies who happened to be around.   Afterwards I feasted on mince pies as the stream chattered away.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

V impressed that you managed to take a picture! Do you have a waterproof camera and if so what make its it/do you recommend it?

Sophie said...

That pic was taken with an ordinary Fujifilm compact on self timer, balanced somewhat precariously on a rock! I have had a whole succession of waterproof cameras; they have all let in water in the end. I think the best was the Pentax WG - and I would recommend you buy it from PC World and spend £35 on their 'no quibbles' warranty - that way when the camera fails - which it will eventually - they just give you a new one, no questions asked! A friend has done this and has had her camera replaced about 3 times in one year.

Sue King said...

Sophie, you are soooo intrepid - a compass might have helped, next time I see you I will bring you a Silva compass to help with bee lines

xxx Sue K

Sophie said...

Thank you Sue, so lovely to hear from you, hope to see you very soon.
I agree, lack of compass was a schoolgirl error!