My my Alan ,you're really digging back to my youth .We well my group "The 19th Plymouth Senior Scout Troop" back in those days the 1950's .we hiked all over Dartmoor and that included the only two boxes at that time Cranmere Pool and Ducks Pool .I've visited both those sites several times. We also hiked and overnight camped at places of interest., Various Tors ,prehistoric stone rows ,hut circles Kist vanes etc..which we would sketch in pencil. Most memorable was a winter visit to Cranmere Pool .We ran into a bunch of Royal Marine commandos who were on an exercise several miles south of Cranmere inear a small wood .first they showed us a shooting range where figures of soldiers would pop out of bushes and you had to fire at them ,we didn't shoot just called out Bang however they did take us onto the Rifle range and we each had a chance to to fire a Sten gun .They then equipped us with skis and towed us behind a Bren gun carrier towards Cranmere pool. where they dropped us off and took back the skis we plodded on in the snow and with some difficulty in the snow found our destination even though it was buried in snow .We camped in pup tents and didn't even open up the metal box ,galvanised I think till next morning after beans sausages and tea thawed us out .Next day we hiked down through the Merrivale quarries and walked into Prince Town on the road to catch the bus back to Plymouth. We didnt have a fancy stamp just a drawing which was of a single footprint outline with water dripping off it .It was known as "The Bog foot and your name printed underneath.It was earned by submitting a report on two Dartmoor hikes ,if you passed you were given the right to call yourself a "Bog Foot".We also collected various bits of Millitary deitrus like cartridge cases of numerous calibers ,expired smoke bombs and mortar shells which decorated our moorland Campsite hut at Cadove bridge. Fond memories for sure with just a compass and an OS map. Great vlog Alan absolutely loved it. Cheers from a glorious sunny Canada and me
Hi Ralph, I hope you've seen my comment on Chef Jasmine and the reason why I haven't responded previously to this comment. Sounds like you went on some real adventures as a Senior Scout. I recall seeing some of the old army firing ranges but don't recall whether they were still in use, I think I thought not. I'm glad this vlog rekindled lovely memories for you. All the best, take care and enjoy the sunshine.
Hi Alan. We have lived in devon over thirty years and we too discovered letterboxing. Great hobby. Like you we did it with maps, bought the Letterbox book, had a stamp and notebook and had many happy hours roaming the moor. We did reach 100 but never joined the one hundred club. The children thoroughly enjoyed it too plus any visitors that we had always wanted to go letterboxing. We also progressed to geocaching but now age has caught up with us so we can only do easy ones. Thanks for the memory and we too still look for “a lone Rowan tree”
My son is into Geocaching and he found a number along the Leicester Summit. He’s not had much success with Letterboxing in recent years. We spent a lot of time on Dartmoor, I even went by myself on occasion. What fun we’ve both had over the years. It’s funny how the lone Rowan tree sticks in the memory.
Thank you for sharing your family outing on Dartmoor. It truly saddens me to say my parents would have made fun of activities like letterboxing or even just walking over Dartmoor. But the moment I reached my teens and earned my own money I headed off to Devon and Cornwall I just loved my holidays there. Thanks once again for reminding me just how beautiful Dartmoor is. All the best. Stephen.
Hi Stephen, I hope you're keeping well and the 'wheels' are turning without any issues now. I love Cornwall and Wales, particularly Snowdonia. I'm glad you enjoyed watching, all the best, keep safe and no speeding! Cheers
A beautifully explained video Alan. Seeing some of those stamps you and your family collected over time reminded me of the times I spent with my family doing the same. I even recognise one of the stamps the Diptford Letterbox Hound! It goes without saying, I'd rather see a map, a book and a compass in the hand than a smart phone of which many are already reliant on. A bittersweet ending to a highly enjoyable activity. Best wishes.
Hi Chris. I have had a few comments from viewers who have also experienced letterboxing and many of course who have never heard of it. Someone has now taken over the Letterbox Club, so it will continue but I can't imagine it will ever be like it was years ago. All the best, take care.
As an American I never knew about Letterboxing until now. It seems like it was a wonderful thing to do, especially with your children. Its sad to see it is no longer something people do. Thank you Allan for sharing this lovely bit of history with us
Hi Karen. It still happens but as far as I can tell not in the same way when I was active 30 years ago. The good news is that the Letterbox Club is under new management, which will keep it alive. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thanks Alan I used to enjoy letterboxing when we were holidaying there, we stayed at widecome in the Moore in tor cottage and spent many hours on the Moore
Thanks Richard, someone has actually taken it on, I have made a note to that effect on the You Tube description. My original research showed otherwise.
Fantastic location! Great fun to be had by all! Nice to see your grandson is learning a great deal from you including how to be honest and have integrity ! Go Ollie
An interesting, informative and, as usual, very well presented, vlog Alan. Thank you. It's bittersweet isn't it to realise something as well rounded, fun and educational as letterboxing is now replaced by a not so skilful '2D' version. All best Di and Mike PS we've found quite a few geocaches and it has it's moments, but it ain't the same!
Hi Di and Mike. Thanks for your great comment, it is a great shame but someone has now taken over the Letterbox Club, so hopefully it will keep going albeit on a reduced scale. Best wishes Alan.
What a wonderful way to explore an area and great fun with little people 😉 Next time we visit Exmoor I will keep my eyes peeled. Thank you Alan and Olly
My family used to have great fun Letterboxing. If you're going to mooch around, you need to be on Dartmoor, I'm not aware of letterboxing on Exmoor but you never know. Cheers
Great Vlog Alan, very interesting to learn of Letterboxing which I had never known of before now. Back in my youth & beyond to my time in the Armed forces. I became involved with this kind of adventure but then it were called Orienteering. Same principle but to navigate between control points marked on an orienteering map. using a compass to find punches that one would use to punch a card given to anyone that participated in the task to find location markers to navigate between control points marked on said orienteering map for confirmation that it had been found. Thanks for the memories. 👍
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture Thank you Alan. Yes a very competitive sport where time is against you. Getting back to base camp first is the game. With a full card of punches. The punches would have an assortment of shapes only known to the game officials to which shape belongs to which point, so as to eliminate any cheating. 👍
Hi Martin, I've made a note on the You Tube description, that it is now under new 'management' for want of a better word, so it will continue but I can't imagine it ever being like it was in the 80s and 90s.
I really really enjoyed this one Alan. I remember you showed us your book and stamp. Lovely to see your family photos from the past, and young Ollie enjoying himself finding some boxes. That photo of the letterbox at the beginning, it said copyright Paul Penna. My cousin Carey is a Penna, I am related to them. xx
What a fun and informative vlog and so exciting that Ollie found a letterbox while wandering about. Such a lovely area to be out in nature and enjoying the fresh air and peaceful environment. Very enjoyable! Looking forward to the next vlog. Stay safe out there
Wow Alan that is a fascinating activity especially for children, i've never heard of it before so thank you for explaining it so well. It was great that Olly actually found some i bet he was super excited. A really enjoyable vlog thank you. Janice.
Hi Janice, it’s not well known, I think it grew by word of mouth in the old days. A friend introduced me to it. But it was always great fun. Oli goes with his Dad but they find so few.
Beautiful Alan. Very exciting stuff it would be…i will put it on my list of must sees. The most blessed of all calls is to be a good father….well done!
Thanks for your comment Greg, is the Queen's Jubilee being celebrated in Australia, I'm never quite sure how the population relate to the Queen these days, seem to be mixed views. All the best.
Fascinating video about Letterboxing. I hope someone continues this tradition. Must be interesting looking at some of those dates going back to 1990s. By the way I had my first ever cheese topped roll today, delicious.
Thanks Matt, great news about the cheese topped roll. Fortunately, someone has now taken over the Letterboxing Club, so it will continue but I don't believe it will ever be like it was when my family used to go 30 years ago.
Hi Alan After our chat the other day over a coffee and cake at the marina re this subject. And you advised me to wait and see the video I can say it was well worth the wait to see it. Very interesting and enjoyable. And as always very well presented. I personally think the old ways of doing things are always better. Thank you Gail
That’s very kind of you to say Gail, it’s not something that’s well known unlike Geocaching, which is a world wide pastime. Map and compass is definitely better. Thanks for commenting.
Alan strange thing i lived in Kingsteignton then Ashburton in 1966 until 1972 lorry driver for W L Vallance at Heathfield, nearly next door to you. Then i came to USA now i follow you on utube small world. Wish you all the best on your travels P.S. take care of your self and your special lady Jasmin. Ed 40 s of Vegas
Greetings Ed, thanks for your comment, I have a number of ex-pats around the world that watch but you were probably the closest to where I used to live in Torbay but that was in the 1980s onwards. Jasmine and I look after each other, she's a great gal. All the best, take care.
That is really interesting Alan. Thank you. I’m sure you and Ollie had a wonderful time out on the moor. A great way to spend a day with the grandchildren 😊
Thank you so much Edward, I'm glad you enjoyed watching. It's great to hear that Letterboxing is still going on, I filmed my narrative on Dartmoor, a long while before I published the video, and I became aware the Club was under new management, so put a note in the Description. I now live in the Midlands, so not so easy to pop along. My son and grandson are still local and have tried Letterboxing in recent years but find so few now, compared to the 1990s.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture you're right, it has certainly slowed down since it's 'golden age', and it's often the same core group of boxers that stamp in the books, but for now things are still ticking along well and there remains a strong and friendly community.
How interesting Alan, thankyou for sharing. I've not heard of letter boxing before, sounds like fun especially enjoying playing detective to find the books. Shame it's been replaced. ❤
Thanks Alan that was very interesting, I suppose that tech' is getting in the way of kids learning some skills such as map reading. Take care and all the best. Stevie
Enjoyed this activity, with our children and some fiends, something like 40 years ago, and used to attend the annual meet in the Prison Officers Club, could buy the clue book there, about 40 years ago. Some of the boxes even contained instructions for finding other boxes, and it even was a bit educational beyond map and compass work. Sometimes there was a historical note in a box explaining why the box had been given the name it had, I remember a box named after a quarry man who had worked in the quarry where the box was placed. Some people carried Travellers, , same idea but a box of their own, and that was quite good it got people asking if you had a traveller, so it got people talking. Somewhere in our house, there is a rucksack with a badge on it saying 100, from the organisers of the annual meet who did check our book before awarding the badge.Sorry if it has gone, but I suppose no surprise.
Hi Ian, great memories to have and cherish. I really enjoyed my time with family on Dartmoor. I'd forgotten about travelling boxes, it's something I sort of remember. I think we might have asked a few people now and again but never found one, so stopped asking. Someone new has taken over the Letterbox Club, so hopefully it will continue but I still feel Geocaching has taken over to a large degree. All the best.
I used to Letterbox in the 80s as a teenager. great excuse to get out on the moor. Started again when in the 2000s with my kids. But, like you say, more often than not, the boxes aren't there anymore. Such a shame as the kids lost interest once we started to blank on finds.
That's great news. It'd be a shame if it died out. Not done any geocaching, using tech to drop you right on the device spoils half the fun for me, but if it gets people out enjoying the moor then it's got to be a good thing.
Great Vlog as always Alan and Ollie ! Maybe Geo-Cacheing, was started by someone, who had been Letterboxing on Dartmoor, who knows ? But in this world, Dartmoor is a small place, although, ..... I started "Hashing" while working in Iraq in 1982, but it wasn't until 1985, when I was working in Malaysia in 1995, that I found out it's origins ! Started by 2 guys (Hors Thompson and Guy Gispere.), as a precursor run before their Evening meal in 1938, it's now a Worlwide phenomenon, (over 100, 000 members in '98) I went to it's 60th Anniversary in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, where over 5,000 runners turned out for a weekend's set of runs. So maybe Letterboxing set off bells in someone's head, and a sport was formed ! I hope so ! Keep tracking, ..... Take care, ..... Stay safe, ..... Stu xx
I've never heard of hashing but the definition I've found says originated in Kuala Lumpur "to get drunk and run". Or should it be the other way round. There's no doubt geo-caching is very similar to Letterboxing but with less skill and generally, I believe just initials and date are entered on the record sheet. No interesting rubber stamps to collect! Cheers, all the best.
Thanks Alan, when I was running scouts I'd setup orienteering courses to teach navigation. We had some large multi day hikes where I hid boxes that was a similar thing to your letter boxing but just for scouts. When geocaching first came to OZ I found it a good way to learn how to use a gps " mobile phones didn't do SMS net along internet but though it's still a way to get out it's not half the fun or skill of old school nav adventure. Alas we live in softer times but it's good to see Olly is having a go🏴☠️
The good thing with letterboxing is you go at your own pace, whatever that might be, orienteering is speed related. Compass and map beats geocaching to my mind. I do have a large map collection, mainly 1940s 1" to the mile Ordnance Survey maps but I have some 100 year old maps as well. Oli enjoys going to Dartmoor with his Dad. Cheers, all the best.
Really enjoyed that information Alan, and seeing the Tor. I’ve climbed Bellever Tor and High Tor in 2007. Were you at one of them. Dartmoor is so pretty in a desolate way. Walked over the ancient clapper bridge at postbridge as well. I see we have geo caching in west Aust. When I was on a bus trip to Esperance we were at this bay and a lady found a small rock with a msg on it. Something told me she should put it back but not sure what she did. It was found amongst the tree roots that had shown themselves due to erosion. ❤️🙋♀️
Hi Katelyn. The filming was done at Haytor Rocks on the quarry side. I've been to most of the Tors on Dartmoor including the ones you mention and the Postbridge clapper bridge. Geocaching is worldwide, so gives enjoyment to many people. I still prefer walking with a map and compass, Letterboxing is definitely more interesting. It sounds as though the lady may have found a geocache! All the best, take care x
@@MyNarrowboatVenture I don’t think we have letterboxing here, when I Google it only talks about letterboxes to do with the post office and street delivery. ❤️
Interesting Alan. I have long heard of letterboxing but having only been to Dartmoor a couple times, not really something for me. (Though have not heard of it on North Yorks Moors.) I have geocached in the past and is much more available in most places in the world.
Hi Philip, my research showed the North York Moors but I don't think it could have been anything like on the Dartmoor scale! Geocaching is worldwide and is great fun, it gets people out and about, which has to be good.
Hi Alan, thoroughly enjoyed watching this video. Having seen Geocaching at first hand (my wife's brothers are avid Geocachers) I must say that letterboxing seems so much more interesting.. Such a shame that it seems to be losing ground to a GPS device and a mobile phone app.. Many thanks for sharing.. 🍷🍷
Geocaching is world wide and very popular but a map and compass is much more fun. Someone has taken over the Letterbox Club so hopefully Letterboxing will continue but I don’t think it will ever be as popular as it had been. All the best.
I also Letterbox and in some way prefer to Geocaching. My stamp is a special Vm. We started about 1992. Not too many Letterboxes in USA but hundreds of thousands of Geocaches. We also geocache but only have about 1K caches.
That's great to hear Charles, Geocaching is very popular and it gets people out and about in the fresh air, so it's a great pastime but Letterboxing is better to my mind. Sorry, but not sure what a special Vm is! Cheers
Hi Mike. The Letterbox Club has been taken over by someone else now, so hopefully it will continue. I don’t think though that so many boxes are put out as 30 years ago.
There are many of us still out here actually letterboxing, NOT geocaching. I think a little research would show that geocaching came about as a result of gps units being readily available and hand-held. Letterboxing is still done (including on the moor) and is a very different hobby.
I put a note on the You Tube description that the Letterbox Club is now under new administration and let's hope that continues for a long while. I've not done any serious letterboxing for many years but my son has been out and found it very different now, with less chance of finding boxes. I'm glad it's still ongoing, cheers.
My my Alan ,you're really digging back to my youth .We well my group "The 19th Plymouth Senior Scout Troop" back in those days the 1950's .we hiked all over Dartmoor and that included the only two boxes at that time Cranmere Pool and Ducks Pool .I've visited both those sites several times. We also hiked and overnight camped at places of interest., Various Tors ,prehistoric stone rows ,hut circles Kist vanes etc..which we would sketch in pencil. Most memorable was a winter visit to Cranmere Pool .We ran into a bunch of Royal Marine commandos who were on an exercise several miles south of Cranmere inear a small wood .first they showed us a shooting range where figures of soldiers would pop out of bushes and you had to fire at them ,we didn't shoot just called out Bang however they did take us onto the Rifle range and we each had a chance to to fire a Sten gun .They then equipped us with skis and towed us behind a Bren gun carrier towards Cranmere pool. where they dropped us off and took back the skis we plodded on in the snow and with some difficulty in the snow found our destination even though it was buried in snow .We camped in pup tents and didn't even open up the metal box ,galvanised I think till next morning after beans sausages and tea thawed us out .Next day we hiked down through the Merrivale quarries and walked into Prince Town on the road to catch the bus back to Plymouth. We didnt have a fancy stamp just a drawing which was of a single footprint outline with water dripping off it .It was known as "The Bog foot and your name printed underneath.It was earned by submitting a report on two Dartmoor hikes ,if you passed you were given the right to call yourself a "Bog Foot".We also collected various bits of Millitary deitrus like cartridge cases of numerous calibers ,expired smoke bombs and mortar shells which decorated our moorland Campsite hut at Cadove bridge. Fond memories for sure with just a compass and an OS map.
Great vlog Alan absolutely loved it.
Cheers from a glorious sunny Canada and me
Hi Ralph, I hope you've seen my comment on Chef Jasmine and the reason why I haven't responded previously to this comment. Sounds like you went on some real adventures as a Senior Scout. I recall seeing some of the old army firing ranges but don't recall whether they were still in use, I think I thought not. I'm glad this vlog rekindled lovely memories for you. All the best, take care and enjoy the sunshine.
very interesting
Thank you Marvel.
That was good to listen too & Watch well done Alan. take care
Glad you enjoyed it Bob, cheers.
Hi Alan.
We have lived in devon over thirty years and we too discovered letterboxing. Great hobby. Like you we did it with maps, bought the Letterbox book, had a stamp and notebook and had many happy hours roaming the moor. We did reach 100 but never joined the one hundred club.
The children thoroughly enjoyed it too plus any visitors that we had always wanted to go letterboxing.
We also progressed to geocaching but now age has caught up with us so we can only do easy ones.
Thanks for the memory and we too still look for “a lone Rowan tree”
We also found many geocaches along the canals while on our narrowboat. Great fun.
My son is into Geocaching and he found a number along the Leicester Summit. He’s not had much success with Letterboxing in recent years. We spent a lot of time on Dartmoor, I even went by myself on occasion. What fun we’ve both had over the years. It’s funny how the lone Rowan tree sticks in the memory.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture definitely 🤗
Letterboxing seems to be great fun in the outdoors, and a challenge. As always, I love seeing Ollie. So agile and full of life. Thanks!
Thank you so much, very kind of you to say. Letterboxing kept us active and regularly out on Dartmoor. Cheers
Thank you for sharing your family outing on Dartmoor. It truly saddens me to say my parents would have made fun of activities like letterboxing or even just walking over Dartmoor. But the moment I reached my teens and earned my own money I headed off to Devon and Cornwall I just loved my holidays there. Thanks once again for reminding me just how beautiful Dartmoor is. All the best. Stephen.
Hi Stephen, I hope you're keeping well and the 'wheels' are turning without any issues now. I love Cornwall and Wales, particularly Snowdonia. I'm glad you enjoyed watching, all the best, keep safe and no speeding! Cheers
A beautifully explained video Alan. Seeing some of those stamps you and your family collected over time reminded me of the times I spent with my family doing the same. I even recognise one of the stamps the Diptford Letterbox Hound! It goes without saying, I'd rather see a map, a book and a compass in the hand than a smart phone of which many are already reliant on. A bittersweet ending to a highly enjoyable activity. Best wishes.
Hi Chris. I have had a few comments from viewers who have also experienced letterboxing and many of course who have never heard of it. Someone has now taken over the Letterbox Club, so it will continue but I can't imagine it will ever be like it was years ago. All the best, take care.
As an American I never knew about Letterboxing until now. It seems like it was a wonderful thing to do, especially with your children. Its sad to see it is no longer something people do. Thank you Allan for sharing this lovely bit of history with us
Hi Karen. It still happens but as far as I can tell not in the same way when I was active 30 years ago. The good news is that the Letterbox Club is under new management, which will keep it alive. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thanks Alan I used to enjoy letterboxing when we were holidaying there, we stayed at widecome in the Moore in tor cottage and spent many hours on the Moore
Hi Lewis, it's good to find someone who is aware of it and has actually done it. Lovely place Dartmoor.
thank you alan, very intersting. hope some one takes it on agen. regards richard.
Thanks Richard, someone has actually taken it on, I have made a note to that effect on the You Tube description. My original research showed otherwise.
Fantastic location! Great fun to be had by all! Nice to see your grandson is learning a great deal from you including how to be honest and have integrity ! Go Ollie
There certainly is, thanks for your great comment, all the best Alan.
An interesting, informative and, as usual, very well presented, vlog Alan. Thank you. It's bittersweet isn't it to realise something as well rounded, fun and educational as letterboxing is now replaced by a not so skilful '2D' version. All best Di and Mike PS we've found quite a few geocaches and it has it's moments, but it ain't the same!
Hi Di and Mike. Thanks for your great comment, it is a great shame but someone has now taken over the Letterbox Club, so hopefully it will keep going albeit on a reduced scale. Best wishes Alan.
That was really interesting. I hope someone does continue the tradition of "letterboxing". Thank you, cheers.
Hi Jane, someone has taken it over, so it will continue, I put a note in the You Tube description. All the best.
GUSTO SALUDARTE ALAN
HERMOSO LUGAR Y MUY BONITA FAMILIA 💕⚘🤩
Es muy amable de su parte decir, muchas gracias. Todo lo mejor, cuídate.
What a wonderful way to explore an area and great fun with little people 😉 Next time we visit Exmoor I will keep my eyes peeled. Thank you Alan and Olly
My family used to have great fun Letterboxing. If you're going to mooch around, you need to be on Dartmoor, I'm not aware of letterboxing on Exmoor but you never know. Cheers
Great Vlog Alan, very interesting to learn of Letterboxing which I had never known of before now. Back in my youth & beyond to my time in the Armed forces. I became involved with this kind of adventure but then it were called Orienteering. Same principle but to navigate between control points marked on an orienteering map. using a compass to find punches that one would use to punch a card given to anyone that participated in the task to find location markers to navigate between control points marked on said orienteering map for confirmation that it had been found. Thanks for the memories. 👍
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
Thank you so much, I’m glad it brought back fond memories of a similar kind. I believe orienteering is more competitive and speed based. Anyone could go Letterboxing, as they can with geocaching, but it was and is great fun.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture Thank you Alan. Yes a very competitive sport where time is against you. Getting back to base camp first is the game. With a full card of punches. The punches would have an assortment of shapes only known to the game officials to which shape belongs to which point, so as to eliminate any cheating. 👍
So interesting Alan! We love the wide spectrum of subjects that your videos cover!
That’s very kind of you to say, thank you.
Very interesting Alan, I have never heard of letter boxing, it’s a pity it’s now finished.
Hi Martin, I've made a note on the You Tube description, that it is now under new 'management' for want of a better word, so it will continue but I can't imagine it ever being like it was in the 80s and 90s.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture I am pleased 😀
I really really enjoyed this one Alan. I remember you showed us your book and stamp. Lovely to see your family photos from the past, and young Ollie enjoying himself finding some boxes.
That photo of the letterbox at the beginning, it said copyright Paul Penna. My cousin Carey is a Penna, I am related to them. xx
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Jenny, small world about the name. I must say the old photos brought back some lovely memories for me xx
What a fun and informative vlog and so exciting that Ollie found a letterbox while wandering about. Such a lovely area to be out in nature and enjoying the fresh air and peaceful environment. Very enjoyable! Looking forward to the next vlog. Stay safe out there
Glad you enjoyed it Mary Jane, it's a pastime we spent many hours enjoying when my children were small. All the best, take care.
Had a friend in the early 90s very into this, in fact he was a member of the club and did a lot of the writing up of clues.
It was a friend of mine that got me into it in the late 80s and he used to put walks out for the Scouts.
Wow Alan that is a fascinating activity especially for children, i've never heard of it before so thank you for explaining it so well. It was great that Olly actually found some i bet he was super excited. A really enjoyable vlog thank you. Janice.
Hi Janice, it’s not well known, I think it grew by word of mouth in the old days. A friend introduced me to it. But it was always great fun. Oli goes with his Dad but they find so few.
Beautiful Alan. Very exciting stuff it would be…i will put it on my list of must sees. The most blessed of all calls is to be a good father….well done!
Thanks for your comment Greg, is the Queen's Jubilee being celebrated in Australia, I'm never quite sure how the population relate to the Queen these days, seem to be mixed views. All the best.
this is one of your many bests, wonderful memories for your family, thanks for sharing..k
Glad you enjoyed it Karen, just looking at the old photos, which my son sent me, brought back some lovely memories.
Sounds like great fun for you and your children. Great vlog, stay safe and well
Thanks Hugh, we used to have some fun times. All the best, keep safe.
Fascinating video about Letterboxing. I hope someone continues this tradition. Must be interesting looking at some of those dates going back to 1990s. By the way I had my first ever cheese topped roll today, delicious.
Thanks Matt, great news about the cheese topped roll. Fortunately, someone has now taken over the Letterboxing Club, so it will continue but I don't believe it will ever be like it was when my family used to go 30 years ago.
Hi Alan
After our chat the other day over a coffee and cake at the marina re this subject.
And you advised me to wait and see the video
I can say it was well worth the wait to see it.
Very interesting and enjoyable.
And as always very well presented.
I personally think the old ways of doing things are always better.
Thank you
Gail
That’s very kind of you to say Gail, it’s not something that’s well known unlike Geocaching, which is a world wide pastime. Map and compass is definitely better. Thanks for commenting.
Hello Alan what a lovely place. Very interesting subject. Have never heard of it. Seems like good fun. Have good week.
Thank you Sandy, it’s not very well known and has really been taken over by Geocaching. Have a lovely weekend.
Alan strange thing i lived in Kingsteignton then Ashburton in 1966 until 1972 lorry driver for W L Vallance at Heathfield, nearly next door to you. Then i came to USA now i follow you on utube small world. Wish you all the best on your travels P.S. take care of your self and your special lady Jasmin. Ed 40 s of Vegas
Greetings Ed, thanks for your comment, I have a number of ex-pats around the world that watch but you were probably the closest to where I used to live in Torbay but that was in the 1980s onwards. Jasmine and I look after each other, she's a great gal. All the best, take care.
That is really interesting Alan. Thank you. I’m sure you and Ollie had a wonderful time out on the moor. A great way to spend a day with the grandchildren 😊
Glad you enjoyed watching. Oli sometimes goes with his Dad but they don’t find many letterboxes now. All the best Alan
What are letterboxing looks like fun, thank You.
It's a great pastime, that all the family can enjoy.
Very interesting facts. First I've heard of it. Thanks for sharing. Travel safe out there.
Thanks for watching, it was great fun, we had many happy hours on Dartmoor.
Great, informative vid with lovely pics from your outings. Letterboxing, however, very much LIVES. Come along to the next meet and get involved 🤠
Thank you so much Edward, I'm glad you enjoyed watching. It's great to hear that Letterboxing is still going on, I filmed my narrative on Dartmoor, a long while before I published the video, and I became aware the Club was under new management, so put a note in the Description. I now live in the Midlands, so not so easy to pop along. My son and grandson are still local and have tried Letterboxing in recent years but find so few now, compared to the 1990s.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture you're right, it has certainly slowed down since it's 'golden age', and it's often the same core group of boxers that stamp in the books, but for now things are still ticking along well and there remains a strong and friendly community.
@@Letterboxing.RatBoy That's really good to know.
How interesting Alan, thankyou for sharing. I've not heard of letter boxing before, sounds like fun especially enjoying playing detective to find the books. Shame it's been replaced. ❤
I’m glad you found it so. The Letterbox Club is under new management, so it will continue but I don’t think it will ever be like it was 30 years ago.
Very good vid, fun to watch. Looks like more fun than Geocaching. I guess time moves on.
Hi Chad, compass and map is far more enjoyable. The geocaches don't seem to have rubber stamps in the same way as Letterboxing did. Cheers
So interesting to see this... !! Xx
Thank you Lynette, glad you enjoyed watching xx
Thanks Alan that was very interesting, I suppose that tech' is getting in the way of kids learning some skills such as map reading. Take care and all the best. Stevie
Glad you enjoyed it Stevie. You’re quite right, such a shame. Thanks for commenting, take care.
Very interesting, thank you so much.
I'm pleased you enjoyed it Karen.
Enjoyed this activity, with our children and some fiends, something like 40 years ago, and used to attend the annual meet in the Prison Officers Club, could buy the clue book there, about 40 years ago. Some of the boxes even contained instructions for finding other boxes, and it even was a bit educational beyond map and compass work. Sometimes there was a historical note in a box explaining why the box had been given the name it had, I remember a box named after a quarry man who had worked in the quarry where the box was placed. Some people carried Travellers, , same idea but a box of their own, and that was quite good it got people asking if you had a traveller, so it got people talking. Somewhere in our house, there is a rucksack with a badge on it saying 100, from the organisers of the annual meet who did check our book before awarding the badge.Sorry if it has gone, but I suppose no surprise.
Hi Ian, great memories to have and cherish. I really enjoyed my time with family on Dartmoor. I'd forgotten about travelling boxes, it's something I sort of remember. I think we might have asked a few people now and again but never found one, so stopped asking. Someone new has taken over the Letterbox Club, so hopefully it will continue but I still feel Geocaching has taken over to a large degree. All the best.
Do you have any videos of the prison museum at prince town!
I've never been to the Museum though have passed the prison many times when I lived down that way.
I used to Letterbox in the 80s as a teenager. great excuse to get out on the moor. Started again when in the 2000s with my kids. But, like you say, more often than not, the boxes aren't there anymore. Such a shame as the kids lost interest once we started to blank on finds.
My son has found the same when he's gone out with my grandson. The good news is that someone has been found to run the Letterbox Club.
That's great news. It'd be a shame if it died out. Not done any geocaching, using tech to drop you right on the device spoils half the fun for me, but if it gets people out enjoying the moor then it's got to be a good thing.
Great Vlog as always Alan and Ollie !
Maybe Geo-Cacheing, was started by someone, who had been Letterboxing on Dartmoor, who knows ?
But in this world, Dartmoor is a small place, although, .....
I started "Hashing" while working in Iraq in 1982, but it wasn't until 1985, when I was working in Malaysia in 1995, that I found out it's origins !
Started by 2 guys (Hors Thompson and Guy Gispere.), as a precursor run before their Evening meal in 1938, it's now a Worlwide phenomenon, (over 100, 000 members in '98)
I went to it's 60th Anniversary in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, where over 5,000 runners turned out for a weekend's set of runs.
So maybe Letterboxing set off bells in someone's head, and a sport was formed ! I hope so !
Keep tracking, .....
Take care, .....
Stay safe, .....
Stu xx
I've never heard of hashing but the definition I've found says originated in Kuala Lumpur "to get drunk and run". Or should it be the other way round. There's no doubt geo-caching is very similar to Letterboxing but with less skill and generally, I believe just initials and date are entered on the record sheet. No interesting rubber stamps to collect! Cheers, all the best.
Thanks Alan, when I was running scouts I'd setup orienteering courses to teach navigation. We had some large multi day hikes where I hid boxes that was a similar thing to your letter boxing but just for scouts. When geocaching first came to OZ I found it a good way to learn how to use a gps " mobile phones didn't do SMS net along internet but though it's still a way to get out it's not half the fun or skill of old school nav adventure. Alas we live in softer times but it's good to see Olly is having a go🏴☠️
The good thing with letterboxing is you go at your own pace, whatever that might be, orienteering is speed related. Compass and map beats geocaching to my mind. I do have a large map collection, mainly 1940s 1" to the mile Ordnance Survey maps but I have some 100 year old maps as well. Oli enjoys going to Dartmoor with his Dad. Cheers, all the best.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture somewhere in my book collection I've got a 1929 British army book on navigation with scale maps including implacments
@@journeymanadventure That’s interesting. I also have a lot of books, most of which are in store.
Wonderful!
Thank you! Cheers!
I've found this both fascinating and quite sad that nobody is going to carry this on...how would one go about this ?
Hi Jamie, I’m pleased to say someone has taken it over, I made a note of it in the You Tube video description.
Really enjoyed that information Alan, and seeing the Tor. I’ve climbed Bellever Tor and High Tor in 2007. Were you at one of them. Dartmoor is so pretty in a desolate way. Walked over the ancient clapper bridge at postbridge as well. I see we have geo caching in west Aust. When I was on a bus trip to Esperance we were at this bay and a lady found a small rock with a msg on it. Something told me she should put it back but not sure what she did. It was found amongst the tree roots that had shown themselves due to erosion. ❤️🙋♀️
Hi Katelyn. The filming was done at Haytor Rocks on the quarry side. I've been to most of the Tors on Dartmoor including the ones you mention and the Postbridge clapper bridge. Geocaching is worldwide, so gives enjoyment to many people. I still prefer walking with a map and compass, Letterboxing is definitely more interesting. It sounds as though the lady may have found a geocache! All the best, take care x
@@MyNarrowboatVenture I don’t think we have letterboxing here, when I Google it only talks about letterboxes to do with the post office and street delivery. ❤️
Interesting Alan. I have long heard of letterboxing but having only been to Dartmoor a couple times, not really something for me. (Though have not heard of it on North Yorks Moors.) I have geocached in the past and is much more available in most places in the world.
Hi Philip, my research showed the North York Moors but I don't think it could have been anything like on the Dartmoor scale! Geocaching is worldwide and is great fun, it gets people out and about, which has to be good.
Hi Alan! Hope you get to go to Crick!
Hi Kat, Jasmine and I will be there over the weekend.
Thank you🙏✝️🙏
My pleasure👍
Hi Alan, thoroughly enjoyed watching this video. Having seen Geocaching at first hand (my wife's brothers are avid Geocachers) I must say that letterboxing seems so much more interesting.. Such a shame that it seems to be losing ground to a GPS device and a mobile phone app.. Many thanks for sharing.. 🍷🍷
Geocaching is world wide and very popular but a map and compass is much more fun. Someone has taken over the Letterbox Club so hopefully Letterboxing will continue but I don’t think it will ever be as popular as it had been. All the best.
In the venture scouts we just called it "Orienteering", mind you that was in the 1960s/1990s.
Letterboxing is a leisurely pursuit whereas orienteering is more competitive and speed based, apart from that, the principles are the same.
I also Letterbox and in some way prefer to Geocaching. My stamp is a special Vm. We started about 1992. Not too many Letterboxes in USA but hundreds of thousands of Geocaches. We also geocache but only have about 1K caches.
That's great to hear Charles, Geocaching is very popular and it gets people out and about in the fresh air, so it's a great pastime but Letterboxing is better to my mind. Sorry, but not sure what a special Vm is! Cheers
Hi Alan loved the video , letter boxing is better , people don't or can't be bothered to do this anymore which is a shame.
Hi Mike. The Letterbox Club has been taken over by someone else now, so hopefully it will continue. I don’t think though that so many boxes are put out as 30 years ago.
Very glad to know it's still going on, Thanks for the good news 👍. Alan
There are many of us still out here actually letterboxing, NOT geocaching. I think a little research would show that geocaching came about as a result of gps units being readily available and hand-held. Letterboxing is still done (including on the moor) and is a very different hobby.
I put a note on the You Tube description that the Letterbox Club is now under new administration and let's hope that continues for a long while. I've not done any serious letterboxing for many years but my son has been out and found it very different now, with less chance of finding boxes. I'm glad it's still ongoing, cheers.
Ace !
Thank you👍
Very interesting… sounds like fun💜
It certainly was at the time, on a good day we might find more than twenty boxes 💙