Dartmoor escape

Monday 2nd January 2012 - sounds odd, 2012! I'm sure I'll be used to it by around May.
Yesterday was a chill and start of a little detox after the festivties. I didn't eat rubbish but I did drink my own weight in wine and bubbly! Decided to have a good system cleanse and get back my energy levels.
This morning I was up and about early, the sun was shining and I needed to get out of Totnes, let alone the house. I've been feeling a little 'town suffocation' again. I have to just leave and breathe some different air and come back refreshed both mentally and physically.
Having some kind of female hormone episode at the moment as well, you know how psycho women are when that happens?! So slightly grumpy I went out to improve things.

Dogs packed into the van, waterproofs on, although it was sunny I was visiting Dartmoor, who knows what kind of weather would be going on out there. Final decision, which part of the moor?
I drove and finally decided that I hadn't seen the area around Haytor for some time, I knew it would be heaving with people, it being a Bank Holiday but I know the places to avoid them now!

The sun was still shining when we got there but the wind chill was epic. I got fully kitted up, gloves, waterproofs etc and leashed up the hounds.

There is something wrong, in my mind with having dogs on leads with such a vast expanse of landscape to run around and sniff and bounce over, but there were some sheep and the usual crew of Dartmoor ponies kicking about so I thought I'd better keep them close by, particularly Paddy loopy chops!
This is the fun part, massive puddles, mud, slippery rock and tiny paths in the gorse and heather and me on the end of 2 Dog leads, with the Dogs pulling to get to who knows where they were thinking.
5 near slips later and we were up the top on Haytor, the wind was so cold, whipping through Paddys Furry hind legs, I thought it was going to knock them over.
The weather was changing, rain was spitting in the air and as I passed over the top of the hill I could see a Rainbow below. There are always Rainbows on Dartmoor, because there is always rain somewhere!
Nice easy descent with the boys, they were getting used to my constant nagging about not pulling and we made it to the bottom in one piece.
Started along the old track and all of a sudden, Murphy pulled to the right, Paddy to the left and I went flying over into a puddle. The dogs actually seemed concerned for me and I hurt my arm. Even more hormonal now, there were no creatures in sight so the boys came off the lead!
Now the fun started for the dogs and I got to enjoy my walk.

There is something about Dartmoor that is soul saving, whenever I have difficulties, a bit of time on the Moor makes everything well again.
Today was no exception, and even moreso as the rain hit! Refreshing at first, then the snow hit, then the hail came down with the wind whipping it up and smashing hard against the side of my face. I didn't care, the dogs were happy, I was out in some of the most beautiful scenery you can get and fresh new air was in my lungs.

We are now all huddled round the wood burner drying off, but a happy day was had by all.

See you soon :)