A trip to the so called spooky woods.. [Archive] - Bushcraftliving.com Discussion Forum

JonnyP

24-01-2009, 19:57

Had a lovely day out with Janie today. We went to Wistmans Wood on Dartmoor. I had never been, but I had heard a lot about the place, its history and reputation (Good info here.. http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/wistman.htm )

The start of our walk..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood001.jpg

Poor old shed has seen better days..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood003.jpg

A raven was flying over us and I tried to get a shot but the bugger kept moving..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood004.jpg

This is the wood in the distance.. Its small, which surprised me..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood006.jpg

Walking into the wood..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood009.jpg

Loads of mosses and lichens about..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood010.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood011.jpg
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood012.jpg

The trees were covered in moss, as well as all sorts of other plants and things..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood015.jpg

The floor of the woods is covered in boulders..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood018.jpg

A lot of the moss in the trees looks totally drenched with all the rain we have had recently..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood019.jpg

Another shot from inside the wood..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood022.jpg

Out of the woods and looking south..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood025.jpg

We popped over to one of the tors and clambered to the top. Took a shot of the moor to the north..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood031.jpg

Strange rock formation that you get in the south west moors..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood027.jpg

We got a bit wet on the walk back, but we were treated with a nice rainbow..
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s188/jonpickett/Wistmanswood035.jpg

I did not even get a hint of the place being spooky. Maybe it was because of the bright daylight and lack of leaves on those stunted oak trees. Its a lovely and special place though..
We then went onto Chagford and I can very highly recommend the Deli there.. Very good food.. Nice village too..
Went from there to Exeter where we bought a couple more chickens at a farm, and I popped into Endicotts (army surplus) for a couple of bits..
Very nice day out..

The Joker

24-01-2009, 20:07

Top pics Jonny.

That wood looks great but you can kinda see why it would be spooky.

JonnyP

24-01-2009, 20:13

Top pics Jonny.

That wood looks great but you can kinda see why it would be spooky.

We will just have to go again in the summer and see if the shade makes it more spooky..
Janie reckoned Lord of the Rings should of been filmed there. It looks like Hobbit heaven in there. We were half expecting Gollum to show his face from behind a boulder..

The Joker

24-01-2009, 20:26

After reading that link Jon we should go there at night, sounds really spooky, but I'd be brave with you there Jonny...;-)

JonnyP

24-01-2009, 20:39

After reading that link Jon we should go there at night, sounds really spooky, but I'd be brave with you there Jonny...;-)
Lol.. Tis funny Pete. Janie asked me if I would be scared spending the night there.. I said not at all.
I am staying over at a job we are doing near salcombe in Devon. Its quite a drive from here, so the owner of the place is letting me kip in the barn there. Its centrally heated and has a hob, oven and has hot running water.. Its nice, and is in a beautiful setting.. Anyway, the first night I spent there (on my own) I got well spooked.. The central heating comming on for the first time in goodness knows how long, made the barn creak and groan, all through the night, as it warmed up and moved with it.. I knew it was this, but on me own and in a strange place, I got a bit paranoid that there was someone in there.. It took me a few nights to sleep well there.

I know that a woodland is not going to hurt me and I am familiar with woodland noises.. I think I would sleep fine there..

Bernie Garland

24-01-2009, 20:41

Great pics Jonny,Maxine loves the bleak moors,i'm more of a woodland lover,thanks for sharing :)

Bernie

JonnyP

24-01-2009, 20:52

Great pics Jonny,Maxine loves the bleak moors,i'm more of a woodland lover,thanks for sharing :)

Bernie
Cheers Bernie.. I love the wood too, but there is certainly something to be said about the wild and windy moor. Not always good, mind, but its a great place to clear cobwebs, if you have them in your head. It can test your navigation too, esp if the fog comes in.

Kepis

24-01-2009, 21:02

Looks like great spot Jon, ive been to Dartmoor many times and adore the place, but cant remember if i ever went there though, (been a few years since i was last there) I shall have to put that on the list of places to visit, as the boys and i are hoping to spend a few days on and around the Moor later in the year.

JonnyP

24-01-2009, 21:09

Looks like great spot Jon, ive been to Dartmoor many times and adore the place, but cant remember if i ever went there though, (been a few years since i was last there) I shall have to put that on the list of places to visit, as the boys and i are hoping to spend a few days on and around the Moor later in the year.
Let me know if you come down Mark, would be good to see you again.. I know a very good camp site nearby if you need one..
Wistmans wood is about 1 1/2 miles north from Two Bridges..

Kepis

24-01-2009, 21:13

Will do Jon, I shall go and have a look at my old maps to see if i marked it off on there

hammy

24-01-2009, 21:15

Brill pics
looks like a good spot for getting on your hands and knee's, and spotting the wee stuff that live in the woods.

JonnyP

24-01-2009, 21:24

Brill pics
looks like a good spot for getting on your hands and knee's, and spotting the wee stuff that live in the woods.
Cheers Hammy..
Its proberbly all in there somewhere, but there is so much moss about, it would be hard to find it..

Simon H

25-01-2009, 16:07

Nice pics. What an unusual looking wood, makes a nice change from all the birch and pine near me.

spiritofold

25-01-2009, 18:36

Wicked pix!!

Whenever i visit me auntie in Newton Abbot i always head just a couple of miles north onto Dartmoor! I especially love Hound Tor and Grimspound. Being in a noisy household with 5 kids, its nice to hear the nothingness of Dartmoor. Those pix bring back some nice memeories of days i've had there. One of my girls likes Letterboxing on Dartmoor, we've been all over it searching with a gps.

One of my fave places to chill out :)

Thanks for sharing ;)

Andy

JonnyP

25-01-2009, 18:40

Wicked pix!!

Whenever i visit me auntie in Newton Abbot i always head just a couple of miles north onto Dartmoor! I especially love Hound Tor and Grimspound. Being in a noisy household with 5 kids, its nice to hear the nothingness of Dartmoor. Those pix bring back some nice memeories of days i've had there. One of my girls likes Letterboxing on Dartmoor, we've been all over it searching with a gps.

One of my fave places to chill out :)

Thanks for sharing ;)

Andy
My pleasure.. Cheers mate..

It is an unusual wood Simon.. Well worth the visit..

Silverback

26-01-2009, 13:11

Love it Jon a visit in the dead of night at full moon is a must :wink:

ANDYRAF

27-01-2009, 09:02

Lovely photo's Jon, If you do go back in the evening don't forget that if you cook a meal you have to leave some out for Crockern the old man of the moors.

Andy

ps. Listen out for the Wisht hounds, He'll be after you!

Scotty

27-01-2009, 12:27

Reminds me of 'Fangorn Forest' from LOTR

Scandgrind

27-01-2009, 15:37

I spent a night biving alone in Wistmanns woods August last year.

I'm not one to get spooked easily but, for some strange reason I never felt alone the entire night (and I'm talking not in a good way).

It's a funny old place.

JonnyP

30-01-2009, 14:40

I spent a night biving alone in Wistmanns woods August last year.

I'm not one to get spooked easily but, for some strange reason I never felt alone the entire night (and I'm talking not in a good way).

It's a funny old place.

Did you sleep..? Was this a dare, or a personal challenge, or you just happened to be in the area and thought, why not..?

Diamond Dave

30-01-2009, 18:46

That looks a great place to visit, thanks for the pictures...............