Hahaha, don’t let her fluffy docile appearance fool you, off camera she is a truly terrifying beast!! I love it up on the moors, atmospheric to the point of bleak, especially when the mist comes rolling in! Glad you enjoyed it Ray, Atb, Simon.

I knew it!!

Thank you Jason!! I’m not envious at all of where you live, no not one bit! 😩😩😩😂

Hi Mike - yep, your description is very accurate! I spent a lot of time on Dartmoor as a youngster, on yearly school expeditions - I can't remember the sun shining for more than about 10 minutes - but I do remember being wet and wind-blasted!! still love it though, makes you feel alive! Thanks for watching, Atb, Simon.

Thank you Jon! That means a great deal to me 😁👍

You're very welcome Simon. I think you are so liked by everyone because you are sincere and naturally come across as a kind, patient older brother, best friend, and favourite teacher all rolled into one! You're style is the best!! Thanks again and please keep the videos coming. Cheers.

Knucker - Thanks Al, it certainly did feel a bit bleak and desolate at points, but I quite like that! The woods and mountains would always win if I had to choose, but makes a nice contrast. Atb, Simon.

Lonely windswept tree, clinging to existence against the unforgiving wind and rain. I like that shot too. Cheers, Simon.

Simon, a bloke in the woods , story of my life!!

Cheers Gabriel - glad you enjoyed the stroll! It is a special place, haunting, bleak at times but yes, as you perfectly described ‘emotionally poignant’ Atb, Simon.

Haha - I don’t know about sidekick - she’s the star of the show! Cheers, Simon

+Danny Walker - Thanks Danny, your comments are always very generous and much appreciated! Glad you enjoyed it, Simon (and Maggie).

Thank you Dave - glad you enjoyed it! She was definitely chilled towards the end!! Atb, Simon.

Thanks Marian! I love Dartmoor - rugged, atmospheric and just enough weather to remind you that Mother Nature is still in charge! Atb, Simon

+Hike with Mike - Cheers Mike, it really is beautiful, in a rugged, raw and slightly eerie way! Let's you know that Mother Nature is still boss too!! Atb, Simon.

Cheers Mike! It’s a wild, windswept and somewhat barren landscape but I love it! Some of our best preserved ancient woodland can be found here too. Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for coming along!! Atb, Simon.

I believe you have a somewhat tight community up there, I Sub to Palua and Her husband, but your sollo style more simulates my own. I'll reciprocate on my Ch, this Spring, Your sure to enjoy that and would love having U along in Oregon. You have a Great Demeanor Simon, that's something that ranks high with me! Thanks for keeping it real I love both your Ch.s! .. Mike, & The Kody Dog

Oregon Mike H - thanks Mike, I look forward to watching it. Just one thing I’m a bit confused by - you said you like both my channels? I only have the one - that I’m aware of that is!! Atb, Simon.

Woops I memt Instagram as a "2nd Ch." Excuse me. I believe I first learned of your Ch. through Instagram, If I'm wrong about that as well then please, do you know of a good Psychologist I could be referred to? .. HA! I know you would greatly enjoy my Instagram feed if you have not yet seen it: Oregon_Mike_H "thats the profile ID" Later Simon and Thanks Again! ... Mike.

Love Dartmoor - whatever the weather is doing, it’s always atmospheric. 😁

Thanks Dan!

Cheers! Yes, it definitely does that! I love Dartmoor, wild, blustery and verging on bleak - but in a beautiful way! Atb, Simon.

Thank you - lovely place, Dartmoor! Atb, Simon.

Haha - you are right on all three counts!! I’ve only ever had one day on Dartmoor when the sun stayed out - always seems to mist over or rain! 😁 love it though!

Thanks Tomas, she is indeed - can’t keep her out of the water! 😁

Dartmoor is one of the places on my list to do some letterboxing.

Hi Jim, i did it years ago, as i'm old now ;), but there was so many everywhere, will take my kids there one day, all the best, and stay safe, Taz

@@tazandtimswildadventures369 I may never get there as I'm getting long in the tooth as they say. My goal would be the one that started it all.

@@shilohjim You are never to long in the tooth, go and do it when this is all over ;)

I remember inadvertently finding one in a cave under a tor once. Signed and dated (that was in the early 80s. 👍😁

Thanks Ian! Glad you enjoyed it, Atb,Simon

Cheers Olly, and thanks for the sub! Atb, Simon.

Hahaha! Not a good shortcut then! I love Dartmoor! Thanks for watching. Simon.

Haha - oh yes, stir it up!! 😁

Yes, sorry about that! Atb, Simon.

Maggie gets fed twice a day as it recommended for dogs, she did have some of my stew though as a treat! What you call a muzzle is actually a head collar - Newfoundland’s are notorious pullers - their instinct is to pull with a conventional collar, it’s just what they do - a head collar gently discourages this by pulling the head gently to the side when they pull. As for dogs off lead, it’s not so much people that are the issue, it’s livestock on the moors - sheep, cows and ponies roam freely on the moors - it’s their home, I don’t think dogs should be running about disturbing and distressing them, just my opinion! 😁

@@simonablokeinthewoods Yes I agree with you. I thought maybe there was some law that states you have to have her on a lease at all times. Something like that. I like Maggie quite a bit. I think she is a great dog and so well trained. Good job Simon. She looks pretty happy with you as her human DAD. I've never been in the moors but they look pretty remote and like a great place in which to hike and just get away from other people, Eh? Thanks for another really great video Simon!

@@simonablokeinthewoods I was wondering the same things. Never thought about wildlife. Really interesting video.

Haha! Andy has told me about your exploits on the moors (all good, honest!) next time I’m down that way, I’ll give you a shout! 👍 cheers mate.

Closely cropped by the sheep and ponies - I’ll take my clubs next time! 😁

+James S D - Cheers James, I too love the woodland, and there certainly are some beautiful little snippets about! I also love the exposure of open moorland though, makes a great contrast! Add to that some interesting rocky outcrops, a stream or two and you've got a fairly varied area. But yes, it can be pretty bleak and windswept too!! Glad you enjoyed! Atb, Simon.

Dartmoor was covered in woodland once upon a time, the end of the last Ice age and until our Neolithic ancestors began to clear the forest, as was most of Britain of course. Its an artificial landscape moorland really, if it wasn't managed and if left it would just revert to forest after some time, once again as would most of the UK. As I say I don't like treeless landscapes, not too fond of the Scottish highlands over it but love the bits that are still wooded, thanks mate.

James S D - I'd love to go back in time to see what our environment looked like in the days of our ancestors. I heard it would have been possible to walk across the country from east anglia to the Welsh coast without leaving tree cover! A woodsmans paradise.

Oh yes, wouldn't that be fabulous! With the cattle, sheep and deer present on Dartmoor, tree saplings are gone before they've got a chance to grow up. But I've noticed that there are initiatives, planting trees on Dartmoor. Around Moretonhampstead there's quite a large area of hills covered by woodland and on the bus to Exeter I've seen woodland with quite a large number of deer in it. In my 4,5 months of living in Moretonhampstead I've seen more deer than I've seen throughout my life, in Holland. I'm 67 now. There's hardly wild countryside in Holland, except the forests of the Royal family, which are private. The Northern islands of Holland are relatively left to nature, with Terschelling's National Park De Boschplaat: a long sandy beach and dunes with woodland.

That is a good point you raise! It depends on where I’m using it - I carry a square of carbon felt that I sometimes use if I’m worried about scorching the ground.