Berry Down
Saturday. Aug. 5 & 6Honey dear :-
Well - we've just met our next "Sir"! I'm now calmer in their presence. This one has just dictated to his charming wife directions for our tramp across the moors tomorrow - a big page and a half. Whether we can try it or not depends on the weather, of course, but maybe we can, and anyhow it was great fun to talk about it. We are off with our packs for one, possibly two nights - but I hope we shall make it tomorrow.
Dartmoor is delightful, even though we had to stay where we did, in too large a town where it is not convenient to get out at once, owing to the artillery practice. I wrote you, I think, on Wed. night, about going under Meldon Viaduct and across the moor from there.
Thursday we set forth in the morning, having breakfast at a less expensive place than the one at which wer[e] staying, on a bus for Ramsleigh. The "saloon bus" broke down but the other which was sent was quite useful. The company seems to be proud of its saloon buses, which are large, covered vehicles holding about 25. The motors must be powerful, for the hills are high and long and these things go full and with freight on top. Well - we dropped off at Ramsleigh and by our good ordnance map made our way along the lanes nearest the moor, into which we made little excursions, including one small tor. These tors are remarkable, maybe 30-50 feet high, some less, of much weathered granite, set on the heather-y moor, usually on a widely rounded hill-top, but sometimes lower down.
Well - we came to Gidleigh in the rain, and found there a ruined castle, a small, lovely church, 3 houses, of which one was wood and unless I miss my guess, ready-cut! I've seen another 15 miles away exactly like it. We sat beneath a beech tree to decide what to do next, when two niceEnglish ladies came along and we had a nice chat. They were staying at Berry Down, all but on the moor, and we envied them! We went on to Murchington, where we saw an adorable thatched farmhouse, clean and big and prosperous. So we asked for a lunch, and had a lovely time talking with the intelligent farmer and his sweet wife. They had beams of oak in that living-room 15 inches through, with smaller cross beams - such lovely old things, and carved old chairs and a dresser full of blue willow & other china, carved beautifully, to the ceiling, 'Twas most interesting. We went on - still in the rain - to Chagford, along an adorable lane - the whole day was in lanes for the most part - and found it a quaint little place with several inns, mostly thatched ones.
Then we went back to the bus line at Whiddon Down, making a digression to pass Spinster's Rock - a huge stone, held up by three others, one of the old stone things so abundant here. We could stand under the stone without our hats touching, and there would have been room for several more persons.
Yesterday we indulged in domestic employments in the forenoon, and at noon took a bus in the other direction, to Dartmoor Inn near Rydford. We went a half mile to the Lyd at a ford, and it rained and the wind blew a lot! So we didn't go up to the tors, but along the stream by interesting rocks. The ferns are wonderful - so many kinds. There are many flowers, too, beside the heather. We do so wish we knew them! Some of the moors on that side are the reddest I have seen, for big ones.
The rain stopped, so we went up to Bray Tor, not very far, and with clear escape in case the mist came suddenly. It was on the bigger tors, and I'm scared to death of it. These things have no clear trails marked on them - there are oodles of trails, based on sheep tracks - they zig-zag and interlock and are not to be trusted! And the bogs are there! But we didn't meet them, though we always get wet. On top of Bray Tor is a stone cross, a Queen Vic Jubilee thing. There are old crosses about, which suggested this, I suppose. When we came down, we explored Lydford, a little place, and found we'd missed a remarkable gorge, more or less like Watkins Glen, only narrower, I think. It closed at 5 p.m! We found a sweet woman, Mrs. Glynim who made us a lunch, which we ate with a most pleasant man, wife & 2 stupid girls. The man was a "working man" in Torquay, and the family is spending the holiday up here. They were so friendly and intelligent! We do enjoy these chance meetings and talks with folks. - Likewise the papers. The political news is so interesting. And I'm amazed at the patience of Britain with us. We ought not to collect all our war-debt off England! I feel very sad over whta looks like another lost opportunity to do a generous thing. The Balfour note filled the paper yesterday - I've missed out today.
This forenoon we packed diligently so our room could be used tonight, thus saving us 1.25 apiece. Then at noon we started out as on Wednesday, and dropped off at a different cross-roads. We had picked up a lunch, which we ate anon, and soon after it began to mist heavily, so that the lovely view was shut out. We twisted around the lanes and reached Berry Down, where after inquiring our way at several private houses (!) - but we were polite - we reached this one, and persuaded Miss Rowe to keep us over-night. - She did, after some persuading. The house is a grey stone garden wth many flowers, a little stream trained around neatly and a little artificial pond, with rhododendrons all about. It looks more ambitious than Miss Rowe would have! The fog came in very thick, so we sat a-while, and had tea. Charlotte has no patience tiwth tea at all! Then about six it lifted a bit, so we stepped out on the moor, and couldn't see much, though we liked it a lot. There's a big tor right near, but it was under the mist, alas. Then we had supper or dinner at about quarter of eight - roast lamb, green peas, potatoes, Devon cream on prunes & some molded while [sic] thing. The green peas are wonderful, and all Miss Searle's remarks about the cream are correct! We know how they make it, too. Meantime I'd asked if there was someone who could tell us about ways to go, for we wanted to get across to Tavistock. It was said that "Mr. Hill" would do this, and after we'd met our two friends of the beech tree, we went in to the Hill sitting room. I've nolovely. Sir & Lady Low were there also - all most delightful, and they were so friendly, and so amusing & amused! We enjoyed the episode greatly, and have this long document, which alas, we cannot use, for not only is there mist today but a real, steady, hard rain such as we haven't seen before. It is difficult for Charlotte to be cheerful. We shall start back soon and walk meekly four miles ona highway to the bus line. But such is life! And we had a pleasant walk eysterday and call on the elegant folk. I didn't think at alla bout my aged brown sweater and middy blouse. But I'd give ten cents for my flannel shirt which I left on the steamer. The summer has averaged much cooler than the Maine coast. They say it's too cool. The mercury on a reasonable day recently stood at 57° on the Main Street of Okehampton.
Tomorrow we do what the weather permits and next day start to Wells, which journey looks complex - a possibility for 5 changes on the way, but we hope there will be through cars at some of those points - also that the weather will improve.
I'll put in a flower or two if they are dry enough. The supply of paper to put around them is limited.
Much love to you, honey. I was glad to get your first So. Hadley letter, though sorry you have a cold. But why didn't you tell me aobut the laboratory? Please do.