Dartmoor - Summer 1995

This trip to Dartmoor wasn't my first, but was one of them. I, Michael Mc'Pherson (Mac), Ben Richardson, Aaron Whiffin, Richard Tandy, Des and some guy who I honestly can't remember set off in 1995 (a few months before our GCSE's, we all went to Highbury/ Wyvern College in Laverstock Salisbury) to do our Duke of Edinburugh's Bronze expedition award. With us was our history teacher Mr (Ralph) Kite.

Much of what followed is hazy now, I remember we planned a massive route in the North Moor, with me using my new bivi bag. That was cancelled on the day because the Duke of Edinburgh Award people decided it was too challenging for a Bronze award (the summer before we'd done the 10 Tors) and so we ended up doing a much shorter route on the South Moor, with me carrying a Cotton Force Ten tent (as it was too dangerous for me to bivi). We finished it all in a day (for some reason, I think we got lost, found where we were and realised we may as well finish the thing off) and Mr Kite (ex military nut-job history teacher, also one of the best teachers I ever had) had to spend the night under a bush chain smoking for warmth as the teacher with the minibus had given up waiting. The following morning the Head Master, Mr Riley, who was a serious mountaineer in his own right (the Alps, mountain marathons etc) came on a short 12 mile stroll (maybe not so far, but pretty far) to find us at 6am, and find Mr Kite.

I remember that being an interesting story at one time, anyhow find the photos below, these are scans I made of the original negatives because I lost my photo albums a few years ago. The negatives were stored in an attic for the last 10 years, and so were not in best condition.

Gallery