The penultimate Saturday of June saw a pair of AVR members out in action on Dartmoor, writes Dave Mutter.
Tim Lenton and Patrick Devine-Wright marked the summer solstice with a long run.
Previously, only four AVR members had completed the ‘Dartmoor Round’, a route over 28 Tors that is 75 miles in length with about 12,000ft of climb, first devised by Nigel Jenkins some 20 years ago!
Tim and Patrick began their run at 4am from Belstone village in the north of the moor, meeting early morning sun-worshippers in stone circles on the way south to Chagford.
After 33 miles of running, they reached the southern-most Tor on the route, Western Beacon above Ivybridge at 11am, where Tim had stashed some food the night before.
The return journey up the western edge of the moor was tough in hot conditions, but they were buoyed up by Duncan Taylor who joined them for the final 20 miles from Cox Tor.
Night was falling as they reached the round’s highest point, Higher Willhayes, in difficult weather conditions with driving wind and rain. Returning to Belstone in the dark with head torches, they successfully completed the Dartmoor Round in a time of 18 hours and 45 minutes.
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