The first letterbox was actually a bottle, placed by a Dartmoor guide called James Perrott. Visitors to the isolated spot would leave their visiting card inside the bottle as proof that they had been there.

Some of the boxes are easy to find, and accessible from roads, while others are both in accessible places, and hard to find when you get there! The task might be seen as a mix of map-reading and orienteering to find the location, then puzzle solving (or treasure hunting…’take 10 paces north’) to find the
box.

The searcher will have a list of clues, ranging from the straightforward to the downright cryptic, and aims to find the letterboxes, which each contain a rubber stamp. The finder stamps the book in the letterbox with their own stamp, and their own log book with the stamp in the letterbox.

A compass is highly recommended, as is the Ordnance Survey leisure Map of Dartmoor. Sturdy boots and suitable clothing are advised.

There are many of these boxes hidden in Dartmoor – at least 10,000 are listed, and there is competition to have as many stamps in a personal log book as possible. Very few are immediately obvious to the casual visitor.

The boxes are usually small, waterproof tins. Traditionally ammunition tins have been used, but this practice is discouraged since the army use Dartmoor for army training practice, and it might be possible that a real ammunition tin turns up instead!

When hunting for a Dartmoor letterbox remember that there are rules attached to the placing of the boxes, essentially to ensure that the environment and ancient monuments are never placed at risk from careless placement.

The same rules apply of course to those searching for them – you will never, for example, need to dislodge a rock that forms part of a traditional stone wall!

For those who lack the patience or time to search for hundreds of obscure letterboxes, there are organised charity events with clues to a few of the more easily found and accessible boxes.

The Dartmoor Letterbox 100 Club maintains lists of the letterboxes and clues, and issues monthly newsletters. You can learn more about the 100 Club and purchase a complete catalogue of clues
here. There are various badges and car stickers that are awarded if you find lots of them – try for the special ‘5,000 boxes’ badge if you have plenty of time on your hands!

Note: the great success of Dartmoor letterboxes has led to them being introduced in many other places around the world, as a way to encourage people to venture into the countryside while also having fun.

There are several sections to the Code, that you should keep in mind when exploring the countryside.

Remember that the Countryside Code is there for the benefit of all – those who live and work in the countryside, visitors to the region, and future generations.

Be safe, plan ahead, and follow any signs.

Make sure someone knows where you are going, especially when setting off into more remote regions.

Many regions have weather than can change rapidly (especially on higher ground) and it is very easy to lose your bearings in dense fog.

Likewise, there are often important animal breeding grounds that should not be disturbed at certain times of the year.

Leave gates and property as you find them

If a gate is closed when you get to it, make sure it is closed behind you! But if it is open, it has probably been left deliberately open by the farmer.

If your path leads you to climb over a fence or stone wall…you are probably on the wrong path. Retrace your steps.

Avoid walking across fields of crops.

Protect plants and animals

Both wild animals and farm animals should be given a wide berth, both for safety and to avoid disturbing them.

Be extremely vigilant not to start fires.

Take litter home

Even small amounts of litter, perhaps above all those that are not quickly biodegradable, can rapidly spoil an environment, both by making it less attractive and by causing harm to existing wildlife

Control dogs properly

How sure are you that your well-behaved dog won’t set off after those sheep or get over-excited? In most circumstances in the countryside a dog must be kept on a short lead. Occasionally access to dogs may be limited or disallowed altogether.

Be considerate to others

Farmers, walkers, car drivers, cyclists – each has particular needs in the countrsyide. Be sure to respect the needs of others.

All obvious perhaps, but the Countryside Code is frequently overlooked or neglected. The well-known saying ‘leave only footprints, take only photographs’ (adopted by the US National Parks) is also worth remembering.

The Exmoor Beast is a large cat-like creature, that is said to live in the Exmoor National Park, where it ccasionally kills sheep, and is very occasionally spotted by people.

Perhaps the size of a puma, it is black or dark grey, more than 1.5 metres long, very fast and very quiet. It stalks the moors preying on wildlife and posing risk to all who dare enter.

The greatest evidence for the presence of the animal emerged in the 1980’s with a wave of sheep killing in Exmoor, which had throat injuries consistent with those a large cat might cause. More recently a puma skull has reputedly been found on Exmoor. Sightings are generally reported every few years, occasionally with a very blurred photo, that keep the story alive.

Does the Beast of Exmoor exist?

No one knows for sure whether there really is a large cat prowling Exmoor. The Exmoor National Park refuses to confirm it, and the photographic evidence is, to say the least, not compelling. The photos that exist are far from clear and could have been falsified. The Ministry of Agriculture has stated that they do not believe there is an unidentified beast roaming the moors – although the Royal Marines sent in to
hunt the animal in 1983 believed they had seen it, though not caught it…

The most popular suggestion is that a puma, cougar or black leopard or panther that was released or escaped into the wild in the decade preceding that, perhaps after it became illegal to keep such animals anywhere apart from in a zoo (under the Dangerous Animals Act of 1976).

But these animals only live about 15 years – so how could the two be related…unless a mating pair had been released!

Assuming that farmers are right that a large animal is sometimes killing their sheep, and assuming that eye-witnesses are telling the truth (fair asumptions) it seems possible that there is one or more large, probably cat related animals living wild in Exmoor.

So while you will most likely not see any sign of the beast during your visit to Exmoor, be sure to take a photograph if a large black cat, perhaps two metres long, suddenly appears in front of you. Just before screaming loudly and running very fast.