Stay a little longer
Dartmoor, the place of our retreat. I have recently come to realise how little time we spend in this beautiful area of moors, forests and water courses considering how much we value Dartmoor. Our visits are hurried because we are always en route to Cornwall, to visit family and friends and to work. Dartmoor offers a welcome detour instead of using the busy trunk road into Cornwall. We often break our journey for half, one or two days on the moor. Although we have used these mini breaks two or three times for the past twelve years, this year was only the second time that we have stayed there for a holiday.
One might say, ‘What is wrong with the stopovers?’ There is nothing wrong with these mini-breaks at all for they have served a good purpose. Gradually the guide books and Satnav have become redundant as we have familiarised ourselves with a few of the most popular tors, viewing points, inns, cleanest toilet facilities and easily negotiable routes across the high moors. However, our knowledge of the geology, terrain, history and culture of the moors far exceeds that which we have experienced for we have not given ourselves enough time to appreciate all that the moors have to offer.
One might say, ‘What is wrong with the stopovers?’ There is nothing wrong with these mini-breaks at all for they have served a good purpose. Gradually the guide books and Satnav have become redundant as we have familiarised ourselves with a few of the most popular tors, viewing points, inns, cleanest toilet facilities and easily negotiable routes across the high moors. However, our knowledge of the geology, terrain, history and culture of the moors far exceeds that which we have experienced for we have not given ourselves enough time to appreciate all that the moors have to offer.
Subsequent visits where time was not of the essence showed me how wrong my snap judgement had been. A sunny day brought out the best of the three rivers. It was beautiful, not just to look at, but also to enjoy. The guidebook had told no lies and we discovered a safe haven for young and old. The smaller tributaries really offered a tranquil atmosphere, sunlit ripples, stepping stones, a waterfall under the bridge and large boulders to clamber over on the other side of the bridge. The water meadows downstream of the newly-formed River Dart were full of grasses and wild flowers. There were ample paths from which to enjoy the area. Who minds a soaking wet shoe and sock when missing a stepping stone? There really was no need for me to dub Dartmeet a dark, brooding place at all for I had only experienced an overnight storm.
Our recent holiday made it possible to benefit from more than just a part of a very beautiful place because we had time on our side. For instance, rather than saying, ‘we must go now otherwise we will be late,’ we could say, ’that has done me good, I really needed that’. Often we flit in and out of the busyness and demands of our life-style. We steal a break rather than plan it as an official necessity. The slack times become frustrating and a negative intrusion into our space. We only need to give ourselves more time to make a difference. For instance, it takes more time to climb to the top of a tor where we will find a fuller panoramic view than to drive through the valleys or car-friendly terrain. Climbing to the top of the tors may challenge our fitness but even that is beneficial in itself. What a difference we would make if we embraced the whole of life, rode out the storms, weathered the droughts, enjoyed the bountiful times and, most of all, used our time well? We can stay in the valleys, become set in our perspectives, fixated with first impressions and exhaust ourselves with overwork, fretting and irritations. We can play safe and stay in the shallows or take a plunge and enjoy the challenge of staying the course. So much of life depends on our attitudes and willingness to persevere, through the good or bad times. When we make time to stay longer we give ourselves the opportunity to get the most, not the least, of where we find ourselves. We can see and understand more clearly, make accurate judgements and dispel inner conflicts. The challenge is to stay a little longer and not to run away.
Our recent holiday made it possible to benefit from more than just a part of a very beautiful place because we had time on our side. For instance, rather than saying, ‘we must go now otherwise we will be late,’ we could say, ’that has done me good, I really needed that’. Often we flit in and out of the busyness and demands of our life-style. We steal a break rather than plan it as an official necessity. The slack times become frustrating and a negative intrusion into our space. We only need to give ourselves more time to make a difference. For instance, it takes more time to climb to the top of a tor where we will find a fuller panoramic view than to drive through the valleys or car-friendly terrain. Climbing to the top of the tors may challenge our fitness but even that is beneficial in itself. What a difference we would make if we embraced the whole of life, rode out the storms, weathered the droughts, enjoyed the bountiful times and, most of all, used our time well? We can stay in the valleys, become set in our perspectives, fixated with first impressions and exhaust ourselves with overwork, fretting and irritations. We can play safe and stay in the shallows or take a plunge and enjoy the challenge of staying the course. So much of life depends on our attitudes and willingness to persevere, through the good or bad times. When we make time to stay longer we give ourselves the opportunity to get the most, not the least, of where we find ourselves. We can see and understand more clearly, make accurate judgements and dispel inner conflicts. The challenge is to stay a little longer and not to run away.
Merle Sparkes, October 2015
