My Dartmoor Adventure

A guest post by Angela Chick

This article is written by Angela Chick and was originally published in 2019, in issue 5 of The Procrastination Paper, a mini mag I used to produce. Angela has kindly given me permission to republish it here. I’ll be back with my usual Nature Notice Board posts in late January 2025!

Since I’m away on my own adventure at the moment, this is part of a series of guest posts. I hope you enjoy them until I’m back in late January!

I love being outdoors. I'm also partial to my own company. I run my own business so I can't take that much time off work. "Big" adventures are off limits, and that's fine. When I say BIG adventures, I mean adventures that span time. I've decided that adventure doesn't have to take long to be big.

My first UK wild camp was on Dartmoor, years back with a friend (ignoring the fact most of the camping I did in Canada was "wild"). It's the place in my heart these memories hold that makes them BIG.

One sweltering July afternoon, I hopped in the car with my friends who agreed to drop me on Dartmoor, on my own, with everything I would need for 4 days on my back. Oh, and a water filter to drink from the rivers. Getting enough water would be extra important since my little adventure was taking place during a heatwave.

I decided against bringing a book. Not only to avoid extra pack weight, but to encourage thinking and being present. My anxiety brain doesn't always mean this is a good idea, as I start to think of the worst possible scenarios sometimes. Birdsong, bees, sheep and cows were the soundtrack to my few days on Dartmoor. The moments of incredible serenity are what I love about the outdoors.

En route, my friend asked me how I was feeling. Nervous. Anxious. Was I even capable? What had I gotten myself into? I'd planned a route that would take me to the most remote tor, so even if I did change my mind I'd have to hike a few hours before I would reach a road.

I came across bogs that weren’t on the map I'd used to avoid them. Dried up streams and rivers that I’d planned to use to refill my water. Heat so intense, with no shade anywhere but at the top of a tor, hiding behind a rock. I lost count of the adders and birds with such beautiful songs I'd never heard, and a cute species of bee I'd never seen before. I saw only 5 people in 4 days. I met a giant black cow standing on top of Devil's Tor, staring into the eyes of a crow.

At one moment, in the middle of a bog, I looked to my left, right, forward and backward. All I could see was bog and I thought I would cry. I kept going, keeping my eyes on the tor ahead of me. I was going to get up there and get some shade. Even if I had to crawl under a rock to get it. I got to the top, dropped my pack, grabbed my water filter and rain all the way back down, just to feel what it was like to move quickly again (Why was I missing running?!). I had my best sleep outdoors that night.

There were so many times I wanted to give up. I knew I had an out if I needed it but I decided to keep going. The beautiful sunrises, the solitude, the moments sat in shade listening to the wilderness around me and nothing else. That is why I love the outdoors. It was hard work, but I'm glad I did it.

When I read Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau - this quote stuck with me:

"I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude."

He also comments on seeking solitude, not isolation. There is a difference. I like time on my own, but I feel I am happier to take moments of isolation in more bite-sized quantities. I get small tastes of it when I'm in the sea, or running, when I'm deep into a book, or out walking. It was interesting to spend that much time alone. It was also a bit scary. I guess this is where microadventures really appeal to me. As I waited to be collected in a tiny town on Dartmoor, cars sped passed me. They seemed LOUD. I couldn't believe how much I had adjusted to the quiet after not hearing cars for just a few days.

I’m still so glad I did it. It felt quite big. I feel proud of having achieved it.

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If you’re a woman interested in meeting other likeminded adventurers, Angela recommends Adventure Queens.

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About Angela Chick

Angela Chick is an illustrator, designer and arts educator working in Higher Education. She has over a decade of experience as a freelance illustrator and in that time has designed hundreds of greeting cards and products and worked with plenty of small businesses as well as some household names, like Selfridges and Moonpig.

Angela was born in the UK, grew up in Canada (where she says she was lucky to have a “free range” childhood) and moved back to UK at 20, where she continued her studies before going straight into a job as artist in residence, helping children learn their languages of expression (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc). For the following 12 years she sold her own illustrated products from her online store, which she shut earlier this month in order to focus on commissions, teaching, licensing and creating for the joy of it.

Follow Angela on Instagram to see her colourful creations.