Myths and legends of witches abound on Dartmoor – Old Hannah, Witch Hare, Levera, Vixana, Mary Ann, and more. Some offered helpful ‘blessing for bleedings’ or wart charms. But most stories tell of women who were old and wicked. This twisted truth stems from the medieval witch-hunts, and has been rife for centuries. Instead these indigenous wisdom-keepers were likely community mid-wives and herbalists working with the natural effects of weather changes, moon cycles, and seasonal plants. For Samhain, walk with Dartmoor’s Daughter to one of the locations of a Dartmoor witch legend, and see if we can reimagine these stories, and reawaken our innate human connection with nature, mystery and magic.
Learn map and compass skills in a hands-on and practical workshop. Build confidence to explore new places and walk off the beaten track. We will also discover other ways to feel your way through the landscape e.g.: natural navigation.
Explore the fascinating world of fungi with mycologist Dr Christian Taylor, Emma from Dartmoor's Daughter and Daniel Thompson-Mills of Steward Community Woodland. On a walk through the woods, you will learn how to identify fungi and find out all about this marvellous kingdom of nature.
Join Emma to explore some of the possible inspirations and origins for Sherlock Holme’s most famous case, the 'Hound of the Baskervilles'. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle visited Dartmoor, and you can see many of the influences for his novel from real-life people, places and incidents.
