One of his greatest passions in life has been the Dartmoor National Park- called
"England's last great wilderness", it comprises 380 sq.miles of unspoilt, protected and wild landscape. He first
came here as a boy, and then again on the Ten Tors Expedition at age 15 and again briefly age 19.
Between 1992 and 2005 he was going there approximatelyy three times a year for a few days.
This "land of spirit" held a deep fascination for him. He organised many educational group visits there. It combines
for him all that he requires of a landscape: sanctity, magnificence, wildness, variety, danger, wildlife, rich habitats, unique
geology. Additional to being the richest area in Europe for ancient and prehistoricc sites, it has a wealth of traditions
and heritage, and endless fund of legends, mysteries, and folklore. It also has what might be descirbed as a micro
climate and changes dramatically season by season and day by day. It is a dream-time world of its own like another planet
unhurried and largely untouched the mindless mundanity of so much soullessnes in the world today and combines moorland,
rolling farmland, heaths, forest, lake, bog, ancient woodlands, deep river valleys, high rocky ridges and tors: a landscape
of perpetual drama and unrivalled beauty. Here man is not master but guest. Mankind has been been driven off the Moor
many times and has never conquered it. The army (who use parts of it for training) remarks respectfully that if
a soldier can survive on Dartmoor he can survive anywhere.
He has become familiar with the landscape in all seasons and has hiked it in all weathers,
both alone and with parties of students and members and volunteers. He has also slept out on the Moor in all seasons, researched
several of its prehistoric sites, and arranged role play/activity projects for groups of members. He has devised a unique series
of long hikes and explorations all over the Moor, additional to archaeological researches, cultural visits and ancient sites
veneration.
His latest addition to the activities he offers there is a series of shamanic initiations
and explorations.
He has written a series of poems about Dartmoor inspired by the landscape and spirit of
place and the transience of life and the ages.
He also offers story telling to his students and parties of visitors about the mysteries,
legends, and folklore and myths and traditions of the Moor.
He feels very much at home here and has made friends. The locals in the Inn, which
he calls his second home since he uses it so often as a retreat for his writing and research and small student groups, regard
him almost as part of the place.
Over the years he had donated a sizeable Special Collection of books on Dartmoor to the library of
The Stephen Cox Garden Trust.
Although he does not go there regularly anymore, he does undertake specialist one week visits of exploration to various parts
of the British Isles, and Europe. Most recent being:
The Somerset Coast.
Cornwall.
Manchester/Liverpool/Blackpool.
Germany (twice a year)
