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You can now Download a database specifically designed to keep records of all your letterbox finds. It comes with some sample data, around 200 of the boxes on the moor, but uncomplete, for you to keep abrest of where you've been. It has some interesting features such as a walk planner, which prints out boxes within one Grid Square.
The only down side is that you need Microsoft Access 97, and about 1 mb of Disk space. It best works with a desktop setting of 800 x 640 pixels, however you have the ability to change that! It is fully documented, and comes in a zip file which is 237KB in size. Just click on the link, save to disk, and run winzip. It'll save the databse, and the two readme files to a directory called Dartmoor on your C drive. The two files with the Database document exactly how to use it.
The only thing I ask if you use it, is some
feedback on the Database, and any suggestions for options you'd
like to see, otherwise it's totally free, but only use it for
letterboxes!
Neil of Torquay
I further believe that it would be nice to keep Dartmoor Postboxes to a Dartmoor theme, I don't really associate the same prestidge with finding some box about somebodies wedding aniversary as I do with finding Grants Pot, say.
A well-made personal stamp or non-Dartmoor stamp eg Personalities, Peter Rabbit walk is just as interesting to collect as birds, flowers or dartmoor landmarks reproduced over and over again. What are awful are the little stamps purchased from shops which seem a waste of time. Does the word "dartmoor" on a stamp make it relevant? I enjoy letterboxing for the fun of finding the stamp, as I am sure most other people do. (in answer to your Torquay person)
He's also dismayed at the growing amount of non-Dartmoor connected boxes. This is something I have also noticed, and the growing amount of personal stamps could totally devalue the point of collecting them. I mean how long will it be before a Teletubby one is placed there? People coming acrosss such stamps should remark about it in the book, and We should try and get the Dartmoor theme prevailing again, after all the whole idea was started as a means for people to show they had been to the most in-hospitible parts of the moor. It is going to be no big deal to get to Cranmere Pool and pick up a Dipsy or LaLa stamp!
Wilybeasty of Devon
Shop Stamps - we all had to start
somewhere. My Wily Beasties personal stamps
might be sad but they've visited 5,000 boxes
and once you've started it's
tough to change your signature! However
I wholly recommend getting your
stamps made up if your putting out your own
boxes - they'll be exclusive and
my last lot of 40 worked out no more expensive
than shop bought ones.
The Army is against using ammunitiuon boxes as containers, as they claim that people could get injured if they contained ammunition, however, the only danger is actually caused by the Army themselves by leaving dangerous debris all over the national park.
Is the Army spoiling people's fun?
The ban on metal containers is futile. Any boxer with half a brain knows the difference between a box and a live shell. The army should be less concerened about amunition tins and more concerned about the amount of debris they leave on the moor. I have a fine collection of light amunition, nearly tripped over a rusty mortar bomb last year, stumpled across two trailers this year, found a radio set three years ago and nearly sat on a rusting tank cannon.
Carol of Maidenhead
I think Neil of Torquay is missing the
point. It's not letterboxers who can't tell the difference
between mortar shells and ammo cans but the
general public. Chatting to an army person, he told me
he was fed up with getting calls from people
worried about suspicious objects which from the
description he knew were ammo cans with a
letterbox in side but he was forced to investigate.
Further to this, I found an obvious letterbox
hole with rocks with anote inside from the NPA saying
they had taken the box away as it was in an
unsuitable container. It was on the East side of High
Willhays, anyone know what stamp it was, it
would be kind of the NPA if they could leave a note of
the box name but I think that is wishful
thinking!
Wilybeasty of Devon
Metal ammo cans - most boxers will know
what they look like but would an 8
year old novice? - Compliance seems a small
price to pay for the goodwill of
the National Park - anyway Chemists will be
glad to give you their empty
pillpots for free - recycle 'em. A pillpot
inside a pillpot is the best way I
know to keep the contents safe and dry.!
not really amusing, more frustrating, but I took my 70 year old mother who is addicted like me but has had major surgery for cancer, to Honeybag Tor as the charity walk said it was suitable for children of all ages and not being from Dartmoor we did not know what it was like.. I had such a job getting her up the hill that we forgot to look for one of the boxes!
A story that no doubt many a walker has a
similar one to! You can't trust the Guides sometimes, especially
when they forget to mention that Honeybag is a very steep
vertical 150m climb from the road!
Please contact me with any relevant information about letterboxes, ie any new ones discovered, unsual boxes, or boxes that you have placed and want people to know about
