Love Haytor this Valentine’s Day

Join Simon Lee, area Ranger for the Haytor area on one of his regular second Sunday volunteer days at this popular and fascinating site.

Simon’s next second Sunday work day will be on 14 February, Valentine’s Day. So why not show how much you love Dartmoor by joining in with the fun? The day begins at 10.30 and finishes at 3.30.

Conservation work days are a great way of getting healthy exercise in a fantastic environment and meeting like-minded people as well as helping look after this special place. You will also learn more about Dartmoor’s industrial and prehistoric archaeology, wildlife habitats, rare species and moorland management.

On 14 February Simon will be leading his team to make repairs to one of Dartmoor’s fascinating landscape features - a leat. Haytor reservoir leat is marked on the first edition Ordnance survey map which was published in the 1880s and pre-dates any of the modern housing in Haytor Vale. It is thought that the modern South West Water reservoir was constructed over the original take off point on the River Lemon. The leat flows across common land before passing under the road and into enclosed land. It is the section of leat flowing across the common that needs some work to improve the flow and help prevent flooding on the road to Haytor Rocks.

The first volunteer day, on 10 January this year, saw volunteers working with Rangers and Ecologists on a site close to the National Park Visitor Centre at Haytor where the bog hoverfly, one of Dartmoor’s rarest insects, has made a home. The bog hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum) is an extremely rare hoverfly that in recent years has been found only within a restricted area of Dartmoor.  Work was carried out at the site to benefit the habitat for this fascinating creature. There was a great turnout on the day, with many people expressing an interest in joining the regular monthly work.

If you are interested in coming along on one of Simon’s Haytor conservation work days please get in touch by emailing slee@dartmoor.gov.uk  or calling 07711 104541. Booking is essential as tools and equipment need to be organised.

For those who come along regularly there will be plenty of variety, with practical work being carried out on habitat management and archaeological sites as well as helping keep this iconic Dartmoor location looking good.