Mula Exploradora!

Mule Explorer!

The sun's shining, the breeze is blowing and this mule has energy! Come on FH let's go check out the wilds of Dartmoor!

I do so love it up on Dartmoor, it is made for mules!  Dartmoor is nearly 400 square miles of open moorland with herds of ponies, cattle and sheep (and the occasional Pixie aka Piskies in this area).

I have been exploring on the moor before but normally I have to wait for a more mature short ears friend to go with me as I get a bit excited!  FH reckons I'm ready to go on my own though now.

So let's get tacked up and out early..... we don't get blue skies like that very often here you know.









That looks like a mule track to me, need to go up hill and over yonder, hang on FH I'll get you there.

Dartmoor Mule!

I've noticed on Dartmoor that there are lots of these stone things everywhere.... FH tells me that some of them are the ruins of old houses (maybe we could come live up here FH, there's lots of grass), some are burial mounds (spooky!) and some are monuments that no one really knows what they are. These things have been here since the Bronze age, that's about 5000 mule years ago, wow!  They are all made out of granite and have a habit of popping up out of nowhere, I had to give some of those stones a good mule stare to put them in their place.... can't have those rocks thinking they've scared me...

Sometimes all is not as it seems, I noticed that quite a few of those stones actually moved when I passed them.  They was sheeps disguised as stones!  Naughty sheep!  This little lambykins wasn't that well disguised though, he had got left behind by his Mom.  Run, sheepy run.

After a few miles I was starting to get a bit thirsty, it was OK though as we were about to happen upon one of Dartmoor's many streams for a little drink.  We had to tip toe around a blanket bog first though.  Dartmoor has lots of bogs.... nasty squelchy things that suck your hooves off, thank goodness FH seems to know where they are as I wouldn't like to lose my pretty muletta hooves, good job I invited her along, humans are useful sometimes.

Bog tackled we neared the stream but what is this?  Some of the cattle had the same idea.  These are Belted Galloway cattle, I thought they were rather pretty, FH was not so convinced, she is a little bit nervous of them.  Apparently this herd are known to be fairly quiet but they got calves with them so we needed to be careful and not upset them.  FH needed to hide so she got off me and hid behind my mulificent self.  I gave those cows some stern mule stares and they quickly created a path for Queen Dragon to proceed through.  I don't know why FH is bothered by this lot they seemed pretty friendly to me.  I would've enjoyed staying to chat a bit longer but places to go people to see!

Just a second FH before we go I just gotta check under the bridge for the Piskies (this is the proper Devon word for pixies, those little fairy folk that live on the moor and have a mischievous time, us Muleteers love them, our humans don't believe they exist, they have no imagination sometimes).  

These old bridges are called clapper bridges, some nice person mules years ago put them up so you humans don't need to get your feet wet when crossing.  Us mules have superior waterproof hooves, you lot really need to evolve some too.

Checking for Piskies

OK bye now my bovine friends, I'll be back again soon.  What a nice view!  You can see where the farmer's fields end and the moor begins, they're such different colours.

Onwards we must go!  This is so much fun!  FH walks a bit and rides a bit and inspects the view while I inspect the plant life (mmm tasty).  We both sigh deeply and enjoy the sunshine, aahh bliss :-)

Nearly back to the track home and I came across this most interesting bunch of stones, I was desperate to climb all over it while FH had to get off to open one of the super difficult gates. This is called a 'Barrow', apparently not one of the wheeled ones but this is a name for an ancient monument sometimes a tomb or burial chamber.  These are found all over the moor, this is one of the oldest ones but alas it is now just a collection of big granite rocks. 

Perfect for a Mula Exploradora to pose on!

Homeward bound now, I'm sure I can hear The Mini bellowing from miles down the lane!  I'm having such a nice time do I have to go home?  Guess the boys need might need me.... oh well if we're going we might as well GO!  What do you mean FH that I really shouldn't canter down this path? It's only steep and rocky and narrow.... no problems for a Mula Exploradora but as you asked nicely I guess I'll carry you down it at a walk.  There is an advantage to that, I can snack along the way!

Next stop home.  Just time for a Mula Exploradora to replenish her energy levels with cow parsley, hogweed and campion - yummy!

I'm ready for my next adventure, where to FH?  I love being a Mula Exploradora!