Alumni (and Fred the dog!) walk Dartmoor

Last week, a hardy group of nine alumni, a small dog and a guest undertook some wonderful walks on Dartmoor.

Meeting on Monday evening, they first enjoyed a meal and sampled some local beers at the Royal Oak, Meavy, renewing old friendships and making new ones, whilst, according to the group, all the while eulogising about their good fortune to have gone to Alleyn’s.

The following morning, they walked in earnest, entering the Abbot’s Way and making their way after a tough 4 hours of threading through thick, virtually inpenetrable tufts of moorland grass to Plym Ford, South West past old tin miners’ workings (‘stannaries’, as Sn means tin), through Ditsworthy Warren (setting for War Horse) and Drizzle Combe and finally descending upon Meavy, after some 20km of hard effort, for well-deserved drinks at the Royal Oak. 

Whilst some of the group departed, the remaining six took on a less exacting challenge the next day which included being transported through the glorious Devon countryside, ponies and sheep sitting idly by the roadside, while large brown cows stolidly obstructed the passage of vehicular traffic and finishing up at Buckland Monachorum (= of the monks), for a delightful meal and a few beers in the rear garden of The Drake Manor Inn, happy, sunburnt, and full of banter reminiscent of precious Alleyn’s times shared years before.

The group adopted the motto on Drake’s pub sign, sic parvis magna, (meaning “thus from small things great things”) as their own for the trip and their hope is for more Alleyn’s alumni to join them for similar sojourns in the coming years. As Stefan Gatward (Tyson's 1965) writes, 'to continue these unforgettable moments of true splendour, walking the beautiful moors with wonderful friends, guided by John Gibbons’ excellent planning, encouragement, and leadership'.

Anyone who is inspired to join them for future forrays is welcome to email [email protected] and we will pass your interest on.

Back Row:  Keith Rodwell (Tyson’s 1963), Dave Hebden (Cribb’s 1966), Stefan Gatward (Tyson’s 1965), John Gibbons (Tyson’s 1970), The barmaid, John Parker (Brading’s 1973), guest and friend, Nick, Andy Roake (Dutton’s 1969)

Front Row: Anton Williams (Brading’s 1979), Murray Bryers (Brading’s 1979), Ian Stewart (Tulley’s 1971)

Foreground:  Fred the dog