Geri Skeens - Moorland Guide

13/06/2024

This should be good.

News from Challacombe Farm – Wildflower meadow walks and more

Art & Energy at Challacombe Farm this Sunday
This Sunday (the 16th) we’re teaming up with the lovely ladies at the Art & Energy Collective (https://www.artandenergy.org/ ) to host ‘Making and restoring the Moor’ which will be arty activities and a guided wildlife walk with a moss focus with Andrew Branson from the British Bryological Society, and an easy farm walk to take in some of our wild flower meadows and wetlands – which at the moment are full of orchids. Afterwards there will be tea and cake and a chance to see (and add to) their Mossy Carpet art project (https://www.artandenergy.org/the-mossy-carpet ) .
The event runs between 12 and 4, and although not essential, if you’re planning to come, please book a free place through Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creative-activities-farm-tour-at-challacombe-farm-with-art-and-energy-tickets-884991462287 ) as then we’ll know how much cake to make.

Moor Meadows – open meadows
If you can’t make Sunday, as part of Moor Meadows Open Meadows programme, we are once again having a self-guided trail, through our flower rich haymeadows, and past the wet rhos pasture between 10am and 5pm from Saturday 15th through to Friday 21st June. No booking is required, just park in the field by the house, and follow the orange marker tape & posts around the fields and back. The route is about ¾ mile with one steep hill (about 150ft of climbing) and some uneven ground.

Lamb & beef
If you’re heading up our way, and would like to stock-up on some of our delicious, organic, 100% grass fed lamb or beef, if you order it advance on the website we’ll have it ready for you. In anticipation of BBQ season, we’ve got some lovely lamb steaks and chops.

See the farm on Disney+
Some of you may remember that we hosted a film crew a few summers ago, who spent weeks filming our swallows. A small part of their footage they took has now made it into Episode 6 of ‘Incredible Animal Journeys’ which you can stream on the National Geographic channel on Disney+

All the best
Mark & Naomi

10/06/2024

07/06/2024

Just two on my Flora of Upland Britain workshop for outdoor leaders today so we got to do loads of stuff. We tried two people back to back; one describing a plant while the other drew it. We classified all our artwork and compared with other classification systems. Dan found his first ever sundew with its sticky tendrils which catch insects. Fab end to a week of client work.

30/05/2024

Tim was kind enough to help me survey today in surprisingly strong winds and periodic rain showers. The bog cotton looked fabulous.

30/05/2024

Looking forward to leading camps at the The Bioasis next month.

29/05/2024

Introduction to mosses, ferns and lichens at East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve today. More rainforest events coming up there, with the next on 5 June https://www.geriskeens.co.uk/nature-walks

29/05/2024

There's always one that has to be different, isn't there?

28/05/2024

Very misty Pony Power walk for Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust today. We were rewarded by 17 of the herd grazing their way towards us through the forestry plantation. Next Pony Power walks are on 14 and 20 Aug. Next walk I lead though is in Yarner's temperate rainforest tomorrow.

24/05/2024

Recommended!

24/05/2024

Half term walk anyone? It's one I love leading; plenty for adults and children to enjoy.

23/05/2024

The kids of today...I was helping a class of seven-year-olds to explore the exhibition at Postbridge Visitor Centre. I took along my truly pathetic first attempt at making cord from nettles to contrast with a reproduction of a beautiful piece of fabric woven from nettle fibres in the Bronze Age. One of them had the grace to say, 'Yours is nice too; they'd just had more practice than you.'

22/05/2024

Love these rock basins which form on top of several of Dartmoor's tors.

21/05/2024

Big news for nature 🥳

After an absence of 150 years, pine martens are set to return to the South West!

Devon Wildlife Trust, in partnership with Dartmoor National Park, Exmoor National Park, Forestry England, National Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and The Woodland Trust will be leading this exciting reintroduction project, centred in Dartmoor and Exmoor.

Pine Martens Bounce Back: The Two Moors Pine Marten Project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project aims to restore healthy populations of pine martens to the South West of England.

Alongside the animal’s return will be an ambitious programme of community activities which will engage thousands of people in exploring, learning about and caring for the region’s woodlands.

Read the full story here 👉 https://buff.ly/44QPBMZ

📷 Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

20/05/2024

Next Pony Power guided walk will be on 28 May. For adults and over 7's.

Dates: Tuesday 28th May 2024 Times: 10am to 2pm Start point: POSTBRIDGE FORESTRY ENGLAND CAR PARK - By the large metal gate Postbridge forestry car park, PL20 6TH. This is 100 metres from Postbridge National Park Visitor Centre car park and on the opposite side of the road. Turn off the B3212 from P...

09/05/2024

Beautiful oil beetle munching on a blade of grass.

03/05/2024

Devon's wild flowers are the best!

03/05/2024

Back from training to deliver immersive experiences for teenagers this summer. Fantastic location - 1,200 acres of remote river valley, pristine woodland and salt marsh - in south Devon. It's available for groups to hire too with tented accommodation and they can provide catering and activities if you wish: The Bioasis

The Bioasis is the perfect training ground to rewild the next generation and kick-start a more sustainable relationship with our planet. We deliver exceptional school trips, year group residentials, field studies trips and low carbon school expeditions, all set in 1200 acres of rugged coastline, sal...

21/04/2024

Anyone like to do some practical conservation work East side of Dartmoor?

18/04/2024

The cuckoo's back! Congo to Chagford.

18/04/2024

Moorland Guides Dartmoor Walks are now guiding walks from Haytor every Wednesday morning.

17/04/2024

Woodpecker holes!

16/04/2024

Primroses, violets and orchids in the woods today

13/04/2024

Pony having a good old scratch

12/04/2024

Such joy to be on Dartmoor in sunshine after what feels like an eternity of rain

05/04/2024

New SFI Option – LFA Paddy Fields?

Defra have announced a new SFI option for farmers on Dartmoor. Diverse Paddy Fields is paid at £650/HA for a rice crop established under standing water in March or April. As with herbal leys if you have rice or water cress growing in your fields this can be counted towards the sward mix. A supplement of £50/HA is available for aquatic grazing and post-harvest the area can be used for trout, eel farming or wild swimming. Defra have announced new complimentary equipment under the Investment Fund which includes lamb snorkels, calf armbands and stilts for shepherds. Please note the uplands item has one stilt longer than the other to allow for altitude. Further details at .! Keep smiling….

05/04/2024

Good luck to Moorland Guides Dartmoor Walks as they start regular Wednesday walks from Haytor Visitor Centre. I'll be going on this first one myself as what Sue doesn't know about Dartmoor's ecology isn't worth knowing.

We thought we'd take some time over the next few months to introduce to our amazing guides.

This week, we'd like you to meet Sue Goodfellow! Sue has lead guided walks on Dartmoor for over 40 years, including with Moorland Guides for the last 10 years. She worked for the Dartmoor National Park Authority for much of her career as an ecologist and conservationist, latterly as Director of Conservation with responsibility for rangers, tourism, recreation, archaeology, education, agriculture and forestry as well as biodiversity and land management.

After that, Sue set up her own environmental consultancy and worked in protected areas across Europe and the UK, specialising in biodiversity and sustainable tourism. She was a Director of Europarc Atlantic Isles, the Chair of Devon Local Nature Partnership, and until recently she was the Chair of Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT). Sue has travelled widely, trekking and plant hunting in the Himalayas, the Cacausus, Tien Shan, Alps, Pyrénées and various African mountain ranges. But there is nowhere quite like Dartmoor! Sue has lived here for over 30 years and she loves sharing the fascinating stories, history and wildlife of the moor with people of all ages and backgrounds.

Now semi-retired, Sue writes for Dartmoor Magazine, leads guided walks and does voluntary work with DWT and the RAMM museum in Exeter (mostly ecological surveys and education). Most of all, she enjoys playing with her young grandchildren!

Sue is running our very first Wednesday Walk on 17th April, meeting at 10am outside Haytor Visitor Centre (£15pp and under 16's free!). There are still spaces available so please do get in touch if you'd like to book a space and join us!

01/04/2024

My first woodland walks of the year are on Friday. Details on my website: https://www.geriskeens.co.uk/nature-walks

01/04/2024

SAVE THE DATE!
Get ready for the first of our guided walks, Pony Power, on Thursday, April 11th, 2024! 🐴🚶‍♀️

Join us for a 4-mile walk through the beautiful Postbridge Forestry England Car Park, starting at 10 am and ending at 2 pm. This easy-level walk is suitable for children aged 7 and above, and dogs are welcome on a lead.

We'll meet at the large metal gate at Postbridge Forestry England Car Park, PL20 6TH, and explore the conservation grazing of Dartmoor Ponies, their impact on the environment, and their role in preserving the natural habitat. We'll also have the chance to spot these beautiful creatures up close and personal and enjoy stunning views from the top of Bellever Tor.

What to wear: Dress for all weathers and wear well-treaded footwear.

What to bring: Packed lunch, binoculars (if you have them), and a sense of adventure!

Maximum number of participants: 15

Cost: £12.00 per person

Book your spot now and join us for a fun-filled day in nature! 🌿🌲

31/03/2024

One of the beautiful photos taken by my sister Gillie Slater this week

15/12/2023

This is what's been keeping me so busy the past few months. More events to follow March/April; I'll post dates when they're live.