Some time back Alice told me about Blackingstone Rock, a tor with a staircase hewn from the rock. He wanted to try some inescapable bondage up there, atop the tor, helpless, bound to the hand rail. At least, I think it was that way round, but you never know. He does enjoy the blog and knows about my Tits Out Tor Bagging adventures.
Anyway, time passes and, in the interim, Alice has been unwell. Any thoughts of testing out his plans have faded away, and though his health is, thankfully, much improved, I don’t think he would be able to hike over the moor. Even if it was a secluded enough spot to test his mettle in the face of my ties. And that was the end of it, at least for a while. I knew I’d find myself there eventually. And I was very much looking forward to it, but there were other, more accessible areas to explore. And with my children finally requesting Dartmoor time I would rather share adventures with them than pictures with you. There is plenty of time for that! (Unless the opportunity presents itself, as it did at Sharp Tor.)
But what I’d not banked on was SWL gifting me a book for Christmas. Dartmoor 365 is a fabulous book, breaking up the moor into 365 squares, each covering a square mile. It is a great addition to any Dartmoor geeks’ bookcase, full of places and interesting items to find. Plants and rocks, tors and villages, churches and bridges, streams and staircases – like this one on Blackingstone Rock, the one Alice had talked about. There are also little snippets of Dartmoor folklore and even grids to mark off the squares you’ve visited. (I’ve not even scratched the surface, it’s a fabulous book.)
Talking of Dartmoor geeks, it won’t surprise you that I have a few friends of this persuasion.
And some of them even have this book. Now, MrMarks (who gave me these marks, hence the name) is one of these friends. After a few difficulties in our friendship – on both sides – we took some time out, but have recently been back in touch. And over a hot chocolate he mentioned that he had the book. I’d only had it a couple of weeks and so had only shaded the one box. Over the next few weeks we decided that it would be nice to explore a square together, and eventually settled on a rough area.
It was him who suggested Blackingstone rock, seems the men in my life – Alice and MrMarks anyway – like stairs! Of course, I was very happy to visit the tor. And, in spite of my nerves at asking Mr marks was more than happy to be photographer.
The area around Blackingstone rock is steeped in sad tales and legends.
King Arthur being the suggested reason for the Christmas Pudding shaped rocky outcrop being there in the first places, but with death of a baby at the beaks of Ravens and the suspected murder of a farmer returning from selling his wool at market in nearby Chagford. Below is the story of King Arthur settling an argument with the Devil.
The story goes that King Arthur had a disagreement with the Devil one day. King Arthur took his stand on the hill where Blackingstone now stands and the Devil on the hill where nearby Hel Tor stands. The two decided to settle their disagreement with a game of quoits. As each quoit hit the ground, they turned into stone, resulting in the formation of the two tors.
Visit Mid Devon
Back to the post…
This is Blackingstone Rock, the latest addition to my Tits Out Tor Bagging Adventures, suggested by Alice, reminded of by SWL (and the book) and facilitated by MrMarks. While our walk didn’t take us for many miles, it did give us both a look at a new area. And spend time, just quietly rambling along country lanes, talking to sheep and suggesting kinky additions to cranky old farm buildings.
It was a lovely, if slightly chilly, afternoon. And while I can see the attraction for an inescapable bondage game atop the tor I think that must stay as fantasy. Too many people around. Dog walkers, families, climbers… Not to mention the cold! Brrrrrr.
If you’re disappointed not to see Alice, bound, on top of Blackingstone Rock I can only apologise. And offer you this by way of peace offering. Me, Basking Sinfully, on Mel Tor, November 2018. An early Tits Out Tor Bagging capture with Loki.
From the story of how the barefoot sub became the woman she is today, to toy reviews, with a hefty dose of contemplation, a sprinkling of erotica and a LOT of nudity in between, you can be sure to find something to tickle your fancy at A Leap Of Faith.