FOUR members of North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team took part in a special walk to Cranmere Pool on Dartmoor recently to mark the 21st anniversary of a special pilgrimage with late Okehampton moor rescue legend Fred Barlow.
In April 2003 Fred Barlow BEM, founder member of the Dartmoor Rescue Group, walked to the remote spot on north Dartmoor.
This commemorated his first trip to the pool as a young boy 75 years earlier in 1928 – one that kindled his love of Dartmoor and the great outdoors.
Fred passed away in 2013 aged 90 and this was to be his final trip to Cranmere Pool.
On that memorable occasion in 2003 Fred was accompanied by four members of the North Dartmoor Search & Rescue Team (NDSART) – Andy Aiano, Dr Michael Ireland, Brian Cole and Paul Vachon.
Earlier this year, after discovering the video of that walk, the four men decided to do the walk again as a 21st anniversary event.
And on Sunday, August 11, they donned their hiking kit and set off on what is a challenging expedition. Cranmere Pool is deep into the moor, far from civilisation on all sides, so help was needed to get them there, from the present search and rescue crew in Okehampton.
Paul Vachon takes up the story, saying: “The four of us, now in our seventies and eighties, wisely, decided to ask the NDSART for assistance, which they enthusiastically agreed and also arranged for vehicles and drivers from the Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response.
“We all met up at the NDSART Rescue Centre in Okehampton and set off for a drop-off point on the moor where we started the walk. The pool was not a great distance from the vehicles, perhaps less than a mile, but the weather, typical of Dartmoor, was low cloud, drizzle and visibility down to 100 metres.
“The wet start to the first half of the year not only made the ground boggy in places but had also allowed the grass to grow a lot taller – this made the path into Cranmere Pool difficult to navigate. Cranmere Pool itself is no longer a pool. It’s an almost featureless hollow on the moor with only the famous ‘letterbox’ to mark its location.
“Eventually we all found our way there where we briefly stopped for photographs and signed the letterbox visitors’ book before taking a more direct route back to the vehicles. By which time the cloud had gone and full sunshine illuminated the splendid panorama of Dartmoor.
“We greatly appreciated the help and support from current members of NDSART; Trevor, Carl, Roger and John. And Steve and Stan from D&C 4x4 Response. And who knows – this may become an annual event!”
Fred maintained his association with Dartmoor all his life. In addition to being president of the North Moor section of the Dartmoor Rescue Group, based in Okehampton, he was one of a small group of rescuers operating on the moor who originally helped set up Dartmoor Rescue in 1968.
