Letterboxing

Letterboxing?

Yes, letterboxing! While the name might make it sound like an activity that involves stalking delivery people, this is actually a historic Dartmoor hobby that visitors still take part in today. It is believed to have started in the Victorian era and involves searching Dartmoor for hidden treasures and then putting your finds into one of the many ‘Letterboxes’ or storage areas that are hidden around the moor.

These boxes are marked, so you know which ones are part of the game and each one contains a durable plastic box which will have a stamp and a visitors’ book. The stamp can be used to mark your own notebooks or journals and the visitors’ book is where you can leave your own mark.

History of Letterboxing

Letterboxing began in the Victorian era, with the first one believed to be sited at Cranmere Pool. It was left by James Perrott in 1854 and was the only one for 40 years. Now there are hundreds of letterboxes all over the moor.

How to get involved with Letterboxing

If you want to do Letterboxing when visiting Dartmoor, you can pick up your clue sheets at the bi-annual Letterbox Meet, which is held on clock change Sundays each March and October. You can then head out and search for the boxes and their treasures!  Take a pad of paper and a map with you and don’t forget to re-hide anything you find!