Join Stuart the Student Ranger and fellow volunteers as they continue the fabulous work that has been done to uncover the Templer Way – a nearly two-hundred-years-old granite tramway (and now popular walking route) used to transport precious granite from Haytor quarries to Teigngrace and then onwards to Teignmouth via the canal.The work will take place on Sunday 11th March, starting from Haytor Visitor Centre at 10:30 and finishing at 3:30. It will be cold out so please wrap up warm and be prepared for the elements. Rugged shoes and rough clothes recommended. Please bring your own lunch - Tea, coffee and biscuits provided!If you are interested in coming along, please get in touch by emailing shooppell@dartmoor.gov.ukor call 07702 554872 (Monday-Thursday). Booking is essential as tools and equipment need to be organised.Some HistoryThe Templer Way follows the route by which granite was taken from the quarries in the Haytor area during the 1800s on an 18 mile journey to Teignmouth on the south coast. A granite tramway was used to transport the stone down to Stover Canal from where it was shipped down to the docks at Teignmouth. Large parts of the old tramway still exist, especially in the area near Haytor itself.The BenefitsConservation work days are a great way of getting healthy exercise in a fantastic environment and meeting like-minded people, as well as helping look after this special place. You will also learn more about Dartmoor’s industrial and prehistoric archaeology, wildlife habitats, rare species and moorland management."I promise, if you love Dartmoor and want to be more than a day tripper, then give this a go. It’ll become the highlight of your month, no matter how cold the wind is." - Nigel Canham from ChristowOur Volunteer DaysThe first volunteer day, on 10 January 2016, saw volunteers working with Rangers and Ecologists on a site close to the National Park Visitor Centre at Haytor where the bog hoverfly, one of Dartmoor’s rarest insects, has made a home. The bog hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum) is an extremely rare hoverfly that in recent years has been found only within a restricted area of Dartmoor. Work was carried out at the site to benefit the habitat for this fascinating creature. Since then Simon has worked with volunteers to benefit butterflies in the Becka Brook valley and carried out a large maintenance project on the Haytor granite tramway, as well as making repairs to the reservoir leat.For those who come along regularly there is plenty of variety, with practical work being carried out on habitat management and archaeological sites as well as helping keep this iconic Dartmoor location looking good.
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