Army Cadets take on Dartmoor

Wide open moorland, steep hills and some serious fence building were all on the programme when the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust welcomed young Army Cadets from Middlesex and North West London Army Cadet Force.

The four-day programme formed part of the cadets’ annual camp, which brought around 300 young people and 70 staff to the area, with the main camp based at Okehampton.

Major Richard Wooley wanted some of the cadets to have the chance to try something different and make a useful contribution during their time on Dartmoor.

“I looked at doing something different, a bit more constructive, and I reached out to the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust,” he said.

Across the four days, different groups walked, explored and worked alongside DPHT. Around 40 cadets took part in a two to two-and-a-half-day expedition-style Dartmoor experience, while another group joined the Trust over two further days to help with fencing.

Cath Anderson, DPHT general manager, organised the programme. She said: “The cadets arrived ready to work and they certainly did,” she said. “They threw themselves into everything, listened, asked questions and brought enormous energy to their time with us.

“The fencing they completed was a real help, and we hope they returned home with a strong sense of what makes Dartmoor and its heritage ponies so important.”

For young people more accustomed to London, the sheer scale and openness of Dartmoor made quite an impression.

Gillian Healey of Dartmoor Walking Tours, who led one of the walks, said the cadets embraced everything Dartmoor put in front of them.

“What stood out was their enthusiasm,” she said. “Some had never experienced a landscape like Dartmoor before, but they took on the hills and every challenge we gave them.

“It was rewarding to see their confidence grow and to watch them begin to understand the ponies, the landscape and the connection between the two.”

Major Wooley said the visit gave the cadets an opportunity to get outside, meet new people and experience something completely different from their everyday lives.

It also gave DPHT the chance to introduce a new generation to Dartmoor, its landscape and its heritage ponies, while gaining some valuable practical help along the way.

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust works to secure a thriving future for heritage Dartmoor ponies by supporting breeders and keepers, and by championing their value to Dartmoor’s landscape, culture and future.