Abandoned

A lovely day dawned, the moors beckoned and Mini-Bug had no idea of the traumatic experience she would have today. We were excited because we had a new letterbox ready to replace an old 1990's one which had gone missing. The old box had been called Holiday Hill (it had been made from an 1 x 1.5 inch eraser and the image can be seen here).

First we had to take the footpath towards a moorland cross, it is the tallest cross on the moors, but I think rather ugly, as it is a nineteenth century replacement for the original cross which fell down. This photo shows how the ancient moorland crosses dominated the skyline and why they were such a good guide for travellers on the moor.

For now our path headed away from the cross, down a hill and Mini-Bug was determined she would find a very good spot for the new box. On her previous journeys she had noticed several stone cairns and thought they would make a great place to hide a box. I had to explain that cairns were not a good choice as two things tended to happen to them. Firstly people passing by tended to add further stones to them, which could completely engulf a letterbox. Secondly other people liked to knock them down and this would expose our letterbox. We pressed on and eventually found a hiding spot that both of us thought was suitable to hide the letterbox. Minibug sat down on a nearby boulder to check the box over one last time, getting out her compass, paper and pen ready to write the clues.

Once finished, we headed back and as we neared the cross once again, Mini-Bug decided she ought to have her photograph taken with it. When we reached it Mini-Bug posed against the shaft of the cross. Before I could take the photograph my mobile phone rang. Quickly taking off my rucksack I was able to extract and answer it just before the ringing stopped. I don't normally turn my mobile phone on when I am walking, just carry it with me for emergencies. Today I had left it turned on because I knew my friends were going to be letterboxing on the moor and might try to phone me. Sure enough that was who it was. They were having a good day too and wondered if they could meet Mini-Bug. We made arrangements for later in the day and then I packed the phone back in my rucksack, slung it on my back and headed off down the hill.

At the bottom of the hill I suddenly thought 'Were is Mini-Bug?' ''BLOOMIN' 'ECK!'' I had left Mini-Bug lent against the cross waiting to have her photo taken! Quickly I dashed back - as fast as I was able with a rucksack of letterboxing gear on my back - and got there just as some walkers were approaching. Mini-Bug was still lent against the cross, abandoned and in the middle of having a panic attack. I quickly scooped her up out of the sight of the walkers and, once well away from discovery, laid her down on a rock to recover from the shock! Eventually she came round enough to notice that she was laid next to some rather pretty heather that was just beginning to flower. There were only a few small pockets of heather flowering at the moment, but soon the whole moor would be covered in purple.

Quickly trying to think of something to take Mini-Bug's mind off her ordeal I offered to show her the first letterbox ever planted in this area. Mini-Bug immediately brightened up, and we set off to find it. It is a fairly easy box to find and has remained more or less dry all these years. The original visitors book did get a little damp at one time, as can be seen by a few of the wrinkled pages but it has long since dried off and all the signature stamps can be seen and comments read. The stamp is just a simple one, as it had been drawn by me — and I am no artist! A new, second visitors book was placed in the box last year alongside the old one. This is a rather more superior visitors book this time, as the box now has a place in our letterboxing heritage. Mind you the book is not a handmade one such as our creative American letterboxing cousins would have made for such a special box. Having read the books from cover to cover, Mini-Bug stamped in — very proud she was! We carefully packed everything back into the box and replaced it, taking care not to call attention to what we were doing, as this is near a high traffic tourist spot. Of course when I placed it all those years ago, I wanted to show off one of our most beautiful spots, but now I never cease to be amazed that it has not been muggled. Thank you to all those visitors who have rehidden it so carefully.

It was time to meet up with my friends. Mini-Bug was excited because she had a special American surprise for them stowed away in her carrying case. We arrived at the allotted place, and they joined us shortly afterwards. Immediately they wanted to meet Mini-Bug and when her case was opened, out she jumped — and so did a Flea! They had never seen a Flea Letterbox before (as this a totally American type of letterbox) and I don't know if they were more fascinated with Mini-Bug or the Flea! The Flea had been made by a young gentleman in America and sent all the way over to me. The stamp for this flea had even been drawn by the young man. I could never draw anything that well! It had a darling little logbook which closes with a tiny clasp. I had infested my mother with it, who had then infested Mini-Bug with it because she said it was exactly the right size for Mini-Bug. Now it was Mini-Bug's turn to infest my friends.

Once things had settled down Mini-Bug asked them if they had a Personal Traveller, and as they carried one in their rucksack she was able to stamp into that. Stamping into a proper English Personal Traveller, what excitement — although *whispering* truth to tell, exactly the same as Personal Travellers at home in America :-)