DARTMOOR CHALLENGE BADGE
The Dartmoor Challenge Badge has been created in collaboration by Dartmoor National Park Authority, the Dartmoor Preservation Association, and the National Trust. Made up of six parts, it invites people to explore the many interesting elements that make up the unique Dartmoor landscape. The six themes are titled Natural Environment, Built Heritage, Myths and Legends, Working Dartmoor, Exploration, and Who Looks After Dartmoor.
Each theme consists of a selection of activities which can each be completed in between 30 minutes and 2 hours either in your own space or out on Dartmoor. The Dartmoor Challenge Badge has a flexible approach, and each activity will include suggestions on how to adapt aspects to suit the participants and ways to incorporate reflection and creativity. We are very keen that the activities include a good mix of easy to more challenging tasks and plenty of options that are free or low cost.
The Dartmoor Challenge badge is a great way to help you explore Dartmoor from a distance or to guide you as you get to know the place in person. These activities are designed to be enjoyed in any location accessible to you but for each activity we have made suggestions as to how you can bring the activity to life on Dartmoor itself. We encourage you to “Dartmoor it” as much as you can!
To earn a Dartmoor Challenge Badge, participants must complete at least one activity from each of the six themes. This is the minimum, but the completion of more activities is encouraged! We are also keen to see the ways in which you choose to ‘Dartmoor it,’ so please share your experiences with us via email at info@dartmoorpreservation.co.uk or on social media using the hashtag #DartmoorBadge.
To get started, you will need to download the Dartmoor Challenge Badge Activity Pack and the accompanying Dartmoor Challenge Badge Resource Pack. These two resources will provide all the instructions, templates, links, images and prompts that you need to earn a badge as an individual or group. You may wish to print the whole of both PDF documents and keep them in a folder to refer to, or you might prefer to select certain activity pages and laminate them, for multiple uses. The two PDF files are quite large, so if you have a slower connection you may wish to try our separate sample activities first. Already completed your 6 activities? Order your sew-on badge HERE.
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES
Footprint Detectives - Identifying Dartmoor's Animal Inhabitants
Dartmoor is the largest and highest upland (land over 200m above sea level) in southern Britain. It is a mosaic of steep-sided woodland valleys, open heathland and grassland, cascading rivers, mighty granite tors and caves, rich wildflower hay meadows, boggy peatland, and fruitful orchards and hedge banks.
Download this activity to try out the Footprints Detective activity from the Natural Environment theme. A list of everything you need, and full instructions are provided. The activity details and accompanying resources can be viewed on an electronic device or printed out.
Wonderful Woodlands - Meet the Trees of Dartmoor
There are over 20 native tree species commonly found on Dartmoor, as well as softwood trees grown as crops in plantations. In this activity you will learn to identify broadleaf trees by their leaves and make a piece of art to help you remember them.
Download this activity to try out leaf rubbing and make your artwork into decorative bunting, a mobile or a collage. Plus, polish up your tree ID skills with a fun guessing activity and a useful 'woodland wander' checklist.
Dartmoor Myths and Legends - Create a Myth-inspired Comic Strip
Dartmoor, as a landscape, has inspired many stories. One of the most famous is Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles. There are also tales about witches, pixies, black dogs, and the wild hunt. Stories like this grow up around places in the landscape which inspire people’s imagination, like the human shaped Bowerman’s Nose and the rocks at Hound Tor that resemble dogs. Learning about these stories is an exciting way to get to know Dartmoor.
Download this activity to get creative with your own comic strip using the template and stories provided.
Completed your 6 activities? Order your sew-on badge HERE.
BADGE ACTIVITY GALLERY
