As part of our 2026 Programme of Partnership Walks, we were joined by performance artist Avoca on our land holding at Sharpitor for a sound and landscape connection walk. This was an invitation to collaborate with the landscape, to be present in the moment, and to discover subtle sounds around us that we might not usually have been aware of. Following on from past opportunities, including our Dartmoor Shroud Ceremony and our Sensorial Walk, this walk made space for two hours of slowness and gentle movement, without the demands of our busy day to day lives.
We’re keen to support people in exploring all our land holdings, including Sharpitor, which has a fascinating history. During World War II, RAF Sharpitor was established on Peek Hill, featuring a mast and buildings. In 1956, the station granted permission to be reconstructed for the “Gee” radio navigation system and intended to be occupied for a decade. However, delays occurred and the proposal came to nothing. Subsequently, Devon & Cornwall Police and Plymouth Corporation attempted to gain permission to build a reform school at Sharpitor. A public inquiry in June 1973, attended by Lady Sylvia Sayer representing the DPA, resulted in the refusal of development on the site. Today, Sharpitor stands untouched and inviting, a prime example of a collapsed summit tor with whole communities of rare mosses and lichens growing amoung the rocks.
During the walk, we were guided by Avoca to become aware of the broader landscape around us, orientating ourself using the four directions of the compass, and noticing the different details of the land when viewed from those directions. We settled into an awareness of the wind, including the smell, sound and feel of it on our bodies. Bird song and the distant noises of ponies came into sharper focus, and even the sound of cars driving along on the road below us was gathered into our experience of Sharpitor.
Stepping through a threshold made by the remains of Bronze Age archaeology on the slopes below the tor, we set the intention of being curious and collaborative with the land. We were given 20 minutes to explore with a mindset of awe, stopping to look at bracken and flowering plants closely and pausing to sit on different rocks and take in the vast view from various angles. Having been instructed to allow whatever sounds or words came to us to come out, we sang and spoke to the lichens and rocks, experimenting with echo and reverberation by making sound in natural gaps between boulders.
Towards the end of the walk, we gathered together and recorded a spontaneous soundscape response to our experience, which included the use of a drum as backing, spoken or sung elements and organic tones. It was a real privilege to help hold a space where people felt safe enough to make a noise. It came up in discussions during our walk that, as people, we are so often expected to be restrained and not share vocalizations which are raw, unpolished or spontaneous. Feeling that we can’t sing, because we aren’t good at it, can be linked to feeling that we don’t have permission to speak up about things we’re passionate about, because we feel that we somehow lack the specialized ability needed to do so. This couldn’t actually be further from the truth, as what Dartmoor needs is as many people as possible speaking up to ensure it’s ongoing protection and care.
Our programme of Partner Walks, which each offer the chance to walk on Dartmoor and learn or experience something new at the same time, run until the end of the year and there are further opportunities to join us for foraging, storytelling and photography. Find a full list of upcoming events on our website.