What's a Dartmoor postbox

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A.� Nothing to do with the Royal Mail. It's a hobby that requires a map, a compass, walking shoes, an ink pad, paper and plenty of patience. Ah yes, and you need to be on Dartmoor.< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q.� You're not being very helpful, are you

A.� Just teasing. A Dartmoor postbox is a way of making a walk on this beautiful even more interesting. These letterboxes are not the sort you'd leave a letter in, but a small plastic container - perhaps a lunchbox, or even an old ammunition crate

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It will be hidden carefully under a rock, in a hole, behind a bush. Inside each is a rubber stamp and a visitors' book.

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Q.� Then what do you do

A.� Take the rubber stamp, press it on your ink pad, and stamp a piece of paper or postcard that you are carrying. That's your proof that you've found this letterbox. And then sign the visitors' book. Or, if you feel particularly sophisticated, you could mark the visitors' book with a personal stamp that you've had made for you or your family.

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Q.� Sounds interesting ... but how do I find them

A.� To find a letterbox you need a clue. A good place to start is a book: Dartmoor Letterboxes and More Dartmoor Letterboxes by Anne Swinscow; or 101 Dartmoor Letterboxes by John Haywood. They are available from Dartmoor information centres or for �4.45 from: Forest Publishers, Woodstocks, Liverton, Newton Abbot, Devon TQJ2 6JJ.

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Some letterboxes will give clues to other hiding places.

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Fortnightly updates containing clues, information and details of charity walks can be obtained by sending 20p per issue and a stamped addressed envelope to Tony Moore, 25 Sanderspool Cross, South Brent, Devon, TQ1O 9LR.

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Or - and this is for the real enthusiasts - you could go to the twice-yearly meetings at the Prison Officers Social Club, Princetown, on the last Sunday in March and October - the days the clocks change.

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Q.� This is serious stuff

A.� Indeed. And quite addictive - when you have visited 100 boxes on the moor and collected a your stamps, you can join the 100 Club by sending a list of them with a stamped, addressed envelope and �1.50 for a cloth badge to: G Swinscow, Cross Farm, Diptford, Totnes, Devon TQ9 7NU.

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Q.� Worthwhile

A.� Absolutely. You shouldn't need an excuse to walk among the wonderful countryside of Dartmoor - but letterboxing provides a good reason to try a different route that's not obvious.

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There's plenty to see on Dartmoor, not only the majestic scenery, but also an abundance of wildlife, as well as ancient settlements, crosses and tin-miners' works.

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Make sure you are well prepared, though. The weather on Dartmoor can be unpredictable.

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Steve Cunningham