Dartmoor/Langaford Farm

Report by Steph Hamilton - trip Organiser

On the 7th June, to kick off the 2025 programme of summer trips and outings, nine hardy souls travelled to Dartmoor on the wettest day of the season so far, hoping to encounter butterflies and other wildlife. Langaford Trust Farm is a 100 acre, award-winning Dartmoor conservation area, with one of the highest densities of the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly and yes, despite the miserable weather, some of us were lucky enough to actually spot one!

We arrived at 10am to overcast skies but managed 2 hours of photography before the heavens opened - giving us a good excuse to stop for lunch. The rain showed no signs of improving throughout the afternoon, forcing us into a pub, to chat and while away a few hours before an early supper. By then the weather had improved slightly, allowing us to visit Postbridge and explore the area around the picturesque clapper bridge. The weather conditions may not have been ideal for a photography day out, but the company certainly made up for it.

Midsummer or midwinter? The hardy group of SPC photographers at Postbridge. Photo credit: Steph Hamilton