A DARTMOOR pony team is setting off on a 100-mile cross-moor charity trek this autumn.

It will take in the four stannary towns of Ashburton, Chagford, Tavistock and Plympton in a dual attempt to raise awareness of the heritage of the Dartmoor pony and £5,000 towards a pony conservation project.

The towns being where tin was mined, weighed and sold, the walk will retrace the steps of the Dartmoor pony as a pack animal critical to the livelihood and therefore the survival of those who lived and worked on the moor in past centuries.

And the public get the chance to take part – there are some places available for people to join in for one of the days, with a minimum sponsorship of £50 per person.

The trek is being undertaken by Dru Butterfield, from the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, and Sam Goodwin, of Dartmoor Pony and Pack. His two ponies Billy and Jasmine will be the focal points of the venture.

FULL STORY IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION