'It’s an incredible achievement' – Dad and daughter complete epic Dartmoor challenge

A Plymouth father and daughter have completed a three–year challenge to walk all 365 map squares of Dartmoor.

Colin Buckley, 47, set out on the adventure with his daughter Sophie in April 2021 after discovering the book Dartmoor 365 by John Hayward. 

The guide divides the moor into 365 squares, each containing a landmark or feature to visit, and has inspired thousands of walkers to explore beyond the more familiar beauty spots.

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Colin grew up in Plymouth and remembers family trips to Dartmoor as a child, but says he only really knew the well–trodden parts of the moor such as Sheepstor, Shaugh Prior and Princetown. 

After more than 20 years working in the IT industry, he was on a career break when the pandemic struck and found himself drawn back to the landscape he had first explored with his mum and sister.

“It seemed different to the traditional guide books and map led routes I had seen before so it caught my imagination,” he said.

“I also found the fabulous companion 365 Facebook group, bought an OS map and compass and plotted our 1st walk which we completed in April 2021.”

From then on, Dartmoor became part of everyday life. 

ABOVE: Louisa and Colin in the foreground with Sophie (Colin’s daughter) and Jack (Colin’s nephew) in the background during a family Dartmoor walk, May 4, 2025

Colin and Sophie ticked off square after square, often joined by family members and friends. Sophie was just ten when they started and is now 14.

“Nearly all of my walks were completed with my daughter, Sophie, by my side,” Colin said. “It’s an incredible achievement for her at such a young age and I’m sure she’ll have memories that’ll last a lifetime alongside a sense of pride at what she has done. Hopefully she’ll maintain a love for the outdoors as she grows up and will explore new parts of the countryside and take on fresh challenges.”

Not every walk was straightforward. 

Colin admitted that some of the tougher treks were far beyond what he expected when he first laced up his boots.

“The 1st cross-Dartmoor hike I made with a friend, Becky, in October 2022 saw us walk from Ivybridge in the south to South Tawton in the north in a day,” he recalled. 

“The route saw us walk for 34.8 miles and it took 15 hours. Up until this point I’d foolishly assumed walking was fairly straightforward and not something that would push me to my very limit both physically and mentally. However, a combination of overestimating my ability and under estimating the task meant I found it a real struggle.”

Despite that, Colin returned to attempt even longer challenges, including a trek from North Brentor to Hennock a year later.

However, the focus always came back to Dartmoor 365 and the bond it created with his daughter.

Their final walk began and ended in Drewsteignton, where they were joined by Colin’s sister Louisa, her two children Jack, 24, and Beth, 18, and their mum Linda, 74.

“We celebrated crossing off our final square in the hamlet of Woodbrooke with a sip of prosecco from the half bottle I brought along,” Colin said.

“The day, and our Dartmoor 365 adventures, was concluded with a lovely meal at the Oxenham Arms in South Zeal.”

For Colin, finishing the challenge was a proud moment, but not an ending. 

He has since bought a stamp so that he and Sophie can begin Dartmoor letterboxing, a hobby that involves hunting for hidden boxes across the moor. 

He is also planning his annual big challenge with friend Becky, this time a 50–mile trek along the Exe Valley, over Exmoor and back across three days.

“I’m far from finished with Dartmoor though as so much of me is emotionally tied to the area,” he said. 

“This will be a lifelong love affair.”