A SUNNY sky greeted walkers and riders who set off on the five yearly Beating of the Bounds last Wednesday. The event revives the historic custom calling on the inhabitants of the town and hamlets to walk to each of Okehampton?s parish boundary stones on the commons of Dartmoor en masse. Hundreds of walkers and riders set out from Meldon Village Hall to cover the 14-mile route. Derek Webber, chairman of Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council, said they had a ?lovely sunny day? for the event with a similar number of people turning up for this year?s event as for the previous beating which was held in the Millennium Year. Mr Webber said two more stones had been introduced into the route this year, at Henry?s Ford and Higher Tor. He said having studied maps closely organisers had found, recent beatings of the bounds had cut a corner by omitting these two stones. The participants stopped for refreshment and lunch at Newbridge, where more walkers joined the group for the second stint. The end of the trek was marked with the traditional children?s sports, at John Hodge?s home near Okehampton Camp. One walker wore a pedometer throughout the day and said it had calculated she had walked 22,000 steps. The gathered walkers set off shortly before 10.30am following a blessing from Rector of Okehampton the Rev Stephen Cook. Mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech was among the walkers, and welcomed everyone who had come along to take part in the event. ?We have a wonderful turnout and wonderful weather, I hope you all have a safe walk,? he said. Cllr Leech said this was the first year he had been able to take part in the beating of the bounds, as previously work commitments had prevented him from doing so. He said the last week had been ?very special? for the town. ?We had the Battle of the Bands for which we really have to thank all the bands and the organisers involved, including Richard Appleby and the town clerk Don Bent. It is something we really must continue to stage, because it is good for the town youth. ?Then we had Trafalgar Day, where I think everyone felt privileged to be involved in something so unique and will have something to remember from the day.?