I need to be in Plymouth on a Friday and due to the reason (a death) was thinking of going up to Dartmoor for the weekend as its close.
Anyway, will need to leave car with partner. Looking, I note that Ivybridge has a station right on Dartmoors doorstep. Using Google maps it's not clear how you get from the station onto the moor. Is it via "Rutt Farm Cottage" or Palace lane or some other way?
Would he headed for Piles Copse for a wild camp. Not 100% sure as to what sort of trip this will be as I don't want to leave 'the gathering' looking as if I'm off on holiday..... obviously. If anyone has any practical advice i.e. a decent spot to set up camp etc I'd appreciate it. Also whats the situation regards water?
BTW It will be my first trip to the southern part of the moor. Cheers
Iirc, its a farily straight forward trot from the station up on to the moor. There is a little supermarket/shop not far from the station and the 2MW starts in a car park by some kind of hall/community centre - first part of the walk was through quiet streets and past a water mill I think. I walked it 4 or 5 years back and after leaving the shop I was on the moor easily within an hour.
Piles copse is next to a river. There's loads of water there so you won't need to lug a whole load in. It's an easy walk following the river up to Erme Pits which is quite a nice mysterious spot. You can hunt around for Philpot's cave. On the way is a stone row, one of the longest I believe. Enjoy.
If not too late: The stone row is meant to be the longest in Europe! Look out for for Erme Pound, too, the gathering place for moormen and stray stock. Check out the cist on Brown Heath, onof the best, still with cover stone partly across its top. And all the many other things which make Dartmoor such a special place...
Apparently, you can get further from a road here than anywhere in England and Wales.
If you leave Ivybridge station on the southern side, you will find a path on the right that runs close to the railway line (I believe that it is signposted 'Two Moors Way'). When the path reaches a lane continue in the same direction to a T-Junction. Turn right, cross the railway (you are now on the route of the Two Moors Way). After approx 250 at a point where the road bears left, You will see the path bearing off to the right.
Anyway, not 100% sure when this is going to happen as wishes were that the gathering be after Christmas so nothings really discussed yet but I'm thinking its going to be mid-feburary. Again not really sure what I'm going to be able to do at the moment due to the circumstances. Thanks RD3 for the tips... I'll be back a bit closer to the time to with a fuller idea of what I'll be able to do.
Hugh.... thats spot on thanks for that. Was a tad bit worried that I'd end up wandering around Ivybridge in the dark trying to find directions.
