Dartmoor route request

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Warhippo
26/03/2012 at 12:23
Hi guys / gals

I've got a hike in Dartmoor planned for late April and was wondering if any of you know of a decent overnight, wild camping legal route, particularly one that might involve dropping the car at location A, catching a bus to location B and then hiking overnight back to the car.

The bus pickup / dropoff is really to get away from doing the usual hike in a circle type thing.

Just a couple of other issues : we don't carry much water and filter what we need so require water sources (shouldn't be a problem in Dartmoor) / we prefer north Dartmoor south of Okehampton).

Any help (especially with bus times) would be really appreciated : )
Mole
26/03/2012 at 12:34

buswise, N Dartmoor, as far as I know, the most regular one  is Tavistock Lydford Okehampton. TIMETABLE (not sundays)

Lots of options then.

Leave car in Okehampton, get on Bus off anywhere en route  to Tavistock (Mary Tavy would be a good choice IMO), then walk East into moor. Then work way North to Okehampton taking in the sites of your choice!

Paddy Dillon
26/03/2012 at 12:36
I've only a rough knowledge of Dartmoor, but it only took me two minutes to use Traveline to realise that you could get buses from Okehampton to Princetown, and I guess anything goes in terms of an overnight yomp and wild camp from one to the other.
Mole
26/03/2012 at 12:41

routewise, would be good to know how far you'd like to walk each day.

But for example, could get into the moor from Mary Tavy via Horndon (Elephants Nest Inn) then Tavy Cleave - in the valley or over the tors to the North,  , visit the bronze age village ruins at Watern Oke then make your way to camp at Fur Tor or even over to the upper East Dart...

From there, many ways lead to Okehampton....

Warhippo
26/03/2012 at 12:41
Thanks Mole and Paddy - that's just what I was after : )
Paddy Dillon
26/03/2012 at 12:47
By the way... your intended approach is the most sensible. It's better if you can park your car and immediately link with a bus schedule to get you to the furthermost part of your route, then you're not tied to any kind of pace in order to get back to your car. I've noticed that most people who try and tie car use with public transport do it the other way round. Sure... it's easy to park a car anywhere and walk away from it, but it's not always easy to walk at a pace that will get you to some distant bus stop in time to catch the bus. Make sure you do your transport search carefully, taking special care over buses that do/don't run on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays, with and without variations caused by school terms, Bank Holidays, etc.
Warhippo
26/03/2012 at 12:54
Good suggestions Paddy. And you're quite right, doing it this way around is more conducive to decent hiking - waiting for buses is done when we're fresh rather than tired / cold / wet / etc. Also, if we get to the bus stop and the bus has been cancelled, we can have a second route planned (ie a circular route from / to the car park). Can't do that in reverse as we'd have to hike back to the car and that's an unpleasant thought : )
Mole
26/03/2012 at 12:59

No offense Paddy, but for just an overnighter,  Okehampton to Princetown by bus wouldn't really be that simple - 2 buses needed, the Tavistock/Princetown bus is not that  frequent so it'd take quite a while  - even if there were connections at the times you needed them (unlikely IMO). 

Time on/waiting for buses is time not walking!

Waterwise, you'll be fine.  Even for a hilltop camp, it's never that far from a source.

PS If you want less bus time and to get straight onto the moor, then get off at the Dartmoor Inn*(Lydford Turning)Last Year -We left the car there and bussed back to it whenI guided a hillwalking newbie (older lady) from there to Okehampton via Yes Tor for her first moorland part of her Michael Mary Line Pilgramage walk

* could still go SSE to Tavy cleave via a few nice tors

Edited: 26/03/2012 at 13:10
Paddy Dillon
26/03/2012 at 13:10
Mole... I deliberately chose the middle of Dartmoor as I guessed it would be one of the most awkward places to get to by bus. In fact, I was surprised that it could be done in just two buses from Okehampton! I'm not saying that would be my first choice. If I was going to Dartmoor myself I'd probably choose a completely different approach.
Mole
26/03/2012 at 13:16

Hitching?

I occasionally hitch out or in myself - as usual seems quite a lottery as to how quickly you get a lift.

Warhippo
26/03/2012 at 13:31
I reckon disembark at Dartmoor Inn, then hike through the tors : Bray / Great Links / Kitty / Lints / Yes / West Mill and then Rowtor followed by a camp north of Harter Hill. That would be around 7 miles so we'd catch a morning bus to give us plenty of time so that we get to the camp spot with enough daylight to choose somewhere suitable.

Following day would be a short hike following East Oakmount River and the tail end of the Tark trail before reaching Okehampton and the pub (I mean car).

All this obviously taking note of the firing times but it'll be a weekend so shouldn't be an issue.
FredL
26/03/2012 at 13:35
I am looking at going to Dartmoor without a vehicle. Planning to take the train to Ivybridge, do a large circuit, wild camp for a night then return to Ivybridge. Train costs about £30 from Southampton so not so dear.
Edited: 26/03/2012 at 13:37
Mole
26/03/2012 at 13:50

blimey Warhippo- you hoping to get to the pub for a breakfast?

../../../../../../../../../../../smilies/wink_smiley.gif

I take it you mean camp by the  East Okement river at Cullever steps(or Scarey Tor)? The hill to the west above is not that great for  camping  really IMO- just open rough grass - cars park nearby as the track has vehicular access....

Warhippo
26/03/2012 at 13:54
No : ) just a shandy before the drive home.

Yup, that's pretty much where I was thinking of camping (mainly due to the nearby river). Could you recommend a better nearby camping spot for the night?
Wurz
26/03/2012 at 17:32
Do the route in reverse!!!  Plenty of places to camp on the Lyd and the Fox & Hounds is open all day.
Mole
26/03/2012 at 17:39
yeah I agree,  not the greatest area for wild camping IMO. 
Wurz
26/03/2012 at 17:58
True, a lot of the high ground up north isn't ideal.  Better off further into the Moor and having a later breakfast.
Warhippo
26/03/2012 at 18:54
Okay then, I'm back to my initial request : ) Anyone know of a decent route, starting around Lydford (easy bus route from Okehampton) which will have a reasonable overnight camp spot in the wild camping zone that will allow me to reach Okehampton the following day (pref with a river near the campsite for easy hydration)?

Oh and I'll be using a two man tent....
Wurz
26/03/2012 at 19:06

Do you desperately want to  go to Yes Tor?  If not how about going more East than North?

All the Tors from Hangingstone Hill going N offer reasonable pitches.  Not next to water but never far away. Watern Wild Steeperton & Oke.  Then in the morning Higher Tor, Cullever Steps and Okehampton.

Edited: 26/03/2012 at 19:06
Salmon Shirted Panther
26/03/2012 at 19:06

Pitch your tent at Sandy Ford, it's very flat.

http://s3.outdoorsmagic.com/members/images/46459/gallery/02042011146.jpg?width=350&height=197&mode=max

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