Rambling on (about) Dartmoor

Here’s some more detail about the planned routes for the Dartmoor break. These walks have interest and variety  and include some of the best views to be found on the Moor.

 

First up is the Railway Route as I call it which mainly follows the path of the disused  Plymouth to Princetown railway. This walk is just over 10 miles long in total but the good news is that we will have a pub stop in Princetown just after halfway ..... and, of course, the other good news is that, being on an old railway line, the walk is mostly easy-going and level. We walk beside a couple of old granite quarries, one of which provided the stone for Nelson’s Column and also parts of the old London Bridge which now resides in America. There are superb views on a clear day which constantly change as we follow the twists of the old steam line. We leave the railway for a while to climb up North Hessary Tor, passing directly under the TV mast which is such a feature of the landscape before descending into Princetown for the aforementioned pie and a pint! After our break we rejoin the railway to follow another loop which heads back towards our start point .. but we don’t want to retrace our steps too much so we divert up and over Leeden Tor to return to our cars parked on the Yelverton to Princetown road.

The second route, which I’ll call the Widecombe Wander, is a different type of walk. It is shorter than the Railway Route, being just 8 miles in length, but is a bit more strenuous. Starting at Widecombe-in-the-Moor, we immediately have a steep climb up a narrow lane and then easier gradients on the way up to Hamel Down (but don’t worry, we’ll take it easy with plenty of stops ..... I’m getting old!). There are fine panoramic views and a number of beacons and ancient sites to be seen before we reach the cairn. We then amble downhill to visit the remains of the ancient village of Grimspound, probably  the largest and best-known Bronze Age site on Dartmoor. And it is around here, maybe on the surrounding slopes, that we’ll stop for our picnic lunch, rest, and enjoy the scenery. After our break we follow a pleasant grassy path through to Natsworthy Gate where we turn to walk along a road for while before diverting up a slope and making our way along under the respective tors of Honeybags, Chinkwell and Bell. Emerging at Bonehill Rocks we finish the walk by going downhill along a road and back into Widecombe where there should be time to get a cup of tea and have a look around.

The third route, Joey’s Route, is planned for our last morning and is therefore quite short  at around 3.6 miles and easy. This walk will look at a couple of the locations used in the film War Horse. Starting at the Scout Hut we climb over Gutter Tor and then make our way to Legis Tor, crossing Ringmoor Hill (where the race with the motor car was filmed). We then drop down to the River Plym which we walk alongside for a while before taking a track to Ditsworthy Warren House – the house which was featured in the film along with the surrounding fields and slopes. The director, Steven Spielberg said "I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor."  After our brief flirt with Hollywood, we take the track that winds under Gutter Tor to return to the start point.

Please note

All of these walks are on the High Moor areas of Dartmoor where the views can be stunning. However bad weather and/or low cloud can have an adverse effect and the guides reserve the right to use other routes or not walk at all in the interests of the safety and comfort of the group.

 Background detail and photos for each walk will be provided at the illustrated talk on the first night of the break.

Good walking shoes/boots are essential as well as suitable clothing which will keep you warm and dry.