I have posted this in another thread, but I thought I'd update my own as well. I gathered the informartion below from all the previous Dartmoor threads I could find on here (& a couple of other places as well). I've used it to help work out a route from Okehampton to Ivybridge that I hope to do at some stage, ie when it's not so wet! Hope it helps.
Places to go
• The area around Postbridge is fantastic - the Warren House Inn is a "must do" for all bushie types, good camping on the other side of the road. Check out Fernworthy forest and reservoir, Postbridge and Two Bridges as well.
• Fernworthy reservoir is a great area to park and walk round head for the sheepfold, and the ruined farm two great places to camp. The sheepfold is a 12 foot high walled enclosure that is used for herding sheep and gives great protection from the wind
• SX 57132 88437 some nice little spots in the valley right next to the river. The water is good.
• Piles Copse is a cool place to camp - quite atmospheric. It’s right next to a fairly deep stream so nice for a cooling dip. Also ideal place to fill your water bottle. Beware of flash flooding though. Lots of firewood available and fairly secluded.
• There is a wonderful camping spot just behind a rock outcrop just before Down Tor around SX574693
http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=257...earchp=ids.srf
• Belstone village car park is ok to leave the car, if the weather is crap. You can use the military roads.
• Camp spot: Teinhead Farm near to Fernworthy reservoir forest
Routes
• I recommend a book Dartmoor 365 by John Hayward
• There used to be an event the OATS Walk that ran from near Ivybridge to Oakhampton via Hexworthy, Bellever, Postbridge and then up onto the North Moor to Quintens Man, then along the track to Hangingstone Hill, Oke Tor, then down into Okehampton. That’s a nice side of the moor and it avoids most of the rough cut moorland around Great Kneeset and Furtor.
• Follow Ten Tors route(s)
• Been planning a route from Ivybridge to Okehampton via Two Bridges. 35 miles in total over 3 days;
o North to South would be better, you get much better views. Plus you start off in North unless there are other people around it feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere as there are very little roads or signs of humanity - just the army! So as you progress over the moor you feel like you are slowly returning to humanity with every step.
• The route so far starts at Harford moor gate and onto Piles Hill, Sharp Tor, Erme Plains, Green Hill and onto Dartmoor forest which we plan as the turning point.
• Two Moors Way (Exmoor --> Dartmoor). Some high points for me would include
o Hameldown into Grimspound
o Strolling beside the various rivers, particularly around Chagford
o Teign valley and Castle Drogo, splendid river valley
o The descent to the sea from Exmoor
o Guide book available called 'The two moors way'
o If I could offer one bit of advice it would be to do the route in reverse to what you propose. In my opinion it is so much better to finish with a spectacular climb down to the ocean for your pasty and champagne, rather than ending in Ivybridge car park.
• Okehampton to Wistman's Wood, stopping overnight at Sittaford Tor on the way out and the way back.
• Ivybridge to Hexworthy (2 days)
• Okehampton south to Ivybridge. Work on the basis of travelling at 4Km per hour and you won't go far wrong. The direct route, due south from Okehampton to Ivybridge would be 40km so a minimum journey time of 10 hours. Of course, you won't be walking solid for 40Km nor will you be able to walk due south across the moor so I would be prepared to add at least 25% to that distance and be prepared for some reasonable detours to walk around valleys and to find decent crossings over rivers.
If you get a 'wiggle on', you will complete the walk in two days but it is tough going. Oh, and I'd aim for Postbridge, at the half way point, rather than Princetown. The walking is easier in my opinion.
Tips
• The best advice someone gave me before setting out across the moor, especially any areas marked as marsh on the map is a long stick. It saved me disappearing to my waist a few times!
o I would totally concur with the suggestion of walking poles. I've been using them for a while now and they make a massive difference, not only for testing the depth of water and marsh, but also to take the strain off your knees and back.
• Newton Abbot is generally a better choice of destination than Exeter, and it's the same train - just a couple of stops further
o There is one last bus from Newton Abbot to Bovey Tracey (not too far from the moor) which leaves at 20:00 (Service 39) and it's less than a 10 minute walk from the train to the bus station. From Bovey Tracey to the open moor is about a 2 hour walk and it's a fair old climb but you should get to the moor before nightfall.
• I'd suggest you get some good insect repellent and a net as the last time I went there in the summer I was eaten alive in the night.
• Beware of ticks
• Take some basha poles or Leki poles; there is a massive shortage of trees on Dartmoor! I'd definitely go for the tarp or basha; it will keep you and your kit dry and can be set up in a number of different ways. Dependent on the weather, pitch it high for nice non windy weather, low for rain and wind.
• If I had any advice it would be - Don't be frightened to pitch up if the weather comes down. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t reached your day’s objective. If the fog comes down or torrential rain then stays comfortable, dry, warm and safe. Many accidents happen from people pushing on to their days goal irrespective of conditions and the more lost and disorientated you become the more likely you are to panic and make mistakes thereby increasing you anxiousness and putting you in danger. I'm not being alarmist but people have died even in the summer on the hills. If you're prepared you'll be just fine. Even a good navigator can make mistakes especially on Dartmoor which isn't always the easiest place to navigate on. Don't take it lightly. Remember too features can change - especially man-made features; plantations especially spring to mind and are often cut down making you doubt your position if you're using them as a navigation aid. This isn't usually such a problem on Dartmoor as it can be in other parts of the countryside.
Navigation
• Maps for the area are OL28 which is the 1:25,000 of the area. For 1:50,000 look for the Landranger series 191 (Crediton and Bovey Tracey) and 202 (Torbay and South Dartmoor). Alternatively you can go to OS Select online and select Widecombe to center the map on and it will give you a map of the whole of Dartmoor in 1:50,000 scale.
• 1 piece of advice I would give is avoid crossing/planning to cross a river no matter how small it is/looks a little rain can turn a small stream into a raging torrent. Dartmoor has lots of Leats which are manmade made and uniform in width all the way along making them un-crossable without a bridge. It's a problem I’ve had a few times and is worth avoiding.
• The river levels can vary nearly on a daily basis but most are fordable once you've scouted around them. Beware of quakers where the marshy bits are covered in moss they can be deep. If the ground has sphagnum type moss, reeds or reddy heather on it be careful there's a lot of water there.
• Nav tips: Satellite dishes south-southeasterly. Most historic churches, on an east–west axis. (The altar is east)
• Three kilometers per hour is a normal pace when carrying heavy packs
• Work on the basis of travelling at 4Km per hour and you won't go far wrong.
• Be prepared for some tough terrain / walking and the weather can change quite quickly, i.e. fog can come down and can be quite thick.
Water
• Make sure you have a good way of purifying your water; the water in the streams/rivers is heavily polluted with poo from assorted species,
• There are plenty of streams to top up from. Use 'puritabs' if you feel the need, otherwise use your common sense.
