Camping in dartmoor

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JonnyP

Full Member
Oct 17, 2005
3,833
29
Cornwall...
falling rain said:
Here's something on Wistmans wood on this rather good site. Jon and others read this and then......Do still want to sleep there :eek: :eek: :eek: with those nice doggies running about :D

http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/wistman.htm
The wood is also said to be the kennels where the diabolical 'Wisht Hounds' are kept. These are a pack of fearful hell hounds who hunt across the moors at night in search of lost souls and unwary traveller's. It is said that they are huge black dogs with blood red eyes, huge yellow fangs and an insatiable hunger for human flesh and souls. It depends on what part of the moor you meet them but they are either led by the Devil or occasionally by the ancient spirit of Dartmoor known as 'Old Crockern' who lives nearby on Crockern tor. There have been reports from travellers that on dark, misty nights the hounds can be heard howling and baying for blood.

Still sounds like fun to me, even if you think all those legends are a load of rubbish, it make a great atmosphere and the, What if, thought is still at the back of the mind.
Obviously as a sensitive place, we could not hold a meet there, but I would like to go there and experence the place.........
 

falling rain

Native
Oct 17, 2003
1,737
29
Woodbury Devon
Jon Pickett said:
The wood is also said to be the kennels where the diabolical 'Wisht Hounds' are kept. These are a pack of fearful hell hounds who hunt across the moors at night in search of lost souls and unwary traveller's. It is said that they are huge black dogs with blood red eyes, huge yellow fangs and an insatiable hunger for human flesh and souls. It depends on what part of the moor you meet them but they are either led by the Devil or occasionally by the ancient spirit of Dartmoor known as 'Old Crockern' who lives nearby on Crockern tor. There have been reports from travellers that on dark, misty nights the hounds can be heard howling and baying for blood.

Still sounds like fun to me, even if you think all those legends are a load of rubbish, it make a great atmosphere and the, What if, thought is still at the back of the mind.
Obviously as a sensitive place, we could not hold a meet there, but I would like to go there and experence the place.........

Great fun Jon indeed. As you say there are loads of tales and legends about Dartmoor a lot of them on that site, but it adds to the atmosphere of the place, I love it :) I've been to Wistman's wood a few times but the best was around easter (as i mentioned earlier in the thread) when it was a little drizzly and foggy, and not many people about so really added to the atmosphere. If you want advice go on an overcast day or even in the rain. There'll be far less people about and it adds to the experience and makes it far more enjoyable
 

andyn

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 15, 2005
2,392
29
Hampshire
www.naturescraft.co.uk
Jon Pickett said:
The wood is also said to be the kennels where the diabolical 'Wisht Hounds' are kept. These are a pack of fearful hell hounds who hunt across the moors at night in search of lost souls and unwary traveller's. It is said that they are huge black dogs with blood red eyes, huge yellow fangs and an insatiable hunger for human flesh and souls. It depends on what part of the moor you meet them but they are either led by the Devil or occasionally by the ancient spirit of Dartmoor known as 'Old Crockern' who lives nearby on Crockern tor. There have been reports from travellers that on dark, misty nights the hounds can be heard howling and baying for blood.

Sounds like a job for Sherlock Holmes. :D :D
 

falling rain

Native
Oct 17, 2003
1,737
29
Woodbury Devon
Love Sherlock holmes too and have every story on him in 2 volumes. 1 of the short stories and a volume of the 4 long stories, one of which is the 'hound of the baskervilles' which was inspired by the 'diabolicle hounds' of Dartmoor legend.
"Whenever you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true."

I've been looking at this site recently and only found it a week ago but it's wonderful and got loads of info, legends and history for anyone who is interested in Dartmoor http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/dartmoor_legends.htm
 

janiepopps

Nomad
Jan 30, 2006
450
9
50
Heavenly Cornwall
Its really funny, I've taken loads of people to Wistmans over the years and several have said that they'd love to sleep there :eek:

Funny that none of them ever have... (And yes, that includes me too!!)

If any of you are off to Dartmoor then try and spend some time there, its beyond words!

Great link that Falling, Cheers!
 

JonnyP

Full Member
Oct 17, 2005
3,833
29
Cornwall...
janiepopps said:
Its really funny, I've taken loads of people to Wistmans over the years and several have said that they'd love to sleep there :eek:

Funny that none of them ever have... (And yes, that includes me too!!)

If any of you are off to Dartmoor then try and spend some time there, its beyond words!

Great link that Falling, Cheers!
Well I would be up for trying to sleep there, wether I would sleep is another question. Would like to take some tangerine dream on my mp3 and scare the pants off myself........
 

mal

Forager
Sep 20, 2004
246
0
57
Blackpool
Hi everyone



I to am planning a trip to Dartmoor in a couple of weeks time so I will probably have lots of questions between now and then so thanks in advance for any help given.



First one is which OS map is best they seem to do three http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/mapshop/ I would like to go as remote as possible so any references you guys have would be good to.



Secondly I only have two 58 pattern bottles for water so I would like to buy something else. I was thinking of a MSRDromedary bag but they seem a bit pricey on Rays site so is there any were else that dose them. Or one of the hydration systems from (http://www.pri.uk.com/) what ever I get I would like it to fit into my sabre 45 in the pocket were the back padding goes so if anyone knows how big the msr bags are would be good I was thinking of the 4 litre one. Thanks again for any help.



MAL
 

andyn

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 15, 2005
2,392
29
Hampshire
www.naturescraft.co.uk
mal said:
Hi everyone


First one is which OS map is best they seem to do three http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/mapshop/ I would like to go as remote as possible so any references you guys have would be good to.


MAL

The best OS map for dartmoor is the OL 28 explorer or explorer active map which is 1:25000 (the active map has a water proof coating but personally, if you have lots of maps, i think it works out cheaper to buy a waterproof map case rahter than pay £6more per map)

mal said:
Secondly I only have two 58 pattern bottles for water so I would like to buy something else. I was thinking of a MSRDromedary bag but they seem a bit pricey on Rays site so is there any were else that dose them. Or one of the hydration systems from (http://www.pri.uk.com/) what ever I get I would like it to fit into my sabre 45 in the pocket were the back padding goes so if anyone knows how big the msr bags are would be good I was thinking of the 4 litre one. Thanks again for any help.

As it happens, i think the cheapest place I have seen the Dromedary's is on ray's site, which is unusual imo but saying that i didnt spend that long searching around as i decided against one in the end. If you do get one make sure you give it a good wash out with a strong bicarb solution or similar as they have a strong plasticy flavour to start with.

I tend to use a 2L Platypus for when im walking or riding as it is convinent, but prefer bottles when im camping as it is sometimes difficult to really tell how much you have drunk from a hydration pack.

I think it is a personal call really, horses for courses and all that.
 

leon-1

Full Member
Mal, the 1:25,000 of the area are very good, so either of the explorers will be more accurate and have greater detail. If you haven't got a map case and you intend on making this a regular thing (walking over Dartmoor) then get the waterproof / active one, it's a little more expensive, but worth it in the long run.

You could probably get it cheaper, but try it here for the MSR, if you have a look through the different outdoor shops you should find them, don't bother with Cotswold Outdoor or Field and Trek as neither have them (not online anyway).

If you don't have any luck with them then you will have to look at other manufacturers like Ortlieb, Camelback and Platypus.
 

Phil562

Settler
Jul 15, 2005
920
9
58
Middlesbrough
I have the 10L MSR, I don't always carry ten litres, however if you get the larger size it gives you that option if not the spare material folds away anyway ;)
 

mal

Forager
Sep 20, 2004
246
0
57
Blackpool
Thanks for that guys dose anyone know the dimensions of the Dromedary bags the 4 or 6 litre ones if possible.



Or dose anyone think there are better or moor practical water carriers than these.



Thanks again



MAL
 

Dave Budd

Gold Trader
Staff member
Jan 8, 2006
2,894
321
44
Dartmoor (Devon)
www.davebudd.com
though I've lived on Dartmoor for three years now, I've not actually been out as much as I did when I lived hundreds of miles from it!

I would certainly reccomend Whistmans Wood as somewhere to go and see. As has been mentioned, the trees and rocks are covered with lichen. The woods are actually and ancient oak wood, with very stunted and gnarly trees. There is an area of newwr woodland just under a mile further along teh valley from Whistmans, that might be a place to go if you are in that area, it's also off the tourist beaten track to the ancient woods. Oh, there is a pub down the road from Whistmans too ;)

one suggestion that I had years ago was to go to one of he tors, say Kes tor for example, and climb it to see if you can spot somewhere to stay from there. Good idea if you don't mind walking some distance to start off. Oh and you are good at map reading! :D

The danger areas are often some of the best places to go camping, as long as the army isn't firing. the Grockles tend to keep away from areas marked DANGER: MOD FIRING RANGE :D
 
I've just spent a few nights at Bearwell farm, near Okehampton. it was a great place to camp, but then again I was there with the Army Cadets, and Bearwell is on one of the Dartmoor Military ranges, but when not being used by the Military, those areas are open to the public. We camped in a Horse Chestnutt wooded area, lots of good trees with good spacing for a hammock, though I just put up a basha along with everyone else.
 

Spacemonkey

Native
May 8, 2005
1,354
9
52
Llamaville.
www.jasperfforde.com
There's always plenty of water sloshing about Dartmoor, it's one thing it's not short of...

I usually take a '58 bottle full of water for making a brew, and carry my US 2 litre shoulder strap bottle which i drink from as i walk. Then when it's all gone I refill with a pocket travel well filter by Pre mac. It's about £20, the size of a marker pen, and if you put some foam over the end it'll be good for about 250litres, which is a bit more than the safety conscious rating of 60L. When it's dead, it'll seize up so they say. It filters AND purifies in one and weighs nothing. A lot less than 10 litres of water... My mate takes a rolled up Ortlieb water bag, which we fill when we make camp form a nearby stream with the filter and it lasts plenty long enough.
 

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