dartmoor, south to north

[jonajuna]

perhaps not strictly bush-craft, although planning to undertake with bivvy and tarp and wild camp on the access land, so does qualify

been planning a route from Ivybridge to Okehampton via two bridges. 35 miles in total over 3 days

anyone have experience of this trans-moor walking? I'm bargaining on covering ground at a average rate of 2mph and have chosen routes where ever possible to follow either ROW footpaths or tracks as marked on OS maps

i need to add, my 12 yo son will be journeying with me

thoughts? suggestions? warnings?

I've got live firing dates marked off etc and will phone to double check first. I have the intended route logged on multimap and will send "home" gps cords to googlemaps as and when mobile signal allows (not because i fear getting lost particularly but to keep SWMBO happy that I'm not overly endangering our son (she cares little about me, worth more on the insurance than i can earn!))

 

[tjwuk]

Thats all uphill, I wouild go North to South,

Seriously though, I have been planning a similar type of thing, less walking though. It seems the main point wth Dartmoor is the live firing, last thing you want is to be pinned down with fire.

Only other thing would be to have check points you stick to if you are planning it, let SWMBO know where you will be at what time. If you set a couple of check points during the day, that would be better. Only other thing is be prepared for bad weather, take the proper kit! Hope you don't get any but, be prepared.

Phone coverage! Haven't been to all parts but the parts I have been to have had a phone signal. Lower areas I guess will be worse, depending on Network etc.

Have agood time.

 

[Crowe]

Take a walking stick or pole so you can probe the depth of 'wet patches'or you might vanish up to your knees.
Enjoy, that walk would be quite an a achievment.
Crowe

 

[Jaysurfer]

I agree with Tjwuk, 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 your 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 only thing i would say is leave yourself plenty of daylight time to decide/find where to camp and then get your food sorted. the last thing you want to do is to set up camp in the dark and walking the moors at night if you can help it!

Dartmoor is an amazing place with fantastic views and a great atmosphere...
Have fun

 

[johnboy]

Hi,

I've walked North South and South to North on Dartmoor several times and it's all good. There used to be an event the OATS Walk that ran from near Ivybridge ( New Waste IIRC) to Oakhampton via Hexworthy Bellever Post Bridge and then up onto the North Moor to Quintens man then along the Track to Hangingstone hill Oke Tor then Down into Okehampton... Thats a nice Side of the Moor and it avoids most of the rough cut moorland around Great Kneeset and Furtor....

Have a good time...

Cheers

John

 

[jonajuna]

wow! thanks for the many considered responses

the idea of starting oop north and returning to humanity sounds good, and thinking on it more, sensible as the second half would then be easier going on the tired legs and less mistake prone on the tired heads

the staff for probing, why have i never thought of this before?!?! in my yoof when walking with SWMBO i quite often ditched into bogs much to her amusement (kids eh and their recklessness! always had a confidence rope as i liked to have a scrmable and she didnt! lol) a staff would have saved that issue... while planning, i have mapped the route giving the wet stuff as wide a berth as i can, of course that only reduces not eliminates the risk.. the staff idea gives an extra layer (plus im not so sure my son could dig in enough to give me anchorage to pull out)

so......

okehampton, along the tarka trail, up onto moors. set my camps in advance for check points. (maybe meet my father in law for a pint at 1/2 way (2bridges) ) and a slow return to reality over the south moor, all the while being the wise man of the moors with a nice staff.

sounding better everyday

 

[Sainty]

Hey Jon

We've also been planning a couple of days up on the moor. You really need to plan your route carefully, bearing in mind the streams and rivers at this time of year as well as the state of the marshes.

We did 11 miles in September and our boots never even got damp. However, when we went back in November, even some of the paths were 6" deep in water. Later the same month, the streams were raging torrents and the rivers were uncrossable. This could easily add 5 miles per day to your walk if you need to find suitable crossing points.

If there are just the two of you, I would say that you should pick your dates very carefully as things can go badly wrong very quickly on the moor. An hypothermic 12 year old will be a very serious casualty, and if something were to happen to you, how confident are you that he could take the necessary action to get you out of trouble?

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.

Whatever you decide, have a great time.

Martin

 

[jonajuna]

hiya Martin keep popping to the chatroom to say hi but now one there or hiding from me


not thinking of doing this til May time. he is off skiing next week and im off on a weeks survival school, so his mum and my wiff, wont be letting us out of her sight for at least 3 months after that lol

i wasnt thinking so much of walking poles as ive never got on with them, im sure they were responsible for beggering my knees when i did the 3 peaks a few years back.. too much concentration of using them and not enough on a good posture :/ was thinking more of it being an excellent excuse to get one of these babies.....

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Blackthorn_Thumbstick.html

 

[walker]

i my self have camped many times on dartmoor and have walked yor intended walk many times being not far from there (half an hour)
watch for blanket bog and i recommend a small tent in case weather turns bad
otherwise have a great time

 

[Sainty]

hiya Martin keep popping to the chatroom to say hi but now one there or hiding from me


not thinking of doing this til May time. he is off skiing next week and im off on a weeks survival school, so his mum and my wiff, wont be letting us out of her sight for at least 3 months after that lol

i wasnt thinking so much of walking poles as ive never got on with them, im sure they were responsible for beggering my knees when i did the 3 peaks a few years back.. too much concentration of using them and not enough on a good posture :/ was thinking more of it being an excellent excuse to get one of these babies.....

http://www.stickandcaneshop.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Blackthorn_Thumbstick.html

Keep missing you as well Jon.

Never thought you were the Gandalf type, lol.

If you fancied some company on your expedition, my 11 year old daughter wants to come for an overnight on the moor and I know someone else who may be interested in bringing his son who's about the same age.

Speak soon mate

Martin

 

[jonajuna]

sounds good! as i say, its likely to be May time......

its my wifes 40th this year (its ok, mine was last year!!) so i am sending her off whale watching with our daughter, this trip is so my son has some 1:1 time as compensation (although he would appreciate the whale trip more than daughter, she needs some mum time.... i cant go instead as cant stand yachts!)

i am wondering whether 30 miles in 3 days might be a tad much for his first serious hike, and whether to do the north moor and south moor separately in 2 separate 2 day 20 mile circular hikes... like kids, miles add up to more than the sum of their parts! lol

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

I have done a similar route, 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 lot's of Leats which are man made made and uniform in width all the way along making them uncrossable without a bridge.

It's a problem Ive had a few times and is worth avoiding.

Ive also found un-exploded shells and rockets on the Military ranges more that once so keep an eye out when in them :BlueTeamE

 

[jonajuna]

sure thing on any river crossing, will be planning to go round or bridged on anything to big to safely jump

from what i have read, if making use of normal precautions (dead sheep) and treatment (boiling), dartmoor water is potable yes? no nasty chemical works leaching out into it from anywhere?

 

[Sainty]

I've drunk gallons up there mate but not sure I'd let my girl do it these days now I know better, if you see what I mean.

Steritabs aren't that bad, especially if you carried some squash to hide the taste.

Martin

 

[jonajuna]

I've drunk gallons up there mate but not sure I'd let my girl do it these days now I know better, if you see what I mean.

Steritabs aren't that bad, especially if you carried some squash to hide the taste.

Martin

soz Martin, i dont know? please tell

sure thing on the squash/steritab combo.... im not sure that is necessarily superior to a damn good boiling though is it?

 

[Sainty]

soz Martin, i dont know? please tell

sure thing on the squash/steritab combo.... im not sure that is necessarily superior to a damn good boiling though is it?

I'm sure boiling is just fine but you don't want to carry too much water all day and you probably won't want to stop to boil water as you walk, so just take a bottle of boiled water out in the morning and then sterilise the next time you want to fill up.

Martin

 

[jonajuna]

ah okies i see what you mean

so yes, i will be the main donkey (obviously) although im sure he is man enough now to be carrying a 7-8 kg pack and a 1L bottle

or he can go without grub

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

water from the rivers is fine, tastes of Dartmoor (sheep poo haha) just make sure it's properly treated,

Maybe avoid the leats because they are farming irrigation I think and may have chemicals in.

I wouldn't use steritabs though with all the livestock, chlorine isnt very effective against giardia, or at all against Cryptosporidium, better getting a decent filter pump type thingy or just boil, I usually use iodine but annoyingly you cant get it anymore.

or just go to one of the 16million pubs on Dartmoor

 

[merman]

If you are sticking to ROW's and bridleways there should not be too much of a problem. As long as there is not continual rain for a month before because the whole moor acts like a sponge. And as your going at a nice pace enjoy the views and remember The plume of feathers in Prince town does an excellent pub lunch.

As the man in the Slaughtred lamb says, "never go off the path."

 

[jonajuna]

I wouldn't use steritabs though with all the livestock, chlorine isnt very effective against giardia, or at all against Cryptosporidium, better getting a decent filter pump type thingy or just boil, I usually use iodine but annoyingly you cant get it anymore.

iodine is still availiable, the ban hasnt kicked in yet, i beleive it is due early 2013, so get them now if you like it

http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CCIQrQQwAg


but i will boil, i need my PG Tips anyways, so its a good excuse to brew up