Dartmoor

[kurienp]

Planning a day trip to Dartmoor this Saturday - my first in the California. Any suggestions on any good places to park up within the park, other than the parking lots? Just a cuppa tea, a short cycle ride and then back. It will be a 300 mile round trip, but that's fine - the drive in the Cali is enjoyable anyways.

 

[MattBW]

Coronavirus Update | Dartmoor

_______________

www.dartmoor.gov.uk

 

[kurienp]

Thanks @MattBW , yes seen that. Thankfully, no restrictions on visiting. Looking for any places that are good to visit within the park. Planning on a few miles of cycling with my wife ... who is not a long distance oriented cyclist

 

[Ch1pbutty]

We used to have family in Mary Tavy; Whole area around there is very nice.

 

[MattBW]

Thanks @MattBW , yes seen that. Thankfully, no restrictions on visiting. Looking for any places that are good to visit within the park. Planning on a few miles of cycling with my wife ... who is not a long distance oriented cyclist

I posted it for the carpark info

The site has their carpark locations, there are lots of gravel parking places, they can get busy sometimes but there are plenty of them. Just drive through and take your pick.

Hound Tor is one of the bigger car parks that I can think of.

 

[Cali1]

At present you’ll be best staying around the North Moor area, Okehampton ish.
Weekend on the South Moor, Merrivale, hound Tor, Haytor , Venford , hexworthy is like Piccadilly Circus at the moment, trying to locate a quite Car park will be hard.
What kind of riding are you thinking Road or MTB, what sort of distance?

 

[kurienp]

At present you’ll be best staying around the North Moor area, Okehampton ish.
Weekend on the South Moor, Merrivale, hound Tor, Haytor , Venford , hexworthy is like Piccadilly Circus at the moment, trying to locate a quite Car park will be hard.
What kind of riding are you thinking Road or MTB, what sort of distance?

Thank you Cali1, with the wife along, it will be road or cycle paths. Not too much on distance - something like 15 to 20 miles.

 

[Cali1]

Ok, I have a think and get back to tomorrow with a couple of ideas

 

[Martin]

Okehampton camp is the best place as only locals tend to go up there so is never too busy, go past the army checkpoint and past the first parking area, you will then come to another parking area where you can park up next to the stream. Plenty of tracks and quiet roads there too.

Okehampton · Okehampton EX20 4LT

Okehampton EX20 4LT

goo.gl

 

[Martin]

Just a thought, check there is no live firing before you go

Dartmoor firing times

Information on Dartmoor Training Area's firing times.

www.gov.uk

 

[kurienp]

Just a thought, check there is no live firing before you go

Dartmoor firing times

Information on Dartmoor Training Area's firing times.

www.gov.uk

Whoops! did not know that. Yes, will check and report if I come back alive

 

[WillSS]

We used to live in Okehampton and can recommend parking at the Meldon reservoir just off the A30 on the edge of the moor. Fantastic spot to walk up onto the moor, old quarries and right next to the Meldon viaduct.
You can also pick up the granite way cycle path here which is perfect for a ‘comfortable’ ride part utilising disused railway tracks and will take you down to Lydford Castle and back (approx 15-20miles).
Also the National Trust Lydford Gorge well worth a stroll round but no idea if that’s back open yet.

Okehampton Granite Way to Lydford Castle | Cycle Routes UK

Lovely part of the country on the rare days it doesn’t rain!

 

[westfalia]

We used to live in Okehampton and can recommend parking at the Meldon reservoir just off the A30 on the edge of the moor. Fantastic spot to walk up onto the moor, old quarries and right next to the Meldon viaduct.
You can also pick up the granite way cycle path here which is perfect for a ‘comfortable’ ride part utilising disused railway tracks and will take you down to Lydford Castle and back (approx 15-20miles).
Also the National Trust Lydford Gorge well worth a stroll round but no idea if that’s back open yet.

Okehampton Granite Way to Lydford Castle | Cycle Routes UK

Lovely part of the country on the rare days it doesn’t rain!

Nice area, the Gorge is good

 

[Martin]

We used to live in Okehampton and can recommend parking at the Meldon reservoir just off the A30 on the edge of the moor. Fantastic spot to walk up onto the moor, old quarries and right next to the Meldon viaduct.
You can also pick up the granite way cycle path here which is perfect for a ‘comfortable’ ride part utilising disused railway tracks and will take you down to Lydford Castle and back (approx 15-20miles).
Also the National Trust Lydford Gorge well worth a stroll round but no idea if that’s back open yet.

Okehampton Granite Way to Lydford Castle | Cycle Routes UK

Lovely part of the country on the rare days it doesn’t rain!

It's not known as soakhampton to locals for nothing , I can be in full sunshine at home 20 mins up the road and it will be thick cloud and raining in Oke

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

 

[kp64zl]

Seems like a lot of CO2 and diesel emissions for not much in return

 

[WillSS]

jeez... what’s the big deal?

So he wants to go for an extended first drive because he’s thrilled about trying out his new California. Wow.

I often ride a motorbike with no purpose/destination in mind whilst emitting all those nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide purely for the pleasure of riding.

I too am selfish.

 

[kurienp]

Seems like a lot of CO2 and diesel emissions for not much in return

Too many assumptions there. I shall post a travel report.

 

[Cali1]

Sorry late reply- above comments ref locations are great, okehampton camp and Meldon.
Another couple of options with one in the South moor

Whiteworks Parking Area
Unnamed Road, 6SL, Yelverton

Whiteworks Parking Area

★★★★☆ · Car Park · Unnamed Road, 6SL

goo.gl

White works Car park Princetown.
Cycle ride into Tavistock return via Yelverton using cycle track


Belstone Car Park
Belstone, Okehampton EX20 1RB

Belstone Car Park

★★★★☆ · Car Park · Belstone

goo.gl

Cycle Sticklepath - okehampton country lanes

 

[kurienp]

Sorry late reply- above comments ref locations are great, okehampton camp and Meldon.
Another couple of options with one in the South moor

Whiteworks Parking Area
Unnamed Road, 6SL, Yelverton

Whiteworks Parking Area

★★★★☆ · Car Park · Unnamed Road, 6SL

goo.gl

White works Car park Princetown.
Cycle ride into Tavistock return via Yelverton using cycle track


Belstone Car Park
Belstone, Okehampton EX20 1RB

Belstone Car Park

★★★★☆ · Car Park · Belstone

goo.gl

Cycle Sticklepath - okehampton country lanes

Thank you Cali1. Appreciate the inputs.

 

[GrannyJen]

I went to Southampton yesterday. It was not a social trip, medical, clinical research purposes,

I took the long way round just for the buzz of being in Alfie for a while. Up over the South Downs,

tut tut. How awful, however after 10 weeks of being caged up I just couldn't resist it.

 

[WelshGas]

I went to Southampton yesterday. It was not a social trip, medical, clinical research purposes,

I took the long way round just for the buzz of being in Alfie for a while. Up over the South Downs,

tut tut. How awful, however after 10 weeks of being caged up I just couldn't resist it.

Lucky you.

 

[GrannyJen]

Lucky you.

I have had other outings ....

A drive to Worthing hospital and a drive to a clinical establishment in Guildford, ever so exciting

This was release though, freedom, I was almost raising the roof to get the wind in my hair but then remembered ... it was not that type of roof

 

[Cali1]

Me and the dogs camped in our field for a few days just to get the “ Cali Fix”- BBQ, hammocks and greenery .

 

[kurienp]

Thank you Cali1, Martin and WillSS for your inputs. Had a fantastic day in Dartmoor. A great place indeed. Went with Martin's suggestion as we wanted to stay away from the crowds.

A 6 AM start with cycles and everything else loaded. A great drive all the way.



One short 5 min break and a stretch at Sedgemoor, (until Sedgemoor, with Adaptive Cruise, I touched the brakes only once, when getting off the M4 onto the M5. Loved it.), saw us getting into Dartmoor at 9 AM.



Went to the parking lot further down the road as suggested by Martin, and there was lots of space there ... and definitely a less busy parking lot.



A nice quiet view. so cool and calm to the eyes and mind.



and then it was time for a good breakfast. Yummy!



Well, breakfast done, by 10-ish it was time to explore Dartmoor on our cycles. Went down quite some nice paths and loved every minute of it.



However, I really struggled on my pushbike, whereas my wife, who now has an ebike and is addicted to the turbo mode ... just left me in the lurch.

there she goes ....



and then at the top of the hill, she sits there with a smug smile on her face, while I reach the top all red faced and completely knackered and out of breath.



I am now seriously considering an ebike.



Back to the van at about 2 ish, and time for some well-earned lunch. Apologies, remembered to take a pic only after I had a big bite. I was famished after all that huffing and puffing up the Dartmoor roads.

 

[kurienp]

Lunch done. A walk around/along the Black-a-ven brook and some playing around in the water.



Back to the van at about 4ish.



PS: that van is not low at the back because of the weight of the cycles. That is the VB air suspension doing its thing to keep the van leveled.

At 4ish the temperature was almost 24 and too hot to do anything then. We decided it was best to start our drive back home. A very nice drive back home and got back home at about 7:30ish.

What a great day! thanks to this forum for all the inputs.

We'll be back again. There is so much more to see. We have right now only explored one small corner of Dartmoor.