Walking Forum

Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: pdstsp on 18:00:01, 28/04/19

Title: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 18:00:01, 28/04/19
Afternoon all - I'm after a bit of advice.


Mrs pdstsp, me, and the two dogs are aiming for a week in the Dartmoor area on September.  This will be a mix of walking, some bronze age site visiting (Mrs pdstsp is doing a PhD on Bronze age farming), and a bit of general tourism.  I have never visited the area, other than passing through, and am going to try to book somewhere self-catering but wondered which is the best area to stay.  I know a few members walk here regularly - any chnace of a recommendation or two please?


Paul
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: ninthace on 18:27:11, 28/04/19
There are loads of places. I have only stayed in Chagford and South Zeal when we were house hunting.  I can give a recommend to the Oxenham Arms in South Zeal.  Not saying is it old and characterful but the ceiling in the restaurant is held up by a genuine standing stone which may appeal to your good lady.  Dickens stayed there while he wrote the Pickwick Papers.  It is one of the pubs I will detour for after a walk  - the other is the Tors Inn in Belstone.  https://www.theoxenhamarms.com/ (https://www.theoxenhamarms.com/)   https://www.theoxenhamarms.com/history (https://www.theoxenhamarms.com/history)
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 19:06:17, 28/04/19
Thanks ninthace - I think I'm just keen to make sure I don't book somewhere at the "wrong side" of the Park - my knowledge of this area is pretty minimal.  If it's all good, I'll book the nicest looking cottage. O0
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: archaeoroutes on 19:11:16, 28/04/19
Have a look at http://www.archaeoroutes.co.uk/purchase/vol2.php (http://www.archaeoroutes.co.uk/purchase/vol2.php). I'm not touting my book - if you click on the Viewranger bit you'll be able to get an idea of some of the best walks on Dartmoor for ancient sites, hopefully helping you choose an area.
I'd be looking around Widdecombe (near Grimspound - the most impressive Bronze Age settlement) or over towards Princetown (near Merrivale - a massive Bronze Age ceremonial complex).
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 19:41:01, 28/04/19
Thanks archaeroutes - that's brilliant - I'll get some research done.  Looking forward to this trip - as Mrs pdstsp is keen to understand the landscape we tend to walk into sites, so our two interests overlap, which is great.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: ninthace on 20:10:45, 28/04/19
If you want them - I can give you traces for 3 routes that involve Grimspound.  I have something for Merrivale too but it has a lot of later archaeology in it too.  Most routes on Dartmoor seem to have sites at some point - stone circles, stone rows, hut circles, kists and the like.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: archaeoroutes on 20:25:49, 28/04/19
An interesting thing to look into is the great arc. If the stone circles are plotted, they seem to follow an arc.
Whilst this kind of thing is often drawn to fit the known data, in this case it was done before a 'new' one was found near Sittaford Tor (not the Grey Wethers, but a recumbent one).

TBH, the Moor isn't that big and there are decent roads. I do day trips to anywhere on it from Somerset. So unless you pick somewhere buried deep ina mire of tiny wiggly roads, you'll be fine.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 20:46:32, 28/04/19
Thanks both of you - great information.


If you want them - I can give you traces for 3 routes that involve Grimspound.  I have something for Merrivale too but it has a lot of later archaeology in it too.  Most routes on Dartmoor seem to have sites at some point - stone circles, stone rows, hut circles, kists and the like.


Yes please ninthace - sounds really useful.


An interesting thing to look into is the great arc. If the stone circles are plotted, they seem to follow an arc.
Whilst this kind of thing is often drawn to fit the known data, in this case it was done before a 'new' one was found near Sittaford Tor (not the Grey Wethers, but a recumbent one).

TBH, the Moor isn't that big and there are decent roads. I do day trips to anywhere on it from Somerset. So unless you pick somewhere buried deep ina mire of tiny wiggly roads, you'll be fine.


Thanks archaeroutes - really appreciate it.


Got to love the knowledge in this forum!!


Paul
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: ninthace on 22:00:04, 28/04/19
I have sent you a PM with some links.  They are all mine so I can send files.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 22:38:44, 28/04/19
Thanks so much ninthace, I'll pick them up tomorrow, been a bit tied up with family stuff tonight.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: BuzyG on 00:35:44, 29/04/19
Bit late for a long post now.  So much Bronze age stuff up there.  Off the top of my head though I would head towards the Tavistock side of the moor.  Lots of good sites nearby.  Plus you could head over to bodmin moor.  Some equaly great bronze age sites there including a fine henge and very well documented. O0 


I will give it a little more thought tommorow, if I get a moment.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: BuzyG on 00:16:00, 30/04/19
A few local Bronze age sites that I can vouch for as well worth a look. 

Starting a little further west near Victoria just of the A38.  Castle Dina's, SX945623

A little further NE off the A30 and not too far from good food at the Jamaica Inn is Hawks tor Henge.  Can't remember the official name of the site. The only known Henge in Cornwall. And a decent size stone circle within it.  SX143752. There is another smaller stone circle nearby too, but I have not visited that one myself..

And the best site in Cornwall and Devon, for my money, Minions.  Includes the three well preserved stone circles known as the Hurlers. SX238713. 
Close by there is an resovior that I think is also Bronze age. SX255720
Also the Rillaton Barrow where the gold cup was discovered as recently as 1837.
There is simply too much archiology in this small area for me to post here. 
The visitors center has masses of info and it is all free to park and enter.

A couple of pubs and a tea room provide a spot of refreshment in the village.
I was there last Friday doing a spot of rock climbing in the cheese ring quarry..

I will try and post up some places you might enjoy on Dartmoor next time I'm on here.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 09:06:05, 30/04/19
Thanks BuzyG - much appreciated.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: Jac on 09:58:12, 30/04/19

Been wracking my brains for something different. As others have said, the whole area is just awash with bronze age remains and I am sure your wife will already have a list of stone rows, standing stones, settlements, field systems etc she would particularly like to visit. What
particular aspect of the bronze age is your wife researching?[/color]  
The most incredible recent discovery was the cist on Whitehorse hill and though the objects retrieved from the cist are not now on show ( I saw them when they were at Plymouth museum - truly incredible preservation and amazing for so many reasons) I really enjoyed walking up to the site where the cist has now been reinstated. https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/cist-whitehorse-hill.htm
We walked directly from the end of the road which goes round Fernworthy reservoir (not the official carpark). It's a bleak walk so quite atmospheric though maybe not one for a really foul day.

We discovered our 'own' little cist (marked as a burial chamber on the OS SX725869) A lonely little monument not on a PRoW but the farmer happened to be there and was happy for us to walk across to it.


Re location for self catering, Moretonhampstead might be handy as being having easy access to the moor plus an excellent local butcher/deli, local organic green/grocer and good small co-op. I often stop off to shop there when travelling between Exeter and the moor.



Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 10:05:06, 30/04/19
Thanks Jac - more useful advice there which I really appreciate.  Mrs pdstsp is actually researching Bronze Age agriculture, though she is specialising in the area, basically, North of the M62 corridor, so we have spent quite a bit of time in the North of England, Scotland and on the Northern and Western Isles - Dartmoor is a bit of a change - I think she wants to expand her knowledge base, which suits me as it's an area I just don't know at all.  Luckily there's lots of knowledge on here!!


Paul




Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: rural roamer on 15:14:47, 02/05/19
While we’re on this subject, anything we should look out for while we walk the Two Moors Way? I’m sure our guidebook will inform us, but we’ve been concentrating on getting the B&Bs booked up.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: ninthace on 15:21:17, 02/05/19
While we’re on this subject, anything we should look out for while we walk the Two Moors Way? I’m sure our guidebook will inform us, but we’ve been concentrating on getting the B&Bs booked up.
you never acknowledged the PM I sent you. Did you get it?
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: rural roamer on 15:53:02, 02/05/19
Yes thanks I replied about half hour ago, sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: pdstsp on 18:58:49, 20/09/19
Just a quick thread resurrection to thank everyone for their advice.  Just got back from a fantastic week.  We stayed in North Bovey - near Moretonhampstead - great base.


I put myself in Mrs pdstsp's hands as there were several sites she wanted to visit - and we bought archeoroutes' book and did two or three of the routes, though we were curtailed on one due to me not checking whether there was firing on Merrivale range the day we went :-[ .  


Absolutely loved the moor - great walking country, so much history.  The best bit was the weather - I think you lot down there are telling porkies about the rain and wind and cloud just to keep the place to yourselves - the sun shone all week for us. 


We had two very happy dogs - though Penny, the younger, was terrified of the ponies on her first walk and had to be carried past a small group.  By the end of the week she was totally nonchalant about them.


My favourite walks were Fenworthy to Whitehorse Hill yesterday in perfect weather, and an out and back from Challacombe Cross to Wind Tor, via King Tor, again in perfect weather.
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: BuzyG on 21:01:18, 20/09/19
Yes we have been enjoying some great walking weather the past month.  So good to read you enjoyed your time on Dartmoor.  Don't tell any one else though.  ;)
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: Jac on 21:50:22, 20/09/19
Sssssshhh
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: ninthace on 21:52:12, 20/09/19
Don't tell 'em Pike!
Title: Re: Dartmoor advice
Post by: archaeoroutes on 22:23:42, 20/09/19
we bought archeoroutes' book and did two or three of the routes
8)


Glad you liked the Moor. Plenty more to see! And we do occasionally get these annoying hot, dry sunny conditions, but it soon returns to nice comfortable drizzle and clag.