Exploring Dartmoor

My Photos & Walks from Dartmoor



The area of Devon I live in, gives me great access to so many exciting places. Dartmoor, being one of them.

As a photographer and walker, I'm always looking for interesting places to explore and new scenery to photograph.

About this page

I've created this page to show some simple walking areas. My photos show what you might see on them if you follow the rough direction I walked in.

This is just a guide and to give you some ideas and is not a full precise walking tour. All walks on Dartmoor should be properly planned and know where you are going.

I've also used reference locations from the What3Words app to help you.
///what.three.words

I've split the page into walks I've done. All are circular, with Start and End point at the same place. Distance is a rough estimate. I never walk in a straight line and go all over the place taking photos!

Click images to view

My Short Walks


Belstone

River Taw & Tors

Distance: 3 miles

River Taw
Belstone Common

River Taw & Cosdon Hill
Belstone Common

River Taw
Belstone Common

Oke Tor
Belstone Common

Knattaborough Tor
Belstone Common

Winter Tor
Belstone Common

Tors
Belstone Common

Belstone Common
Belstone Common

Read my Walk Description

This loop starts at Belstone Car Park. Follow path into Village and Pass the Tearooms on your Left. Stay on path, past a Rusty Tractor. Follow path past next tractor, keeping it on your right.
This enters the Common by the lower path toward Bernard's Acre, follow the River. Past the Rapids and Turn Right towards Irishman Wall. Join footpath and head Left Towards Oke Tor.
Follow path to the Right and Back up the hill Keeping Oke and Knattaborough Tors on you Left.
Pass Winter Tor close to the Path. Keep the 3 Tors on your Right, once pass the last Tor staying on one the paths, bring you back towards one of the 2 exits main exits of the common.

What3Words
///Start Sq : assure.microfilm.steams
///Moor Exit : waffle.badminton.preoccupied

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Okehampton Common

Target Railway

Distance:

View from Car Park

Observation Hut

Path to Follow
towards the tors

Black-a-ven Brook

Past a Border Stone
just of the path

Row Tor
towards the railway

Target Railway
shed and track

Views
towards Belstone

Read my Walk Description

This Walk enters the Danger Area, Please check firing times

This is a simple circular walk, starting at furthest Car Park past Okehampton Camp near Cullever Steps. Follow the path (1) from the car park until it turns in to a dirt trail at the Oservation Point (2).
Continue on the track (3) towards the big Tor in front of you. East Mill Tor. A path bears left before the tor and follow the path. round to new Brigde. Here you can see Black-a-Ven Brook (4).
Cross the bridge and follow the path on the other side of the brook. Stay on the path, passing a Boundary Stone (5) for approx 1 miles and you'll start to see Rowtor on the left (6).
Towards the base of the hill at Rowtor there is a path on the left. Follow this path and you'll see Target Railway in the distance. (7). From Target Railway, return to main path continuing left.
Follow the path, either take a trail towards the carpark (8) or follow the main track until it reaches the road you drove in on. Turn Right, and follow until car park.

What3Words
///Start/Parking Sq : hammocks.parsnips.putts
///Ref Sq. Target Railway : should.responses.portfolio

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Fingle Bridge

Castle Drogo to Fingle Bridge Circular

Distance:

Hunters View

Drewston Wood

Fingle Bridge

Fingle Mill

River Teign

River Teign

The Iron Bridge

Valley Views

Read my Walk Description

A circular walk, starting at the National Trust, Castle Drogo car park. Exit the Car Park, cross the road and take a right, heading down towards Hunters Path.
Follow signs to Fingle Bridge and at Sharps Tor enjoy the view. (1)
Stays on the path heading down hill passing through Drewston Wood. (2)
The paths you out in a car park area, turn right and towards the Pub and Fingle Bridge. (3)
When you've crossed the bridge, you have the option to turn left towrds a ruined Fingle Mill. (4) Then return to the Bridge. Otherwise, head Right along the River Teign. (5)
continue along the River Teign (6) past and Hydroelectric Plant. If you look up you might also see Castle Drogo in the distance.
Continue past the Deer Park, you'll eventually come to The Iron Bridge. (7)
Cross the bridge, turn left and then right following the sign towards Castle Drogo and Two Moor Way. It joins a tarmac drive, follow it up hill.
When you reach a wooden gate onthe right hand side, turn right and to through it following signs for Hunter Path.
Along this path you'll have lovely views from where you just walked. (8) You'll reach a set of step (the one you came down) climb these back to the road and car park.

What3Words
///Start/Parking Sq : lifted.sculpture.harmlessly

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Meldon Reservoir

Dam, Streams & Waterfalls

Distance: 1.5 miles

Meldon Dam
Meldon Reservoir

Meldon Dam
Meldon Reservoir

Meldon Viaduct
Meldon Reservoir

Red-a-ven Brook
Meldon Reservoir

Red-a-ven Brook
Meldon Reservoir

Meldon Streams
Meldon

Meldon Streams
Meldon

Read my Walk Description

This is a simple circular walk, with a minor detour to investigate the streams and rivers. Leave the Car Park and go Left over the Dam.
Left again and follow the path along the side to the valley remembering to look back at the Dam. Ahead on slightly left is the Viaduct.
At the bottom of the path near the building is the stream, off to the Right. Investigate!
Follow the now wide green path down to the left to the lower area inbetween where the rivers join.
Over the footbridge and go Left. Hear if you are lucky your see mini waterfalls from the hills.
Follow the pathway back up the long hill to a gate near the Dam. The Car Park is on your Right.

What3Words
///Start Sq : assure.microfilm.steams

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Pork Hill

Pew Tor, Vixen Tor & Windy Post

Distance: 3 miles

View of Pew Tor
from Whitchurch Common

View of Pew Tor

View of Pew Tor

Looking Back at Pew Tor
from Port Hill

View Toward Heckwood
from Heckwood Tor

View of Vixen Tor
from Heckwood Hill

Vixen Tor
from Heckwood Tor

Windy Post

Read my Walk Description

This is a simple circular walk, starting at Pork Hill Car Park near Merrivale.
With your back to the car park & Cox Tor you can see a hill in front with a path leading towards it. Do not take the path to the left of the car park.
Follow the path towards and around the right of the hill and down to a stream, cross the stream, and follow the path along the bushes. You'll see Pew Tor in the distance.(1)
Take a of several paths towards and up Pew Tor. (2) and circle all the way around to head back but on the other side. (3)
Following the paths heading slightly right, with Pew Tor behind you (4), you should end up near Heckwood Tor, with views of Heckwood (5)
Now head back left along the top of Heckwood Tor with Vixen Tor (private tor) on your right (6 & 7), you head past Feather Tor and follow the Streams. Where they join, you'll find Windy Post (8).
The Route back to the car park can be seen beyond Windy Post.

What3Words
///Start/End Sq : dirt.complain.plod
///Ref Sq. Pew Tor : digital.pictured.blacken
///Ref Sq. Heckwood Tor : divided.butchers.avid

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Foggintor Quarry

Rocks, Ruins & Flooded Quarry

Distance: 2+ miles

From Car Park
Merrivale

Path to Quarry
Foggintor, Merrivale

Views
Foggintor, Merrivale

Quarry Building Ruins
Foggintor, Merrivale

View from Ruin
Foggintor, Merrivale

Sheep at Foggintor
Foggintor, Merrivale

Foggintor Quarry
Foggintor, Merrivale

Foggintor Quarry
Foggintor, Merrivale

Read my Walk Description

The Foggintor Walk is a straight there and back on the same path. Starting from the small parking area, follow the path past the gate. (1)
After a while you'll notice on closer inspection that path is actually an old train track used by the quarry. (2) Follow the track and take in the views (3). Pass a farm on your Right, you will start to see some old ruins, then the main ruin on the hill. (4, 5)
The Quarry is adjcent to the Ruin (7), on the Left side of the path, accessible via a rocky footway.
On exiting the Quarry, if you turn Left, and walk further, you get great view of the Tors beyonds, and you may find some left over supports from London Bridge!
Just before the Quarry it is possible to get up to the top for a view. (8)
When back on the intial path, retrace your steps to the parking area.

What3Words
///Start Sq : modem.scans.dwarves

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Princetown Railway

Beyond Foggintor to Bridges

Distance: 4+ miles

Quarry Waste Heap
Merrivale

Path Crossroads
Merrivale/Walkhampton

Down the Hill
Walkhampton

Gate with view of Ingra Tor
Walkhampton

Old Settlement
Merrivale

Leeden Tor & Old Railway
Walkhampton

View towards Merrivale
Walkhampton

Bridge Over the Railway
Walkhampton

Under the Railway
Walkhampton

Bridge on the Stream
Walkhampton

Read my Walk Description

The walk to the Princetown Railway & Bridges can start at the Foggintor starting point mentioned above. Starting from the small parking area, follow the above directions and stay on the path to just past the Foggintor Ruins.
Past the Quarry entrance and Ruins, you'll see on your right some quarry waste dumps. (9)
Stay on the path and it crosses another with one going directly ahead. (10)
Down the long hill (11), to a gated field (4). Here you'll get a view of Ingra Tor (12) and an old Settlement. (13)
Follow the path (which is the old railway), left towards Leeden tor and Stream. (14)
A little further on, look right and you'll see Merrivale. (15)
Then, a bridge, (16) here you can turn left down towards the stream and see the bridge you crossed. (17)
Following the steam reveals another see bridge. (18), cross this and the path loops to rejoin the railway at (14). Then retract your step along that path towards the Settlement, then Quarry.


What3Words
///Start Sq : modem.scans.dwarves

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Princetown to Black Tor Waterfall

Tracks, Streams & Waterfalls

Distance: Approx 4 miles

Join the Old Railway
Princetown

Down to see the Bridge
Princetown

Left across the moors
and across the road

Left at Small Car Park

Black Tor
Walkhampton Common

River Meavy
Walkhampton Common

Blowing House Ruins
at Black Tor Falls

Black Tor Falls

Black Tor Falls

Devon Leat
Aqueduct

Read my Walk Description

This walk to Black Tor falls, starts in Princetown's main car park. Exit the car park and turn ledt. Just past the Firestation is the entrance to the moors.
Stay on the main track bearing right, though a gate and follow the old railway. (1)
Just past the first mast, pop off the track to view the bridge. (2)
Keep on the Railway Track until you get near a second mast and head left down a grassway seeing a valley and forest trees in the distance. Hopefully exiting to the road near the 40 symbols. (3)
Head right, up the road, and opposite a small parking area, turn left along another grassway, with the hill on your right. (4)
Follow this round and you'll see Black Tor. (5)
Stay on this track and you'll see the River Meavy before you (6) and a small complex of bubbling brooks, and rock appear, with Blowing House Ruins (7), Black Tor Fall (8, 9) and further down, Devon Leat. (10) Explore this lovely area, then head back to your starting point.

What3Words
///Start Sq : found.meals.positions

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