Tuesday, May 9
DAY 1 Tue 5/7/22 - Gutter Tor, Legis Tor & a hidden gem - a Dartmoor Waterfall
A hidden gem
A quick return trip to take advantage of the excellent weather forecast.
And the knowledge that this would be my last trip for a while, as after this trip I would be straight into taking on a new position.
Bugger - back in employment again.
Groan.
I parked up at the ever popular car park at 578 673. Usually it feels like a potential hot spot for car thefts but today the place was full of military personnel on training manoeuvres, so car tampering was definitely not going to be happening here this visit.
Loading my pack up from the car boot, I selected enough for a 1 night trip.
Making my way past Gutter Tor (579 669) I was entertained by military training as I headed for Ditsworthy Warren House, following the track to the east today's objective was to find the hidden waterfall I'd visited on a previous trip.
Good clear tracks all the way. Along the way I passed one of Dartmoor's regular reminder of previous inhabitants - the cairn at Giants Basin.
Eventually crossing the River Plym I followed one of the feeder streams eventually finding the waterfall (595 660) - as always well hidden deep in a cleft of the hillside. Using the stream as a guideline is definitely the key here.
Its in there somewhere!
After spending some time enjoying the uncharacteristic sunshine, I picked a track contouring the hillside and back to the the DW House, and then up to Legis Tor (570 655) to pitch for the evening.
Not a very impressive tor TBH. And very few camping spots out of NW wind here.
Legis Tor
Unusually for moorland camping, but quite entertainingly, my late evening was interrupted by Royal Marine officer letting me know that the Tor had been selected as a check-in point for a night exercise.
For the next couple of hours my light sleep would be interrupted by the sound of heavy boot, and a rattle of Serial Number..Name..Sah - as the marines arrived in the dark from all directions, trying to find the hidden checkpoint.
After the first few I found it simpler to quietly tell the tired squaddie where the officer was hiding, so I can get back to dozing.
An interesting entertainment!
Labels: dartmoor, waterfall, wild camping
A hidden gem
A quick return trip to take advantage of the excellent weather forecast.
And the knowledge that this would be my last trip for a while, as after this trip I would be straight into taking on a new position.
Bugger - back in employment again.
Groan.
I parked up at the ever popular car park at 578 673. Usually it feels like a potential hot spot for car thefts but today the place was full of military personnel on training manoeuvres, so car tampering was definitely not going to be happening here this visit.
Loading my pack up from the car boot, I selected enough for a 1 night trip.
Making my way past Gutter Tor (579 669) I was entertained by military training as I headed for Ditsworthy Warren House, following the track to the east today's objective was to find the hidden waterfall I'd visited on a previous trip.
Good clear tracks all the way. Along the way I passed one of Dartmoor's regular reminder of previous inhabitants - the cairn at Giants Basin.
Eventually crossing the River Plym I followed one of the feeder streams eventually finding the waterfall (595 660) - as always well hidden deep in a cleft of the hillside. Using the stream as a guideline is definitely the key here.
Its in there somewhere!After spending some time enjoying the uncharacteristic sunshine, I picked a track contouring the hillside and back to the the DW House, and then up to Legis Tor (570 655) to pitch for the evening.
Not a very impressive tor TBH. And very few camping spots out of NW wind here.
Legis Tor
Unusually for moorland camping, but quite entertainingly, my late evening was interrupted by Royal Marine officer letting me know that the Tor had been selected as a check-in point for a night exercise.
For the next couple of hours my light sleep would be interrupted by the sound of heavy boot, and a rattle of Serial Number..Name..Sah - as the marines arrived in the dark from all directions, trying to find the hidden checkpoint.
After the first few I found it simpler to quietly tell the tired squaddie where the officer was hiding, so I can get back to dozing.
An interesting entertainment!
Labels: dartmoor, waterfall, wild camping
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