Avon Dam and Two Moors Way

A circular walk on Dartmoor, taking in the Avon Dam and its reservoir and part of the Two Moors Way.

Technical sheet

3578396
A South Brent walk posted on 13/07/20 by Nick K. Last update : 15/07/20
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.32 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 5h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 267 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 266 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 461 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 207 m

Description

(S/E) Start at the car park at Shipley Bridge (SX 680 628) and walk north along the tarmac private road alongside the River Avon. Continue along the road past the remains of Brentmoor House (1) and over a bridge (2) until you reach a junction with an unsurfaced track that leads uphill.

(3) Take the track to the right, and climb up until you reach the top of the Avon Dam.

(4) At the dam, take the smaller path beside the water's edge (or where the water's edge should be if there has been a dry spell) and follow the path around the reservoir, crossing Brockhill Stream and passing the remains of an ancient settlement before rejoining the bridleway to the north of the reservoir.

(5) Cross the clapper bridge near Huntingdon Cross, joining the Two Moors Way, and follow the path along the northern side of the stream until you reach a second clapper bridge.

(6) Cross the clapper bridge. At this point paths on the ground may vary from paths shown on the map depending on footfall and vegetation growth, but your aim is to climb the hill in front of you and continue on the Two Moors Way to the south west. The path passes a small building near the brow of the hill (at SX 651 659) and the first of two marker stones.

(7) At the second marker stone (shown on the OS map), turn left and follow the compacted gravel track as it curves around the hill and turns to the south. Follow this track as it winds its way downhill, across a bridge and past Three Barrows hill.

(8) Before you reach a cairn on your right, your route deviates from the Two Moors Way to head left across the moorland. Double-back where the surfaced track is joined by an unsurfaced track that heads back towards Three Barrows, then turn right and follow an indistinct path across the moor towards Corringdon Ball.

(9) The path crosses ancient boundary works, and heads roughly south east. The path is not always clear, but for most of this section you can see the boundary wall at Corringdon Ball ahead of you, which is your next waypoint.

(10) At the Ball Gate (complete with ball-topped gate posts), don't go through the gate but instead turn left and follow the bridleway along the edge of the moor and into a track.

(11) When you reach the minor road, turn left and continue along the road and past a cattle grid until you reach the Shipley Bridge car park once more.
(S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 227 m - Shipley Bridge car park (SX 680 628)
  2. 1 : km 0.78 - alt. 270 m - Remains of Brentmoor House
  3. 2 : km 1.12 - alt. 271 m - Bridge over the Avon
  4. 3 : km 2.28 - alt. 302 m - Junction with unsurfaced track.
  5. 4 : km 2.85 - alt. 344 m - Avon Dam
  6. 5 : km 4.78 - alt. 358 m - Clapper bridge near Huntingdon Cross
  7. 6 : km 5.54 - alt. 378 m - Clapper bridge
  8. 7 : km 6.6 - alt. 450 m - Marker stone at gravel track
  9. 8 : km 12.07 - alt. 416 m - Junction with unsurfaced track
  10. 9 : km 12.48 - alt. 402 m - Remains of boundary wall
  11. 10 : km 14.23 - alt. 309 m - Ball Gate
  12. 11 : km 15.63 - alt. 208 m - Minor road
  13. S/E : km 16.32 - alt. 227 m - Shipley Bridge car park

Useful Information

Map

Ordnance Survey OL28 Dartmoor (south sheet) covers the whole route. Most of the route is also covered by OL20 South Devon.

Parking

The car park at Shipley Bridge is open all year round, with an 'honesty box' parking charge of £1. The car park can be very busy on sunny days, as the river banks are a popular spot for bathing and picnics. Older road signs in the area point to 'Avon Dam', newer ones point to 'Shipley Bridge', but both mean this car park.

Food and drink

A snack van selling homemade sandwiches and cakes, plus hot and cold drinks and ices, is often to be found at the Shipley Bridge car park. See facebook.com/CoffeeVanAtAvonDam to find out when it will be there. Nearby South Brent has a pub and cafe as well as local shops.

WC

There are public lavatories at the Shipley Bridge car park.

Walking conditions

From Shipley Bridge to the Avon Dam is mostly tarmac, then a rough track. After the dam, paths vary in quality, from narrow paths through the undergrowth to a broad gravel track on the route of the old tramway. The section from (8) to (10) would require a compass in poor visibility.

Public Transport

There is no public transport to Shipley Bridge. A regular bus service runs through South Brent, which is about 2 1/4 miles away from Shipley Bridge on foot.

Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.

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