Princetown to Dartmeet - Dartmoor Perambulation

Starting at Princetown Car park W3W >>>

(S) Leaving the village square, head southeast onto the track beside the Plume of Feather pub. Follow all the way out past South Hessary Tor, Nuns Cross to Eylesbarrow Tin Mine ruins.

(1) Turn left and down the track to Plym Ford. Cross the Ford heading south, contouring around Great Gnats' Head, to Broad Rock (a). Continue down into Erme Pits in a south-eastern direction, to Red Lake, then climb Brown Heath, passing Petre's Cross on Western White Barrow to Eastern White Barrow.

Escape Route - From Crossways, there is a disused tram track, heading south, which leads down to Shipley Bridge

(2) Heading north down to the River Avon and Hundigdon Cross. There is an old clapper bridge 500m upstream, if the ford is too deep. Continue on a northerly direction, up the brook, see (b) to Gibby Beam, veering slightly right and past Snowdon (c) to Ryders Hill, and Petre's Bound Stone.

(3) Head north over Holne Ridge and down, towards Dry Lake, then northeast, and to the Combestone Tor parking area. Follow the route down the valley to the River Dart and the stepping stones. Cross the river, turn right at the road, and cross the bridge to the car park at Dartmeet (E).

If the stepping stones at the river are submerged or the area has had a recent downpour, the route would need to change and follow the road around Hextworthy, Huccaby, and turn right on the main road B3357, to Dartmeet.

*This is a remote moorland walk and will require appropriate preparation and planning*

• Wild Camping on Dartmoor follow the code >>>
• Place names along the route are listed within the original 1240 Dartmoor Perambulation, modern name/spelling
• This route will take the whole day.
• Car shuttle needs to be considered. When dropping off a vehicle or pre-planning, check the stepping stones across the river at - W3W>>>

Before the walk

1. Ensure the walk matches your needs, skills, and abilities
2. Check the weather forecast - recent heavy rain - Check the stepping stone across the River Dart, as they can become submerged; it's a long detour.
3. Be prepared with suitable clothing, footwear, and equipment.
4. Personal medication
5. Take something to eat, and always keep hydrated; take a drink.
6. Use the Visorando app, download the walk to your mobile. Have a portable mobile charger, it's a long day's walk, have a printed route or OS map - Explorer OL28.
7. Let someone know where you are. The app has a share route function, ‘Share my Location’.

• Parking: Vehicle parking - There is convenient vehicle parking in the area; a choice of off-street parking is available
• Timing: The time taken is estimated, to allow extra time, when appropriate, for exploring and personal pace.
• Accessibility: This route has been assigned "Difficult" due to an open moorland route and the distance.
• Facilities: At the start, in Princetown, the village
• Escape Route: Is a route that either leads to a place of safety or a shorter route back to the start.- used in the event of an occurrence, whether physical or natural.
  

Start: This route's starting point, - W3W >>>

During the walk

• Follow Country Codes
• Leave no trace: leave only footprints, but take away great memories
• Dogs: Keep under control, and bag it and bin it, don't sling it. Farmers have special powers regarding dogs worrying livestock, even on open-access land, such as moorland.
• Self-care: Know your own limitations; walking is an adventure and can involve risks. Be responsible and know when to turn back, rather than get into difficulties
• First Aid: Treat blisters before they occur,
• Groups: Walking within a group? Start together, keep together, end together.

Enjoyed the walk:

• Where you can: Support the local economy
• Feedback from this walk: Please leave your thoughts

Report any findings; see app ' ! '

During the route

The route follows a section of another ancient route across the moor - The Abbots Way, when Abbots, from Buckfast Abbey, visited Tavistock Abbey. Many of the crosses on the moors were used as waymarkers along routes.

(a) Broad Rock, a large boulder inscribed with BB, a boundary stone for the Blatchford Parish

(b) Keble Martin Chapel is a remote moorland chapel up from the valley, which still has a cross and altar stone.

(c) Snowdon, the second-highest peak on the south moor, with a Bronze Age Cairn on top

Nearby

Princetown, Camping Barn, etc., at The Fox Tor Cafe, and the Plume of Feathers Pub