WalkingRoutestoDartmoorNationalParkusingPublicTransport WALKANDOBSERVE: DARTMOOR NationalParks:NewPerspectives
ViewfromNineMaidensStoneCircle
INTRODUCTION
Hi,I’mErikaandI’manartistand outdoorsenthusiastbasedinDevon.I lovewalkingandclimbingon Dartmoorandhavebeenexploringits moorlandsinceayoungage.I’moneof theholdersoftheNationalParks: NewPerspectivesbursaries,fundedby CampaignforNationalParks,andI havecreatedthisleafletaspartofmy projectwhichexplorespublic transportaccesstoDartmoor NationalPark.
I’dliketogivepeoplelivinginExeter andthesurroundingareasthe opportunitytoaccessDartmoorvia publictransport.Ihopethatbyguiding youtogettingtothemoorsusingabus
oratrain,andshowingyoushort,accessiblewalksfromthestops,thatyoumight beencouragedtovisittheNationalParkthroughpublictransportagainand sharetheexperiencewithyourfamiliesandfriends.
IwasluckytobeabletovisitDartmoorasachild,livingrelativelynearby.My secondaryschooloftendidtripstothemoorsafterschooltogoclimbing,oron weekendsforTenTorstraining,soI’vebeenluckytohavehadaccesstothe NationalParkinvariouswaysgrowingup.However,Idon’tdrivemyself,and havenoticedthehurdlesthatthismightcreateforotherswhomightwantto experienceDartmoorwithoutacar.Therearesomanyactivitiesandwaysto exploretheNationalPark-shortstrolls,longerwalks,climbing,cycling, watersports,andsomanyotherstoexplore.Ithinkthisopportunityfor explorationoftheoutdoorsisreallyimportantforallyoungpeople,andthat everyonecantakesomethingfromanexperienceonDartmoor.
There’salsotheecologicalimpacttoconsiderofmultiplecarsdrivingdownthe motorwaytogetthere,drivingonthemoors,potentiallycausingerosiononthe sidesoftheroads,inadditiontoairandnoisepollution.Byusingpublictransport andwalkingtoalocationwhenwegetthere,wecanreducetheimpactofthat journeyontheNationalParkanditsecologyandwildlife.
THEROUTES-TRAINLINE3-6
THEROUTES-BUSSERVICE7-9
OBSERVATIONS/FEEDBACK10-14
PHOTOS15-18
ENDNOTE19
RESOURCES+WITHTHANKS20
PROJECTOUTLINE2
CONTENTS
PROJECTOUTLINE
Iledsomeguidedwalksforpeoplewhocan’taccessthemoorsduetolackof transport,andalsoforthosewhowereinterestedinexploringamoreecofriendlywayofvisitingDartmoor.Thewalkswereawayofobservingour experienceoftravellingviapublictransport,andtheexperienceofwalkingon Dartmoorwhenwegetthere.Iwantedtomakepeopleawareofthejourneyas wellasthedestinationbytestingboththetrainandbusservicestoseehowthey compared.ThemainoutcomeoftheprojectistogetpeopleontoDartmoorand toraiseawarenessofalternativewaysofgettingthere.Ihopethatthewalksand thecompanyguidedparticipantstowardsthinkingabouthowtheyfeelwhenon Dartmoor,andencouragedthemtoobservethesurroundingsbeyondjust walkingthroughthem.
InthispublicationI’llbesharingthereflectionsoftheparticipantsonthewalks, sharingtheroutesI’vetriedandtested,andevaluatingmyexperienceofhosting theguidedwalkinggroups.Ihopethisbookencouragesyoutogivethewalksand transportoptionsagotoo!
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Crossingthestreamonsteppingstones
THEROUTES:STARTINGFROMOKEHAMPTONSTATION
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A sketchmapshowingwalkingroutesfromthetrainstation.
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THEROUTES:STARTINGFROMOKEHAMPTONSTATION
NINESTONESCIRCLECIRCULARWALK:
Time:approx2½hrswithoutstops.
Difficulty:***-somesteephills,someunevenground.
Views:*****
ThiswasthefirstwalkIdevisedforthe18+walk.Theroutetakesyouupto BelstoneCommonwhereyoucanseeviewsacrossthevalleyandhavealook attheNineStonesCircle.OnthewaybackyoucanwalkbackalongtheTarka Trail,followingtheriver,andgettingtoseesomebeautifulrapids/waterfalls flowingoffthemoors.IreallyenjoyedthevarietyoflandscapesonthiswalkonceyougetawayfromtheA30you’reintopropermoorland,withsteep valleys,ancientwoodedareasandpeacefulriverpaths.Therearelotsofgreat spotstorest,andpotentialtoextendthewalkandaddvariantstotheloop onceacrosstheriverandtowardsthecommon.Youcouldevenwalkvia Belstonetocheckoutthevillage(andthepub!)onthewayback.
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TheviewfromNineMaidensStoneCircle,thefurtheststoponourwalk.
MELDONQUARRY,VIADUCTANDRESERVOIR:
Time:40mins-1hreachwaytothequarry/viaduct-optionstogofurtherto reservoir
Difficulty:*-flat,tarmackedterrainthroughout.
Views:**
ThiswasthewalkIhadoriginallyplannedfortheFamilyFriendlysession, howeverIfoundthatalthoughaccessibleandflat,theviewswerelargely uninterestinguntilyoureachedthequarryabout40minswalkin.Iwould recommendthisrouteforpeoplewantingtogocyclingasit’sflatandwell tarmacked,andyoucouldgomuchfurtherandseemoreinterestingthingsby bike.OnceyougettothequarryandViaductarea,there’slotstosee,with moorlandviewsandremnantsofthehistoryofthearea.There’sthepotential towalkfurtherontothereservoirandbeyond,buttheinitial40minutewalk intothatpointmightlimittheextradistanceyoucango.Youcanhirebikes fromoutsideofthetrainstation,sothiswouldbeagreatoptiontoexplore forbuddingcyclists!
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MeldonViaductBridge
THEROUTES:DARTMOOREXPLORERBUS
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A sketchmapshowingwalkingroutesfromtheStepsBridgebusstop.
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THEROUTES:DARTMOOREXPLORERBUS
STEPSBRIDGETOCLIFFORDBRIDGECIRCULARWALK:
Time:approx2½hrswithoutstops.
Difficulty:**
Views:****
ThisisawalksuitableforadultsandfamiliesusingtheDartmoorExplorerBus. Thewalkcanbeshortenedandextended,andislargelyflatterrain.Thereare manypathsfollowingtheriverthatalllinkup,soit’seasytonavigateasyou alwaysenduplinkingbacktotheotherpaths.Tomakeitacircularwalkaswe did,there’sabitofroadwalkingto gettoCliffordBridge,whereyou cancrosstheriverandwalkback downtheothersideonfootpaths. AtCliffordthere’stheoptionto keepwalkinguptheriver,allthe waytoFingleBridgewhichwould makeamuchlongerwalk.Thepath backtoStepsBridgefromClifford Bridgeisuphillattheend,soifyou wantedtoavoidhillsitwouldbe bettertowalkbackdowntheside oftheriverthatyoucame.The walkisgreatinspringwiththefields ofdaffodils,bluebellsandwildgarlic flowers,andwouldbeniceand shadedinthesummer.Thereare lotsofshallowareasalongtheriver witheasyaccesspointsforapaddle too.
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TheRiverTeignfromCliffordBridge
EXPERIENCESONDARTMOOR
“Forme,DartmoorNationalParkisanessentialescapefromeverydaylifeandthe urbanenvironment.It’salandscapewhichgivesmeasenseofplaceand belongingthatisimpossibletofindinthecityorthelowerlying,moreagricultural areasofDevon.AlthoughIusuallydrive,theeaseofvisitingbypublictransport leftmepleasantlysurprised.IthinkthatpublicawarenessandperceptionofcarlessaccesstoDartmoorispoor,andIstronglysupporteffortstogetthewordout andshareDartmoor’sbeautywithawideraudience.”
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WalkinguptoBelstoneTorfromtheNineStonesCircle
OBSERVATIONSANDFEEDBACK
Iaskedtheparticipantsonthewalkswhattheythoughtabouttheexperience, andwhethertheywoulddoitagain.Assomeonewhoisveryusedtothe DartmoorlandscapeIwasinterestedinknowingifthewalksIplannedmetthe expectationsofthosewhohadneverbeen!
Ialsowantedtofindoutiftheparticipantsthoughtthepublictransportwas accessibleandaffordable,toseeifitwasaviableoptionforthosewithouta carorthosewhowantedtousepublictransportmoreoftenforecological reasons.
Participantsonthewalk
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“Itsbeenanamazingtrip!MyfirsthikingtripandfirstDartmoor experience.I’mreallygladthatIjoinedtoday!”
HOWCONVENIENTANDAFFORDABLEWASTHEPUBLICTRANSPORT?
WOULDYOUUSEITAGAIN?
“Itsquiteaffordableandstraightforwardenoughforsomeonewho’snotfamiliarwith thisregion”
“YES!Affordableticketsandreasonablecommutingtime,andeasyaccessto Dartmoorfromthetrainstation.”
“Surelyyes!Idon’tdrivesoIhavetousepublictransport.”
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DartmoorPoniesonthewalkfromOkehampton
OBSERVATIONSANDFEEDBACK
TELLUSABOUTYOUREXPERIENCEOFTHEWALK:
“Theareawasbeautifulandchallengingenough.Thereweregoodplacestostopand restanditwasn’ttoocrowdedordeserted.”
“ThiswasmyfirsttimecomingtoDartmoorforawalkandbyusingpublic transportation,andI’mreallygladtolearnthatsomeonelikemewithnocarcanstill enjoythenature.”
“Everybitasbeautifulastheysayitis.”
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Stoppingtotakeintheopenmoorlandviews!
DIDTHEWALKREPRESENTYOURPERCEPTIONOFDARTMOOR?
“Yesandno.I’vealwaysimaginedDartmoorbeingruralandremote.Iwouldnothave imagineditbeingaccessible!Ilikeit!”
“I’vealwaysthoughtofDartmoorasaremote,desertedarea,butthiswalkchanged myperception.”
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TheEastOkementRiver
BrightGorseandblueskies!
15 PHOTOSFROMTHESOCIALWALKS-OKEHAMPTON
Steppingstonesacrossthe stream
Lambsinthefieldsinspring DartmoorPonieswithRowtor,WestMillTorandYesTor
Ancient,mossywoodland
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ValleywiththeEastOkementriver
NineStonesCircleonBelstoneCommon
TheEastOkementriver
StonepathontheTarkaTrail
WaterfallontheEastOkement river
PHOTOSFROMTHESOCIALWALKS-STEPSBRIDGE
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BluebellsandwildgarlicflowersatStepsBridgeinApril
Footpathsthroughthewoods
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CrossingtheriveratCliffordBridge
Greenforestsonthereturnpath
WhenIfirstsatdownandmappedawalkfromOkehamptontrainstation,I wasn’tsurewhattoexpect.Ichoseapointaboutanhourawayfromthe station,plottingacircularroutethereandback.Iworriedthatthelandscape mightnotbethatvaried,beingsoclosetothetownandthemainroad.But whenItestedthewalk,onanunusuallywarmweekendinMarch,Iwas surprisedtoseethevariationandbeautyoftheroute.
Dartmoor’slandscapeissovastandunique,withenoughplacestovisitand walkstotrytonevergetboredof.SomeofDartmoor’smostpicturesque locationsandviewsareaccessiblebythepublictransportroutes,sowhether you’reinterestedingoingonawalkonthemoorland,agentlestrollbyariver, orexploringaDartmoortownorvillagetherearenowwaysofgettingthere withoutrelyingonacar.
Theremotenessofthewalkswedidsurprisedme,especiallythecircularwalk wefromOkehamptonstationtoBelstoneCommon.Ineverknewthatitwas possibletofeellikeyouwereonthemiddleofthemoorswhileonlybeingan hourswalkfromthetrainstation!Thelocationswereconnectedenoughto beeasytoaccessthroughpublictransport,butremoteenoughtofeellikeyou hadleftthecityandhadadayoutinnature.
Itwaslovelybeingabletotakepeopleoutontothemoor,sharingthe landscapewiththem,andgettingtoknowthemalongtheway.Ihopethatin thefutureIcancontinuetoorganisewalkingsocials,andhopefullygetother participantstoshareandleadtheirownwalksfrompublictransportroutes.
Ihopethattheroutesandstoriesinthisbookhaveinspiredyoutogivethe walksagoforyourself.Whetheryouventureoutonyourown,withyour family,orwithfriendsthereareamyriadofwalksandoptionsbeyondthe onessuggestedinthisbook.Makesuretolookatthetimetablesandstopsof thetransport,andtoplanyourroutesbeforeyousetoff.Alsorememberto takecareoftheNationalParkwhileyou’reenjoyingit-leavenotraceand enjoythememoriesofthewalkthroughphotosonly.
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ENDNOTE
Makesuretocheckoutthewebpagebelowtofindwrittendescriptionsofthe walksandextrainformationonhowtoaccessDartmoorusingpublictransport: http://cnp.org.uk/news/new-perspectives-erikas-story
Formoreinformationaboutmyprojectsvisit:https://www.erikacann.com/
RESOURCES WITHTHANKSTO:
LauraWilliamsandCampaignforNationalParks,forofferingmetheopportunity toexplorethistopicthroughmyNationalParks:NewPerspectivesbursary.
TomPalmerfromOceanCityMedia,forallofyourhelpandadvicethroughout. DartmoorNationalPark,forsharingmywalkswiththeircommunity.
GreatWesternRailway,forhelpwiththedistributionofthisbook. Theparticipantsofthewalks,forthegreatcompanyandinvaluablefeedback.
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ERIKACANN2023 NationalParks:NewPerspectivesbursary