Visiting Dartmoor

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fazer

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In a couple of weeks I will be in the Dartmoor area and currently looking for areas/places to visit for photography. The National Park has an extensive list of towns, villages etc on their website; http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/towns/
far too many to fit into a couple of days.
Does any member have knowledge of this area and can advise on where I should visit? Looking for traditional buildings, scenic landscapes and historical artifacts.
Many thanks in advance
 
Will be staying near paington. Visit to zoo already arranged, Have couple of free days as wife visiting friends. Will have the car for Dartmoor visits.
 
Thanks Andrew. Looks like the sort of information I want for relics. Although I have a car, not afraid of walking and map reading.
 
Two Bridges has some nice things arond it, including some nice vistas if you walk up the hills and an old stunted ancient oak wood nearby. On south Dartmoor you have sheeps Tor and Burrator reservoir, loads of stuff to shoot round there including a large stone circle. There are also loads of stone circles/rows all over dartmoor, most are probably just small mounds in the soil though, not stonehenge or Avebury! :p

EDIT: A few old shots from Dartmoor http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildaboutlife/sets/72157603753002273/with/714920011/ :)
 
While you're in the great (!) metropolis of Torbay, I would recommend a visit to Mifsuds in Brixham. Best take a wishlist and a budget though!

Dartmoor's so full of interesting things to snap and history that it's hard to know where to start! Plenty of the tors are within easy striking distance from the roads, although at this time of year, it's hard to get a shot of them without hordes of people climbing all over them. Plenty of little rapids on the rivers too, if creamy water's your thing. Ponies aplenty, likewise sheep.Widecombe's worth a visit for some traditional buildings and a decent ice cream. Fast Buck Abbey is just off the moor (but still within its boundary), as are the butterfly farm and otter sanctuary (both near the station at Buckfastleigh). Not sure if the giant's chair is still standing or if the planning department have managed to get it torn down.

It's well worth getting an OS map (Explorer OL28) of the area.

I would recommend some pubs but apart from the (usually overcrowded) Warren House Inn, I haven't visited many for a few years, since my parents used to live on the edge of the moor so I'd always carry on to theirs for lunch!
 
Sounds like I need a month or two rather than days. Not sure about visiting pubs then up for sunrise on the beaches! Think I'll give Brixham a miss, sounds too good an excuse to spend on camera gear. The other half wants to look after my health and thinks I should use P&S. Always manages to get me carrying picnics in backpack though. OS map on order (thanks NOD)
Thanks all for your help and hope to post pictures on return
 
Visit the village of Lustleigh outside Bovey tracy on the Morthenhampsted road park near to the Pub The Cleeve take the footpath to the right of the pub walk past the Cricket Ground down the lane you will the finest examples of Thatched cottages on Dartmoor

Google Lustleigh and check out the images


http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/panoramas/lustleigh_360.shtml
 
Hi Fazer,

as above.

The Widecombe in the Moor - Bovey Tracey - Moretonhampstead triangle has a lot of interesting detail in it, Haytor and other tors beside the B3387, Becky Falls (probably dribble more likely at the mo!), and lots of little bridges in the valleys, details like mature trees growing on top of stone walls, etc.

I use Google maps a lot now; Use the satellite view, zoom in somewhere interesting looking, go into Steetview and "drive" along the roads, good if you're limited for time as you can plan where to go. The lanes are narrow and once the schools are off you could spend a lot of time reversing.

have a good time QS

ps. I always take a compass as the clouds are often lower than the hills.
 
fazer said:
Sounds like I need a month or two rather than days. Not sure about visiting pubs then up for sunrise on the beaches! Think I'll give Brixham a miss, sounds too good an excuse to spend on camera gear. The other half wants to look after my health and thinks I should use P&S. Always manages to get me carrying picnics in backpack though. OS map on order (thanks NOD)
Thanks all for your help and hope to post pictures on return
Click to expand...

Personally I'd rather do some sunset shoots. Don't have to get up in the morning but more importantly most of that part of the coast faces west so you'll get the best colour in the evening. :)

EDIT: Scrub that, for some reason I was thinking North Coast... Yeah sunrise is the better bet as the coastline points east...
 
St marys bay just south of Torbay used to be a nice spot for some beach/sea/rocks shots.
 
Some brilliant tips on here, especially QS for Google streetview and Lustleigh looks brill except for all the cars. Looking forward to parking car and either walking or cycling Dartmoor. Doing homework now for best routes.
Many thanks
 
Hope you have fun there, I love dartmoor!

If you're a good driver and reverser, I'd recommend turning down the smaller, unsigned lanes - many are dead ends, however many times I've seen hares, the odd fox (yes even in dayight) and once or twice badgers from us going down them, as the holiday makers often don't bother. Also there's now some I think red kites on there, plenty of buzzards and kestrels.

Two bridges and badgers holt are nice, but honestly there's so many nice places I don't know where to start.

Princetown is the "centre of the moors" and the old jail is near there, there's also a jail museum which you may find of interest if you like things like that. Widecome in the moor is a lovely village with some nice little shops and bits, but very busy this time of year.


Have a great holiday :)
 
Thanks Gemma, good advice about going off the beaten track which i'm used to. Like the idea of wildlife, not many kites etc in my neck of the woods. Think I will have to visit again outside the tourist season but this trip will give me a good insight of the wild side
 
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