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Discovering Wild Camping In Dartmoor

6 October 2020
Discovering Wild Camping In Dartmoor

Words & Photos: Eleanor Anstice

Bags packed, car loaded, and cat fed, the time for adventure had finally arrived. After weeks of working from home, the prospect of a weekend in the hills was wonderful. Our destination: Dartmoor. A national park better known to us for its skin shredding granite boulders, swapping climbing for wild camping was going to be a novel experience.

Saddle Tor was our starting point, Lustleigh Cleave our destination. We were lucky with the weather, mild temperatures made for comfortable walking and with no rain forecast, it was smiles from the first step.

Ellie at Saddle Tor

We planned our route using the Ordnance Survey Dartmoor map (OL:28), and then logged it on the Ordnance Survey website. This meant we could download it onto our phones and benefit from GPS tracking. With neither of us particularly trail fit, especially with a pack on our back, we kept the hikes relatively short – 10.6km on the first day, 12km on the second.

Although we have both camped before, this would be our first venture off-grid. Unlike the rest of England, where wild camping is illegal, Dartmoor’s bylaws permit wild camping in certain areas. Within those areas, there are rules to adhere to, which include using a ‘no impact’ approach, camping at least 100m from the road, and no open fires or BBQs.

Luke had only ever been to Dartmoor for its climbing. My memory of the last hike I’d done here was foggy; literally, thick, dense fog that obscured views and upped eeriness levels tenfold. It made it all the more exciting to discover how diverse Dartmoor’s terrain was. From windswept moorland we descended into ancient woodland, crossing the sun-speckled Becka Brook which looked straight out of a fairy tale. It eventually flows into the River Bovey, but not before cascading down the Becky Falls waterfall which we’d pass near on day two.

Hiking to Holwell Tor

Unfortunately, with every descent into the valley, it meant an ascent was waiting for us on the other side. The reward… the views! But also, the crowds, and by the time we got to Hound Tor it seemed positively teeming. Opting for a quieter summit, we continued on to Bowerman’s Nose which was worth it, as by the time we got to the top we were the only ones there.

From this point, we knew we had a couple of hours left before nightfall. Finding water and a place to camp were the next two things on the list. We knew we’d be sleeping somewhere around Lustleigh Cleave but didn’t have a precise spot in mind, so some faffing at the end would be inevitable. Winding paths edged with heather led us down past the tiny village of Manaton, little did we know what was next in store... I’ll pay more attention to the contour lines next time! The steep descent nearly did my right knee in, but the pain was quickly forgotten upon arrival at Horsham Steps. One of the more exciting path crossings, you pick your way across moss-covered boulders while the River Bovey swirls around and under your feet. It also makes for a perfect water refill point.

MSR TrailShot refill at Horsham Steps

As someone who’s suffered from dehydration, I’m always paranoid about running out of liquid. For this trip we carried two and a half litres each; by the time we’d got to Horsham Steps we only had a litre left between us. To refill we used the MSR TrailShot, a lightweight and compact water filter that is quick and easy to use. Its stated flow rate is 1 litre per minute, for geek points we timed Luke filling up the water reservoir, and it was spot on.

We knew we wanted a pitch with a view, so with water refilled and our packs heavy once again, we started the slow slog out of the woods. The air was still and humid, birdsong punctuating the quietness around us. Our weary feet giving us a chance to take in the lichen coated bark and copper tinged ferns, Autumn colours slowly turning our view sepia. Breaking out above the treeline was a relief, a much welcome breeze helping to cool us back down. We dumped the packs and set off exploring, pleasantly surprised to find a green patch perfectly sized for our two-person tent.

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 set up

Always keen to test new kit, we were lucky enough to try out the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2. Ellis Brigham is actually stocking the version with the green flysheet, which would have blended in even better. Extremely lightweight, quick-to-pitch and with access either side, it was ideal for our night under the stars. Unfortunately, full cloud cover scuppered the stargazing plans, but we still got to enjoy views over Manaton and beyond.

There had been some trepidation on my part before the trip, with excitement for the unknown often offset by unease. Knowing how beneficial time outdoors can be for my mental health, I took steps to counter the worry. Having the right kit, with a clear weather window and the reassurance that I’d be hiking with another person all helped to reduce anxiety. So, with shelter up, plenty of water, and hot food to eat, taking in the views that evening felt all the more fulfilling.

This was definitely not a fast-and-light trip, our picnic blanket and Helinox Sunset Chair chosen for their comfort. They proved to make excellent perches as we sat and drank some gin and tonics – also not essential, but certainly enjoyable.

By 8 pm it was dark, so we fired up our trusted MSR WindBurner to make quick work of dinner. The obligatory freeze-dried meals, in this case, Summit to Eat’s Chicken Tikka with Rice, went down better than expected; for dessert, we chose Wayfayrer’s classic Chocolate Pudding. This is where a Tupperware box came in handy, all our rubbish could be stashed and sealed, following the leave no trace principles and keeping inquisitive foxes at bay. Bats, a deer and a whole load of Dartmoor ponies came to visit us that night, thankfully no sign of any spectral hounds!

Sunrise over camp

As the sun rose and bought warmth to our morning, it was time for porridge, coffee, and to pack up camp. To carry all our kit, we used Lowe Alpine’s Altus packs. Luke’s was the 42-47 litre version, and I had the women’s specific model which has a 40-45 litre capacity. Despite our full loads, the Air Contour+ back system and padded wrap-around hip belt meant the weight was well distributed and sat comfortably on the body. Easy to organise our stuff, the zipped front pocket and stash section came in particularly handy as layers were shed and sunglasses retrieved.

Camp packed up into Lowe Alpine Altus

Careful to leave the ground as we found it, looking out over our packs gave a perfect moment to reflect on our first wild camp. For the first time in an age, I’d switched off my phone, immersed myself in nature, and slept more soundly than I had in weeks. We started our second day with tired legs, but happy heads. Thankful for the privilege of being able to leave the stresses of modern life behind, even if it was just for one night.


Things to know:

Wild camping is only permitted in some areas of Dartmoor. To find out where you can wild camp, use the interactive Camping Map on the Dartmoor National Park website.

Dartmoor is home to three military firing ranges. If you’re planning on heading into the range areas, it is crucial to check the firing times first. Red flags by day and red lamps at night indicate that live firing is taking place within the range boundaries, which are marked by red and white poles. The six-week schedule can be found on Gov.UK.


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