UKC

I have a free weekend next weekend and am thinking about going for a tramp on the ranges South of Yes Tor. However I have not been up there before and would be grateful if anyone could give me info on the conditions - with all the rain we have had is it just one big bog crossed by swollen streams? I note that the rain seems set to continue pretty much all next week. Any info or thoughts appreciated.

In reply to Bobling:

Hopeful bump

In reply to Bobling:
Having had a fair bit of experience of Dartmoor, I would say that it will be very wet underfoot. The streams will usually be passable with care but expect the West Okement river to be difficult if we have a lot of rain this week. That said, I think that the bogs add to the charm of Dartmoor, and have spent many a happy hour with soaked feet there. Watch out for ticks as well.
Enjoy!

In reply to Bobling: Hi, its not so bad at the moment really. In the summer the longer grass is normally more of an issue than the wet underfoot.

From Okey there are loads of options using the military tracks which are good to walk no matter how wet it is. To the West side there are also former tram/trackways especially heading away from Sourton which you can use to sneek past the wet and get out as far as the Rattlebrook (Bleak House, Kitty Tor etc etc).

It is a bit squelchy to the East side of the moor although the track which gets to Gartaven Ford from Buttern (edge of the moor from Throwleigh) is OK and gets you past the worst of it (Steer clear of the various "pools" and "mires"!).

The stream heights do rise but also fall extremely quickly. Have a look at the graphs shown on the Environment Agency Devon River levels website. Only a few hours after the rain has gone the upper streams drop to near normal. Do take care though.

I would use the military tracks to get out past Hangingstone Hill then wander about from there (do check the range isnt operating!!).
Have fun, its a beautiful place even in the rain!!

In reply to Wainers44:

Thanks both, great info.

In reply to Bobling:

A couple of quick follow up questions if anyone cares to chip in:

Is the midge count likely to be high (if it is still and overcast)?
I'm going to be scrounging water up from somewhere, is clear running water from the tops OK to drink without boiling/steritabs? I will of course boil where possible but would rather not resort to steritabs if I can avoid it.

In reply to Bobling: I would avoid drinking water from any streams, I reckon there are dead livestock/ponies/fox's in just about every water way, especially this time of year when there Re plenty of lambs/ calfs/foals

Re midges, Jut let me know when you are up on the moor, I will go for a walk and all the midges will follow me, like they always seem to!!

In reply to Bobling: Avoid Raybarrows Pool - unless you never want to return - apparantly the army lost a Tank there as it sank in the Bog!!!! But as Raybarrows is to the east of Yes Tor - you'll be fine. Fur Tor is a nice remote place to go - however when I go there its always heaving.

In reply to Bobling: I always find boiling it is best. I remember seeing some analysis of untreated water supplying an army facility once, and that was from a spring. The %age of sheep sh*t disolved in the water was impressive. They bought a water treatment plant!

In reply to Bobling:

Having been on the southern moor around Burrator a few time in the last week, its fairly wet underfoot at the moment, no more so than your average winter but fairly sopping for July!

As others have said the rivers are very flashy, and rise and fall quickly.
Personally wouldn't drink from any of the rivers or streams due to the amount of dead livestock that you encounter. Midges haven't been a problem as it's been so windy, but watch for ticks.

In reply to Bobling:

Thanks again all!

In reply to Bobling:
Just to give you a little bit of the magic of Dartmoor before you go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZmqwqmBusg&feature=BFa&list=FLCro8n...

In reply to Bobling:

Just reporting back - conditions were fine. There was a fair amount of water underfoot but no more than I'd have expected, the streams and rivers all looked like they were running at about *normal* levels. As far as water goes - I had to fish a couple of litres out of the stream by Bleak house, I drank it after giving it a rolling boil for 5 minutes and don't seem to have suffered any ill effects. The idea did occur that the streams on the ranges themselves are more likely to be contaminated with human excrement. Midges - we did get thoroughly midged and had to evacuate our first campsite to go to higher ground with a breeze. it was not quite Scottish but the worst I have had in England.

A final note - for a range the Army do an extremely good job of keeping it free from rat pack litter and brass, go them.

In reply to Bobling: A final note - for a range the Army do an extremely good job of keeping it free from rat pack litter and brass, go them



think you'll find its not really the army, thats why its clean

In reply to Bobling: Ah glad you had a good one. The walk south to Fur Tor from Yes Tor is beautiful and remote, one of my favourite. Last time I did it in high winds and sideways rain, sheltered behind a tiny rock for hours, then a wet bivvy at Fur Tor, but a cracking sunrise