Dartmoor Weekend

Thinking that we may attend the Mountain Bike Improvers course at Plas-y-Brenin I had booked the Friday off before the first May bank holiday. We decided not to do the bike course (we both need to consolidate what we learnt on the beginners course) but with the Friday off before a bank holiday it seemed like a good opportunity to go away somewhere for the weekend. Although I am planning to head up to Snowdonia to recce some of the routes I have in mind for August we decided to head somewhere different and plumped for Dartmoor. Not being the most organised pair we had left it until the previous weekend to find somewhere to stay and had expected all the campsites to be full. However, we called the Fox and Hounds at Shortacombe and they seemed very relaxed about the whole affair and said we would be able to just turn up without booking, so we decided to chance it.

Friday

We travelled down Friday morning and made it to the pub at around 14:00. We put the tent up and got ourselves sorted by about 15:00 before deciding what to do next. It was very tempting to spend the rest of the afternoon in the pub. However, D pointed out the Lydford was just down the road and that Lydford Gorge was supposed to be worth seeing. Lydford Gorge is a National Trust property and since we are National Trust members we would get in free. So, even though it was now getting on for 20 past three we decided to give it a go.

Leaving the campsite we crossed the A386 and headed down the tree lined road towards Bridestowe.

At the bottom of the hill the road is crossed by the Granite Way. We turned left onto the way – at this point a disused railway line and followed that. Spring was definitely springing as we walked along the track. I seem to have had my outlook reawakened within the last few years and am continually amazed by the patterns in nature, such as the bracken unfurling:

And the wild Strawberry we saw:

Then there was the Forget Me Not:

And the Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys).

Both of these were growing out of a wall in the village of Lydford.

We walked through Lydford, pausing briefly to examine the 12th Century Lydford Castle before walking down the steep path to the river Lyd and the entrance to the Gorge. We flashed our National Trust membership cards and the chap on the desk gave us an overview of the path, including where we would be walking and what we would see. We had caught most of what he said when he was talking to a couple in front of us, and the chap coming in behind us heard it all when we were at the desk and sounded like he was going to get it all over again.

We headed into the gorge and started following the path.

There was a huge variety of plant life:

Ramsons – allium ursinum

Wood Sorrel

The first section of the path led us along the valley, keeping well up the valley side, away from the river, which we could hear as it tumbled down various rapids and it appeared through the trees from time to time glistening in the sun. There had been considerable rainfall over the course of the previous week and water was still filtering its way down the hillside towards the stream.

At the end of the upper section of the path we were faced with a choice of how to descend to the valley floor. One route was described as long and slow, while the other was fast but steep. Since we were descending we opted for the latter and soon found ourselves next to the stream, in the valley and at the foot of the waterfall:

We crossed the stream and started heading back up the valley, this time with the stream right at our side.

At times the stream and the path were nice and wide and the going was easy. Then the stream would narrow and the water would rush between the rocks, or the path would narrow and steepen, making foot placement tricky and vital. All the time is was absolutely stunning. Every 20m presented a new wonder. I tried to take photos but they don’t seem to do it justice.

Nearing the head of the valley it opened out to present a Pixie glade to one side and the gently flowing waters to the other side. But up ahead we could see the gorge narrowing and could hear the rumble of fast moving water. As we headed on the path crossed and recrossed the stream via a number of bridges and we had fantastic views of the water pouring through narrow clefts in the rock.

As the main path headed back towards the exit, another path headed towards the point where the gorge was crossed by Lydford Bridge. The gorge is so narrow hear that the path is only possible because it is carried on a walkway that is bolted to the rock. At one point one has to go through a small gate and descend five stone steps onto the next section of walkway. Although there is the gorge wall and handrail on one side, the other side of the steps is open to the rushing swirling water just below.

The stone steps can be seen in the bottom right of the photo above. And I am ascending the steps in the photo below.

Having experienced the turmoil of waters at the head of the gorge we headed back towards the exit and from there headed back to the campsite.