FAO Rachel 33

Hi Rachel, reading your post about your plans to take a holiday with Bug I noticed you said that you
walk everyday on Dartmoor.  So I was wondering if you could possibly recommend some walking areas
for me.  I will be taking my boy down near Bovey Tracey in the Spring and it would be great to know
of some really quiet areas that would be safe for us to walk as I shall be alone with him.  He can be
super stressed in populated areas and he doesn't like being near other dogs (although we are making
great progress with that I don't think he will ever be what you could call dog friendly).

In the Autumn we went down for a few days and I really enjoyed the drive from Mortonhampstead
across the moor to Princetown. I had quite forgotten how beautiful it is.

Hope you manage to find somewhere suitable for your holiday.

Thanks,  Lizzie and Harry

Hello Lizzie

I'm afraid I don't know Bovey very well, we are based closer to the Princetown side of the moors and this is where we mostly walk, though we have done some lovely treks closer to Okehampton. The main thing I would recommend is to avoid the "main" spots, and if you're confident enough, hike "off the beaten track" a little. We avoid the main princetown walk from the pub, crapstone, dewerstone, burrator, bellever forest etc as the pathways are narrow and busy - and tend to just park in a layby and walk from there, avoiding the paths. However, you could probably get away with doing some of the set walks during the week, which at the weekend, especially Sundays, are a definite no-go for us!

I'll link you to some of the photo's from our recent walks - we rarely see another person in these areas, though there can be lots of livestock.

Dousland
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Where the red line is on the map - there is lots of good parking, there can be lots of cars but it's such an open space you can avoid everyone if you want to, and choose how long/short you want. The views over Burrator are pretty awesome.

Foggin Tor






Again, where the red line is on the map there's a layby/few car parking spaces. If you follow the path down you will come to Foggin Tor (it's quite rocky/you have to climb into it which can be problematic if it's busy, we only go on weekdays) or you can carry on past and there's a lovely long path, if you can see people coming you can divert onto the moor, so no getting trapped in a small space!

Cadover bridge




I haven't been here much with Bug, but I take one of the young adults that I support at work here for walks, as she has MH problems and can't cope with busy places. Around the lakes tend to be quieter, and there's a nice walk by the river. (They were our friend's dogs Bug was swimming with )

There are lots of good walks Okehampton way too - but couldn't pinpoint on the map as we tend to just drive up and get out. We have done Yes Tor though which is lovely, very high!

Sorry was being nosy but have to add that Foggin Tor was a great suggestion by Rachel. We did it last summer after Rachel recommended it but didn't go right into the quarry that's pictured above (we didn't know it was there )

It wasn't the sunniest of days so wasn't busy at all. Keep an eye out for the horses though

Thank you so much Rachel that is a great help to me.  Lovely
photos too. It can be a challenge avoiding the hotspots where
lots of people do what I call the 'designer walks'.  Harry just
cannot cope with tourists and lots of dogs but he does love his
holidays and is very happy providing I can keep him below his
threshold.  Strange that you should describe Biscuit as special needs
as that is exactly how the Trainer I went to with Harry described him.

Thanks Ian, not nosey at all, I'm glad of your input.

Will let you both know how we get on and maybe even manage to
post some pictures, but its a couple of months away yet.