Horse Riding on DARTMOOR

High Hills, Dramatic River Erme Route, Poor & Wet ground & lots of Bogs. Novices avoid all northern half or stay on The old Tramway(Puffing Billy) Track.

AVOID:

Lots of areas in top two thirds of this map, north of Three Barrows including: Wet area around Lancombe Hill & Everything north of Redlake.Avoid impassable bridle path east to Huntingdon warren

TAKE CARE:

River Erme crossing impassable in flood... Stay on track at Red Lake China clay works as ground around is BAD, don’t be tempted to go over to it when going on River Erme route E ,it looks close but…

ROUTES

C Circular Route is mostly easy to follow The part along the moor edge is easy riding and you can go higher in good visibility, E River Erme Route mostly follows good dismantled ‘puffing Billy’ tramway track, tie up below Three Barrows on metal post, interesting sunken beds -648 657 offers tie ups & shelter in a storm. Erme Pits - at head of the Erme, best go around on the west side, heading beyond NW for Broad Rock (an inscribed flat rock 2 ft high and 8ft long) approx- 618 663 very easy to go into wet area further west, This area is best done in good visibility Z Zeal Tor Tramway Route is best way over to east, It is a strange sort of ditch and raised old tramway track bed, might lose it in bad visibility.

Points of Interest

River Erme Route is fabulous, the higher part is perhaps the most isolated, quietest and in some peoples view the best part of the whole south west quarter of the moor. Piles crossing of the Erme are most attractive with old woodland. Three Barrows has excellent views. The Lagoon at Left Lake Pit 647 635 is interesting and the bridge offers some shelter. Just north shown as a small black square is a small stone erection which has a ring you can tie up to.

The whole of the Erme is interesting & Erme Pits are very deep almost small wild west canyons. Red Lake –old clay mine 645 670 has lagoons & a huge volcano like old spoil heap visible for miles.

Thanks

To Lukesland Estate for allowing us to show river crossing across their newtake at Higher Piles – please do not tie up to or damage any of the ancient trees

LOST?

West of the River Erme: go SOUTH, East of River Erme find the Track and go SOUTH