Princetown Circular

David Simkins

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This walk takes you into the Merivale Danger Area where live firing takes place, so it is very important that you check there is no live firing on the day you want to do the walk. Here is the website that you use to check:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dartmoor-firing-programme. But you can also quite easily see if a red flag is flying on top of Great Mis Tor or go and ask in the information centre in Princetown. In fact before you set off and if you haven't been in, it is a must-see place in Princetown. The exhibitions are all free.

The walk will give you the taste of wilderness, of walking in a vast open space of not a lot except a few cows and sheep and lots of grass, bogs and views.
You are not going to succeed in getting lost as the television mast is visible just about the whole time, but you will need some good walking-boots as it is a bit soggy in places all year around. You could make a day of it with a lunchtime picnic on the moor. Point 9 is the remotest spot. The highest point is at Waymark 4 of 20 and it's pretty much downhill all the way after that, with a long level bit along a disused watercourse known as a leat that once supplied water to Dartmoor Prison. You do need to go on a day that is dry as you are quite exposed out there.

This is a splendid walk that takes in the television mast, the open moor and a bit of a bog, as well as fields, footpaths and rivers. The walk starts in the pay-and-Display car park behind the Moorland Centre, but there is free road-parking in Princetown, for instance Station Road at Point 2.

England - South West England - Devon - Dartmoor

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Cafe, Flowers, Gift Shop, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Moor, Museum, Pub, Public Transport, River, Toilets

16/10/2021 - Ashley Cundy

Four of us did this excellent walk on 15th October 2021. After leaving Hessary Tor and continuing to Great Mis Tor, being on the open moor was spectacular. Navigating using the compass ensured our safe passage. From point 13 this was also particularly lovely. Walking along the Blackbrook river and returning to Princetown completed a very enjoyable day. Needless to say, a pint of Dartmoor Jail Ale and a good meal crowned the day.