APRIL 12 - 14 - DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK

APRIL 12 - 14 - DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK

Quality bunkhouse accommodation right in the heart of beautiful Dartmoor national park!

Number of beds - 12. Number of nights - 2. Cost - £195 (includes transport).

Places are very limited and early booking is advisable!

This fantastic hiking weekend will be based in Princetown, the heart of the Dartmoor National Park.

Princetown is a fascinating town dominated by the infamous prison, featured in The Hound of the Baskervilles. It has direct walking access onto the moor and is within driving distance of all other major moorlands walks.

Dartmoor is a unique environment, with large stretches of open moorland and impressive granite tors, probably the only place in Southern Britain where you can experience a feeling of true wilderness. It also has beautiful lush river valleys and small areas of ancient temperate rainforest, as well as a fascinating history typified by the huge Victorian prison overshadowing Princetown and significant industrial archaeology all over the moor.

This is a small group trip and is suitable for all walkers with a reasonable level of fitness. Perfect for those wishing to go beyond everyday lowland walks without tackling high mountain terrain. We'll spend two days walking, returning home Sunday afternoon.

We’re staying in 4 people dorms next to a lovely pub, right in the centre of the Moor!

HIKES:

Saturday - Moorland March

A beautiful 15km hike over open moorland to the North of Two Bridges. This is a demanding day-long wilderness walk climbing over major Moorland Tors, each in excess of 500m above sea level. The Tors are granite outcrops revealed by time after ancient intrusive volcanic activity. We will skirt around the Live Firing Ranges of Dartmoor, see remnants of the old industrial past of this area and visit a stunted Oak Woodland (think giant bonsai), now under siege by the fierce Dartmoor climate, which
once covered the entire moor.

Sunday - Riverside Scramble

An 8km walk along the wooded and challenging sides of the East Dart River from Dartmeet. This beautiful route shows off the wonderful upper reaches of the Dart. We’ll push our way through dense foliage hugging the crystal clear river and make river crossings using local clapper bridges or purpose made stepping stones, eventually ending up high on the moor with great views back over the river. Progress will be hard and slow but it’s so worth it to see this facet of the moor at it’s very best. We will be back at the minibus by 3 pm latest for the journey home.

Price includes:

2 nights comfortable bunkhouse accommodation.
Breakfasts.
All transportation (From London to Dartmoor and within Dartmoor).
Guided hikes. Our leaders are Mountain Leader (http://www.mountain-training.org/walking/skills-and-awards/mountain-leader) (MLTE) trained and qualified first aiders.
Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992.

Price does NOT include:

Dinner and packed lunches. There is an excellent pub nearby and local shops to buy supplies.

To confirm your place on this trip please use internet banking. The account details are:

Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622

Only payment secures your place. Your RSVP won't hold a bed for you.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We consider safety to be our number one priority and while we never take unnecessary risks, we do recognise that any outdoor activity involves a danger of personal injury or death. Remember that you should be aware of and accept these risks as you are responsible for your own safety and you should not undertake anything beyond your abilities. It is also your responsibility to be correctly equipped for the weather and activity you have chosen to participate in.

We recommend that everyone participating in outdoor activities obtain appropriate insurance. The BMC offer excellent policies for all outdoor enthusiasts at very competitive rates: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/insurance/Landing.aspx .