Dartmoor - Geocaching

[+CornishGazza]

Hi All,

First post on here but have been reading the forum since we (My wife and I) started caching a couple of months ago. We've just come back from a long weekend on Dartmoor - based in Princetown - with a couple of friends who we've introduced to caching (they're hooked and looking to cache more in the future!).

There's a host of great walks and caches in the moors around Princetown - we did two excellent walks which linked up many of the caches. I'll happily provide info on these two walks for anyone who's interested.

Anyhow on to the businesses that we used in the village and our experiences with them. We used the campsite behind the Plume of Feathers - we found the staff courteous, polite and well informed with prices for the camping reasonable. Facilities are functional and perfect for a few night's stay. Didn't eat at the Plume but the real ale (including locally brewed Jail Ale) is well kept and the landlord and his regulars very friendly - we spent a very late night there on the Saturday! This is definately a geocaching friendly business. We wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone wishing to stay in the area - they were more than happy for me to charge up my phone whilst in the bar as well (bonus in my book!)

Elsewhere in the village the Tourist Information / Moorlands Visitor Centre are clued up and very knowledgeable. They guided us in the direction of Fox Tor Cafe - a very convivial business that offers free wifi to it's customers - big, big positive. We used this cafe on a number of occasions and can only speak highly of it and it's staff. The manager (possibly owner) took a genuine interest as to the purpose of our visit and really wanted to get some info on geocaching. He's looking to put up a geocaching sticker or something in the front window of the cafe - definately another geocaching friendly business. The board outside the cafe states "muddy paws and boots welcome" - this is a business that's got it's market researched.

Before any cynic gets a comment in we've got absolutely no link to either business but just wanted to share our positive experiences on a first geocaching weekend away from home. Has anyone else had such experiences in similar locations?

So all in all a big thumbs up to Princetown and the local businesses we used ! Well done to one and all.

Gary and Kelly - two very happy but tired cachers.

Edited August 8, 2011 by CornishGazza

[+Amberel]

Dartmoor is my favourite place in the whole country. I make several geo-visits from London every a year, though I tend to base my routes on OpenCaches (not the Garmin one) and TerraCaches, and collect Groundspeak caches where I pass them.

 

Sometimes I use the motor-bike and stay in B&Bs, or I might use my motor-caravan. One restaurant we visited late winter this year was a bit overpriced, but I've not really had any bad experiences with B&Bs, pubs, restaurants, sites etc.

 

Most days I don't see another person from morning to night. But don't tell anyone else how good it is, or it might get crowded .

 

Rgds, Andy

[+keehotee]

Didn't eat at the Plume but the real ale (including locally brewed Jail Ale) is well kept and the landlord and his regulars very friendly - we spent a very late night there on the Saturday! This is definately a geocaching friendly business.

 

Ooh - has there been a change in management I wonder....?

[+CornishGazza]

Didn't eat at the Plume but the real ale (including locally brewed Jail Ale) is well kept and the landlord and his regulars very friendly - we spent a very late night there on the Saturday! This is definately a geocaching friendly business.

 

Ooh - has there been a change in management I wonder....?

 

Don't know about that but we did enjoy our stay at the Plume. I'm particular about my ale and can say the pints I was served were spot on. We just got 'stuck in' with the locals and had a great couple of hours laughing and drinking with them. The landlord knew about geocaching and was warm to our activities, we found him good company and will have absolutely no hesitation in returning later in the year.

[+Shiggaddi]

My experience of the Plume, is that like to get muggles and geocachers in the same room!!

 

Those who attended the Stop the Clocks event will know what I mean (double booking what was supposed to be a private room)

[+CornishGazza]

Ooops double post - where's the delete button?

Edited August 8, 2011 by CornishGazza

[+CornishGazza]

My experience of the Plume, is that like to get muggles and geocachers in the same room!!

 

Those who attended the Stop the Clocks event will know what I mean (double booking what was supposed to be a private room)

 

That sounds pretty clumsy and not what was expected. However we've only been caching for a couple of months and don't know of any history of events or whatever. We can only speak as we find, as indeed can you; I respect that implicitly. We were a party of four who had a fine time at the Plume whilst on a short break this weekend, your experiences are in contrast to ours. It is interesting to hear both sides of the coin.

Edited August 8, 2011 by CornishGazza

[+*mouse*]

Can't argue that The Plume is fantastically located for exploring Dartmoor. We often camped there for convenience, but the number of fights I've known break up in the back car park over the last few years generally puts me off staying these days I'd rather hike up the hill and wild camp!!

 

However over recent years The Plume has got a bit indifferent to cachers (double booking events etc) and so the local event has moved to the Prince of Wales down the road. I've not been to an event there yet, but by all accounts the staff there are lovely and the owner can't do enough for cachers.

 

Looking forward to going to the next event in October GC312DG.

 

You also have to have breakfast at the Fox Tor cafe - hands down best fry up in Princetown.

 

Now I want to go back to the Moor. D@mn!

Edited August 8, 2011 by *mouse*

[+CornishGazza]

Can't argue that The Plume is fantastically located for exploring Dartmoor. We often camped there for convenience, but the number of fights I've known break up in the back car park over the last few years generally puts me off staying these days I'd rather hike up the hill and wild camp!!

 

However over recent years The Plume has got a bit indifferent to cachers (double booking events etc) and so the local event has moved to the Prince of Wales down the road. I've not been to an event there yet, but by all accounts the staff there are lovely and the owner can't do enough for cachers.

 

Looking forward to going to the next event in October GC312DG.

 

You also have to have breakfast at the Fox Tor cafe - hands down best fry up in Princetown.

 

Now I want to go back to the Moor. D@mn!

 

We didn't try the Prince of Wales but will definately give them a go next time we're in Princetown - fingers crossed we can make the trip up for the event.

 

Fox Tor Cafe were superb - can recommend the nachos. My wife thoroughly enjoyed her breakfast! They also have a bunkhouse now that sleeps 12 in 3 rooms.

 

As you say Mouse "Can't wait to get back to the Moors!" What walks do you recommend? We did the railway line out of Princetown logging some 26 (out of 27) caches around Kings Tor, Ingra Tor and Leedon Tor on the first day and then 6 caches past South Hessary Tor along the Devonport Leat towards Black Tor. So we know there's plenty more to be seen and done, we've barely scratched the surface - so it would be interesting to hear what other walks / caches the good folk on this forum can inform us of.

[+keehotee]

- so it would be interesting to hear what other walks / caches the good folk on this forum can inform us of.

 

Just look at the map and make your own route......there's so much space to choose from

[+CornishGazza]

- so it would be interesting to hear what other walks / caches the good folk on this forum can inform us of.

 

Just look at the map and make your own route......there's so much space to choose from

 

Indeed there is! We thoroughly enjoyed the two routes we planned and are going to come back for some more sometime real soon. One of the last purchases I made before leaving the Moors was a 1:25000 map of the area so route planning will be a whole pile easier. I was just wondering if anyone had any 'must-dos' or 'must-sees' that they have enjoyed.

[+spannerman]

Glad you enjoyed The Plume and their fine ale! We've stayed there many times even though we live just a few miles away, and have always had a great welcome from the staff there. They are very dog friendly as well and even have a dogs section on the menu!

If you do decide to wild camp on the moor, have a look here first. It is an interactive map of the moor with permissive areas shaded purple. You are very limited around Princetown and the area you are allowed to wild camp is very rough with no water, far better to stay at the Plume and have a couple of extra pints.

 

As far as fights go, I have only seen one serious argument in the car park and that was two 14(ish) year old Ten Tors lads having a row over a girly. While I wouldn't dispute *mouse*'s claim, please do not let it put you off returning, it really isn't a rough pub.

[+Fianccetto]

I've not been to Dartmoor for some time, but am enjoying this tread and hope we can have more like it on the good experiences people have had travelling, good places to go and so on.

[+The Patrician]

We were sat in one of the pubs in Princetown a few years ago (I don't remember which pub) and it was obviously visiting day at the prison. There were some very dodgy looking characters in the bar.

[+CornishGazza]

Glad you enjoyed The Plume and their fine ale! We've stayed there many times even though we live just a few miles away, and have always had a great welcome from the staff there. They are very dog friendly as well and even have a dogs section on the menu!

If you do decide to wild camp on the moor, have a look here first. It is an interactive map of the moor with permissive areas shaded purple. You are very limited around Princetown and the area you are allowed to wild camp is very rough with no water, far better to stay at the Plume and have a couple of extra pints.

 

As far as fights go, I have only seen one serious argument in the car park and that was two 14(ish) year old Ten Tors lads having a row over a girly. While I wouldn't dispute *mouse*'s claim, please do not let it put you off returning, it really isn't a rough pub.

 

Thanks for the link spannerman! Wild camping cropped several times during the weekend's conversations - might be giving it go sometime soon! We saw some suitable locations - can now look them up on the maps on the site you've given the link to.

 

As for Plume we had no problems whatsoever and will happily return. As for fights - add alcohol to some folk and you get an instant idiot. It's a problem across the board in licensed premises (I've worked in a few social clubs down west and it's no different) and I suspect the Plume and the Prince both get their shares during the year, so I'm not going to let that bother me.

Edited August 9, 2011 by CornishGazza

[+Dartmoor Dave]

Hi All,

 

For those of you watching this topic, you may be interested to know that we now have a brand new web site/forum specifically for all those who either live near to Dartmoor or for those who wish to visit Dartmoor and who, of course, are mad about geocaching.

 

Please do take a look at the web site: www.dartmoorgeocaching.co.uk

 

The site has only been up and running for just under 2 weeks and although we have many registered members there is not much discussion going on, so we need some of you who are keen on forums, to get involved. You don't need to register to view the site, but you will to post to it. If possible please use the same username as you do for geocaching.com.

 

Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from some of you.

 

Dartmoor Dave.

Edited December 3, 2011 by Dartmoor Dave