Dartmoor

Hopefully Nigel will chime in but it looks like a 4 to 6 hour journey from London via public transport of tube, bus, train. Megabus says it's a 4 hour plus ride from London to Exeter. choice would be yours to make this an overnight visit so you could truly explore the park.

Thanks for the shout out Claudia, but I won't be much help. By its very nature of wilderness park with just a few very small villages widely scattered Dartmoor is best suited to cars (horses, bicycles pedaled by very hardy souls). You can get close by train, even preserved steam train, but the moors don't lend themselves to train. Nor bus. I haven't followed the Megabus link but am skeptical. I've driven around the moors and it can be a bit desolate.

Thanks to Claudia and Nigel for their responses and tips.

Hi all, My daughter is also looking to visit Dartmoor. She is currently studying in Paris (USA student). I think her plan sounds crazy but if someone knowledgeable about the area could chime in - that would be great (Nigel?) First, she is only 21 and will travel with a friend to London where they will spend a couple of days and then my daughter really wants to see the moors and has identified Dartmoor as the place to go and by car. Seems that she is able to rent a car, which is scary enough driving on the opposite of the road when young - but then she would likely be by herself - isn't that just really ill advised in a remote area like the moors? She has traveled extensively despite her age (having just returned from a trip around the world in the fall) so I do give her credit for that, but as a mom far across the pond, I'm freaking out. Any help or ideas about a closer day trip to see moors than Dartmoor?
Thanks very much!

Yvonda, I see you woke up this sleeping thread. Thanks for the shout out, but if you read the thread you woke up you will see that I said that part of England is not my specialist area.

Your concerns in order: 1 - - If she's made it around the world and now is going to travel from Paris to London, surely she can drive a couple hundred miles out to the national park 2 - - Left-side driving is something that only Americans seem to have a bugaboo about - - and then only those who haven't done it. It's the way it's done in about a third of the countries in the world. I switch back and forth several times a year, not only in the Uk but in Africa, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. I drive both with car controls configured in a logical way for the roads and with cars configure illogically. The only thing that's a minor pain in the tail is having the steering wheel on one side in a country where tolls booths, parking lot entrances, etc, are on the other. The really annoying issue is driving a right-hand configured car and smartly turning on the wipers to signal a turn - - and unlearning the muscle memory when I switch back - - that's the only dangerous thing I've ever found, so I'm real careful about signaling early and checking for the blinking indicator before changing lanes, turning, etc, for the first few hours. 3 - - Dartmoor National Park is not really that deserted. I've hiked a lot of it and, except in winter, usually see somebody coming the other way every fifteen minutes or so. I've also seen several girls/women tromping along on their own. It's also easy to tag along with somebody going in your direction - - either walking with them or keeping them in sight. Most of the 'numbered walks' are easy and range from three to eight miles. There's one bear of about fifteen miles with a twenty-five hundred foot steep ascent - - that scoundrel left me sucking air and I can walk thirty miles on the flats in a day without any trouble - - that one's pretty deserted, I think I only saw one other group in four or five hours.

4 - - I can't think of any place closer for moors. An option might be the Norfolk Broads, but the time to get there is only a little bit less and it's wetlands rather than rolling hills and the vegetation is completely different. My concern: Driving in central London. It sucks. I used to drive there and still drive in Cairo, Tokyo, and Capetown. It's not dangerous, just maddeingly frustrating. I swear I can walk faster. I never could figure out the congestion fee, so I used that as the excuse to quit. I still drive the fringes, but getting out of central London is an absolute mess - - I broke my rule a couple of years ago and still kick myself. There are losts of postings about where to rent a car to avoid this, but I'd only be repeating what I read - - I either show up with a car or get one at the airports.

Dartmoor is not "isolated", there are relatively few roads across it, but it is a peaceful experience. I have only driven it (quite a few times) but do notice hikers, and more particularly horse riders all across it. Many of the hotels in the area do make special accomodations for hikers and riders. Lots of pleasant villages and hamlets in the vicinity. She should have a good and safe experience Other Moors to consider would be the Yorkshire Moors, but they do seem less populated than Dartmoor and Exmoor.

Dartmoor is wonderful! If you are a fan of "out on the wild and windy moors" stuff, it will be right up your alley. The first time I went to Dartmoor was with friends, who drove us. The second time was with my mother - we took the bus from Penzance to Tavistock and were on foot after we debarked. We managed to miss the last bus that night and had to hitch hike back! Yes, it can be a bit empty, but it is hardly desolate. Both times I remember crossing paths with others a couple of times an hour, at least. And there were enough cars going by to make hitch hiking an option on my second trip! As for getting there without a car, I think a car would be the easiest. I am not even sure a local bus service exists any more, and it sounds like coming from London via train is a haul. If you do take a car, though, I recommend getting out and walking as much as you can. That's the best way to really experience moorland, IMHO.

We went to Dartmoor on the public bus from Exeter where we were staying. The visitor center for the national park is in Princetown. We went hiking on the moor from there. We took a bus from Heathrow to Exeter and the bus station was by the airport. She could take a train from London to as close as she could get to Dartmoor and then take a local bus or rent a car when she is nearer. I would rather take public transport to get out of London.