Solo “hiking”

I honestly don't think it's wise to publicise your exact walking route, the date you are going and that you will be alone.

I'd feel very vulnerable if a few million people had access to my exact whereabouts in a desolate area like that.

Ooh wow all the way from Canterbury! Many many miles! And tbh, part of my appeal is in saying the word Appalachia haha. Also I love forests. And also. I’ve heard people leave beers in rivers for walkers. I’d love to be high on self defence so fear didn’t take part in my being put off. And no, I’ve not read it but of course have heard of it!

IME the risks of mist coming down while walking on Dartmoor have been overstated, and the risks of losing your path in the maze of identically sized ones made by cows, ponies and dog walkers have been greatly understated 😆

(Mind you, that is because, like most of us, I am a fair weather walker. I think DS got enmisted once or twice when doing his Ten Tors training, but what sane human being does a 35 mile two day hike and camps out in the pissing rain in February?!)

I live not far from here and you'll be fine. It's a well walked area so you can't get lost. There are stone tracks in parts that are in use by MOD vehicles and are even part of a circular cycle route. The ranges are very rarely closed to the public on weekends so you'll won't have any problems there.

The only thing to bear in mind is the weather hasn't been great this week and more rain is forecast so make sure you have good boots and steer clear of any boggy areas.

You definitely don't need a foil blanket 😂 and a day pack will be fine for any rubbish you have from lunch.

Yes - that does make sense and good point re grid refs. I use the OS maps app which I find good (I pay an annual subscription)

OS Maps is great, but you've mentioned that your phone's battery is dodgy and that you'll have other apps running in the background. Even though you're taking a battery pack, I'd still reiterate the advisability of a paper map. Unless I know an area very well, I take paper maps, and tend to use them more than the phone. One advantage is that they allow a far bigger overview than the phone (without an irritating amount of scrolling).

With respect, you don’t sound like an experienced walker and I would suggest the best thing for you to take would be another person.

A good flask maybe but they are heavy. Small plastic bags to keep rubbish in.

I'm not sure I would trust that, mind you! I can walk 4 miles an hour on flat pavement....half that on a long day's walk on the moors though!

I'm a late riser, but still like long walks, even in winter time. What I tend to do is bring various little lights and hi vis bits- hi vis wristbands and a flashing light that attaches to my rucksack- and plan the last bit of a walk on the lanes. It's easy to lose a path in the dark, not so much a lane, and the lights etc make me visible to cars.

You say the last section of your walk is the lane down from the Army camp, so that sounds perfect.

I've been looking at these walks from okehampton station im thinking I might start with the east hill one, the only thing putting me off, and it is daft, is I grew up in Devon and used to go on family walks there when I was young. We were told lots of spooky tales about the mist coming down all of a sudden and hikers being led astray by the Will-o-the-wisps. That said I believe if you do get caught in the mist I think the advice is to stay still till it lifts.

Sounds amazing OP, I’m very jealous! Haven’t RTFT so I might be repeating someone, but will you be sharing your live location with someone on your phone? Either with FindMyPhone or on WhatsApp? Have a great day 😊

@ApricotDanish83 have an amazing walk - you are far more prepped than I was last year when I went for a supposed 8-9 mile walk around Buxton after dropping my parents off to see something at the opera house. It was October - I had a bottle of water, my dog, proper walking boots, a waterproof, the map on my phone and that was it! Obviously (cos its me) I got lost and ended up walking about 14 miles as 1. I hadn't factored in the trek to/from the car park and 2. the map showed a path that wasn't there and I went the wrong way - three times! I was horrified just how quickly my phone battery deteriorated so would definitely advise the power bank.

I know Dartmoor. I know lots and lots of inexperienced/ unfit walkers who have pushed themselves a little and covered distances they never thought they were capable of. And OP doesn't even sound that inexperienced or unfit.

A couple of years ago I led a group of friends on the Tinner's Way from St Ives to Cape Cornwall. The group included a couple of people who swore they couldn't walk more than 6 miles in a day. We covered 24 miles in 2 days.

My ex, who has to be the World's Unfittest Man, made it up to Black-a-Tor (next to High Willhays) and back, from several decades of doing nothing except sitting at a desk.

A PP says the route is all roads/ firm paths (whereas I'm used to floundering through waist high bracken following imaginary trails off the beaten track!)

I reiterate: she'll be fine.

Take a complete change of warm clothes to keep in the car. A good thermos of hot water to also keep in the car ready for when you are finished.

OK. Good luck with your walk and don't forget to check back in with us, too!

You said that you were walking "this weekend" but didn't say which day. Bearing in mind shorter days, have you remembered that the clocks go back on Sunday so sunset is even earlier.

Sounds great but you might want to check the forecast. The next few days are looking very unsettled and I don't know if it will carry onto the weekend. Dartmoor isn't much fun in a storm unless you are tucked up inside with a log fire!

You know the Op do you?

and can look in to the future?

She'll be absolutely fine.

Yes, time wise I seem to do a steady 2 miles an hour on the moors. Although this does include ample time for admiring the view, having lunch and snack breaks, birdwatching and picking my way through waist high bracken/ from tussock to tussock in bogs etc...