Letterboxing without a car?

Dear all,

Thank you for a wonderfully informative and supportive forum. My boyfriend and I are enthusiastically looking forward to getting into letterboxing this summer, but we have a great big question that I can't find an answer to. My apologies if it's been answered before, as I know how annoying repeat questions from newbies can be (I did search here and elsewhere, but no luck).

How easy is it to get around Dartmoor without a car? Are there any "newbie" letterboxing sites that are more easily accessible by public transport than others?

If you happen to "triangulate" those answers with places that accessible in the other sense (aka, a relatively easy walk, preferably less than 2 miles round trip and not too rocky, that would also be welcome.

With many thanks,

R&J

You dont say where you are living or coming from to gain access to the moor.

Whilst on holiday down there last week we did pick the local bus timetable booklet up and looking thro that there is a map of bus routes across the moor, there is also a Sunday rover ticket available.

Why not make it a linear walk and walk from one bus stop to the other.

Ah, apologies, Number 70, and thanks for the great suggestion. We'll be coming down from Oxford, we'll be taking the train to Exeter and starting local transportation from there.

I've been exploring here and the Dartmoor NPA site to coordinate train, bus, and letterboxing info, but also know that info from those who have been there is usually the best!

R&J

You may wish to checkout the trains between Exeter and Plymouth as there are a few stops (let me check my map)along the southern moor that may be of use. Looks like one Ivybridge station 64 56 not far from Western Beacon at 65 57.

One of the other members on here Letterboxes around Western Beacon, so lets hope they read this and give you advice. Stick a thread on here Western Beacon info wanted yo may get some WOMs.

The other station to consider is Newton Abbot then a bus up to Widecombe in the moor, along that route (B3387) you have got Bonehill rocks, Saddle tor, pil tor top tor honey bag tor just to name a few.

R&J wrote:Ah, apologies, Number 70, and thanks for the great suggestion. We'll be coming down from Oxford, we'll be taking the train to Exeter and starting local transportation from there.

I've been exploring here and the Dartmoor NPA site to coordinate train, bus, and letterboxing info, but also know that info from those who have been there is usually the best!

I am surprised you are not going down to Plymouth access is far easier from there

Thanks, Nik - KOTM! We'd picked Exeter just because it was closer to Oxford. I'll start investigating from the other direction now!

Oh Dear... yet another person who thinks the Southwests transport finishes at the end of the Blue line that stops at Exeter... please dont take offence but you are like the government and everyone else - they think the southwest stops at Exeter. For some strange reason they think the End of the M5 is Lands end - this is something I have been arguing about for a very very long time.

Be prepared for some stunning country side AFTER Exeter and you will see so much more, if you are coming down by train you will see everything from the flat expanses of Somerset and the wonderful Devonshire coastline and with Dartmoor literally on the edge of Plymouth, you really dont have far to travel to get anywhere.