Suggest an outing

Hi folks,

I started letterboxing back in 1982 and was fanatical about it until I moved away from Devon in 1985.
In recent years I've returned to Devon for family holidays and have taken my children for numerous "friendly" hikes around many of the obvious tourist spots (Haytor/Hound Tor, Bellever, Burrator, South Hessary, Foggin Tor Quary, Grimspound). We've found the odd letterbox (mostly around Haytor) but haven't ever done a serious letterbox outing.
This year, my eldest has started DofE and so I thought it would be nice to be a bit more adventurous and visit some of the more remote locations that I frequented as a teenager.

I've purchased the catalogue of clues (eagerly awaiting delivery) but was wondering where would be a good place to go.
I was thinking either ...
1) South of Okehampton. Is there still easy access/parking via the military camp/roads ? It might be nice to go to Cranmere Pool as it's obviously iconic (if a little boggy as I remember)
2) West of Fernworthy Forest. This is a bit nostalgic as it's where I did my very first letter box trip with my school. I remember parking at the end of the road in the woods, walking west and collecting a load of boxes around the Manga Brook area. Cranmere Pool may even be accessible from here.

Any suggestions ? I'd like somewhere with a nice number of boxes that aren't too difficult to find, that are away from the tourists who don't leave the roads, not too boggy and preferably with somewhere decent to park. Also, suggestions for a nearby pub that does decent food (for after) would be good.

Hi Thomas,

I can answer a couple of bits about the access - hopefully someone else can fill in some info about box densities.

The Okehampton military roads were partly closed a fair few years ago. They're still a good setting off point for Cranmere Pool, but you can only go about a mile on from the camp before having to park up and progress on foot. You can walk or cycle on the roads for the rest of the way, though (I've done so and hidden the bike in the brush to get a good headstart on Cranmere).

Nothing's changed much around Fernworthy though. I still park up at the end of the road and walk up through the forestry roads towards Teignhead. Nice walk.