Down the East Okemont valley

A lovely afternoon walk in hot sunshine from Okehampton station up the track to Camp Road and across the moor and down into the East Okemont valley

Track Info.

Recording start :: 2024-07-30 12:50:00
Activity type:: Walk
Record device:: Garmin eTrex 30x

Track Stats.

Used on Maps

Dartmoor Walks

Meet Chris and John at Okehampton station about 12:15. After a coffee in the station cafe set off about 1pm up the track on the other side of the trracks past the YHA. Over the noisy A30 out of the shade and into the full sun across a field of braken to the corner of Camp Road.

Views opening out to the West and North - Yes Tor rising to the SW and Exmoor on the Northern Horizon. Paused in some deep shade under a hedge line of big trees.

On up a bit more off camp road onto a farm track marked as Mary Michael Pilgrims Way on OSM. Ponies and foals. Wheatear sitting on a road. A few sheep. 2 jolly farmers on a quad bike.

Through the farm yard, lots more ponies, men gathered round an old car, one lying head forst in the boot reparing something inside with plenty of advice thrown in. Old barns.

Turned left off the Pilgrims Way to a footpath down to a wooded valley where we stopped for lunch in the shade at the top of the wood with babbling and glimpses of water below. Sunlight filtered through leaves, dappled ground.

Rio off the lead as we followed the path along the top edge of the wood, alternating between shoulder high braken and low hangin trees. Sounds of children playing in the streem below. Path turned from eastvto south and eventually dived diagonally down the steep valley side to the river below where it joined the Tarka trail.

We turned North to follow the East Okement river as it tumbled off the edge of the moor rushing from pool to pool between giant boulders. Children swiming. Path sometimes rough and steep as it followed a waterfall down a a near-gorge to the valley below.

A dipper sitting on a rock in the river where I took my boots and socks off to refresh my feet.

Eventually the valley floor becoming wider and flatter, we sat on a convenient log for a rest.

Finally back under the noise of the A30 high above and a footbridge over the river to the final stretch into Okehampton following a mill leat beside water meadows with giant hay bales awaiting collection, past the old mill, wheel still there but now a home, and we're back in town.