Buy the OS Route Map and instructions for this route

Princetown is England’s highest settlement. It’s also one of its most bleak: carved from blocks of austere grey granite, and dominated by an incredibly sober-looking prison. But as a base for exploring Dartmoor, this cold and windswept outpost is second to none, with great accommodation options and a fine visitor centre.
This month’s Easy Route explores the moors to the south of the town; weaving a relatively straightforward line around some of the area’s most impressive granite tors, and crossing some pretty bleak moorland along
the way.
The outwards leg traces the route of a long-disused railway. And while the riding’s quite tame, the same couldn’t be said of the magnificent landscape that it penetrates, which is as remote and wild as you’re going to find in southern Britain. At Burrator it turns tail, heading east through the forest, and then dropping sweetly to cross the River Meavy, on the edge of moors.
The next section proves to be the crux of the route, as you follow a rough track east onto the flanks of Cramber Tor. You saw the bleakness of Dartmoor on the opening leg, now it’s time to experience it first hand. Nothing can go wrong though; just keep to the trail and you’ll easily locate the route home.
The final section’s wonderful: a weaving sandy track that allows you to really crank it up. The impressive granite blocks of South Hessary Tor make a scenic distraction, but don’t take your eyes off the trail for too long; the drainage gullies will make mincemeat of your rim if you hit them wrong.