Dartmoor Firing Area

Mrs M and daughter No2 were off to Exeter today on a shopping expedition so I took the opportunity to have a little solo walk up on the North moor which in the main consists of the Dartmoor live firing range. They are closed for training during August so open to the public as they are in fact when any of them are not in use.

The ranges have a far more remote feeling to them than the South moor and none or very little sign of human habitation. In fact Fur Tor in the middle of the North moor is the most remote place in southern England.

I was hoping to get some decent photographs to show my fellow blippers the differences in the terrain between the two half's of the moor but it was a dull gray sky and gray rocks so not very successful .

The top picture is of Oke Tor on the right and Steeperton Tor on the left. The little square box on the top of Steeperton is the lookout hut for the Range Warden. The lower right is the a picture of the hut on Oke Tor and the gray box behind it is a stable for his horse although I suspect by now it will be a place for his quad bike!
In the past I have often found them open and have used them to shelter from a storm, they are fitted with a small coal stove and a supply of coal and a telephone to the range control, Today however they were securely lock.ed. The lower left picture is of one of the range notice boards and a quick look at the map will show how much of Dartmoor is used by the military for both live and dry training.

I suspect the ranges may be a subject for a blip again in the future

I would suggest looking at it in "Large" to see some of the details.