Part of the attraction of Dartmoor is the sense that time has stood still here for centuries. There are few official footpaths, any settlements were inhabited centuries ago and the hills have a permanence that has and will outlast the surrounding Devon countryside. South Dartmoor is possibly more picturesque than the north, less moody and softer than the ruggedness elsewhere in the park. To access south Dartmoor, it is best to park up in one of the small villages on the edge. I start my trek in Harford, near Ivybridge. After a short descent, you arrive on the Two Moors Way, one of the park's long distance footpaths. Rare for Dartmoor, it is an actual track road. Given how few proper footpaths there are here, it is worth enjoying while you can. After elevating to 461m on Ugborough Moor, you get good views of Plymouth and towards the Devon coast. The disused mine tram line curves deeper into Dartmoor proper.
The Moors Way is fairly easy going and having been injured for most of this year, it was a nice gentle warm up for my knee. But I turned in a north westerly direction towards Red Lake and Erme Pits hill, where there was once a mine. Once you reach the hill beyond, you get good views to the north and Higher Hartor Tor and Princetown in the far distance. I now started to test the knee, heading south then west below Langcombe hill. Eventually you get a sight of the old settlements and as you get closer, the Drizzlecombe stones. The megaliths are lined up over the space of 500 metres or so. There are several other cairns, stone rows and menhirs (standing stones) dotted around. The purpose of these is debated by historians: possible territorial markers; sacrificial altars; calendar tools or ideological symbols. Dartmoor has plenty of megaliths, stone circles and assorted archaeological points, that have all outlived the man made life on its edges. It is one of England's finest locations for unblemished ancient archaeology.
The route back to Harford needs plenty of cross country navigation. You head south west up a long gully, beside a stream to Shavercombe Head. After crossing Stall Moor and Harford Moor you can walk below the Two Moors way or stay lower and follow very bare trails through bracken and clumpy grass. This is bit harder work, but more authentic than the man made track above.
