Wild Camping Dartmoor - A very long night 2011/02/17
First time with the Hilleberg Akto, I just wish it had been less of
an extreme test. Wild camping in Dartmoor is one of my favourite
places to visit. Joined the Tarka Trail from Okehampton, following one
of my favourite sections in Dartmoor. The East Okemount River flows
though beautiful shaded woodland all covered in moss and dripping wet,
it feels very ancient and untouched as you pass.
Wild Camping on Dartmoor
The moor eventually starts to peek through the trees and finally opens
its self up in spectacular fashion once you walk out from the woods and
onto Belstone Common. The ascent is very quick to do and the views of
the moor really are inspiring. As you are on the edge of the moor at
this point the adventure could continue for many days, just look at the
MOD range times to make sure nothing interrupts your visit. Wild camping
on Dartmoor allows you this freedom.
However my destination for that day was
the stream before Taw Marsh. I normally spend nights on Dartmoor in a
sheltered (or so I thought) spot by this stream. It has everything you
need, lots of water and views aplenty. I pitched the Akto very quickly,
I had not read the instructions but I didn’t encounter much confusion
with where everything should go. Dinner made and photographs taken and
it seemed like a lovely evening on the moors. I always read the weather
forecast and it said some heavy rain was expected, but I thought nothing
of it.
The Storm
At around 7:30pm it all kicked off. Strong winds at first and light rain
which quickly turned much more aggressive. My Akto was bending this way
and that, shaking all over. I spent the night worrying about that
fateful snap of a pole or guy line. The night dragged on sleepless and
restless. The early hours I thought would have brought calm but instead
it got worse. Hard rain and wind battered my only shelter. Wild camping
on Dartmoor is challenging and sometimes brutal. Daylight finally
arrived but no rest from the weather. With my whole tent being lifted
off the ground every few seconds I hastily donned the Gore Tex and
packed up everything in the rucksack apart from the tent. I stepped out
into the elements; the wind was able to move me about and coupled with
the rain, so strong that I could not look down the valley. With my back
to the angered moors I un pegged half of the tent and stuffed it away, I
noticed that a bog had developed around my tent too. One of the guy
lines was completely submerged. With the tent away I made a final check
to see if I had forgotten anything and made my escape to lower ground.
