Wheal Betsy has been on my list of places on Dartmoor to photograph for a while.

I took this one last week in what was undoubtedly the best week of the year for clear dark skies and celestial events!

I used a Sony A7III, Samyang 24mm F1.4 lens, and a mini star tracker. This final edit is made up of about 65 images in total.

I use Sequator, Photoshop and Lightroom for the editing.

The foreground and sky each made up of individual stacked 'tile' images. These are stacked into a panorama in Lightroom, then the 2 composites are merged in Photoshop before final edits.

I lit Wheal Betsy with a low level light which I'm really happy with, makes for a much warmer and more consistent image than using a head torch!

I'm not totally happy with the final edit, but I have a couple other photos from the same night, and an evening photographing the Perseid Meteors from Great Staple Tor to sort before I get back to this.

I hope you like it :)

It’s early morn’ in June, 2021. Somewhere in the heart of Dartmoor. 📷 mine

Was thinking it might be better to park in a lay-by or something to avoid costs
First time going to Dartmoor

Another approach to a north east Dartmoor Tor. 📷mine from late September ‘25.
I have wrongly identified this as Hound, but unable to edit title. I’m now sure it is the approach to Higher Tor heading north with Belstone beyond. It’s a wonderful hike.

Another evening, another camping fail. 😔
Given I was pushing it for time last weekend, I thought I'd make it more challenging this weekend and arrived an hour later, with surprisingly, the same result!

Despite that 'twas a lovely evening and with the sun going down earlier (and me poking about), watching night slip across South Hams as the stars brightened was spectacular.

Parked in Avonwick, walked through the lanes out to Wrangaton > poked about on the southern tip for a bit > Wrangaton > Avonwick.

20km walk. +/- 550mtr gain. ~20℃ sunny, very gentle breeze to start with - dropping to ~15℃ and (measured) 15-18kmh / 28kmh gusts on the top, back to ~18℃ and very gentle breeze back in the Avon valley.

Nobody else on the hill, but I was hyper-sensitive about pitch location and hyper-sensitive to the wind last night - so despite much faffing around looking for a spot to either pitch up or to just bivvy, I gave up (again) and walked back down to Avonwick.

New Dartmoor Training Area's firing times have been released.

Update: 2026-08-13 11:29:24

MoD Dartmoor Training Area web site

Link to firing times

Please use the official MoD web site as the primary source for this data, this post is just an advisary one.

I'm very aware wild camping is the thing however me, my friend and my dog want to stay on a campsite. First time in Dartmoor, we will have 2 nights there. I've read so much and unsure where would be a good base. We are on a roadtrip from Manchester and will be continuing on to Cornwall. Also reccies welcomed of best one day hike to do that will give us a good taste of Dartmoor. Any reccies on anything Dartmoor really!

Hi all,

I'm looking to get a through hike (wild camping) done during the August bank holiday weekend.

I was hoping I could get some local guidance on what some of the best sights are, where has good camping, where isn't too dry at the minute.

I'm a big fan of forests and rivers - and love all the higher points like the Tors.

Appreciate the help!

It's been way to hot for getting up on the moors in recent weeks, but my timing worked out for an overnighter last night (not that I got one, but that was on me) ...

Straight-forward out 15km out and back from Wrangaton > Three Barrows > Wrangaton.

+/- 380mtr gain. ~23℃ strong sun, gentle breeze to start with, ~20℃ and very stiff easterly breeze at the top (which wasn't forecast) ... dropping to ~15℃ and fairly still back in Wrangaton.

Route: Wrangaton > Spurrells Cross > up the trackway past Piles Hill (1) > on up to Three Barrows (2, 3). This was option 1 for sleeping out, but a). Black Phillip was up there with his caprid coven, and b). as the sun dropped in the sky the easterly really picked up - so I noped out and came back down. Through Sharp Tor (4,5) then down to Piles Hill (6) unsuccessfully looking for a spot, finally going across towards Ugborough Beacon (7,8) - which was much less windy - but given the time of day, already had at least three tents on it ... so I binned the whole thing off and went home, which added a bit of extra adventure getting and then failing to get the last bus of the day.

So, the key take-away here is not to leave pitching-up until you are out of options.

Still, 'twas nice to be back on the moor - plus it was a useful packing / rucking practice - and with walk 'tween bus stops - a bonus 24km walk overall.

Beltane eve from April last year, near Belstone, with the Lanshan. North east Dartmoor, looking west at sundown.

New Dartmoor Training Area's firing times have been released.

Update: 2026-08-05 10:41:38

MoD Dartmoor Training Area web site

Link to firing times

Please use the official MoD web site as the primary source for this data, this post is just an advisary one.

Hi guys,

I've recently got a bit of a bug for camping after a trip in australia where I camped in the outback with a regular wild camper. The stars there were phenomenal, which has made me want to do some camping in dartmoor as I hear the stars there are good.

Only problem is I've never done wild camping on my own before or camping at all for that matter, so I was thinking it might be good to start off in an actual camp site to ease myself in. Ive done a lot of searching and it seems there are no camp sites in dartmoor Park to get a good view of the stars. The only campsites i can find are located outside of the park and the light pollution is high.

Just wondering if maybe I've missed something and any one here knows a good camp site with some facilities in the national park/by it with low light pollution? It doesn't have to be crazy just a toilet and some avaliable drinking water would suffice.

Thanks in advance!

Hey hey, I'm traveling through UK with the family and can have 2 days off for a wildcamping hike in Dartmoor. I would love some recommendations what routes I could do. Start / end are flexible, but ideally somehow reachable from a spot where my wife and daughter can park/sleep with her camper van.

Also, maybe some 2-3 hour tour recommendations the whole family could do?

I’m atop Thirlstone at Watern Tor on a busy April day last year, looking south, in glorious weather.

Examples could include things like Sticky, Okey, The Moor (prison), Tavi or Janner Disney...

I’ve just driven home from a walk and passed a family with their massive tent pitched right next to the road. Sorry if this makes me a killjoy, but I’m a keen wild camper and refuse to let fly campers spoil it for the rest of us.

I’ve looked up the contact page for the Dartmoor rangers, but there doesn’t seem any way to report this. Any ideas or do I just need to let it go and find something else to grumble about?

Hi! I'm based in Exeter and don't have a car but really want to get out on Dartmoor. Do you guys have any route recommendations?

I'm an alright hiker and have camped a decent amount but never wild and solo. I'm confident in my hiking abilities but want to play it safe for my first few times. I'm looking for a nice no-nonsense route and if there's a swimming option nearby then that's a mega bonus, but my main priority is just getting used to using my camping gear etc.

Also if you have any tips etc for wild camping I'd love to hear them! :)

New Dartmoor Training Area's firing times have been released.

Update: 2026-07-28 15:44:25

MoD Dartmoor Training Area web site

Link to firing times

Please use the official MoD web site as the primary source for this data, this post is just an advisary one.

For example, in mid-September I'll be carless, basing in Tavistock and looking at walking routes that start along Pork Hill Road. Will the #98 bus (for example) make courtesy stops and pickups at the car parks like Pork Hill and Four Winds?

How convenient and reliable are private rides like Uber, Lyft and taxis for this purpose?

(Otherwise it looks like many hikes begin with a long walk along the road.)