I did a walk on Sunday, starting from Whiteworks and following the path past Nuns Cross to Eylesbarrow. From there I headed to Broad Rock which I finally discovered last year, crossing Plym Ford on the way. The path from Plym Ford to Broad Rock was in a dreadful state having been carved up by quad bikes. I saw four of them in the three hours I spent walking. No doubt they’re a godsend to farmers but Dartmoor is certainly suffering as a result of them.
From Broad Rock my plan had been to walk down the Erme to where Blacklane Brook flows into it and then upstream to Ducks Pool. To my surprise though, my SatNav said Ducks Pool was less than a kilometre from Broad Rock and so I decided to take a direct route. Certainly not a route to take in bad weather, it was very soft and squelchy all the way but I eventually arrived at the South edge of Ducks Pool and this time, had no problem finding its famous letterbox and memorial plaque to William Crossing. It’s at SX 62604 67908.
From Ducks Pool I skirted around the NE side of Great Gnats’ Head and headed back towards Plym Ford. This was rough walking and very wet. At one point I put my foot into a hidden hole and sank in water up to my knee before falling flat on my face in peat bog. Thank God for my lovely Scarpa SL M3 boots or this might have ended with a sprained ankle, or worse, and in the middle of nowhere. From Plym Ford I retraced my steps back to the car, the complete walk being about 9 miles.