76 DigitalSLR PhotographyJanuary 2020
CentralDartmoor
Twomainroads(B3212andB3357)divide
DartmoorandcrossnearTwoBridgesat the
heartoftheNationalPark.ThecosyTwo
BridgesHotelis locatedhere,notfarfrom
Princetown.Oppositethehotelis a smallcar
parkandfromherecanaccessWistman’s
Wood– ahauntedandmysticalstuntedoak
woodland.Thisis oneofonlythreeremote
high-altitude oakwoods onDartmoor– the
othersareBlackTorBeareandPilesCopse.
Thisis a SSSI(siteofspecialscientific
interest)andthetreesarerenownedfortheir
lichenandmoss-coveredboughs.The
branchesaretwisted,gnarledandentwined.
The walkislessthana mile andalonga
well-trodden,flat path.Thisis a trulyunique
spot,butcanbea challengingandbusy
environmenttoshoot.Thebesttimetovisit
is whenfogormisthangs in thevalley,
addingmoodtoimagesandhelping
separatebranchesandtrunksfromone
another.Takeyourtimetofinda strong,
balancedcomposition.Butdon’t hang
aroundtoolate–legendsays that at night
houndsemergefromthewoodsandseek
souls whodaretoentertheirdomain!
FollowtheB3 212 toMoretonhampstead.
YouwillpassPowderMills andBellever
Forestbeforereachingoneofthemoors's
bestknownhoneypotsights –Postbridge.
Thishamlet ishometooneof thefinest
examplesofa clapperbridgein thecountry.
Thebridgehastwocentralpiersspannedby
threelargegranite slabs, orclappers.It might
notbe the mostdramaticlocation,butitiscertainly wortha photoortwo.The oldpost
officeoppositeoffersicecreamandcream
teas,makingitis a greatspottohaveabreak.
Andsowehavereachedtheendofour
Dartmoorexpedition,yetthereis stillso
manyothergoodlocationstoexploreand
photograph.The moorswillenchantyou
andyouwillwanttoreturnagain andagain
withyourcamera.Therearealwaysfresh
placestovisit andnewviewpointsto
discover,while the changingseasonsprovide
moodandopportunity.Justbringyour
camera,bepreparedforalltypesofweather
andimmerseyourselfin this awe-inspiring
landscape.Good luck!youcantreatyourselfto anicecreamifthe
vanisin situ.Fromheretherearebig views
overDevon’srollingcountrysideandyouwill
spotBrentorChurchatopa distanttor.From
thiscarpark,youcanwalkuptoGreatStaple
To r,afabulousspotformorningorlate
eveninglight.YoucanalsowalktoPewTor
andtheWindyPostfromhere.Thewalkingis
easyandthislargegranite crossmakesagreat
focalpointin wide-angleviewsoftheriver.
On theA3 86 fromTavistocktoward
Sourton,youwilldiscoveranoldsilver-lead
minecalledWhealBetsy.Itis nowin the care
oftheNationalTrustas a memorialto
Dartmoor’s industrialpast.Roadsideparkingis
limited,butit'swellworthstoppingfora photo
or twoif thelightis good.Closebyis Tavy
Cleave,a rivervalleyenclosedin a steepgorge.
It is beautiful andveryphotogenicin places,
withthe rivertumblingoverboulders.Parkat
Laneheadcarpark,whichyoureachfrom
MaryTavyalonga windy, narrowlane.
On thewesternfringeof Dartmooryou
willdiscoveroneofitsmosticonicbuildings
- BrentorChurch.ThetinychurchofSaint
MichaelDeRupesits atopa steeptorand
boastsfantasticfar-reachingviewsin all
directions.Fromthe carpark,locatedat the
footofthetor,it is a steep, butshortten-
minutewalk.Theviewofthemoorsand
rollingcountrysidefromthetoparestunning,
while the churchaddsinterest,scale andakey
focalpoint.Eveningsidelight willilluminatethe
littlechapel.Ifcontrastis anissue,bracketand
blendexposures,oruseanNDgradfilter.A
wide-angle perspectiveallowsyoutoinclude
the rocky ledgesasforeground interest.
1) The iconic clapper bridge at Postbridge is best shot in the
morning before the crowds arrive. 2) The Windy Post is a great
spot for wide-angle composition and for water motion.RossHoddinottco-runsDawn 2 Dusk
Photography, whichspecialisesinlandscape
photographyin theUK.Establishedovertenyears
ago,Dawn 2 DuskPhotographyboastsa teamof
leadingprofessionalphotographerswhoprovide
expertguidanceandtuitiononlocation.They
provide one-dayandlongerresidential
workshopsandwelcomebeginnersand
enthusiastsalike.Dawn 2 DuskPhotography
visitssomeofthemostphotogeniclocationsin
theUK,includingWildDartmoor.Formore
informationabouttheirtutorsandcourses,
pleasevisit:www.dawn 2 duskphotography.co.uk
or email: info@dawn 2 duskphotography.co.ukROSS’S WORKSHOPS
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