Harford Moor Gate, Harford, Dartmoor National Park

Harford Moor Gate, Harford, Dartmoor National Park

Temporarily closed

Harford Moor Gate car park is temporarily closed. A sign reads: 

'Car park closed. This car park is on privately owned access land. It has been closed from February 2021.

This has been done for two reasons.

To help control footfall on this part of the moor. The soils of shallow peat are naturally wet and cannot sustain heavy use by walkers, cyclists and riders. The sward is damaged and the soils compacted to a point requiring long term recovery.

To help reduce traffic congestion and danger to pedestrians in the lane through Harford.

We will re-open it once we have found solutions to both problems. [Conact number provided.]'

 

Additonal information on the Piles Copse website

'HARFORD MOOR GATE CAR PARK CLOSED

We closed the Harford Moor Gate car park in February 2021.  This was because the heavy footfall around the car park had caused extensive damage to the sward and soil.  The moor was saturated from excessive rain, and the peaty soils on the hill near the car park, and all the way across to Piles, simply cannot sustain the foot traffic.  There was also excessive vehicle traffic in the Harford lane, with jams frequent on busy days and an increase in accidents.  We initiated a dialogue with the local authorities about how best to control vehicle traffic in the lane.  This is currently trending towards encouraging people to park in Ivybridge and to walk from there.  The soils are better drained on the sides of the Western and Ugborough Beacons, and can therefore sustain great foot traffic all year round.'

 

Access via Ivybridge

The easist way to get to Harford Moor Gate and the south moor beyond is on foot.

Start at Ivybridge and follow the Two Moors Way up onto the south moor. The Two Moors Way is clearly marked on Ordnance Survey mapping. It's easy walking.

 

Harford Gate

'Gates' offer access to Dartmoor's high moors, especially in the southern section of the National Park. For example, look at the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map and you'll see Ball Gate, Owley Moor Gate, Peek Moor Gate and Wrangton Gate. One of the most popular access points to Dartmoor's south moor is Harford Moor Gate. There's a small car parking area from which you can walk out onto the moor. Harford Moor Gate is also quite high above sea level so you avoid the big yomp up the flank of the south moor.

Harford Moor Gate is situated to the east of the River Erme. It's an ideal starting point from which to explore the eastern section of Dartmoor's south moor.

To explore the central section of Dartmoor's south moor including Stalldown Stone Row and Stall Moor Stone Row, drop back down to Harford and then cross the River Erme at Harford Bridge. Walk past the first gate and you'll soon come to a second where the moor meets Hall Plantation as marked on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map. A track/path rises to Burford Down from where you can yomp up to the central section of Dartmoor's south moor. This track/path gets very muddy.

Note that New Waste is no longer open to vehicles. You can still access New Waste by foot.