Dartmoor known landing sites?

[cat1]

Hello all,

It's come to my attention that RN helis practice regularly on Dartmoor, so could anyone in the know help me on the following:

1. Is there a known 'best day' or busy patch
2. Is there a list in existence of 'approved' landing sites or is it impromptu
3. Like the Mach loop, are there any low flying routes on Dartmoor, with set directions and entrances or exits
4. If this is a one off, rare event, would there be any forewarning?

My aim is to get low level shots without driving 5 hours to the loop

Appreciate any help

[Professor_M]

Hello all,

It's come to my attention that RN helis practice regularly on Dartmoor, so could anyone in the know help me on the following:

1. Is there a known 'best day' or busy patch
2. Is there a list in existence of 'approved' landing sites or is it impromptu
3. Like the Mach loop, are there any low flying routes on Dartmoor, with set directions and entrances or exits
4. If this is a one off, rare event, would there be any forewarning?

My aim is to get low level shots without driving 5 hours to the loop

Appreciate any help

Not having tried it myself yet (one year I will remember to give it a go), the Ten Tors weekend (9-11 May in 2025) can be rather fruitful for photos of RN Merlins in the area.

https://www.tentors.org.uk/page/key-dates

Lots of photos from that around, Ex. Wessex/Wyvern Tor. Hopefully others will be able to help you with more exact locations and other good tips.

[Bobling]

I had a couple of Merlins come low over Meldon Resevoir whilst coming back from a camping trip in late August of this year. They came from the East low over the dam and then banked left to fly up the valley between Homerton Hill and Longstone hill. Quite impressive, where they went after that I don't know and not regular enough to give info about frequently used spots or whether this route is used regularly.

[timb]

I live near Exeter and for the last 40 + years have spent a lot of time walking on Dartmoor, weekdays and weekends and I have never seen a helicopter land up there - apart from when the USMC were using the Army Camp at Okehampton 2-3 years back.. I would imagine that would be the place to go when The Ten Tors is on. A place to see Merlins and the occasional Chinook "up close and personnal" is the R.M. landing area on Woodbury Common. But they are very very few and far between and unless you "know someone in the know", you certainly wouldn't go on the off chance of seeing anything.

[cat1]

Been looking into this, apparently teign valley is the only place that low level occurs with any consistency.

Lynx common and a400 once or twice a month...

[cat1]

I had a couple of Merlins come low over Meldon Resevoir whilst coming back from a camping trip in late August of this year. They came from the East low over the dam and then banked left to fly up the valley between Homerton Hill and Longstone hill. Quite impressive, where they went after that I don't know and not regular enough to give info about frequently used spots or whether this route is used regularly.

Thanks for this

Been speaking to locals and apparently they follow the west oakment river though the valley, not very regularly sadly..