Dartmoor Photowalk 35 Lydford Gorge

Dartmoor Photowalk 35 Lydford Gorge

This week I was looking for somewhere out of the torrential rains that were forecast, I decided to go and visit the National Trust owned Lydford Gorge. Lydford Gorge is the deepest gorge in the Devon with the tallest waterfall (Whitelady Waterfall), it also has a spectacular smaller falls with a whirlpool called The Devil’s Cauldron. Being deep I thought it would offer me some shelter when the rain came but not complete shelter so no film cameras this week but since I was looking to shoot the Whitelady and Devil’s Cauldron I took my Fuji GFX 50S which would need to be tripod mounted (I had checked that tripods were allowed). For the walk as always I had my Fuji X-T2.

Whitelady Waterfall.




Devil’s Cauldron.




I went in via the Devil’s Cauldron Entrance (there is another entrance at the opposite end called the Whitelady Falls Entrance). The admission fee was £10.00 but it included parking and a Map of the walks that was kindly annotated for me by the Lady at the front desk.




Once through the entrance building it was a short walk down a well maintained gravel path to the actual start of the route.




Inside the paths at first were easy and well maintained but quickly the steepness of the Gorge became apparent.




I began to wend my way along the paths through the dense woodland.




Many areas had nicely maintained paths but the going was very up and down.




The Gorge is full of very dense woodland.




Along the way there are interesting bits that have been set up for visitors to peruse, this “Money Tree” being one.




As I continued along the weather started to close in and the woodland started to get a bit darker. Up till now I had just managed to get away with hand held photography but as I got deeper into the Gorge I found I needed the tripod for every shot, also the tracks were starting to get more rocky (and slippery).







The scenery was becoming more like Primary Jungle (or Jurassic Park).







Eventually I emerged at the old railway arch that is the entrance to the Whitelady Tea Rooms and that second car park/entrance.




I didn’t go into the Tea Rooms, I pressed on to find the waterfall which I had been briefed was just beyond this steel rope bridge.




The bridge overlooks the River Lyd which even with today’s rain wasn’t particularly fast flowing (yet).




I found the waterfall, it is indeed very tall.




After the waterfall I headed back along the river walk towards the Devil’s Cauldron, the route was now getting rougher, steeper, more rocky and slippery, handrails were now being provided.







This side of the river is definitely more photogenic even in these conditions (shot looking back).




The steepness is clear to see in this shot and bear in mind there are no guards on the river side of the paths for the most parts.




The track forward was getting more difficult and I noticed the river was now beginning to flow faster, the rain on the high ground was obviously reaching the lower parts.




I reached an area called The Tunnel Falls.




There were several pools of deep fast water.







I made my way along the ever more treacherous path along the river.




There were areas of still water in the deep parts of the Gorge.




I was getting closer to the Devil’s Cauldron.




Once I got to the actual area of the path where you go through a gate there were warning signs not to take children or dogs through as the track to the Cauldron is very precarious, it was too tight to get my tripod up so I didn’t photograph it. Also as I went down the “very precarious” path I was more concerned with not falling into the Cauldron than trying to get a shot. I finally got to the viewing platform where I could just set up my tripod with my GFX hanging precariously over the edge. The Cauldron was impressive to say the least.




After the Cauldron I followed a track that under this old railway bridge (it eventually goes to Tucker’s Pool but I didn’t go that far).




After this I turned around and followed the signs back to the entrance building and my car. It was a very wet walk of 3 ¼ miles, much more up and down than I had imagined but a very interesting experience which I recommend to anyone who is visiting the area but keep in mind it is not a walk for the nervous (although there is a shorter easier walk for both the Whitelady and the Cauldron).

That’s all for this week folks, as always, comments welcome.

Tags: National trust Landscape and travel Lydford Gorge Dartmoor Woodland and Rivers