Okehampton train & bus journey round Dartmoor

[davetheguard]

I enjoyed a circular journey around the edges of Dartmoor today using the GWR summer Sunday train service to Okehampton.

If you want to try it yourself, you'll need a Devon Ranger ticket (£13 or £8.60 with a railcard), and a ticket for the Okehampton to Gunnislake bus: show your rail ticket to the bus driver and the maximum bus fare should be £3 single or return. There's time to grab a coffee at Okehampton station cafe if you want.

My timings were as follows:
Exeter St. David's depart 11.08 to Okehampton arrive 11.54;
Okehampton railway station forecourt depart 12.20 route 279 to Gunnislake railway station forecourt arrive 13.45;
Gunnislake depart 13.58 for Plymouth - connections for train back to Exeter.

A lovely ride and very easy connections between train & bus at both stations.

 

[Kite159]

I might have to give that a go at some point this summer

 

[Mike Robinson]

Sounds delightful and unhurried...

 

[davetheguard]

But anyone planning the trip should remember the Okehampton train and 279 bus run on Sundays only; and only until 8th September, so you haven't long to do it.......

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Did this a couple of weeks ago. There were only two people who did the bus journey in its entirety. Surprisingly enough this service is subsidised by CrossCountry of all TOCs! It's a shame, however, that there isn't enough time to have a trip on the Dartmoor Railway, certainly not with the paucity of Sunday services from further afield (if you were staying somewhere like Exeter, Plymouth or Bristol then there'd probably be time).

 

[davetheguard]

Did this a couple of weeks ago. There were only two people who did the bus journey in its entirety. Surprisingly enough this service is subsidised by CrossCountry of all TOCs! It's a shame, however, that there isn't enough time to have a trip on the Dartmoor Railway, certainly not with the paucity of Sunday services from further afield (if you were staying somewhere like Exeter, Plymouth or Bristol then there'd probably be time).

Thirteen through passengers on the bus the day I did it; hopefully the word is getting around a bit.