Best Dartmoor Spring Things To Do, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park
Holiday in Dartmoor is part of a network of local UK travel sites. Information (photos/words) is provided by locals who live in a local area. We see beautiful spring photos from places like West Cornwall and South Devon when Dartmoor is still in the grip of winter. In short, spring arrives late on Dartmoor. You'll often experience snow on the high moor in March. Bear this in mind when browsing the below recommendations. Check the weather (BBC/Met Office) before heading out.
A note on spring timings. The UK-based Met Office provided the following info on spring:
'Meteorological seasons are ... based on the annual temperature cycle and measure the meteorological state, as well as coinciding with the calendar to determine a clear transition between the seasons. The meteorological seasons consist of splitting the seasons into four periods made up of three months each. These seasons are split to coincide with our Gregorian calendar, making it easier for meteorological observing and forecasting to compare seasonal and monthly statistics. By the meteorological calendar, spring will always start on 1 March; ending on 31 May.
Astronomical seasons refer to the position of Earth's orbit in relation to the Sun, considering equinoxes and solstices. This is due to the 23.5 degrees of tilt of the Earth's rotational axis concerning its orbit around the Sun. Since the seasons vary in length, the start date of a new season can fall on different days each year. [Eg, astronomical spring 2021 runs between Saturday 20 March 2021 and Monday 21 June 2021].' (Source: Met Office website)
Wild daffodils
Dunsford Wood is located by the north eastern border of Dartmoor National Park at the eastern end of the Teign Gorge/Fingle Woods. It's a local nature reserve and is well-known for its wild daffodils. These provide one of the earliest signs of spring arriving on Dartmoor. Try the Dunsford Wood Wild Daffodil Circular Walk.
Bluebells
Huge numbers of people travel to Dartmoor to experience its bluebells. You can see them near high moorland, in Dartmoor's many river valleys or carpeting woodland. Click through to the Bluebell Walks listing to discover the best locations and when to go.
Wild flowers
The hedgerows lining Dartmoor's many moorland lanes are extraordinary in spring. Try a Villages of Dartmoor Driving Tour/Road Trip.
One of our favourite wild flower walks is the Chagford, Teign Gorge and Fingle Bridge Circular Walk.
Gardens
There are some superb gardens in and around Dartmoor National Park. Try:
Stone Lane Gardens and Mythic Garden Sculpture Exhibition.
Buckland Abbey (National Trust).
Cuckoos
You'll start hearing cuckoos on Dartmoor in April. Emsworthy Local Nature Reserve is one of the most popular places to listen to their distinctive call.
Cuckoos leave Dartmoor in the middle of summer.
Cycling
Try:
Granite and Gears Princetown Railway Cycling Routes.
Evening walks and picnics
Take advantage of the longer days and head out onto the moors in the evening for a walk and picnic. See the Best Dartmoor Picnic Spots listing for ideas.
Gorges and valley walks
Dartmoor is famous for its high moor. Its many remarkable gorges, valleys and cleave are less well-known. They're arguably at their best in late spring. Try:
Waterfalls
Dartmoor's waterfalls are particularly impressive after heavy rain. Try:
Lydford Gorge White Lady Waterfall.
Lady Exmouth Falls highest waterfall in England.
National Nature Reserves and woods
Try:
Wistman's Wood National Nature Reserve.
Black-a-Tor Copse National Nature Reserve.
East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve.
Hembury Woods (National Trust).
Wild swimming
Wild swimming has become super popular on Dartmoor. See the Best Dartmoor Wild Swimming listing for ideas.
Spitchwick (Deeper Marsh/Spitchwick Common) is the most popular place to swim and picnic on Dartmoor. Spring is a good time to visit. It gets seriously crowded in summer.
Weekend of the Ten Tors Challenge
The Ten Tors Challenge is our favourite Dartmoor event. Head up to Okehampton Camp to soak up the atmosphere.
Shows and fairs
There are plenty of spring and summer shows and fairs to enjoy on Dartmoor. Try:
Devon County Show.
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