Things To Do near Shapley Common
Brat Tor (Bray Tor), Lydford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Watching the sun set over the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Cornwall from the western flank of Dartmoor is one of the National Park's great sights. Brat Tor, a rocky outcrop on the edge of the high moor, is a superb vantage point. It's also very easily accessible from a large c...
Lanehead, Mary Tavy, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Lanehead is a car parking area on the western side of Dartmoor. Just up the road from Mary Tavy, Lanehead provides excellent access to some of the best tors and high moorland in this section of the National Park. It's also by the stunning Tavy Cleave. We include Lanehead on this site as a point of r...
Meldon Reservoir, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Beautiful reservoir in the north west section of Dartmoor National Park Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England....
Widgery Cross, Lydford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
In Lydford, a local information board reads: 'High on the open moor to the east of Lydford lies Bray Tor, sometimes called Brat Tor, on the summit of which stands an impressive granite cross erected to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. The cross was built at the expense of Willia...
Meldon Quarry, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Spend time on Dartmoor and you'll come across a high number of disused quarries. Meldon Quarry near Okehampton was mothballed during the Great Recession triggered by the collapse of financial markets in 2007/8. The quarry provides ballast for railway trackbeds. It's private property so sta...
White Tor, Peter Tavy, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
White Tor (or White Tor/Whittor) is located on Cudliptown Down on the western side of Dartmoor National Park. It is said to be topped by a Neolithic tor enclosure. See our White Tor Fort/Neolithic Enclosure listing for further information and directions.
White Tor Fort/Neolithic Enclosure, Peter Tavy, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
If you're interested in the history and prehistory of Dartmoor National Park, buy a copy of Phil Newman's 'The Field Archaeology of Dartmoor'. In chapter 2, which covers the 'Mesolithic to Early Bronze Age', there's a section on tor enclosures. Newman writes: 'Two somewhat enigmatic sites that ma...
Northmore's Cross/Crane Hill Cross Stone (Harvey/OS maps), Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
A giant chair and stepping stones, a fairy bridge and ancient travel routes have all disappeared from Dartmoor over the years. Sadly, the tiny Northmore's Cross/Crane Hill Cross Stone can now be added to that list. Somebody snapped it off the stone in October 2014. The lump of granite and th...
Okehampton Castle (English Heritage), Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Family attraction Okehampton Castle is an English Heritage property located on the north west border of Dartmoor National Park. The castle is situated near the only two mountains in southern England. To visit, head for Okehampton. Once you are in the town, the castle is well signposted. We've...
Okehampton Old Town Park Local Nature Reserve, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
If you're visiting English Heritage's Okehampton Castle then we'd recommend a walk in Okehampton Old Town Park Local Nature Reserve afterwards. There's access via the car park by the castle. Salmon can be seen in the West Okement River. Note that the Two Castles Trail and the West Devon Way...
Buckfast Abbey, Buckfast, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Family attraction At the heart of Buckfast Abbey is the big and impressive abbey church. Remarkably, it took no more than six men thirty years to construct the building. This extraordinary feat took place at the beginning of the 20th century. Given the faith and endurance that went in to building...
Arms Tor, Lydford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Arms Tor is a very easily accessible collection of outcrops on the western fringe of Dartmoor's north moor. It's just north of the distinctive Brat Tor (Bray Tor) topped by Widgery Cross and sits below the immensely impressive Great Links Tor. The Dartmoor Inn at Lydford is nearby so it's a great to...
King Way, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
In his work 'Walking Dartmoor's Ancient Tracks: A guide to 28 routes', Eric Hemery writes: 'In an attempt to account for the name-origin of the track, we must rely on both documented history and tradition concerning 'the King's Posts'. Although a regular postal service between the smaller towns o...
Meldon Pool, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
Note that you are not allowed to wild swim here. A local information board reads: 'Meldon Pool is an old, and now flooded, limestone quarry. The site was worked from the mid 19th century to produce agricultural lime; several 18th century quarries can also be seen on the east side of the river....
Hutchinson's Cross/Devonport Leat Cross, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 10 miles away)
In his 'Walking The Dartmoor Waterways: A guide to retracing the leats and canals of the Dartmoor country', Eric Hemery writes: 'Above the right bank [of the Devonport Leat] stands a modern granite cross erected in 1968 by Lieutenant Commander B. Hutchinson of Stoke Fleming, in memory of his moth...