Things To Do near South Devon Railway

Yealm Head, Cornwood, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

The River Yealm rises, or begins, at Yealm Head. Yealm Head is situated on the southern side of a vast, flat and boggy stretch of moorland called Langcombe Hill. You don't find many people up there. If you have an urge to go, we'd recommend walking after a long period of dry weather or after extreme...

Hawns and Dendles Gorge, Cornwood, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

The River Yealm rises at Yealm Head on Dartmoor's south moor. It flows to Yealm Steps Waterfall where is cascades into Hawns and Dendles Gorge as marked on the Harvey British Mountain Map 'Dartmoor' map. Zoom in on the accompanying Google map to see its location.

Yarner Wood Bird Hides, Bovey Tracey, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

'The internationally important upland oak woodlands in this National Nature Reserve are one of the best places to see woodland birds of many kinds but especially the enigmatic pied flycatcher, secretive lesser spotted woodpecker and vocal wood warbler.' The Natural England information boards at the...

Hameldown Beacon, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a beacon as 'a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration’. There is a chain of beacons on Dartmoor running from the edge of the north moor down to the edge of the south moor. Hameldown Beacon is, roughly spe...

Tavistock to Ashburton Packhorse Track, Ashburton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

This ancient track is shown on the Harvey British Mountain Map 'Dartmoor' map. Unsurprisingly, it runs between Tavistock on the western border of the National Park to Ashburton on the eastern border. The central section of the track pretty much follows Conchies Road. We include Tavistock to Ash...

Yarner Wood Reserve Base/Natural England Office, Bovey Tracey, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

The Yarner Wood Reserve Base/Natural England Office is situated next to the car park and main access point for Yarner Wood. Just across the car park from the office is a bird hide providing views over a large pond (the stew pond) frequented by birdlife. Leaflets providing information about Yarn...

Swincombe Headweir Ford, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

The River Swincombe and Strane River (having been fed by Nun's Cross Brook) meet at the eastern end of Foxtor Mires near the beginning of the old Wheal Emma Leat (Dry Channel). Just before they meet, there are two fords spanning each waterway. After a spell of dry weather, the ford across th...

Yarner Wood Nature Trail, Bovey Tracey, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

Yarner Wood is part of the East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve. Dotted around the wood, you'll find posts to which are attached numbered Yarner Wood Nature Trail waymarkers. You can follow either the short loop that runs close to the Yarner Wood Reserve Base or extend it into a longer loop&nb...

Goldsmith's Cross, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

Goldsmith's Cross is one of a high number of crosses marking the route of the ancient Buckfast to Tavistock Monastic Route as shown on the Harvey British Mountain Map 'Dartmoor' map. Goldsmith's Cross is located just south of the infamous Foxtor Mires that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used as in...

Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust Education and Visitor Centre, Bovey Tracey, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

Dartmoor National Park is known for its moorland ponies. Take a holiday in Dartmoor and it's difficult not to see ponies grazing or wandering the moors. These ponies come in a huge variety of colours, shapes and sizes. This variety can be confusing. A trip to the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust Educati...

Two Barrows, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

There's a display cabinet in Postbridge National Park Visitor Centre which contains a replica of the Hameldon Dagger or Hamel Down Dagger. The display reads: 'Hameldon dagger. In 1872 the original dagger was found with a burial of burnt human bones in a cairn or barrow at Hameldon. It cons...

Dendles Wood National Nature Reserve, Cornwood, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

This is one of Dartmoor's National Nature Reserves. However, you need a permit to visit the site. An information board on site reads: 'This wood is an example of old wood pasture. Oak and beech are the dominant tree species some beech trees being over 300 years old. The woodland supports a rich d...

Foxtor Mires, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

There are some places on Dartmoor that are best avoided. Raybarrow Pool by Cosdon Hill on the north moor is a dangerous place. Down on the edge of the National Park's south plateau, Foxtor Mires is another. Said to have been the inspiration for Grimpen Mire in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Hound of...

Northmore's Cross/Crane Hill Cross Stone (Harvey/OS maps), Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 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...

Penn Moor, Cornwood, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 8 miles away)

Penn Moor is situated at the southern egde of Dartmoor's south moor. It rises above Dendles Wood National Nature Reserve and China Clay Workings. It's topped by Penn Beacon.