Things To Do near Piles Valley
Kit Steps, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
It's easy to cross the East Dart River after a long period of dry weather. After heavy rain, the river becomes a formidable barrier. If water levels are high, as a rule of thumb, it's best to head upriver to find a safe crossing place. In these conditions, Kit Steps is a potential candidate. A set o...
Fernworthy Assycombe, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Fernworthy Forest is a big place. It's surprisingly easy to get lost in its maze of forestry tracks and uniform conifers. As such, the forest is split into a northern and southern section. Fernworthy Assycombe is to the south and is named after Assycombe Hill that peaks at 497 metres above sea level...
East Bovey Head, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
The River Bovey rises on the edge of Dartmoor's high moorland and arcs past the luxury hotel Bovey Castle and North Bovey village before cutting the stunning Bovey Valley as it flows to Bovey Tracey. Beyond the National Park border, it meets the River Teign where the combined river runs east to...
Sittaford Stone Circle, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Spring 2015 saw huge media and social media coverage of the 'discovery' of a stone circle near Sittaford Tor on Dartmoor's north plateau. This coverage was the result of archaeological exploration of the site. The stone circle itself was discovered years before the exploration. It's a remarkable loc...
Tavistock Sir Francis Drake Statue and Birthplace, Tavistock, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Sir Francis Drake is said to have been born at Crowndale Farm on the outskirts of Tavistock. Whilst the existing farm buildings date from the nineteenth century, you can follow Tavistock Canal from the centre of town to Crowndale. A bronze statue of Sir Francis Drake stands at the south western e...
Dartmoor Reptiles, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Come and get up-close and personal with our 'unusual creatures’. We will tailor a one or two hour session especially for you so that your family can discover the magic and beauty of our collection of reptiles, spiders and other creepy crawlies. You will be able to learn about their natural habi...
Bowerman's Nose, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
On the western side of Hayne Down, near the moorland village Manaton, is a tall stack of granite called Bowerman's Nose. When viewed from various angles, the stack of granite takes on the form of a human being with a big nose. Local legend suggests that Bowerman was a Norman hunter who was turned in...
Cut Hill North West Passage Peat Pass and Memorials, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Study Dartmoor's north plateau on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map and you'll see lots of peat passes marked by two thick, black parallel lines. These are paths cut through deep peat that covers the high moorland. On the ground, these peat passes vary quite dramatically. Some, lik...
Shapley Tor, Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Some Dartmoor tors are big and dramatic stacks of granite that command the surrounding landscape. Others are small and rather unassuming. Shapley Tor is among the latter. A scatter of granite towards the top of Shapley Common, it's one of those tors you tend to pass through on your way to another...
Sittaford Tor, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
With the upper River Teign to the north and the East River Dart to the south, Fernworthy Forest to the east and the high moors to the west, Sittaford Tor is surrounded by beautiful natural features. Throw in the recently discovered Sittaford Stone Circle, the restored Grey Wethers Stone Circles,&...
The Grey Wethers Stone Circles, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Head west through the dense conifer plantations of Fernworthy Forest and you come to the edge of Dartmoor's high north plateau. In cold or dry months, long blond grass covers the moors. The giant granite blocks that form the two Grey Wethers Stone Circles jut out from this grass and shape a figure o...
Three Stone Circles Circular Walk, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
The Three Stone Circles Circular Walk, or the Fernworthy Stone Circle, Sittaford Stone Circle and The Grey Wethers Stone Circles Circular Walk, takes you through Fernworthy Forest out onto Dartmoor's high north moor. It takes in three of the many stone circles and stone rows in this section of...
Ullacombe Farm Shop, Haytor Vale, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Approx halfway up the Bovey Tracey to Haytor road keep an eye out for this excellent farm shop that stocks a wide range of local produce including meat, vegetables, cheeses, cakes, jams. The sizeable and inviting cafe, which includes an outdoor seating area, is run by very friendly and helpful staff...
Cut Hill Stone Row, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
Many of Dartmoor's stone rows are difficult to miss. Huge blocks of granite rise from moorland creating impressive patterns in the landscape. Other stone rows are very difficult to find. Small granite teeth are covered by grass and lumpy moorland. The stone row on Cut Hill is something very differen...
Cut Hill, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 13 miles away)
A visit to Cut Hill and nearby Fur Tor is a must for anyone with a passion for Dartmoor. This is the most remote area in southern England and it's a joy to visit so we'd very much recommend a day trip to the summit. Cut Hill, as the name suggests, is a dome of rough cut moorland in the heart...