Things To Do near The Garden House
Thornworthy Tor, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
Explore the northern section of Chagford Common and, against the backdrop of Fernworthy Forest, you'll see a rocky outcrop topping a reasonably large hill surrounded by a chunky stone wall. The outcrop is Thornworthy Tor and we were told by the local farmer that the wall demarcates a newtake or Dart...
The Uncle Tom Cobley Horse, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
When visiting Widecombe St Pancras Church, look out for The Uncle Tom Cobley Horse. Inspired by the Devon folk song Widecombe Fair, 'in the late 1950's a retired sailor from Drewsteignton made a mechanical model of Uncle Tom Cobley and the Grey Mare. The automation was exhibited at Widecombe Fair...
Thornworthy Down, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
On the fringe of the high moors in the north eastern section of Dartmoor National Park, Chagford Common curls around Fernworthy Forest and Fernworthy Reservoir. Towards the centre of the common, topped by a tor and logan stone, is Thornworthy Down. We'd recommend visiting for the views across the fo...
East Webburn River, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
The East Webburn River rises near Hameldown Tor and English Heritage's Grimspound on the vast back of Hamel Down. The headwaters are close to Hamel Down Cross and Broad Barrow. From its source, the river cuts deep into moorland and tumbles past Berry Pound before arcing through Natsworthy. It flo...
Hamel Down, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
Drive along the A30 that skirts the northern boundary of Dartmoor National Park and you'll see the unmistakable dome of Cosdon Hill topped by Cosdon Beacon. Further south, towards the heart of the National Park is the equally vast Hamel Down topped by a tor, barrows and its own beacon. The views fro...
The Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
Award-winning pub The Rugglestone Inn was voted one of the best UK country pubs in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards 2018. It's a great pub in a superb setting. Widecombe-in-the-Moor Situated on the edge of Widecombe in the Moor in the east section of Dartmoor, The Rugglestone I...
Okehampton Common, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
According to Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA), 'common land covers about 37% of the Dartmoor National Park'. Okehampton Common covers the high ground above Okehampton in the north western section of the National Park. Roughly speaking, Okehampton Common runs from Okehampton Camp past Yes Tor...
Long Stone Standing Stone (Shovel Down), Chagford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
On the edge of Shovel Down by Chagford Common is a large standing stone known as the Long Stone. The Long Stone is part of the Shovel Down complex of prehistoric monuments and is at the southern end of the Shovel Down Stone Rows. Letters were subsequently carved into the stone for use as a boundary...
East Mill Tor, Belstone, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
East Mill Tor is a series of rocky outcrops on a broad spur of moorland shaped by the East Okement River and Black-a-ven Brook. When you're walking Dartmoor's north moor, East Mill Tor can appear a little isolated. Walkers tend to follow the army roads east and west of the tor on their way to higher...
Hamel Down Cross, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
In his 'Guide to Dartmoor', William Crossing notes that 'Hameldon Cross consists of a granite slab rather over four feet in height and about two feet in width, rudely fashioned into the form of the sacred symbol, and probably has never served any other purpose than that of a boundary sto...
Broad Barrow, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
Numerous cairns and barrows run along the spine of the vast Hamel Down. Broad Barrow sits on the highest ground 532 metres above sea level. The views up top are awesome. It's a particularly impressive place when the heather and gorse flower purple and yellow in early Autumn. A barrow is a mound o...
Steeperton Tor, Belstone, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
Some Dartmoor tors, like Hound Tor and Great Staple Tor, attract huge numbers of visitors owing to their extraordinary granite structures. Vast rocky outcrops, these tors are well known, and much photographed, shapes in the landscape. Other equally impressive tors lack the outcrops but occupy sublim...
Hookney Tor, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
English Heritage's Grimspound sits in a saddle of moorland below two tors. Hameldown Tor is to the south east. The superb stacks of granite that form Hookney Tor are to the north west. Hookney Down pushes east to King Tor and is beautiful when covered in heather in late summer. Headland Warren Farm...
Battle of Sourton Down Battlefield, Sourton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
Sourton is a small village on the north eastern border of Dartmoor National Park. Sourton Down is a nearby area of countryside where the A30 passes over the A386. Dartmoor's highest ground at Yes Tor and High Willhays is visible from the down. On the night of the 25th April 1643, this was the locati...
Steeperton Gorge, Belstone, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)
By Dartmoor standards, this is a small gorge. Unlike the Dart Gorge, Teign Gorge or Lydford Gorge which have been cut by wide, powerful waterways, Steeperton Gorge is situated pretty far upstream on Dartmoor's north plateau. The River Taw rises on the high, boggy ground around Hangingstone Hill and...