Things To Do near Best Dartmoor Picnic Spots

Buckfast to Tavistock Monastic Route, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

This is a superb long distance walk between Buckfast Abbey on the east border of Dartmoor National Park and Tavistock Abbey on the west. Monks once followed routes across the moors to visit the local abbeys and priory which is why it's called the Buckfast to Tavistock Monastic Route. The Buc...

Widecombe St Pancras Church, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

The 'Cathedral of the Moor'. In East Dartmoor, and dominating the popular moorland village of Widecombe in the Moor, Widecombe St Pancras Church dates from the 1300s. Wallboards within the church tell a story of a fire-ball passing through the church and killing four people as a result of a light...

The Uncle Tom Cobley Horse, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 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...

Bench Tor, Holne, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

Breathtaking views of the Dart Gorge If you're on holiday in Dartmoor National Park in autumn then head for Bench Tor. Topping a spur of moorland that juts out into the Dart Gorge, it's a breathtaking place. The heavily wooded gorge walls are a riot of colour. After a spell of heavy rain, wate...

Venford Brook, Holne, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

Venford Reservoir sits on the edge of Dartmoor's south plateau between Holne and Hexworthy. At the northern end of the reservoir is a dam and beyond this are water works. Venford Brook flows from the dam area down through a pretty valley in to the River Dart as it tumbles through the Dart Gorge. We...

Conchies Road, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

During WW1, many Conscientious Objectors were housed in Dartmoor Prison. In this time, they built what is know locally as 'Conchies Road' which runs from the Tor Royal area just east of Princetown across the moors towards Swincombe Bridge. The road stops about half way between these points. Roughly...

East Webburn River, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 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...

East Bovey Head, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 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...

Holming Beam Bridge, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

There's a car parking area at Holming Beam offering access to the Merrivale Range area of Dartmoor National Park. This is a British Army firing range but it's open to the public for large chunks of the year. The car parking area is above a beautiful valley cut by the River Cowsic as it fl...

The Grey Wethers Stone Circles, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 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...

White Wood, Holne, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

[Main photo: White Wood (left), the River Dart and Meltor Wood (right) in the heart of the Dart Gorge near Mel Pool. View upriver to Rowbrook House. Browse the images in the photo gallery to see Dartmoor's White Wood through the seasons]   The Dart Gorge The Dart Gorge is one of the mo...

Three Stone Circles Circular Walk, Chagford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 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...

The Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 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...

Sittaford Stone Circle, Postbridge, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 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...

Dart Gorge Venford Reservoir to New Bridge South Bank Walk, Holne, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 4 miles away)

This is one of our favourite walks in Dartmoor National Park. It's difficult, owing to the absence of paths in the central section of the Dart Gorge below Bench Tor. For long sections of the walk, you're picking your way through wild woodland. Don't try this walk unless you are a confident walker. T...