Things To Do near The English Riviera

Lydford Gorge Circular Walk, Lydford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

Walking in a beautiful National Trust property on the western border of Dartmoor National Park When we first moved to Dartmoor in 2008, we were told repeatedly that the national park was bleak and wet. Whilst sections of the high moor on both the north and south plateaus can be challenging l...

Lydford The Norman Castle, Lydford, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

An information board on site reads: 'The earthwork is all that remains of a small Norman castle which was probably built in the late 11th century in the years of consolidation after the Norman conquest. It holds a dominant position in the corner of the defended Saxon town. The castle was a 'ri...

Morwellham Quay UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tavistock, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

Morwellham Quay, and the surrounding area, is one of the Westcountry's great visitor destinations. In the scheme of things, few people know about the place which is a shame because it's special. Situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), it's part of a rare UNESCO World Heritage S...

Sourton Tors Ice Works, Sourton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

Walk the moorland around Sourton Tors when the sun is low in Winter or at the end of the day and earthworks like a sheet of corrugated iron are particularly noticeable. These earthworks were part of Sourton Ice Works or the Ice Pits. The Dartmoor expert Eric Hemery describes this venture in...

Meldon Quarry, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 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...

Meldon Pool, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 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....

Sourton Tors, Sourton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

Huge sunset views over the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty into Cornwall Sourton is a small village on the A386 road that skirts the western side of Dartmoor National Park's high moors. Sourton Tors are a collection of rocky outcrops that rise on steps of moorland above the villag...

Meldon Viaduct, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

High above the West Okement River, spanning the West Okement Valley, is Meldon Viaduct. Part of the Granite Way, there are superb views of the wooded valley below and the high moors to the east and south east. Meldon Reservoir is to the south. In the area, we'd recommend the Yes Tor and High Will...

Okehampton Castle (English Heritage), Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 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...

Lake Viaduct, Sourton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

Lake is a hamlet on the A386 and western border of Dartmoor National Park. Between Lake and Deep Valley/Lake Down is Lake Viaduct which is now part of the multi-use recreational route the Granite Way. A path runs from the southern end of the viaduct down to the valley floor. From the valle...

Okehampton Old Town Park Local Nature Reserve, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 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...

West Devon Way, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

One of the best ways to get to know the north west, west and south west of Dartmoor National Park is to walk the West Devon Way. At 37 miles, you'll either have to make a holiday of it or break the walk down into smaller chunks. The following describes the route running north to south from Okeham...

West Okement Valley, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

The West Okement River rises by the remote Cranmere Pool on Dartmoor's north moor. The river tumbles through the Upper West Okement Valley past Black-a-Tor Copse National Nature Reserve on its way to Meldon Reservoir. Beyond the reservoir dam is what we refer to as the West Okement Valley. It r...

Meldon Woods, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

Meldon is a hamlet near Okehampton on the north west border of Dartmoor National Park. The local reservoir, viaduct and quarry are named after the hamlet. So too is a stretch of woodland through which the West Okement River flows. It's a beautiful place full of wildlife, flowers and local history. M...

Meldon Woods Bluebell Circular Walk, Okehampton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 29 miles away)

This is one of the most impressive stretches of bluebell woodland we've experienced in Dartmoor National Park. Roughly speaking, the bluebells are thick between Meldon Viaduct and the car parking area on the west side of the woods. We can't recommend this area highly enough to bluebell fans. Ther...