Things To Do near Vale Down

Blackslade Down, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

According to the Dartmoor expert William Crossing, it was on Blackslade Down 'that the wicked Jan Reynolds once entered into a compact with a stranger, who turned out to be the Prince of Darkness, and failing to keep it became his victim. Seven years after the meeting Jan was discovered indulgin...

Greator Rocks, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

Houndtor Down is packed with points on interest. Hound Tor is one of Dartmoor's most popular rocky outcrops. Beyond its south east side is English Heritage's Hound Tor Abandoned Medieval Settlement. South of Hound Tor and the settlement is Holwell Lawn which is known for its astonishing bl...

Foxworthy Bridge, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

Foxworthy is a hamlet at the top of the Bovey Valley. There's a good, stone bridge spanning the River Bovey here. Foxworthy Bridge is the most convenient way to get from Manaton to the stunning Lustleigh Cleave and Hunter's Tor or vice versa. Note that you can cross the River Bovey downstrea...

Neadon Cleave, Horsham Cleave and Water Cleave, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

Neadon, Horsham and Water are hamlets and part of a village in the eastern section of Dartmoor National Park. A cleave is generally accepted to mean a valley. Neadon Cleave, Horsham Cleave and Water Cleave are located next to one another in the upper section of the Bovey Valley. Collectively, they f...

Wittaburrow, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

In his excellent 'The Field Archaeology of Dartmoor', Phil Newman notes that 'the term 'barrow' may be defined as a mound of earth or stone, usually covering one or more inhumations or cremations. On Dartmoor, where the majority of these monuments are constructed mostly from ston...

Hunter's Tor (Lustleigh Cleave/East Dartmoor), Lustleigh, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

The broad ridge that runs along the top of Lustleigh Cleave provides some of the best valley views in Dartmoor National Park. At the north west end of the ridge, when open access moorland drops steeply into farmland, is Hunter's Tor. The view opens out over North Bovey and the luxury hotel Bovey Cas...

Erme Pound, South Brent, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

A pound is an enclosure or space surrounded by a wall. The Erme is a river flowing from Dartmoor's south moor down to the South Devon coast. Erme Pound is an enclosure in the heart of Dartmoor's south moor reasonably close to the headwaters, or start, of the River Erme. In his book 'High Dartmoor...

Kestor Inn, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

Pub by one of the most beautiful valleys in Dartmoor National Park Wonderful location. Situated above one of the most beautiful valleys in Dartmoor National Park, the Kestor Inn is a stroll away from England's first National Nature Reserve, one of Dartmoor's most popular family visitor attraction...

Holne Woods (National Trust), Holne, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

The River Dart is particularly beautiful between Dartmeet and New Bridge. When in spate, the water powers through the Dart Gorge shaping cascades and pools. The easiest way to access and experience the Dart in the lower section of the gorge is via Holne Woods. Managed by the National Trust, the w...

Horsham Steps, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

'Steps' on Dartmoor usually refer to stepping stones used to cross the National Park's many rivers and streams. Some steps are man-made. Others are natural features. The steps crossing the River Bovey below the tiny hamlet Horsham at the upper end of the Bovey Valley are a natural collection of huge...

Holwell/Becka Brook Valley, Haytor Vale, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

Becka Brook runs from the moor between Haytor Rocks and Widecombe-in-the-Moor down to the River Bovey by Hisley Bridge in the lower part of the Bovey Valley. The brook can be split into three sections. The upper section flows through open moorland. The middle section is at Bovey Falls Woodland Pa...

Manaton to Horsham Steps and Lustleigh Cleave Circular Walk, Manaton, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

Crossing the River Bovey on huge boulders to explore Lustleigh Cleave The River Bovey cuts a beautiful, steep-sided valley between the pretty village North Bovey and the Dartmoor gateway town Bovey Tracey. This walk takes you to the upper section of the valley at Horsham Cleave, Lustleigh Clea...

Hunter's Tor Hillfort, Lustleigh, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

Zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting of the accompanying Google map and you'll see the outline of an Iron Age hillfort next to the rocky outcrop Hunter's Tor. On the ground, these earthworks are heavily weathered and are best seen when the sun is low in the sky. Winter is a great time to explore the a...

Shell Top, Shaugh Prior, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

The views from Shell Top are immense. The rocky outcrop looks down on the China Clay Workings, Plymouth and Plymouth Sound. The South Devon coast runs east. The East Cornwall coats runs west. You can also see the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Bodmin Moor and Cornish Alps beyond.

Hemsworthy Gate, Widecombe in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park (approx. 15 miles away)

We include Hemsworthy Gate on 'Holiday in Dartmoor' as a reference point. As is the case with Nun's Cross Farm and Batworthy Corner, it's a great starting point from which to discover Dartmoor's landscape and history. There's a small car parking area and paths run off in all...