Things To Do in Dartmoor
Childe's Tomb and Cross, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
Who was Childe? Whilst hunting on Dartmoor, Childe was overwhelmed by a snowstorm. To survive, he killed his horse, disembowelled it and then climbed inside for shelter. The snowstorm continued and Childe froze to death. Upon the event of his death, it became known that he'd leave his lands at Plyms...
Abbot's Way, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park
The Abbot's Way is marked, in part, on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map. You can follow the path marked Abbot's Way on that OS map from the moor just west of Buckfastleigh across Dartmoor's south plateau to the Plym Ford area. After that, you can continue to Tavistock. The Ab...
Dartmoor Prison, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
Drive the B3212 from Two Bridges to Princetown and you come to a lay-by offering views of the formidable Dartmoor Prison. Today, it's a prison housing low risk inmates. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was built to house French and American prisoners of war. During the Napoleonic Wars, Fr...
Whiteworks, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
A road runs from Princetown to the edge of Foxtor Mires. Whiteworks is at the end of that road. Whiteworks is a disused tin mine. When you visit, you'll see extensive ruins and old mine shafts fenced off from the public. These are next to some modern buildings. Kids can often be seen chargin...
Avon Dam Reservoir Circular Walk, South Brent, Dartmoor National Park
This circular walk takes in a beautiful river valley, one of Dartmoor's most stunning reservoir settings and high moorland. It also includes a short stretch of the Abbot's Way as marked on Ordnance Survey maps. Highly recommended if you want to explore the south eastern corner of Dartmoor Natio...
Dartmoor Prison Museum, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
Two of the most grim yet fascinating visitor attractions in the Westcountry can be found on its high moors. On Bodmin is Bodmin Jail. On Dartmoor is Dartmoor Prison Museum. Dartmoor Prison dominates Princetown. Just up the road from the prison's famous main entrance, in a building that was once t...
Northmore's Cross/Crane Hill Cross Stone (Harvey/OS maps), Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
A giant chair and stepping stones, a fairy bridge and ancient travel routes have all disappeared from Dartmoor over the years. Sadly, the tiny Northmore's Cross/Crane Hill Cross Stone can now be added to that list. Somebody snapped it off the stone in October 2014. The lump of granite and th...
Shipley Bridge, South Brent, Dartmoor National Park
This is one of the major access points to Dartmoor's south moor. There's a car parking area, toilets and information boards. A tarmac road (not open to vehicles owned by the public) winds its way up the Avon Dam Reservoir Valley to Avon Dam Reservoir. The road follows, and crosses, the River Avon. M...
Princetown St Michael & All Angels Church, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
The beginning of the 19th century saw French and American prisoners of war arrive at Dartmoor Prison. Between 1810 and 1814, these prisoners of war built Princetown St Michael & All Angels Church. After decades of hard weather, the fabric of the building fell into a bad state of repair...
River Swincombe, Dartmoor, Dartmoor National Park
By Dartmoor standards, this is a short river that rises on the edge of the National Park's south plateau and meets the West Dart River in Dartmoor's central bowl near Hexworthy. The river rises at Swincombe Head above what the Harvey British Mountain Map 'Dartmoor' map refers to as Suns...
Black Tor (South Dartmoor), South Brent, Dartmoor National Park
Black Tor rises above the car parking area at Shipley Bridge. The rocky outcrops are situated at the southern end of what we call the Avon Dam Reservoir Valley. The views up that valley to the dam and reservoir from Black Tor are wonderful. We've positioned Black Tor on Google maps. Zoom in on th...
Dr Blackall's Drive Walk, Dartmeet, Dartmoor National Park
Walking above the River Dart in the Dart Gorge Dartmoor National Park is fringed with gorges and steep-sided wooded valleys. These are some of the most beautiful places in the national park and Westcountry. In many cases, it's possible to walk along the lip of these gorges and valleys h...
Swincombe Head, Princetown, Dartmoor National Park
The River Swincombe rises above the infamous Foxtor Mires on the northern flank of Dartmoor National Park's south plateau. The River Avon rises to the east. The River Plym has its headwaters to the south west. We've positioned Swincombe Head on Google maps so zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to...
Eastern White Barrow, South Brent, Dartmoor National Park
This is arguably the most distinctive barrow in Dartmoor National Park. Many barrows are larger. None has such an exaggerated shape. The views from the top are immense. It's also relatively easy to get to. We've positioned Eastern White Barrow on Google maps. Zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to...
Aish Tor, Buckland in the Moor, Dartmoor National Park
Dr Blackall's Drive is a track that runs along the northern lip of the Dart Gorge. It's a classic Dartmoor walk. At one point, Dr Blackall's Drive swings around a bulge in the moor that's topped with a rocky outcrop. This is Aish Tor. In an area where there are some extraordinary tors, Aish Tor is u...