Dartmoor covers 368 square miles of Devon in the south-west of England. The area has protected national park status which controls development and farming on the moor.
Dartmoor is famous for its bleak misty high moorland as dramatised in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mystery, the Hound of the Baskervilles. It is also famous for its foreboding prison, built originally to house Napoleonic prisoners of war and becoming home to many notorious east-London gangsters including the Krays.
Dartmoor has a reputation for being wild, bleak and unwelcoming which is quite unfair for one of Britain’s most varied and beautiful rural landscapes. Much of the high Dartmoor moorland is classified as access land. This means everyone has the right to walk wherever they like, without the need to follow designated footpaths and bridleways. While this gives experienced trekkers the freedom and adventure to explore the more remote and wild reaches of the moor, it can be dangerous for inexperienced visitors without suitable clothing and navigational skills.
Recommended Kit
Even in the hight of summer conditions on Dartmoor can change very quickly from beautiful sunshine to misty, windswept wasteland. No matter what the current conditions you are always advised to be prepared and should always carry:
- A waterproof coat
- Sturdy footwear, walking boots or trainers
- Water
- Basic medical supplies, wipes and plasters as a minimum
- Map & Compass
Not wanting to put off casual visitors here are my top locations for easy and safe access to Dartmoor. These locations give you an introduction to the wild beauty of the area without exposing you to the risk of getting lost.
Princetown
Located in the middle of Dartmoor, Princetown is a village of about 600 inhabitants. The village is dominated by HMP Dartmoor on the western edge of the village which was a maximum-security Category A prison for the most dangerous criminals. Nowadays the prison is classified as Category C but its reputation as a brutal institution remains.
Close to the prison, in a former farm building, a small museum houses many exhibits from the prisons interesting past. In the centre of the village there is one of Dartmoor’s National Park visitor centres which offers advice and information to visitors alongside exhibits about Dartmoor’s varied past. The village is also home to a historic church built by prisoners of war and a memorial to service personnel from the two world wars, housed in an old telephone box.
Princetown is an excellent base for visiting the moor with several B&Bs in the village along with bunk-houses and camping available.
From the village there are also several easy to follow walking and cycling routes which give easy access to the moor for anyone wanting to explore in relative safety. The main routes include a “jobbers road” which runs from behind the Plume of Feathers pub out onto the moor passing South Hessary Tor and Nuns Cross and the former railway line which runs from behind the main car park out past several disused quarry workings and eventually down to Burrator and Yelverton. This route is particularly good for cycling.
Merrivale
Two miles to the west of Princetown is Merrivale. This unassuming hamlet of a handful of houses and a pub doesn’t at first seem to offer anything for the visitor. But just up the hill towards Princetown is one of Dartmoor’s best prehistoric landscape.
This area has been settled since Neolithic times and was of great spiritual importance to the people of that time who built two double stone rows, menhir and stone circle. On the plateau above the hamlet. Also in this area is a collection of hut circles dating from the bronze age.
This area is part of Dartmoor’s access land so you can explore the prehistoric landscape and artifacts freely. Care should be taken with uneven and wet ground.
Postbridge
The village of Postbridge lies 6 miles north of Princetown on the road towards Exeter. The village is most famous for its iconic 13th century clapper bridge which still fully spans the river Dart and sits alongside the 18h century road bridge.
Postbridge offers many easy access walking routes including many within Bellever forest where there are several way-marked trails for walkers. The forest is manged by the Forestry Commission, so cycling is also permitted within the forest. Information on the way-marked trails and other routes can be obtained from the recently extended visitor centre at the back of the main car park.
Postbridge offers accommodation at several B&Bs and the pub, in the village. There is also a YHA Youth Hostel a Bellever only 1.25 miles from the village.
Lydford
Away from the high moorland areas the terrain is very different with verdant river valleys and tree lined ravines.
On the western fringe of Dartmoor, Lydford is a historic village with its origins in the Saxon period of Alfred the Great. During this period the village had a mint for the production of coins and up until the Norman conquest of 1066 the village was the second largest settlement in Devon. The village is home to the remains of a 13th century castle which was used a prison and close by is Lydford Gorge. The castle is free to access at all times.
The gorge is managed by the national trust and offers a beautiful walk along the steeply wooded valley of the river Lyd. The paths are well marked but can be steep uneven and slippery in places. The highlights of the walk are the 100m high White Lady waterfall and the Devil’s Cauldron a bowl like formation cut into the rock with the power of the swirling waters.
The granite way cycle trail runs past Lydford and offers easy cycling and walking access along the former railway line either towards Okehampton or Tavistock.
Like Princetown, Lydford is also a great base for a few days exploring the local area. There are several B&Bs in and around the village and a camping and caravanning site on the edge of the village.
Conclusion
Dartmoor can be bleak and misty but when the cloud lifts and the sun comes out the area is stunningly beautiful offering far reaching vistas. As long as you do your homework and go prepared for sudden changes of weather I am sure you will find the place as enchanting and inspiring as I do.
Guest Post
About the Author
Helen Northcott has been a photographer on Dartmoor or over twenty years. Her work has been seen in local newspapers, business publications and websites. Helen sells her work through her online gallery. She also writes a blog about photography under the guise of Dartmoor Photographer, offering photography tips to non-photographers and guides to the best places to take photographs. For more information please visit www.dartmoorphotographer.co.uk.
You can also follow and view Helen’s work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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