Dartmoor National Park
Just a few miles inwards from the South Devon Coast
is the ancient Dartmoor National Park. It covers an area of 368 square
miles and offers visitors a mix of superb scenery and legendary history.
Dartmoor also has one of the most prominent moors to be found anywhere in
Britain.
Things To Do & Towns To Visit In Dartmoor
National Park
Dartmoor is made up of various small villages
and towns – one of the very enjoyable experiences of visiting Dartmoor is
the chance to drive from one to the other while taking in the great scenery en
route. From Tavistock in the west to Ashburton in the east, there’s plenty to
do and see in Dartmoor.
Entire books have been written on Dartmoor, and it has often been used as a backdrop in novels (remember "Lorna Doone", "Hound of the Baskervilles"?)– so
the following is just a brief description of some the places and activities that
you can enjoy here:
· Check out the main visitor centre located in Okehampton.
This town also houses the Museum of Dartmoor Life.
· Okehampton Castle is worth a visit – this is located in
Cranmere Pool and these ruins are the remains of what was once the biggest
castle in Devon.
· Walking & trekking opportunities are abundant all over
Dartmoor – specific places of interest to walkers include South Okehampton,
Princetown, Chagford and Postbridge. There are also specific routes popular with
more experienced trekkers – for instance, Templar Way (18 miles) and West
Devon Way (14 miles). Books on walking in Devon are also available in the
information centres dotted around the park (Okehampton, Tavistock, Ashburton,
Ivybridge and a couple of other locations).
· There are also plenty of routes for those keen on cycling,
and it’s possible to hire bikes in Tavistock. The Dartmoor Way is a 90 mile
cycle route that includes many of the parks towns including Okehampton,
Tavistock and Buckfastleigh.
· Other outdoor activities available in Dartmoor include horse &
pony rides, fishing and climbing.
· In the East lies the pleasant town of North Bovey – this
is a great place to see quaint thatched cottages dating back to the 17th century. Yet another place to marvel at picture-perfect thatched cottages is in
the charming little town of Buckland In The Moor.
This lovely town faces
onto woodlands and is also by the River Webburn (which joins up with the famous
river Dart).
· Expect to see many Ponies grazing along the stretches of
grassland while you drive through Dartmoor National Park.
· Buckfastleigh is home to Buckfast Abbey – one of the most
visited icons in Devon. The Abbey dates back to 1018. Also in Buckfastleigh are
the Dartmoor otter sanctuary and the Buckfast Butterflies Exhibition (where
several exotic butterflies can be seen in an exotic environment).
· Postbridge is a small town in the centre of Dartmoor
National Park – aside from being popular with walkers, the town is famous for
its “Clapper Bridge” (granite bridge dating as far back as the 13th Century) which goes over the East Dart River.
· Another quiet town with sublime cottages and green surroundings is Widdecombe In The Moor. Aside from it’s beauty, this location is famous
for The Church House – dating back to 1537.
· The little town of Chagford is nestled just above the River
Teign and is also worth a visit just to amble around the neat town square. Be
sure to visit Market House while you’re there.
The Darkside Of Dartmoor – The Gruesome
Gubbinses
In Lydford Gorge in the 15th century a “half human” tribe of creatures are said to have existed and caused much terror and fear to the locals. While
this may sound like a myth or old wives tale to make children behave, the
Gubbinses did in fact exist. They stole cattle, kidnapped or robbed travellers
and there are reports that suggest that they were cannibals.
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