Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor National Park, famed abode of Lorna Doone and the Hound of the Baskervilles!

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.

• Many visitors view Dartmoor as a wonderful and diverse place – indeed it offers a multiple range of terrains from it’s tors and woodlands to rambling countryside, grass covered hills and river valleys.
• The tors formations are actually quite splendid – the granite while being a very tough substance is vulnerable to chemical deterioration. This means that the acids in rain attacks the surface of the granite causing it to disintegrate into various shapes and colours.
• Those who enjoy outdoor activities will have plenty to do in Dartmoor – just a sample of these include Dartmoor walks, fishing, trekking and cycling.

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 Dartmoor Tourist Board 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 and 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 17^th 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 13^th 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.

What do you think? Please comment below to tell me.

Thinking about taking a Holiday in Devon and Cornwall?

England’s “West Country” has charm, scenery and better weather!

Cornwall – the English Riviera?

On the very south-western tip of England lies the beautiful county of Cornwall. With a delightful mix of superb beaches (among the best in Britain), outstanding scenery and charming towns, villages and cities, this county has something to offer everyone for their holiday in Cornwall.

Despite the wealth of attractions & scenic beauty on offer, Cornwall has many affordable holiday cottages, hotels, B&Bs & guesthouses to suit the budgets of all holidaymakers.

Cornwall is also Britain’s premier surfing capital– not surprising given that it enjoys the best weather anywhere in the country. It also has some of the cleanest beaches and attracts visitors by the millions every year.

Whether it’s lazing on lovely white beaches, ambling along wonderful sub-tropical gardens or exploring quiet, picture-perfect fishing villages you’re after, you’ll find it all when you visit Cornwall.

The famous King Arthur is also believed to have come from Cornwall, in a small town called Tintagel. Cornish history is mystical, ancient and highly fascinating. The many delightful towns and villages are often named after the Christian missionaries that have influenced them.

Like your food and drink? Cornish pubs are known for offering good hearty foods and your choice of flavoursome ales. And let’s not forget the “Cornish pastie” – a tasty must-have  meat pie that must be experienced when visiting Cornwall.

But the good news is that you don’t have to eat Cornish pasties throughout your entire holiday in Cornwall.  With its wide expanses of coastline, there’s plenty of seafood here and the celebrity chefs have arrived as well.  Whether you prefer French cuisine, Mediterranean or modern cooking, there’s plenty to choose from.  Rick Stein alone has four restaurants in Padstow and a pub in St. Merryn.  I once saw this man barbeque a piece of moonfish on the beach and it looked so delicious that the memory has stayed with me to this day.

Holidays In Devon

Devon is famously known to offer the traveller a feast of splendid scenery, lovely beaches and pretty harbour towns. Popular destinations within Devon include Plymouth, Torbay and Dartmoor National Park.

Devon is also a walkers paradise, and like neighbouring Cornwall is one of the most popular holiday destinations within the United Kingdom. And it’s very easy to see why – lush pastures break out into spectacular coastlines, making Devon a Mecca for those hunting for a taste of quaint old England.

While enjoying a holiday in Devon, be sure to experience the wonderfully rugged coastline scenery. Devon is also blessed with some stunning countryside – charming narrow little roads amble on for miles with nothing but lush greenery and flora that offers a myriad of explosive colours during the summertime. Driving through these single-lane roads is an experience like no other – arrive in a Devon town that’s dotted with picture perfect thatched cottages and enjoy a cream tea and scone in one of the many tea-shops.

Devon offers the traveller a classic English village experience – and there are many great country cottages, hotels, self-catering accommodation, B&Bs and many more types of accommodation to cater to the needs of both the luxury traveller and budget conscious back-packer.

Like Cornwall, many famous chefs have found their way to Devon and if you want to treat yourself to some fine cuisine there’s even a restaurant here with one Michelin star.

Devon also offers some of the best year-round weather to be found anywhere in the UK. Temperatures in January (when the rest of the country is shivering) average a maximum of 9 degrees.

If you enjoy coasts & estuaries then a holiday in Devon will delight you – the estuaries (such as the Teign) also attract many species of migratory birds.

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