Dartmoor

The most vistied attraction is Dartmoor, just beyond the hedge of The Edgemoor, which acts as a boundary for the national park. However, it is best to drive the first part of the way up towards Haytor to take your first glimpse of open moorland, as there is approximately 1200 ft difference. Dartmoor is actually a granite plateau formed about 400 million years ago which rises up and dominates the centre of Devon to a height of between 1,000 and 2,000 feet above sea level. There are towering granite outcrops, streams, heather and more ancient relics from Bronze Age settlements than anywhere else in Europe.

There are many stone rows, usually finishing with a stone circle. The largest stone row in the world runs for 2 miles from Stall Moor on Southern Dartmoor, finishing with a circle called "The Dancers". The moor also has a great many "hut circles" or "pounds" where people lived. The huts were formed by setting stones on end and making an inner and outer circle. The "cavity wall" thus formed was often filled with turf for protection from the weather. The roof was made from poles which were thatched with any material they could get, and a gap in the roof was left to allow smoke to escape. Grimspound, a few miles from Widecombe, is probably the most famous. The indications are that the moor was quite densely populated in Bronze Age times. There are many other granite monuments all over the moor, some thousands of years old and some relatively modern.

The high moor can be a remote, thought provoking place, a world away from city life. If you are going to walk any distance, please take care or advice on this as the weather can change quite quickly and people have got lost, sometimes permanently. Lower down the terrain is gentler and greener and there are beautiful tree filled valleys with rivers flowing through them. There are many wonderful walks - ask in reception and we can give you information.

Although Dartmoor is a National Park, and there is plenty of walking, every acre of it is actually owned by someone. Landowners include the Duchy of Cornwall, the National Trust, the Forestry Commission and many small farmers. The Ministry of Defence also leases a large section of the Northern Moor, so take care if going that way to look out for Red Flags and warning signs if you are walking.

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