Dartmoor, a National Park since 1951, is a wild, and at times isolated, upland area tucked in the south-western corner of Devon, in South West England. Home to a diverse range of wildlife, this is a landscape dominated by an expansive high granite plateau, clothed in blanket bogs and grass moors, crowned with fascinating tors and incised by tumbling streams crossed by ancient clapper bridges.
Several millennia ago, our ancestors left behind a fascinating treasure trove, from intriguing stone rows (60 per cent of all the stone rows in England are found on Dartmoor), to fascinating stones circles and burial cairns (there’s over 1500 of them), to numerous hut circles (over 5000). But there are also the stark ruins of Dartmoor’s mining heritage, and picturesque villages and hamlets that are home to interesting old churches and cosy pubs. Oh, and there’s the odd legend or two, from infamous mires to Bowerman the Hunter, who was cast in stone for disturbing a coven of witches.
Here you can wander along tree-shaded river valleys or stand on High Willhays, which, at 621m (2039ft), is not only a mountain but also the highest point in Southern England. On a clear day there are great views out over Devon’s rural landscape from many of Dartmoor’s summits. To the west is Cornwall and Bodmin Moor, while from the more easterly tops you can see as far as Portland in Dorset.
Yes, the weather can be inclement at times, low cloud and mist can obscure the views and the high rainfall leads to numerous bogs and mires, but this climate also brings with it fascinating woodlands clothed in moss and lichen like some enchanted land. When the mist rolls in, the tors take on an other-worldly character – it was here that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gained inspiration for his Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. As you walk past mist-shrouded tors your pulse might start to race; was that a spectral hound you glimpsed or just your imagination running wild?
The joys of walking on Dartmoor are many. Stop a while on a craggy tor and admire the wonderful views while listening to nature’s music, from skylarks singing high above to the wind whispering over the moor. Take your time, wander past ancient sites – from stone circles to stone rows that seem to be marching over the moor – and wonder as to their purpose, or cherish the little insights gained from chatting to a farmer with years of local knowledge. But, most of all, enjoy and respect Dartmoor.
