Hound Tor
Hound Tor
Out and About on Dartmoor
A trip to Dartmoor recharges the batteries and rejuvenates the spirit. Its craggy granite tors, deep wooded gorges and tumbling rivers provide a spectacular backdrop in which to relax and explore the largest and wildest area of open country in southern England.
With an area of more than 368 square miles there is an abundance of places to seek out.
The quickest and easiest route from Dartmouth is through Ashburton, one of Dartmoor’s gateway towns.
Ashburton has built up a fine reputation as an antique buyers’ paradise. Beautiful quilts and linens can be picked up at Vintage Emporium and great period fireplaces and furnishings at Adrian Ager. As well as antiques Ashburton is also becoming known as a foodie town – especially with the success of the award-winning Ashburton Cookery School. See www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk for information on more than 40 courses taught by top professional chefs.
Within a few minutes of Ashburton you are at the foot of the moor, amongst the luscious woodland surrounding the River Dart as it tumbles towards the sea at Dartmouth. There are some lovely accessible walks at Newbridge and Spitchwick Common – a great place for an outdoor swim too, although watch out for the daredevils jumping in off the cliffs!
After the wooded banks of the Dart, the roads steepen as you climb towards the bleak but beautiful expanse of the high moor. A lot of Dartmoor’s iconic tors can be seen from the road but to truly appreciate their glory you need to get up close and explore them. A personal favourite is Hound Tor, which is tucked away from the main roads but has an accessible car park that makes it easy for children and dog walking. A gradually increasing incline takes you up and over the tor where the views towards Haytor are stunning.
In Hound Tor car park the delightfully titled Hound of the Basket Meals van - a nod to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Dartmoor-based yarn The Hound of the Baskervilles - serves hot chocolate from real mugs. A proper treat at the end of a bracing walk.
Just on from Hound Tor is the delightful Widecombe-in-the-Moor, of Widecombe Fayre and Tom Cobley fame. The village’s Church of St Pancras is known as the Cathedral of the Moor and its majestic spire can be seen for miles around. Widecombe-in-the-Moor is a great place for a cream tea, at the quirky Café on the Green or the Wayside Café at the bottom of the hill. The Old Inn, which serves superb food and real ales, is in the centre of the village.
Other pubs on Dartmoor serving good food and drink include The Rock Inn at Haytor Vale, The Kestor Inn at Manaton and, my favourite, the Warren House Inn at Postbridge. The Warren Inn arguably has the best beer garden in the country - overlooking the high moorland and Bellever Forest.
The Dartmoor National Park Authority is the caretaker of the moor – conserving and enhancing its landscape, wildlife and cultural heritage. It runs three information centres at Haytor, Postbridge and Princetown and a mobile information point at various locations. These information centres are a great starting point for a trip to the moor and offer an abundance of maps and up-to-date information, including vital knowledge of military firing times if you’re heading out onto the more remote northern areas. The Dartmoor National Park Authority organises guided walks, events and educational activities. Visit www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk where you can also download a free “audio walk” or click on the handy Postbridge webcam, which updates a live image every ten minutes.
An interesting and quite unique way to explore Dartmoor is by “Letterboxing” – searching out and collecting stamps hidden across the moor. There are around 2,000 “letterboxes” out on the moor at any one time and a network of people who have found more than 100. See www.dartmoorletterboxing.org for information and clues to the whereabouts of the letterboxes out there at the moment.
Also unique to Dartmoor is the Dartmoor Hill Pony. The ponies, believed to date back to prehistoric times, are owned by farmers but graze on the open commons all year round. They are such a delight to encounter, especially in late spring when the new foals are around.
The ponies may no longer be truly wild creatures but they should not be approached and fed. If you want to get closer then The Miniature Pony Centre at Moretonhampstead gives you a chance to meet and handle some of the more domesticated ones. Check www.miniatureponycentre.com for details and for more information on Dartmoor ponies see www.dpht.co.uk
If you fancy experiencing Dartmoor from the saddle then you can hire horses and ponies at most of the trekking and riding centres across the moor. Many provide tuition and guided tours, catering for beginners and advanced riders. Contact Shilstone Rocks Riding Centre at www.Dartmoor-riding.com or Cholwell Riding Stables at www.cholwellridingstables.co.uk
And for something a bit different how about taking a walk across the moor with a llama?! Dartmoor Llama Walks will take you and your friendly llama on a cream tea or picnic walk. The llamas will happily carry your bags and a picnic provided by the company. Visit www.dartmoorllamawalks.co.uk to book.
If you’re after something more adventurous such as gorge scrambling, abseiling or weaselling – a sort of hybrid version of scrambling and crawling under and over boulders - there’s plenty of kindred spirits out on the moor to join you. Visit www.adventureokehampton.com or www.spirit-of-adventure.com for more details.
The River Dart Country Park is a great place for adrenaline junkies too. Activities include high zip wires; rope climbing; lake canoeing and zorbing (walking on water in an inflated large ball!). Check www.riverdart.co.uk for opening times and prices.
Or for something more peaceful, moorland angler Tim James offers fly-fishing tuition, all tackle provided, at www.mastercaster.co.uk. Check www.westcountryangling.com for fishing regulations on the moor.
However you decide to explore the great wilderness that is Dartmoor you’re sure to return more refreshed and relaxed.
