Credit: Tourist Destination
Dartmoor National Park is brimming with gushing rivers, enchanting forests and dramatic tors which offer panoramic views. At 368 square miles, the national park is roughly the same size as London which puts into perspective the sheer vastness! With waterfalls, reservoir’s and an abundance of wild ponies, a day on Dartmoor is a trip we highly recommend if you’re looking for an adventure, and is accessible from both our Torquay and Plymouth apartments.
While our recommendations are both walks, Dartmoor presents a myriad of options for activities including cycling, horse-riding, swimming, climbing and letterboxing! What’s letterboxing? It’s an old tradition which includes searching for boxes hidden in the moors and collecting stamps. We will recommend two options for each location depending on where you are staying, to give different examples of how you can spend your day!
From Plymouth:
Mysterious woods
Where: Princetown
Distance: 4.5km
Terrain: Woodland, Leat, Tors
Dartmoor’s Tors
If your idea of a desirable Sunday consists of a delicious roast and a walk, we have you covered! Head to the Two Bridges near Princetown (remember to book, it’s a sought after Sunday reservation!). Get stuck into a wholesome roast in this quintessential English pub (dogs are allowed). With three courses for £25, and a Taste of the West Gold Award under their belt, you can’t go wrong!
After you have fuelled up, the start of the walk is conveniently in the car park across the road from Two Bridges. Wistman’s Wood Walk is an easygoing, family walk through a woodland area. The walk will take you winding through ancient oak trees, with large moss-covered granite rocks and back alongside a Leat (open watercourse). This is a circular walk that will expose you to the best the moors has to offer, from tors to woodland and streams! You will be totally immersed into all nature has to offer, surrounded by wildlife and the rugged playground of the moors. Frolic with the wild ponies, clamber up the tor’s and feel the wind on your cheeks in this extensive open space. Check out this page for more specific details on the route.
FROM TORQUAY:
There’s no place like Holne!
Where: Holne
Distance: 4 miles
Terrain: Open field, woodland, swimming option
This walk starts in the small town of Holne, but you quickly leave the roads and before you know it are ambling through open fields down into a valley which offers spectacular views of rolling fields and cascading countryside. The downhill descent is enjoyable, but remember what goes down must go up! You enter the woodland area, and follow the well-trodden track until you hit a clearing with the river, and take a sharp turn left as if you are doubling back on yourself.
Secluded, sandy bays
Continue along the windy path which navigates you up and down while you admire the river, sandy bays and granite structures on your right. Bring a picnic, which you can enjoy once you have found a secluded spot (there are many!), where you can settle down and re-energise. If it’s a warm day, make a splash into the refreshing water and dry off on the sun-trap sandy mini-beaches. Forget crowded beaches, and experience your own isolated oasis! This isn’t a circular walk, so turn around when you please and head back the way you came, ascending up the valley back to your car.
If escaping to Dartmoor National Park is what you are looking for, get in touch to check latest availability of our South Devon holiday rentals. Check out our How to Spend 5 Days in Devon blog for further information on the South West and our favourite spots!
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