Dartmoor

The wild dramatic landscape of Dartmoor, it's brooding mass dominating South Devon, is steeped in ancient history and romantic tales. It is the largest wilderness in southern England, rising to 620m at High Willhays, and provides a stark contrast to the mild southern coastal resorts. About half of Dartmoor's area comprises the inner moorland plateau, sliced in two by the river Dart, where wide, rolling, boggy upland is only broken by the dramatic and characteristic rocky Tors. The name 'Tor' comes from the Welsh twr meaning tower, and they certainly resemble surreal ruined ramparts. In the summer sun the vistas over purple and yellow heather and gorse are a delight to the eye; in autumn the russet browns and the eerie mists provoke a more sombre mood.

The outer perimeter of Dartmoor has a softer aspect with streams running through wooded valleys, ancient clapper bridges, winding lanes and farmland. Some of the grey stone farmhouses are medieval and there are a number of attractive villages including North Bovey, Drewsteignton and Throwleigh. Because of it's isolation inner Dartmoor has protected and preserved many prehistoric sites including hut circles, standing stones, burial chambers and crosses. Many of these ancient structures will be passed when walking the moors, silent haunting reminders of the many human feet that have similarly passed by. Dartmoor is also famous for it's wild ponies who are a delightful addition to the scene and who seem to cope admirably with the vagaries of the climate.

Haytor, with its two seperate granite outcrops, is a popular walking destination with routes included in several of the guides listed below. From the summit there are stunning views over the surrounding moorland, the South Devon coast and Teign estuary. Other worthy walking destinations include Houndtor, Meltor and Sheepstor.

The walker should approach Dartmoor well equipped because it's height and proximity to the coast ensure swift changes in weather including sudden dense fogs. Navigating in such conditions without a compass is treacherous, particularly on the high moors where there are large areas of bog, identifiable by the bright green sphagnum moss which grows there. Never walk on the open moors of Dartmoor without an OS Explorer map (OL20) and a compass.

	Guide Books: [For further information or to purchase]
	Walking on Dartmoor by: John Earle. This authorative and comprehensive guide to walking on Dartmoor provides over 40 routes covering the entire National Park. The walks are grouped into four main areas; the South Moor, Widecombe Walks, the North East Moor, and the North West Moor. There is a facinating introductory chapter covering geology, vegetation, fauna, the impact of man throughout history, and the legends of Dartmoor. For each of the walks there is a clearly drawn sketch map of the route and very precise directions. There are also many black and white photographs illustrating typical landscape or other features of the walks. This guide can give years of pleasure discovering this atmospheric National Park.
	Dartmoor Walks compiled by: compiled by: Brian Conduit and John Brooks. 28 routes with Explorer maps from Ordnance Survey. Locations include: Lydford Gorge; Haytor; Castle Drogo and Teign Gorge; Plym Woods and Wigford Down; Lustleigh Cleave; Steps Bridge and Mardon Down; Burrator reservoir and Sheeps Tor; Chagford and the River Teign; South Brent and the Avon Valley; the Walkham Valley and Merrivale; Widecombe in the Moor and Hamel Down; Dartmeet, Combestone and Brimpts Wood; Ivybridge, the Erme Valley and Western Beacon; Manaton, Hound Tor and Becka Falls; Horrabridge and Sampford Spiney; Gidleigh, Kes Tor and Teign-e-ver Bridge; Okehampton, Cullever Steps and Bellstone; South Zeal and Little Hound Tor; Postbridge, Laughter Hole and Bellever; Drewsteignton, Hittisleigh Barton and Crockernwell; Moretonhampstead, Butterdon Down and North Bovey; Mary Tavy, Horndon Down and Peter Tavy; Holne Moor and Snowdon; Princetown, Whiteworks and Crock of Gold; Two Bridges, Wistman's Wood and the West Dart; Grimspound, Coombe Down and Challacombe; New Bridge, Leusdon and Holne; Ringmoor Down, Eylesbarrow and Siward's Cross.
	Dartmoor Rambler's guide by: Richard Sale. Includes Harvey mapping. Thirty walks are described and illustrated with colour photographs. The walk locations are: Lydford Gorge; The Teign Valley; Tavy Cleave; Great Mis Tor; The West Dart River and Higher White Tor; Shovel and Scorhill Down; Grey Whethers Stone Circle and Sandy Hole Pass; Belstone and Cosdon; High Willhays; Postbridge and Cranmere Pool; Vixen Tor; Merrivale; Haytor; Foale's Arrishes; Lustleigh Cleave; Hound Tor and Becky Falls; Widecombe and Hamel Down; Buckfast Abbey; Dartmeet; The Dewerstone; Sharp Tor; Childe's Tomb; Burrator Reservoir; Drizzle Combe and Eylesbarrow; Western Beacon and the Erme Valley; Brent Moor and the Avon; The Erme Plains and Stall Moor; Dartmouth; Slapton Ley; Bolt Head and Bolt Tail.
	Dartmoor Footloose Pocket Guide 12 seperate guides printed on weather proof paper and including ordnance survey mapping. Each guide details 2 walks of between 3 and 11 miles The walk locations are: Dartmeet and Rogues Roost; Dartmeet and Ponsworthy; Haytor and Houndtor; Haytor and Manaton; Moretonhampstead and Butterdon Down; Moretonhampstead and Fingle Bridge; Chagford and Weeke Down; Chagford and Lettaford; Postbridge and the River Dart; Postbridge and Sherwell; Princetown and Foggintor; Princetown and Merrivale; Newbridge and Holne; Newbridge and Mel Tor; Drewsteignton and Castle Drogo; Drewsteignton and Fingle Bridge; Widecombe and Honeybag; Widecombe and Grimspound; Merrivale and Sampford Spiney; Merrivale and Sweltor; Sheepstor and Burrator Reservoir; Sheepstor and Leather Tor; South Zeal and Sticklepath; South Zeal and Little Hound Tor.
	Dartmoor Short Walks by: Sue Viccars. 20 routes with OS mapping and clear directions. Walks are colour coded for length and difficulty. Locations are: Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines; Chagford and the River Teign; Haytor Quarry and Tramway; Hound Tor and Hayne Down; Lydford; North and South Brentor; The Teign Gorge and Castle Drogo; Trenchford and Tottiford Reservoirs; Avon Dam and Rider's Rings; Bonechill rocks; Crazywell pool; The East and West Okement Rivers; Foggintor and Swelltor Quarries; Scorhill; The Dewerstone; Wistman's Wood; Dr Blackall's Drive; Fernworthy and Grey Wethers, Harford and the Erme Valley; Meldon Reservoir and Blackator Copse.
	Please also see Devon county page for more books which include walks on Dartmoor.