DARTMOOR WALKS
Dartmoor Walks have been divided up into North, Middle and South Dartmoor.
Scroll down for Middle and South
You will also find some Dartmoor Walks under the West Devon Way heading.
The Irishman’s Wall walk
Starts from : Okehampton station
Distance: 7 miles
Difficulty: Walking up the Irishman’s wall is a bit strenuous otherwise a moderate walk
Description: A walk from Okehampton station to Belstone passing The Tors Inn and walking nearly the full length of the wall and over Culliver Steps. The whole walk is outside Okehampton range Danger Area so can be walked at anytime.
Lydford Viaduct
Starts from: High Down car park behind the Dartmoor Inn on the A386
Distance: 6 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Description: A splendid scenic moorland walk from Lydford out to Doe Tor Common then skirting around the very outside edge of the Wilsworthy Range Danger area to return along ancient green lanes and underneath the disused Lydford Viaduct.
Fernworthy Reservoir and Kes Tor.
Starts from: Fernworthy Reservoir perimeter road or the main pay and display car park.
Distance: 6.5 miles there is also a 2.5 mile reservoir walk included.
Difficulty: A moderate walk using footpaths and track and some moorland walking and the Two Moors Way.
Description: A walk packed full of must do places to visit including 2 of the best hut circles in all of the DNP. Or you could wimp out and just do the round reservoir walk.
Gidleigh Scorhill Stone Circle and the Tolmen Stone
Starts from. The Village Hall Gidleigh TQ13 8HP
Distance: 4.75
Difficulty: Easy verging on moderate as there is moorland walking.
Description: This walks takes you to one of the finest Stone circles on the moor. You will also visit the Tolmen stone picture here and some vey fine stone rows.
Sticklepath and South Zeal a scenic walk
Starts from: Sticklepath village. Suggest public car park behind the NT forge.
Distance: 4.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate walk as there are some ups and downs to negotiate.
Description: A fabulously scenic walk taking you through countryside, moorland, woods, river and the two villages. You also walk past 4 pubs.
Wheal Jewell Reservoir
Starts from: Bal Lane Mary Tavy
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy walk no steep hills but there is a ladder stile
Description: A 6 mile gentle climb up from from Mary Tavy onto the moor to see Wheal Jewell Reservoir the header reservoir for Mary Tavy Hydro-electric power station. To then walk on down to the picturesque Hill bridge and walk by the leat that once took water to the Wheal Friendship mine. You may also see some magnificent ferns as you walk by the leat.
Gibbet Hill
Starts from: The very edge of Mary Tavy on the Brentor road.
Distance: 7miles.
Difficulty: Easy walk. Moderate if you walk up to the top of Gibbet Hill.
Description: See fine views of the church on top of Brentor which is the logo for the West Devon Way on this countryside and moorland walk. Go through the village of Brentor and walk to the top of Gibbet Hill that has a grizzly history.
Merrivale and the Walkham valley
Starts from: The road by the Merrivale Inn between Tavistock and Princetown
Distance: 7 miles
Difficulty: It’s an easy walk. There is just one quite long hill but it is a disused road so quite firm under foot.
Description: A walk to explore the upper Walkham valley passing Hucken Tor and King Tor on your way out and Pew Tor and Vixen tor on your way back.
Cox Tor Circuit
Starts from: Car park on the top of Pork hill on the Tavistock to Princetown road.
Distance: 4 miles 3 if you take the short- cut back.
Difficulty: Easy moorland walk.
Description: A reasonably level moorland walk from the large car park below Cox tor. The walk takes you all around the base of the Tor returning via the Grimstone and Sortridge leat having looked down into Merrivale quarry.
Merrivale antiquities and quarries
Starts from: Four winds car park B3357 Tavistock to Princetown road.
Distance: 4.6 miles
Difficulty: Easy verging on moderate as there is a bit of moorland walking.
Description: A walk that will take you to see a stone circle a standing stone a double stone row and lots of hut circles where prehistoric man lived followed by a visit to some amazing holes in the ground. My favourite short walk.
Wistmans Wood and Devonport leat
Starts from: The quarry car park opposite the Two Bridges Hotel on the B3212 a couple of miles north east of Princetown.
Distance: 4.5 miles plus a an extra 2 miles if you go on the excursion.
Difficulty: Moderate. If there has been a lot of rain it is likely to be impossible to cross the leat and you will only be able to go as far as the wood.
Description: The walk takes you right past the wood, which you absolutely must not go into, and to the start of the Devonport Leat. You will have a near level walk along the leat and along the banks of the river Cowsic. There is an excursion to a remote standing stone called the Beardown Man but this is only possible when there is no live firing on the Merrivale range Danger Area.
Crock of Gold Cists Cairns and Cotton Grass
Starts from: Tor Royal Road Princetown on the way to Whiteworks. You could start in Princetown if you are doing the full walk.
Distance: 6 miles but a shortcut back 4.75 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate moorland walk that must be done in good weather conditions.
Description: This walk will take you out to see some prehistoric (possibly Bronze age) burial tombs known as cists returning via the Conchies road. Can be a bit boggy in places but then it wouldn’t be Dartmoor.
Hexworthy a short walk
Starts from: The Sherbeton road leading out from Hexworthy PL20 6SD.
Distance: 1.75 miles
Difficulty: Very easy
Description: A very short walk but packed full of interesting things to see like a fairy bridge a ancient cottage a tunnel and a mine with a blowing house.
Burrator View
Starts from: Lowry Cross carpark on the north eastern end of the reservoir.
Distance: About 3 miles.
Difficulty: easy stroll.
Description: An easy walk which skirts Leather Tor with no long steep hills just a couple of gates and a ladder stile which might be a bit challenging for an old dog. A lovely 3 mile evening walk to enjoy the views over Burrator reservoir.
The Dewerstone
Starts from: Cadover Bridge car park between Plympton and Yelverton.
Distance: 4.5 miles.
Difficulty: There are three short but quite steep hills on the way but generally an easy walk.
Description: On the southern edge of the Dartmoor National Park this walk is of archaeological interest both ancient and industrial as it goes through long since disused clay workings and mine and quarry workings as well as a prehistoric settlement. A lovely walk through woodland along the pipe track and back over the open moor to Cadover bridge where there is usually an ice cream van.
Drivage Bottom
Starts from: Norsworthy bridge at the eastern end of Burrator Reservoir.
Distance: 6 miles.
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate.
Description: A walk of just over 6 miles to see a Bronze age settlement a stone row a bottomless pool the beginning of a 28 mile leat built in 1793 and of course Drivage Bottom an extensive area of tin streaming all within easy reach of Burrator Reservoir.
Pixies House
Starts from: Meavy Primary School.
Distance: Just under 5 miles.
Difficulty: Mostly an easy walk perhaps moderate in places.
Description: A scenic walk of starting in Meavy and walking out to Sheeps Tor. Best time to go is in May when all the bluebells are out.
Drizzlecombe
Starts from: The “Scout hut” car park at Nattor a mile or so east of Sheapstor village not far from Burrator Reservoir.
Distance: 4.5 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate walk.
Description: On this entirely moorland walk you will pass by the house used in the War Horse Film. See some magnificent standing stones walk up the upper Plym valley and come back via a Victorian tin mine.
Double Waters A Long and short walk
Start from: The longer walk starts at the large lay-by just south of Tavistock on the A386. The short walk starts from the woodland car park at Grenofen bridge
Distance: Long walk 6.3 miles.
Short walk 3.2 miles.
Difficulty: Short is an Easy walk.
The long walk is a moderate one as you do have to walk up out of the valley.
Description: A moorland and woodland walk to Double Waters where the river Tavy meets the river Walkham. A lovely walk on the very edge of the Dartmoor National Park especially in the Autumn to see the changing colours of the oak woodland. You will see ancient moss encrusted mine workings, walk through a railway tunnel on a disused railway line and see white water rapids on the river Walkham.
Whiteworks
Starts from: Peat Cot car park high up on the moor on the Princetown to White works road.
Distance: 3.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate.
Description: A moorland walk. Whiteworks is a remote place once busy with mine workers a very long way into the moor via a road from Princetown. You are given the opportunity to cross the dreaded Fox Tor Mire said to be the bog in the Hound of the Baskervilles if you dare.
Around Burrator
Starts from: The Quarry car park on the south west approach road to the dam
Distance: About 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy walk mostly level and hardly touches a road. Uses footpaths and moorland tracks and passes a picnic bench half way around.
Description: This walk takes you all around the reservoir hardly touching the road. You will pass ancient abandoned farm buildings the Devonport Leat, a mine walk in woodland and open moor.
Meavy to Brisworthy Stone Circle
Starts from: Meavy Village green.
Distance: 5.25 miles.
Difficulty: Easy moorland walk.
Description: A walk from the village of Meavy which lies midway between Yelverton and Burrator reservoir out via the hamlet of Loveton to a magnificent restored stone circle and back via Marchants cross and the river Meavy
A visit to Brisworthy stone circle
Short Walk
Starts at: Brisworthy small quarry car park next to Ringmoor Cottage
Distance: 2.6 miles miles
Difficulty: Easy walk
Description: A short walk to see the stone circle with an option of carrying on to visit Legis Tor. An easy moorland walk with no hills or bogs.
Meavy to Burrator Reservoir
Starts from: Meavy Village Green. PL20 6PP.
Distance: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy walk with a hill at the start.
Description: A short walk to build up a thirst or just to see a very splendid view of the reservoir, visit the dam and have an ice cream.