| Dartmoor |
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| Dartmoor, on the northern border of Plymouth, is a wild, windswept wonderland beloved by Plymouth’s walkers. The south and north moors together consist of 365 square miles of moorland, interspersed with coniferous forests, ancient oak woodlands, private farms, dry-stone walls, rocky tors, gently-flowing streams, torrential rivers, remote villages, welcoming pubs, and picturesque beauty spots. It is one of 13 National Parks in England and Wales and is managed by Dartmoor National Park Authority. The Park Authority is made up of 22 members, including some from Plymouth Council. |
| Dartmoor is known to have been inhabited by Neolithic man by around 2500 BC and people could have been on the moor as early as 8000 BC. In those times, the moor was almost entirely covered in trees, particularly oak, hazel and elm. Early farmers cleared most of the forests to make space for hut circles and animal enclosures, although ancient oaks can still be found at Wistman’s Wood near Two Bridges. Climate change brought more rain, turning the cut-down vegetation into peat as it was compressed on top of the granite from which Dartmoor was formed. As more bogs were created, people moved towards the edges of the moor and it largely due to this that so many ancient relics can be found on Dartmoor today. In fact, it has more Bronze Age remains than anywhere else in Europe. |
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Almost everyone in Plymouth, even those who are only staying in the city temporarily, such as Plymouth University students, can name at least one of the many tors on Dartmoor. The Dartmoor tors each have unique names, such as Leather Tor, Haytor, and Sheeps Tor. These tors are generally, but not always, topped with granite boulders. There is an annual event known as the Ten Tors during which teenagers, usually from Plymouth schools, hike across Dartmoor in teams. The idea is not necessarily to arrive first but to show skills in navigating this tricky moorland, and many teams are just glad to arrive in one piece! |
| Plymouth weather often seems rainy, largely due to the south westerly wind bringing precipitation in from the sea, but Dartmoor itself averages 180 days of rain a year. The weather on Dartmoor can change very quickly so Plymothians and other visitors to the area need to prepare well for any excursion onto the moor. There are plenty of shops in Plymouth city centre selling strong, sensible footwear and waterproof jackets and trousers, and the prudent sightseer will avail himself of such items before heading for the hills. He will also keep an eye on the Plymouth weather forecast and those for the surrounding areas so as not to be caught by surprise. |
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Should walkers find themselves in trouble on the moor, the Dartmoor Rescue Group is at hand to provide assistance. This organisation, run entirely as a charity, was started in 1968, originally to help the police. The group consists of four local Search and Rescue Teams (SARTs), one of which is based in Plymouth. All members undertake special training, for example in navigating at night, but they are expected to have good knowledge and experience of Dartmoor. |
| Dartmoor is crisscrossed by watercourses. There are many well-known rivers wending their way across the moor heading towards the sea. Some have their source on the moor, others come from further inland. One of largest, the Plym, gives its name to the city of Plymouth. Aside from the natural watercourses, there are also numerous manmade channels, known as leats, although many of these are now dry. They were created to provide fresh water for workers and residents of Devonport, which was an expanding area for jobs in Plymouth. |
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Wildlife on Dartmoor is extensive and varied, from farm-bred sheep, to wild deer in the woods along the Teign Gorge, to the famous Dartmoor pony. Distinguished by its short height, sturdy physique, and long mane and tail hair, the Dartmoor Pony is very hardy and has a mild temperament, making it ideal as a working animal. In previous centuries, ponies were used by local miners to transport heavy loads of tin from the mines. When the tin mines ceased to operate, most of the ponies were set free on the moor.
Mining, especially for tin and copper, was a major industry on Dartmoor and provided work for many people looking for jobs in Plymouth. There are a number of disused quarries on the moor as a result of mining operations and many leats brought water to and from these mines. Wheal Emma Leat provided water for the Wheal Emma copper mine near Buckfastleigh, “wheal” being an old Celtic word for a mine. After Wheal Emma joined forces with the nearby Brockwood mine, the resultant South Devon United company brought thousands of tons of copper to the surface during the 16 years from 1861. This was no mean feat considering that the mine reached a depth of over 700 feet. |
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There is a lot of privately-owned land on Dartmoor, many of them farms. Brentmoor House was once a substantial residence on Dartmoor with an estate of around 3000 acres in its heyday in the 19th century. It was demolished in 1968 having been used as a youth hostel for some years. Now the area is a jungle of rhododendrons with just a few remnants of walls indicating where the house once stood. Within the grounds, hidden amongst the rhododendrons, stands a memorial to a little girl, Margaret Meynell. A former occupant of Brentmoor House, she died after a riding accident in 1865. |
Many paths cross Dartmoor, some of which were created centuries ago. Sandy Way was most likely a route used for driving cattle between Ashburton and Tavistock. Two Moors Way stretches right across both Dartmoor and Exmoor and beyond, as well as spanning acres of farmland in between. But the most infamous is Abbott’s Way which linked the most powerful monasteries in the area – Tavistock Abbey, Buckfast Abbey at Buckfastleigh, and Buckland Abbey at Buckland Monachorum. A series of stone crosses lines this route and legend has it that these were put in place by an early Abbot of Tavistock Abbey following the deaths of four of his monks. The monks were said to have killed a Jew and thrown him into the mire in order to steal his wealth so that they could afford more of the fine-living they had become accustomed to while the Abbot was away. The ghost of the Jew later lured them to their death in the icy bog. On his return, the Abbot assumed the monks had merely lost their way and ordered that the crosses be erected along the route so that others would not suffer the same fate.
Another legendary location is Dewerstone, also known as Devil’s Rock, from the local word “dewer”, meaning devil. This ancient rocky outcrop at the south west edge of Dartmoor has provided evidence of Bronze Age life and is also believed to be the site of an Iron Age hill fort. There are tales of Dewer haunting the moor with a pack of vicious ghostly wild dogs known as the Whist Hounds. In stormy weather, he is said to pursue innocent victims to the highest part of Dewerstone and leave them to stumble in the darkness over the cliff edge to fall 150 feet to their deaths. He also seeks out unbaptised babies and takes their souls before hurling them over the precipice. |
The area is also famous for a much more pleasant activity ... Dartmoor letterboxing. This hobby is enjoyed by many Plymothians who like fresh air and walking as part of their leisure pursuits. Involving orienteering and solving riddles, it exercises both the body and the mind. Those who are skilled at this activity can become members of the exclusive 100 Club.
The military has trained on Dartmoor since the 19th century and it retains about 31,000 acres as training grounds on the north moor to this day. There are three areas where firing of live ammunition takes place on limited days – Merrivale, Okehampton and Willsworthy – and these are clearly marked by notices on red and white posts. Notice of firing is given 6 weeks in advance and is published on local radio and in local newspapers like the Plymouth Herald. When live firing is taking place, red flags (during the day) or red lamps (at night) are displayed to warn walkers not to stray into the Range Danger Areas. |
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Most of the towns and villages on Dartmoor are situated around the edge of the moor, with the notable exception of Princetown which is right in the middle and is the site of the infamous Dartmoor prison. Some villages consist of little more than a few farm buildings while others have a shop, a church, a pub, and rows of picturesque cottages. If you are staying in accommodation in Plymouth, you could do worse than drive out to one of these villages to try the local ale. |
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