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| Dartmoor Dartmoor dominates Devon in the Southwest of England, (see maps below) it covers over 368 square miles (954sq km), just North East of Plymouth and just West of Exeter. The largest, and wildest, area of open country in Southern England. Over half of this is open moorland, with a further 11% covered by forests and woodlands. Dartmoor National Park became a National Park in 1951. The upland area of Dartmoor is wide and boggy, broken by dramatic and rocky windswept Tors. The river Dart rolls through the moor, effectively slicing it in two. The edges of Dartmoor have a gentler aspect with wooded valleys and streams, ancient bridges, winding lanes, farmhouses and farmland. Every age of man has left some impression on the Moor. It is an area that offers so many interests for the prospective visitor to discover during all seasons of the year. Dartmoor isn't just wild, it's special too. There are nature reserves and sites of Special Scientific Interest, endangered birds and rare plants, and thousands of archaeological sites, including burial chambers, stone circles and menhirs - more than anywhere else in Europe. A lot has happened on the prehistoric moors in its time: dinosaurs once roamed its vast expanses, and giant redwoods grew majestically. Then, there were the years of turbulence - of volcanoes, earthquakes and ice-ages, and we know that Dartmoor has been beneath the sea - not once but twice - and possibly on even more occasions. Since prehistoric times Dartmoor has been a place of settled and industrial activity. There is abundant evidence of Bronze and Iron Age settlers littered across the landscape of the High Moor.
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| Dartmoor is underlain by the largest and highest of the granite batholiths which extend down the spine of southwest England. When the Dartmoor Granite was formed by igneous intrusion 280 million years ago, the great heat and pressure resulted in the development of a surrounding aureole of metamorphosed country rocks and the formation of tin and copper-bearing deposits. Some of the granite has been altered to china clay, particularly in the south-west. The tors, clitter slopes, boulder runs and solifluction deposits of the high moor were formed mainly by periglacial action. Several square miles of the moor above 450 metres AOD are covered by hill peat, dissected by stream valleys. Many of Devon's rivers radiate from the high moor and, as they descend, flow through deep-cut valleys.
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| The Saxons used Dartmoor as an administrative centre, with kings such as Harold, Ethelred and Edward all using the North Dartmoor as a location for their royal mint. Following the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror met Saxon resistance in the West Country and was forced to establish numerous castles to defend their new Manors. Okehampton Castle is a prime example, standing on a prominent position commanding access through the West Okement approaches on the main route around the North of Dartmoor.
The granite rock is a wealth of natural resources. Miners extracted lodes of Tin, Copper, Arsenic, Lead, Zinc, Silver and Iron by digging tunnels and latterly shafts. Records show that Tin mining was well established on Dartmoor prior to 1200 AD. The Victorians developed a significant quarry to the West of Okehampton, where the Meldon Viaduct stands an example of Victorian engineering which is now a scheduled ancient monument. Climate change drove the early settlers off the moors, leaving the landscape primarily to pasture. The damp rugged vales and dry granite topped Tors have a historic beauty, largely unspoilt and awaiting the anxious adventurer. |
Places of Interest - Dartmoor Landmarks
Rambler's Guide - Dartmoor Walks
Dartmoor Tors - Get to know the tors and their names
Moorland Photos - Images of Dartmoor
Blizzard on the Moors - Photos of Princetown in the snow story of February 2009
Visiting Dartmoor - What to do & where to go, when visiting Dartmoor
Accomodation - Hotels, Gusethouses, B&B, Caravans and Campsites
Local Produce - Where to fined the finest Dartmoor products
Dining on the Moors - Hungry? Where to go for a quick bite or a nice quite meal
Having a Night Out - Where and what is available at night, where to go for a drink or to party!
Attractions - Have a great day out, lots to do, go and see, where to take the kids for the most fun
Tours and Groups - Many tour operators offer great day out tours of Dartmoor
Getting Around - Local Dartmoor maps.
Towns and Villages within Moorlander's boundaries
