Dartmoor: granite tors and clapper bridges

Route description

From Exeter take the A38 south-west and leave at the Drumbridges junction for Bovey Tracey, then climb the B3387 onto the moor. Haytor Rocks rise above two roadside car parks, the lower one with a national park visitor centre, about 40 minutes from Exeter. Once on open moorland, the speed limit is 40 mph, and ponies, sheep and cattle wander onto the road, so drive slowly, especially at dusk.

Hound Tor is a few minutes north on the lane towards Manaton, with a small car park below the rocks and the ruins of a medieval village beyond them. Drop down to Widecombe-in-the-Moor, whose tall church tower is known as the Cathedral of the Moor. The lanes around Widecombe are steep and narrow between high banks; larger motorhomes are better off on the B roads.

From Widecombe a lane climbs south-west to join the B3357 at Dartmeet, where the East and West Dart rivers meet below wooded slopes. Follow the B3357 west to Two Bridges and turn north on the B3212 for Postbridge, where the medieval clapper bridge of granite slabs sits beside the road bridge. The national park visitor point next to it has maps and walk leaflets.

Return to Two Bridges and continue to Princetown, the highest town on the moor, dominated by the granite walls of Dartmoor Prison. Rejoin the B3357 at Rundlestone, which crosses the open western moor with wide views before descending to Tavistock, a market town with a pannier market. The whole route is only about 80 km, so you can spend most of the day walking.