Dartmoor: England's Last Great Wilderness
Given National Park status in 1951, Dartmoor sits in the south of county Devon, southwest England, and covers an area of 365 square miles. Almost half the park is swampland, a haven for wildlife and those wishing to escape the rigours of city life.
Dartmoor Forest, owned by the Duchy of Cornwall since 1307, is a former royal hunting ground and makes up the vast majority of the region. The grass and heather moors are littered with hefty granite boulders scattered amongst the rolling hills. Wild ponies graze among the barren hills; despite running wild, all have human owners and are gathered annually each autumn.
Approximately 10% of the moor is woodland, much of it running along the tranquil river valleys. Stone circles and burial chambers are testament to Dartmoor's historic and enigmatic past. Indeed, Dartmoor is famous not only for its beautiful landscapes. It was within the little village of Grimspound that Sherlock Holmes found himself investigating the hound of the Baskervilles.
Dartmoor was one of Europe's biggest tin mining areas back in the 12th century. The stone built homes of the miners can still be found along many of the regions streams and rivers.
Abbot's Way runs across the southern part of the moor, racing across wild country and moorland bogs. The region is thought to be named after the abbots who are thought to have used this path when travelling between Buckland Abbey and Buckfast Abbey. Man's presence over the ages is evident in this barren land. Hut circles dating back to the Bronze and Iron ages remain today.
South of Abbots Way sits Harford Moor. The Middle Ages drew tin miners from far and wide seeking riches below the surface. Today visitors are drawn by the vast wilderness and wildlife. A medieval cross adorns Harford Church, one of many in the area which once served as signposts for those travelling across the moors.
Becky Falls Woodland Park first opened to the public in 1903. Some of the most enjoyable walks in England's southwest can be had here amongst the delightful waterfalls and huge granite.
To the west is Upper Plym Valley and a beautiful array of plants and wildlife. The tracks in these parts are somewhat easier to navigate than many others in the moors and provide much of interest along the way. The spectacular moorland scenery is interspersed with abandoned tin mines dating back over a century and various prehistoric relics including stone and hut circles.
(ArticlesBase SC #17336)
Article Tags:
dartmoor
,dartmoor prison
,exmoor pony
,exmoor trim
,exmoor hotels
,dartmoor hotels
,dartmoor inn
The Grand Hotel Bombing in Brighton England
Learn about the Grand Hotel Bombing in Brighton England (03:12)
Travel to London, England
A celebrity chef restaurant, a hip music bar, an historic market, a former bank turned hotel, and of course a tres fashionable dance club - that and more in this whirl-wind tour through the exciting, royal city of London. (07:35)
The English Country Wedding
Wedding Venues: If you’re looking for the perfect place to spend your hen weekend, or to tie the knot, check out the Alexander House Hotel in southern England. It offers a contrasting experience of 17th century living and modern facilities. (04:58)
If you've been trying to get a job on a cruise ship for any length of time, this article contains a short, inspiring message that also contains a valuable lesson. Read this article to learn more
Do you want to know how to select the best conference venue out of all the Birmingham conference venues available? There are a number of steps you need to take during the conference venue comparison process.
Carp fishing is becoming very popular and a valuable industry is growing up around it. This includes an illegal market for the fish. This article explains how rustlers are targeting monster carp and how some unscrupulous fishery owners will turn a blind eye when it comes to buying fish.
South Africa’s tourism industry has undergone a complete transformation over the past two decades, developing into one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. With competition heating up between market players, the standard of hotel rooms has improved drastically and now complies with international benchmarks.
Saving cash on holiday has never been easier with these tips from a seasoned traveller.
Do you need answers to any cruise ship employment questions? In this article we answer the questions that are most commonly asked about cruise ship employment. Read this article to find out more.
Nothing will make your trip to South Africa more memorable than booking into one of our luxury hotels, offering world-class service in some of the most beautiful settings on the planet.
If the walls of Heathrow Airport could talk they would have many a story to tell. Heathrow airport has been in the news this week in some celebrity related stories. Popstar Cheryl Cole was spotted coming out of the airport with suspiciously larger lips than when she left. The X...
Jose Mourinho these days is a man under pressure. Following two fruitless years in Europe the Chelsea boss knows it is the Champions League that club owner Roman Abramovich craves the most.
Steven Gerrard came within a whisker of scoring the crucial winning goal for Liverpool in this opening Champions League group stage clash.
Arsenal were forced to come from behind to earn a draw for the second home game in succession after a gritty Middlesbrough performance secured a point at the Emirates stadium.
Champions Chelsea bounced back to winning ways but it was a hard fought victory against a plucky Blackburn side that mirror the fighting spirit of their manager Mark Hughes.
Aston Villa's renaissance under the guidance of Martin O'Neill continued at Villa Park as the home team put Newcastle to the sword. New owner Randy Lerner made his first appearance in the directors' box sat next to outgoing chairman Doug Ellis.
Steve McClaren's one hundred percent record as boss continued as England ground out a rather uninspiring victory in Macedonia. The long legs of Peter Crouch were enough to send England home happy with all three points and top spot in Group E.
Located at the heart of Lake District National Park, Lake Windermere is England's largest expanse of freshwater. It is also the perfect place to welcome in a new day during the warm summer months.
In 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip sailed his ship into Sydney Cove and one of the great cities of the world was born.
1