Dartmoor
Dartmoor National Park | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Location | United Kingdom (South West England) |
Coordinates | 50°34′N 4°0′W / 50.567°N 4.000°W |
Area | 954 km2 (368 sq mi) |
Established | 1951 |
Visitors | 10.98m |
Governing body | Dartmoor National Park Authority |
Website | www |
UK National Parks |
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Parentheses denotes the year. An area with ‡ has similar status to a UK National Park. Areas marked † are proposed. |
Dartmoor is an
The granite which forms the uplands dates from the Carboniferous Period of geological history. The landscape consists of moorland capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for wildlife. The highest point is High Willhays, 621 m (2,037 ft) above sea level. The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeological artefacts.
Dartmoor National Park is managed by the Dartmoor National Park Authority, whose 22 members are drawn from Devon County Council, local district councils and Government.
Physical geography
Geology
Dartmoor includes the largest area of
Tors
Dartmoor is known for its
The highest points on Dartmoor are on the northern moor: High Willhays, 621 m (2,037 ft), (grid reference SX 580892) and Yes Tor, 619 m (2,031 ft), (grid reference SX 581901) The highest points on the southern moor are Ryder's Hill, 515 m (1,690 ft), (grid reference SX 660690), Snowdon 495 m (1,624 ft), (grid reference SX 668684), and an unnamed point, 493 m (1,617 ft) at (grid reference SX 603645), between Langcombe Hill and Shell Top. The best-known tor on Dartmoor is Haytor[5] (called Hey Tor by William Crossing), 457 m (1,499 ft), (grid reference SX 757771). For a more complete list see List of Dartmoor tors and hills.
Rivers
The high ground of Dartmoor forms the
The moor takes its name from the River Dart, which starts as the East Dart and West Dart and then becomes a single river at Dartmeet. It leaves the moor at Buckfastleigh, flowing through Totnes below where it opens up into a long ria, reaching the sea at Dartmouth. Other rivers flowing from Dartmoor include the Teign, the Taw, the Tavy, the Avon, and the Lyd.
Some of the rivers in Dartmoor have been dammed to create
Bogs
Much more rain falls on Dartmoor than in the surrounding lowlands. As much of the national park is covered in thick layers of peat (decaying vegetation), the rain is usually absorbed quickly and distributed slowly, so the moor is rarely dry. In areas where water accumulates, dangerous bogs or mires can result. Some of these, topped with bright green moss, are known to locals as "feather beds" or "quakers", because they can shift (or 'quake') beneath a person's feet. Quakers result from sphagnum moss growing over the water that accumulates in the hollows in the granite.[8][9][10]
The vegetation of the bogs depends on the type and location.
Some of the bogs on Dartmoor have achieved notoriety. Fox Tor Mires was supposedly the inspiration for Great Grimpen Mire in Conan Doyle's novel The Hound of the Baskervilles,[12] although there is a waymarked footpath across it. Sabine Baring-Gould, in his Book of Dartmoor (1900) related the story of a man who was making his way through Aune Mire at the head of the River Avon when he came upon a top-hat brim down on the surface of the mire. He kicked it, whereupon a voice called out: "What be you a-doin' to my 'at?" The man replied, "Be there now a chap under'n?" "Ees, I reckon," was the reply, "and a hoss under me likewise."[13]
Climate
Along with the rest of
Between 1961 and 1990
When average temperatures at Princetown between 1961 and 2000 are compared, the average annual temperature in the decade 1990–2000 was up by 0.2 °C (0.4 °F) and the late winter temperature increased by 0.5 °C (0.9 °F).[16]
Wildlife
Because of Dartmoor's height and granite geology, it experiences strong winds and has acidic soils. In consequence it has been subject to very little
A large variety of bird species can be found on Dartmoor including ones that have declined elsewhere in the UK, such as
Restoration and climate change mitigation
The South West Peatland Project aims to restore around 300 hectares of Dartmoor's
History
Pre-history
The majority of the
The climate at the time was warmer than today, and much of today's moorland was covered with trees. The prehistoric settlers began clearing the forest, and established the first farming communities. Fire was the main method of clearing land, creating
After a few thousand years the mild climate deteriorated leaving these areas uninhabited and consequently relatively undisturbed to the present day. The highly acidic soil has ensured that no organic remains have survived, but the durability of the granite has meant that the remains of buildings, enclosures and monuments have survived well, as have flint tools. A number of remains were "restored" by enthusiastic Victorians and, in some cases, they have placed their own interpretation on how an area may have looked.
Standing stones
Numerous prehistoric
are to be found on the moor. The most significant sites include:- Upper Erme stone row is the longest on Dartmoor and in fact in the world at 3,300 m (10,800 ft)
- Beardown Man, near Devil's Tor – isolated standing stone 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) high, said to have another 1 m (3 ft 3 in) below ground. grid reference SX596796
- Challacombe, near the prehistoric settlement of Grimspound — triple stone row. grid reference SX689807
- Drizzlecombe, east of Sheepstor village – stone rows, standing stones, kistvaens and cairns. grid reference SX591669
- Postbridge — double circle, aligned almost exactly north south. grid reference SX638831
- Laughter Tor, near Two Bridges — standing stone 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) high and two double stone rows, one 164 m (538 ft) long. grid reference SX652753
- Tavistock — includes a double stone row 182 m (597 ft) long, 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in) wide, aligned almost exactly east–west, stone circles and a kistvaen. grid reference SX554747
- Scorhill (pronounced 'Scorill'), west of Chagford — circle, 26.8 m (88 ft) in circumference, and stone rows. grid reference SX654873
- Fernworthy reservoir — double stone row approximately 120 m (390 ft) long. grid reference SX660859
- Yellowmead Down, a quadruple concentric stone circle and stone rows.
Hut circles and kistvaens
There are also an estimated 5,000 hut circles still surviving although many have been raided over the centuries by the builders of the traditional dry stone walls. These are the remnants of Bronze Age houses. The smallest are around 1.8 m (6 ft) in diameter, and the largest may be up to five times this size.
Some have L-shaped porches to protect against wind and rain; some particularly good examples are to be found at Grimspound. It is believed that they would have had a conical roof, supported by timbers and covered in turf or thatch.
There are also numerous kistvaens, Neolithic stone box-like tombs.
The historical period
The climate became wetter and cooler over the course of a thousand years from around 1000 BC, resulting in much of high Dartmoor being largely abandoned by its early inhabitants.
It was not until the
The earliest surviving farms, still in operation today, are known as the Ancient Tenements. Most of these date back to the 14th century, and some even earlier.
Some way into the moor stands the town of
The Dartmoor landscape is scattered with the marks left by the many generations who have lived and worked there over the centuries – such as the remains of the
Ownership and access
Over half of Dartmoor National Park (57.3%) is private land; the
Dartmoor differs from some other
Because of the 1985 Act, Dartmoor was largely unaffected by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which established similar rights in other rural parts of the country, until 2006, when the 2000 Act opened up much of the remaining restricted land to walkers.
In January 2023, in a high court judgement in a case brought by landowner Alexander Darwall, the right for members of the public to wild camp on Dartmoor was lost. Julian Flaux, the chancellor of the high court, ruled: "In my judgment, on the first issue set out at [14] above, the claimants are entitled to the declaration they seek that, on its true construction, section 10(1) of the 1985 Act does not confer on the public any right to pitch tents or otherwise make camp overnight on Dartmoor Commons. Any such camping requires the consent of the landowner."[30] A protest against the new restrictions, led by local storyteller Martin Shaw, was held in January 2023.[31] However on July 31 the ban was overturned by the Court of Appeal.[32]
Use by the Ministry of Defence
There is a history of military usage of Dartmoor dating back to the Napoleonic Wars. Today, a large British Army training camp remains at Okehampton — also the site of an airbase during the Second World War.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) uses three areas of the northern moor for manoeuvres and live-firing exercises, totalling 108.71 km2 (41.97 sq mi),[1] or just over 11% of the National Park. Red and white posts mark the boundaries of these military areas (shown on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale maps). Flagpoles on many tors in and around the ranges fly red flags when firing is taking place. At other times, members of the public are allowed access. Blank rounds may also be used, but the MoD does not notify the public of this in advance.
Some "challenge" and charitable events take place with assistance of the military on Dartmoor, including the long established Ten Tors event and the more recent Dartmoor Beast.[33]
The disused Rippon Tor Rifle Range was built to train soldiers during the Second World War, and remained in use until its closure in 1977.[34]
Preservation
Throughout human history, the landscape has been exploited for industrial purposes. In recent years,[
The British government has made promises to protect the integrity of the moor; however, the cost of compensating companies for these licences, which may not have been granted in today's political climate, could prove prohibitive.
The military use of the moor has been another source of controversy, as when training was extended in January 2003. The national park authority received 1,700 objections before making the decision. Objectors said that Dartmoor should be an area for recreation, and that the training disturbs the peace.
Those who objected included the Open Spaces Society and the Dartmoor Preservation Association. During her lifetime, Sylvia Sayer was another outspoken critic of the damage which she perceived that the army was doing to the moor.
Towns and villages
The designated Dartmoor National Park area has a resident population of about 33,000,[1] which swells considerably during holiday periods with incoming tourists. The largest settlements within the National Park are Ashburton (the largest, with a population of about 3,500), Buckfastleigh, Moretonhampstead, Princetown, Yelverton, Horrabridge, South Brent, Christow, and Chagford.[1]
For a full list, expand the Settlements of Dartmoor navigational box at the bottom of this page.
Landmarks
- Avon Dam Reservoir– reservoir popular for walks and trout fishing
- Bowerman's Nose – a tor said to be shaped like a nose
- Brentor Church – remote church 344 m (1,129 ft) high on crag at western edge of moor[36]
- Buckfast Abbey – abbey near Buckfastleigh
- Burrator Reservoir– late Victorian reservoir
- Canonteign Falls – second highest waterfall in England
- Castle Drogo – Edwardian faux castle built by Edwin Lutyens on a crag above Teign Gorge, Drewsteignton
- Childe's Tomb– ancient burial site
- Cosdon Hill – prominent hill, northern extremity of moor, site of beacon fire for invasion warning
- Cranmere Pool – original letterbox site and location of the legend of Cranmere Binjie
- Crazywell Pool – artificial lake
- Dartmeet – meeting point of East and West Dart rivers
- Dartmoor Prison – a prison in the middle of Dartmoor at the village of Princetown
- Devonport Leat – human-made water channel
- Duck's Pool – location of a memorial to local writer William Crossing
- Fernworthy Dam & Reservoir – granite-faced concrete dam and lake in Fernworthy Forest, near Chagford
- Teignnear Chagford
- Great Links Tor – dominant tor on north west scarp of moor
- Grey Wethers – pair of ancient stone circles
- Grimspound – Bronze Age settlement
- Haytor Granite Tramway – early tramway with stone rails; ran from quarries at Haytor to Stover Canal
- Haytor Rock – prominent tor and viewpoint between Bovey Tracey and Widecombe
- Hay Tor – less prominent outcrop behind Haytor Rock when viewed from the south. Popular spot for rock climbing due to its large cliff face and relative ease of access.
- High Willhays – highest point on Dartmoor
- Hound Tor – rugged tor with remains of Iron Age village
- Jay's Grave – burial site
- Lydford Gorge– deep and narrow gorge with waterfalls
- Meldon Viaduct and reservoir – 201 m (659 ft) wide and 45 m (148 ft) high concrete dam and Victorian iron bridge which itself is 165 m (541 ft) wide and 46 m (151 ft) high[37]
- North Hessary Tor transmitting station – a TV mast near Princetown which can be seen for many miles.
- Rippon Tor Rifle Range – disused rifle range
- Redlake Tramway – disused railway
- River Webburn joins the River Dart
- Tavistock Canal – 19th-century canal
- Two Bridges – 18th-century coaching inn
- Warren House Inn – highest inn in south west England, rumoured to have a fire which has not gone out in hundreds of years.
- Widecombe in the moor, village in a valley in southern Dartmoor with a church rumoured to have been struck by lightning in medieval times.
- Wistman's Wood – copse of stunted oaks in the valley of the West Dart near Two Bridges
- Yes Tor – tor next to High Willhays, forming the second highest hill in Dartmoor.
In myths and popular culture
Dartmoor is known for its myths and legends. It is reputedly the haunt of
Many landmarks have ancient legends and
A few stories have emerged in recent decades, such as the "
Dartmoor has inspired a number of artists and writers, such as
In 1820, the newly formed Royal Society of Literature offered a prize for a poem on the subject of Dartmoor, this being won by Felicia Hemans.
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fictional 1994 Quidditch World Cup final between Ireland and Bulgaria was hosted on the moor.
Dartmoor was the fictional location of a Ministry of Defence animal testing centre called "Baskerville" in the BBC drama Sherlock season two episode "The Hounds of Baskerville", first broadcast in the UK on 15 January 2012, and in the US on 20 May of that year.
Leisure activities
Until the early 19th century Dartmoor was not considered to be a place worth visiting: in the 1540s John Leland wrote in his Itinerary that "Dartmore is muche a wilde Morish and forest Ground", and even by 1789 Richard Gough's opinion was that it is a "dreary mountainous tract".[40] At the turn of the 19th century John Swete was one of the first people to visit Dartmoor for pleasure and his journals and watercolour paintings now provide a valuable historical resource.[41]
The oldest leisure pursuit on the moor is
Letterboxing originated on Dartmoor in the 19th century and has become increasingly popular in recent decades. Watertight containers, or 'letterboxes', are hidden throughout the moor, each containing a visitor's book and a rubber stamp. Visitors take an impression of the letterbox's rubber stamp as proof of finding the box and record their visit by stamping their own personal stamp in the letterbox's logbook. A recent related development is geocaching. Geocache clues make use of GPS coordinates, whereas letterboxing clues tend to consist of grid references and compass bearings.
Whitewater kayaking and canoeing are popular on the rivers due to the high rainfall and their high quality,[43] though for environmental reasons access is restricted to the winter months.[44] The River Dart is the most prominent meeting place, the section known as the Loop being particularly popular. Other white water rivers are the Erme, Tavy, Plym and Meavy.
Other activities are rock climbing on the granite tors and outcrops, some of the well-known venues being Haytor, Hound Tor and The Dewerstone;[45] horse riding, which can be undertaken on any of the common land;[46] cycling (but not on open moorland);[47] and angling for wild brown trout, sea trout and salmon—although much of the river fishing on Dartmoor is privately owned, permits are available for some stretches.[48]
Visitor centres
The park's main visitor centre is located in Princetown and features exhibits about Dartmoor's history, culture and wildlife, as well as changing displays of local art. The visitor centres located in Postbridge and Haytor feature information, maps, guidebooks and items for exploring the area.
Transport
Bus
Dartmoor is served by the following bus services:
- 359 Moretonhampstead – Exeter (Country bus)[49]
- 271 Newton Abbot – Bovey Tracey – Widecombe (Summer Saturdays only) (Country bus)[49]
- 173 Moretonhampstead – Chagford – Exeter (Dartline)
- 178 Newton Abbot – Bovey Tracey – M'tonhampstead – Chagford – Okehampton (Country bus)[49]
- 98 Tavistock – Princetown – Postbridge (Oakleys)
Other bus services operate in Dartmoor on a less frequent basis.[50]
GWR operate direct trains from Exeter to Okehampton.
See also
- Dartmoor Discovery, ultramarathon race
- long-distance footpath
- Museum of Dartmoor Life
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d e "General Information Factsheet". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ Durrance & Laming 1982, pp.86, 101
- ^ Durrance & Laming 1982, p. 88
- ^ British Geological Survey 1997, Gravity Anomaly Map of Britain, Ireland and Adjacent Areas, Smith & Edwards 1:500k
- ISBN 9781841625522.
- ^ "Avon Dam, Devon". South West Lakes Trust. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
- ^ Gearing, David. "Source Area". The Teign Catchment. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
- ISBN 0-903849-19-4
- ^ Sandles, Tim. "The Bogs & Mires of Dartmoor". Legendary Dartmoor. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ Crossing, W, Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor 1912 edition, published by Western Morning News Co. Ltd.
- ISBN 0-7153-5041-2.
- ^ Sandles, Tim. "Dartmoor's Notorious Fox Tor Mires". Legendary Dartmoor. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- ^ Milton 2006, p. 2
- ^ a b Webb 2006, p. 30
- ^ a b Webb 2006, p. 31
- ^ Webb 2006, pp. 32–33
- ^ a b "Dartmoor IPA". Plantlife. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
- ^ "Dartmoor – Special Area of Conservation". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
- ^ "Birds". Dartmoor National Park. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
- ^ "Mammals". Dartmoor National Park. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
- ^ "Other animals". Dartmoor National Park. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
- ^ "Insects". Dartmoor National Park. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
- ^ "South West Peatland Restoration – Devon Climate Emergency". devonclimateemergency.org.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ "Climate Action | Dartmoor". www.dartmoor.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ "Prehistoric Dartmoor". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 1 December 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ISBN 0-295-97596-2
- ^ "Dartmoor Commons" (PDF). Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2008.
- ^ Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 on the OPSI website
- ^ "Public Rights of Way". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 11 September 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2009.
- ^ Horton, Helena (13 January 2023). "Right to wild camp in England lost in Dartmoor court case". Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
- FT.com.
- ^ Mathers, Matt; Gregory, Andy. "Dartmoor wild camping ban lifted as campaigners win battle against wealthy landowners". www.theindependent.co.uk. The Independent. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Summary | Ten Tors". Tentors.org.uk.
- ^ "Heritage Gateway – Results". Heritagegateway.org.uk.
- ^ Hedges, Mike (2004). "The 7th Dartmoor Society Debate: How Important is China Clay to Dartmoor?". The Dartmoor Society. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^ "ViaMichelin Travel. Panorama – Great Britain: The Michelin Green Guide". Viamichelin.com. 3 April 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ "Information Sheet 3A: Introduction to the Industrial Archaeology of the Meldon area" (PDF). Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Sandles, Tim. "The Hairy Hands". Legendary Dartmoor. Archived from the original on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
- ^ Sandles, Tim. "The Legendary Beast of Dartmoor". Legendary Dartmoor. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
- ^ Milton 2006, pp. 19–20
- ^ Milton 2006, p. 36
- ^ "Walking For All". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 18 April 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ "South West England". UK Rivers Guidebook. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ "Canoeing". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 23 June 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ "Climbing". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 14 July 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
- ^ "Horse Riding". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ "Cycling on road and off-road". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ "Other Activities". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
- ^ a b c "Timetables – Country Bus Devon". Countrybusdevon.co.uk.
- ^ "Traveline SW - Welcome". Travelinesw.com. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
Bibliography
- Crossing, William Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, the 1912 edition reprinted with new introd. by Brian Le Messurier. Dawlish: David & Charles, 1965.
- Durrance, E. M.; Laming, D. J. (1982). The Geology of Devon. University of Exeter. ISBN 0-85989-247-6.
- Kelly, Matthew (2015). Quartz and Feldspar. Dartmoor: A British Landscape in Modern Times. London: Jonathan Cape / Vintage. ISBN 9781409029793.
- Milton, Patricia (2006). The Discovery of Dartmoor, a Wild and Wondrous Region. Chichester: Phillimore. ISBN 1-86077-401-6.
- Webb, Bruce (2006). "The Environmental Setting of Human Occupation". In Roger Kain (ed.). England's Landscape: The South West. London: Collins. pp. 30–33. ISBN 0-00-715572-7.
- Worth, R. N. (1967). Spooner, G. M.; ISBN 0715351486.
External links
- Dartmoor National Park Authority Archived 2 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Dartmoor at Curlie