Visiting Dartmoor national park

[seekingsolace2]

Hi everyone, looking for suggestions for things to do around Dartmoor national park. Hubby and I planning a trip around Christmas time staying in central Devon..it's just us, we enjoy hiking, taking long walks, eating out and museums, etc. don't know how feasible hiking would be due to the cold? But still open to any suggestions. Thanks in advance!

Watch out for the hairy ghost hand 😁

I was up on Dartmoor just two weeks ago! I love about 30 minutes away. Anything you want to see in particular? Highland cows, ponies? The jail? Some of the Tors (rock formations) ?
I recommend a visit to Chagford village- very lovely and has nice cafe and walks around it
Also Fingle Bridge- lovely walks around it and right next to a pub!
Not sure if you are interested in seeing any of the tors? Will depend on how the weather is- just wrap up warm and you should be fine. Once you get right up onto the moors you can just drive around and park in one of the lay-bys and walk around (although don’t stray too far/get a map). Anything else you want to know?

@UpturnedUmbrella

I was up on Dartmoor just two weeks ago! I love about 30 minutes away. Anything you want to see in particular? Highland cows, ponies? The jail? Some of the Tors (rock formations) ? I recommend a visit to Chagford village- very lovely and has nice cafe and walks around it Also Fingle Bridge- lovely walks around it and right next to a pub! Not sure if you are interested in seeing any of the tors? Will depend on how the weather is- just wrap up warm and you should be fine. Once you get right up onto the moors you can just drive around and park in one of the lay-bys and walk around (although don’t stray too far/get a map). Anything else you want to know?

Oh that's lovely, thanks so much for your suggestions!! Yes we would like to see the tors, I'm not sure which ones are worth it with the views as there seem to be many, which would you recommend? and we love village walks so will definitely check Chagford out! Actually also like seeing alpacas, cows and ponies..my husband also enjoys horse riding once in a while. I feel like the weather could hinder us from doing lots of activities that we usually do but yes wrapping up warm would definitely help..A friend recommended cream teas..I've never had one, any particular places you would recommend for it?

@FAQs

Watch out for the hairy ghost hand 😁

Ah yes heard lots about that one 😄

www.treasuretrails.co.uk/products/things-to-do-dartmoor-devon

Highly recommend this treasure trail. We did it in the summer and it was a great way to see lots of Dartmoor. We did it very slowly over two days, stopping at cafes, view points and shops

Lydford Gorge waterfall trail www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lydford-gorge/trails/lydford-gorge-waterfall-trail
Castle Drogo and Teign Gorge www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo/trails/teign-gorge-classic-circuit

It’s difficult to say which Tors are worth it (I haven’t visited nearly enough of them) but as far as I’m aware they all have amazing views no matter which one you go to I can’t imagine they would differ that much to be honest- the Dartmoor website is very useful in my opinion to decide where to go. visitdartmoor.co.uk/things-to-do/moors-tors Cream teas are basically available all over the place- National trust ones are nice although to be honest they are sold in so many places it shouldn’t be difficult to find them.

I lived on Dartmoor as a child and am deeply envious of your visit. For tors, I'd say Hound Tor...a dog lying down. Sheep Tor is full of little rocks, which look like sheep in the distance, but it can be a bit hard going dodging the outcrops constantly. Haytor is the big rock with climbing as well as scrambling to the top. Further out, you might like Dartmeet or Becky Falls.

Seconding Chagford and a lot of the villages are lovely. Widdecombe is probably the one of the best known in the heart of the moor, and has a spooky tale of a horse lost on the Moor going to Widdecombe Fair. Then you've got isolated Princetown with the prison, and pretty Buckland in the Moor and Buckfast Abbey.

Have a brilliant time.

Really appreciate all these suggestions, will check them out right away! Thank you all :)