| Dartmoor National Park | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
 View down the River Meavy towards Leather Tor and Sharpitor | |
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| Location | United Kingdom (South West England) |
| Coordinates | 50°34′N4°0′W / 50.567°N 4.000°W /50.567; -4.000 |
| 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 anupland area in southernDevon,South West England. Themoorland and surrounding land has been protected byNational Park status since 1951.Dartmoor National Park covers 954 km2 (368 sq mi).[1]
Thegranite that forms the uplands dates from theCarboniferous Period of geological history. The landscape consists of moorland capped with many exposed granite hilltops known astors, providing habitats for wildlife. The highest point isHigh Willhays, 621 m (2,037 ft) above sea level. The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeologicalartefacts.
Dartmoor National Park is managed by theDartmoor National Park Authority, whose 22 members are drawn fromDevon County Council, localdistrict councils and Government. TheDartmoor Commoners' Council exists to create and enforce regulations regarding commoners' rights.
Parts of Dartmoor have been used as militaryfiring ranges for over 200 years. The public is granted extensive land access rights on Dartmoor (including restricted access to the firing ranges) and it is a popular tourist destination.
Dartmoor includes the largest area ofgranite in Britain, with about 625 km2 (241 sq mi) at the surface, though most of it is under superficialpeat deposits. The granite (or more specificallyadamellite) was intruded at depth as apluton into the surrounding sedimentary rocks during theCarboniferous period, probably about 309 million years ago.[2] It is generally accepted that the present surface is not far below the original top of the pluton; evidence for this includes partly digestedshalexenoliths, contamination of the granite and the existence of two patches of alteredsedimentary rock on top of the granite.[3]A considerablegravity anomaly is associated with the Dartmoor pluton as withother such plutons.[4] Measurement of the anomaly has helped to determine the likely shape and extent of the rock mass at depth.
Dartmoor is known for itstors – hills topped with outcrops of bedrock, which ingranite country such as this are usually rounded boulder-like formations. More than 160 of the hills of Dartmoor have the wordtor in their name but quite a number do not.[1] However, this does not appear to relate to whether or not there is an outcrop of rock on their summit. The tors are the focus of an annual event known as theTen Tors Challenge, when around 2,400 people aged between 14 and 19 walk for distances of 56, 72 or 88 km (35, 45 or 55 mi) between ten tors on many differing routes.
The highest points on Dartmoor are on the northern moor:High Willhays, 621 m (2,037 ft), (grid referenceSX 580892) andYes Tor, 619 m (2,031 ft), (grid referenceSX 581901). The highest points on the southern moor areRyder's Hill, 515 m (1,690 ft), (grid referenceSX 660690), Snowdon 495 m (1,624 ft), (grid referenceSX 668684), and an unnamed point, 493 m (1,617 ft) at (grid referenceSX 603645), between Langcombe Hill and Shell Top. The best-known tor on Dartmoor isHaytor[5] (called Hey Tor by William Crossing), 457 m (1,499 ft), (grid referenceSX 757771). For a more complete list seeList of Dartmoor tors and hills.
The high ground of Dartmoor forms thecatchment area for many of Devon's rivers. As well as shaping the landscape, these have traditionally provided a source of power for moor industries such astin mining and quarrying.
The moor takes its name from theRiver Dart, which starts as theEast Dart andWest Dart and then becomes a single river atDartmeet. It leaves the moor atBuckfastleigh, flowing throughTotnes below where it opens up into a longria, reaching the sea atDartmouth. Other rivers flowing from Dartmoor include theTeign, theTaw, theTavy, theAvon, and theLyd.
Some of the rivers in Dartmoor have been dammed to createreservoirs for drinking water, including the River Avon[6] and the South Teign River (Fernworthy Reservoir).[7]
Much more rain falls on Dartmoor than in the surrounding lowlands. As much of the national park is covered in thick layers ofpeat (decaying vegetation), the rain is usually absorbed quickly and distributed slowly, so the moor is rarely dry. In areas where water accumulates, dangerousbogs 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.Blanket bog, which forms on the highest land where the rainfall exceeds 2,000 millimetres (79 in) a year, consists mainly of cotton-grass (Eriophorum species), sedges (Carex andRhynchospora),Bog Asphodel andCommon Tormentil, withSphagnum thriving in the wettest patches. The valley bogs have lush growth ofrushes, with sphagnum,cross-leaved heath,sundews and several other species.[11]
Some of the bogs on Dartmoor have achieved notoriety.Fox Tor Mires was supposedly the inspiration for Great Grimpen Mire in Conan Doyle's novelThe Hound of the Baskervilles,[12] although there is a waymarked footpath across it.Sabine Baring-Gould, in hisBook of Dartmoor (1900) related the story of a man who was making his way through Aune Mire at the head of theRiver 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."
Dartmoor is popular with local astronomers because it is remote from many sources oflight pollution. However, in recent years,LEDstreet lights have caused more light pollution to be spread onto Dartmoor.[14]
Along with the rest ofSouth West England, Dartmoor has atemperate climate, which is generally wetter and milder than locations at similar height in the rest of England.[dubious –discuss] AtPrincetown, near the centre of the moor at a height of 453 metres (1,486 ft), January and February are the coldest months with mean minimum temperatures around 1 °C (34 °F). July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima not reaching 18 °C (64 °F). Compared withTeignmouth, which is on the coast about 22 miles (35 km) to the east, the average maximum and minimum temperatures are 3.0 °C (5.4 °F) and 2.6 °C (4.7 °F) lower respectively, andfrost is at least five times as frequent.[15] On the highest ground, in the north of the moor, thegrowing season is less than 175 days – this contrasts with some 300 days along most of the south coast of the county.[15]
Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlanticdepressions or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds and a large proportion of rainfall comes from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. The wettest months are November and December and on the highest parts of the moor the average annual total rainfall is over 2,000 millimetres (79 in). This compares with less than 800 millimetres (31 in) in the lower land to the east around theExe Estuary, which is in therain shadow of the moor. Due to the influence of theGulf Stream snowfall is not common, though due to its high altitude it is more vulnerable to snowfall than surrounding regions.[16]
Between 1961 and 1990Met Office data shows that there was an average of 20 days when snow fell on the moor, and over 40 days a year with hail, which is as high as anywhere else in the country. This results when coldpolar maritime air that has travelled over a large expanse of warmer ocean is forced to rise over high country.[16]
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).[17]
Because of Dartmoor's height and granite geology, it experiences strong winds and has acidic soils. In consequence it has been subject to very littleintensive farming, and all these factors combine to form the basis of the important ecosystems found here. The landscape is one of granite withpeat bogs overlying it. While themoors topped with granite tors are the most iconic part of Dartmoor's landscape, only about half of Dartmoor is actually moorland. Equally important for wildlife are theblanket bogs, upland heaths and the oak woodlands, which are all of global importance.[18] Dartmoor is aSpecial Area of Conservation (SAC) with four habitats (Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix;European dry heaths;Blanket bogs andOld sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum in the British Isles) being listed as primary reasons for the selection of Dartmoor as a SAC. In addition the area has a population of thesouthern damselfly, which is also a primary reason for its selection along with populations ofAtlantic salmon andotter being qualifying reasons.[19]
Wistman's Wood is one of the old sessile oak woods that contribute to the listing of Dartmoor as a SAC and is possibly a surviving fragment from the earliestNeolithic woodland clearances. It is home to exceptional epiphytic mosses, liverworts and lichens. Nearly 50 species of moss and liverwort are found in the wood along with 120 types oflichen, including Smith's horsehair lichen, speckled sea-storm lichen and pendulous wing-moss. Over 60 species of lichens grow on the exposed surfaces of the granite tors, including granite-speck rim-lichen, purple rock lichen,brown cobblestone lichen and goldspot lichen and many rare lichen grow on rocks exposed by mining that are rich inheavy metals. On the upland heaths heather (ling) andbell heather are common along withwestern gorse. In dry grassy areastormentil,heath bedstraw andheath milkwort are all common.Cross-leaved heath andpurple moor grass grow in wetter spots and in the boggy areas many different species ofsphagnum and other mosses can be found, along withliverworts,Hare's-tail Cotton-grass,round-leaved sundew andbog asphodel, and in the valley bottoms, many differentsedges,bogbean andpale butterwort all grow.[18]
A large variety of bird species can be found on Dartmoor including ones that have declined elsewhere in the UK, such asskylark andcommon snipe; some are even rare nationally, such as thering ouzel and thecuckoo. There are internationally important populations ofmeadow pipit andstonechat. Woodland birds include a number of migrant species, like thepied flycatcher, thewood warbler or thecommon redstart.[20] Mammals found here include otters, hazel dormice and nearly all of the UK's 16 bat species. Three rare species: thebarbastelle, and thegreater andlesser horseshoe bats are of particular importance.[21] The upper reaches of the rivers are spawning grounds for Salmon andtrout;Palmate newts, frogs and toads breed in the numerous small pools. Two shrimp species can be found on Dartmoor:fairy shrimp that can be found in temporary pools, and, in underground streams, very rare cave shrimp. The world's largest land slug, theAsh black, is also found. Reptiles includecommon lizards andadders.[22] The farmland in the wet valleys around the edge of the moors is the most important habitat for insects, including: themarsh fritillary butterfly, southern damselfly,narrow-bordered bee hawkmoth andbog hoverfly. Areas ofbracken are home to thehigh brown fritillary andpearl-bordered fritillary. Insects found in the heathlands include theemperor moth,green hairstreak and thebilberry bumblebee. The old oak woodlands have a distinctive group of insects including theblue ground beetle andHeckford's pygmy moth, a species found nowhere else in the world.[23]
TheSouth West Peatland Project aims to restore around 300 hectares of Dartmoor'speatland through collaboration withDartmoor National Park. Preserving these peatlands will help mitigate climate change through sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.[24] More generally, Dartmoor aims to becarbon negative by 2045.[25]
The majority of theprehistoric remains on Dartmoor date back to the lateNeolithic and earlyBronze Age. Indeed, Dartmoor contains the largest concentration of Bronze Age remains in the United Kingdom, which suggests that this was when a larger population moved onto the hills of Dartmoor. The large systems of Bronze Age fields, divided byreaves, cover an area of over 10,000 hectares (39 sq mi) of the lower moors.[26]
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, creatingpasture andswidden types of fire-fallow farmland. Areas less suited for farming tended to be burned for livestock grazing. Over the centuries these Neolithic practices greatly expanded the upland moors, and contributed to the acidification of the soil and the accumulation ofpeat andbogs.[27]
After a few thousand years, the mild climate deteriorated. This left 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 enthusiasticVictorians and, in some cases, they have placed their own interpretation on how an area may have looked.
Numerous prehistoricmenhirs (more usually referred to locally asstanding stones or longstones),stone circles,kistvaens,cairns andstone rows are to be found on the moor. The most significant sites include:
There are also an estimated 5,000hut circles still surviving although many have been raided over the centuries by the builders of the traditional dry stone walls. These are the remnants ofBronze 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 atGrimspound. It is believed that they would have had a conical roof, supported by timbers and covered in turf or thatch.
There are also numerouskistvaens, Neolithic stone box-like tombs.
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. The earliest surviving farms, still in operation today, are known as theAncient Tenements. Most of these date back to the 14th century, and some even earlier.
It was not until theearly Mediaeval period that the weather again became warmer, and settlers moved back onto the moors. Like their ancient predecessors, they used the natural granite to build their homes, preferring a style known as thelonghouse; some of theses are still inhabited today, although they have been clearly adapted[clarification needed] over the centuries. Many are now used as farm buildings, while others have been abandoned and fallen into ruin.
Some way into the moor stands the town ofPrincetown, the site ofDartmoor Prison, which was originally built by Isbell Rowe & Company, Plymouth, forprisoners of war from theNapoleonic Wars and theWar of 1812. The prison has a reputation for being escape-proof, due to both the buildings themselves and its physical location.
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 theDartmoor tin-mining industry, and farmhouses long since abandoned. SeeIndustrial archaeology of Dartmoor.
Over half of Dartmoor National Park (57.3%) is private land; theForest of Dartmoor being the major part of this, owned by theDuke of Cornwall. TheMinistry of Defence owns 14% (see below), 3.8% is owned by water companies (seeDartmoor reservoirs), 3.7% by theNational Trust, 1.8% by theForestry Commission and 1.4% by Dartmoor'snational park authority. About 37% of Dartmoor iscommon land.[28]
Dartmoor differs from some otherNational Parks in England and Wales, in that since theDartmoor Commons Act 1985[29] much of it has been designated asaccess land, which, although it remains privately owned, has no restrictions on where walkers can roam. In addition to this access land, there are about 730 km (450 mi) ofpublic rights of way on Dartmoor, and many kilometres of permitted footpaths and bridleways where the owners allow access.[30]
Because of the 1985 Act, Dartmoor was largely unaffected by theCountryside 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 landownerAlexander 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."[31] A protest against the new restrictions, led by local storyteller Martin Shaw, was held in January 2023.[32] However, on 31 July the ban was overturned by the Court of Appeal.[33]
There is a history of military usage of Dartmoor dating back to theNapoleonic Wars. Today, a large British Army training camp remains atOkehampton — also the site of an airbase during the Second World War.
TheMinistry 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 onOrdnance 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 establishedTen Tors event and the more recent Dartmoor Beast.[34]
The disusedRippon Tor Rifle Range was built to train soldiers during the Second World War, and remained in use until its closure in 1977.[35]
Throughout human history, the landscape has been exploited for industrial purposes. In recent years,[when?] controversy has surrounded the work of industrial conglomeratesImerys and Sibelco (formerly Watts Blake Bearne), who have used parts of the moor forchina clay mining. Licences were granted by theBritish Government but were recently[when?] renounced after sustained public pressure from bodies such as theDartmoor Preservation Association.[36]
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. Thenational 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 theOpen Spaces Society and theDartmoor Preservation Association. During her lifetime,Sylvia Sayer was another outspoken critic of the damage that she perceived that the army was doing to the moor.
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 areAshburton (the largest, with a population of about 3,500),Buckfastleigh,Moretonhampstead,Princetown,Yelverton,Horrabridge,South Brent,Christow, andChagford.[1]
For a full list, expand theSettlements of Dartmoor navigational box at the bottom of this page.
Dartmoor is known for its myths and legends. It is reputedly the haunt ofpixies, aheadless horseman, a mysterious pack of "spectral hounds", and a largeblack dog, among others.[39][40][41] Duringthe Great Thunderstorm of 1638, the moorland village ofWidecombe-in-the-Moor was said to have been visited by theDevil.[42][43]
Many landmarks have ancient legends andghost stories associated with them, such as the ancient burial site ofChilde's Tomb, the rock pile calledBowerman's Nose, thestone crosses that mark former mediaeval routes across the moor and the allegedly hauntedJay's Grave.[44]
A few stories have emerged in recent decades, such as the "hairy hands", that are said to attack motorists on the B3212 nearTwo Bridges;[45] and the "Beast of Dartmoor",a supposed big cat.[46]
Dartmoor has inspired a number of artists and writers, such asSir Arthur Conan Doyle inThe Hound of the Baskervilles andThe Adventure of Silver Blaze,Bertram Fletcher Robinson,[47][48][49][50]R. D. Blackmore,Eden Phillpotts,Beatrice Chase,Agatha Christie,Rosamunde Pilcher,Gilbert Adair and the ReverendSabine Baring-Gould.
In 1820, the newly formed Royal Society of Literature offered a prize for a poem on the subject of Dartmoor, this being won byFelicia Hemans.
InHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fictional 1994Quidditch World Cup final betweenIreland andBulgaria was hosted on Dartmoor.[51][52]
Dartmoor was the fictional location of aMinistry of Defence animal testing centre called 'Baskerville' in the second series of the multi-award-winningBBC dramaSherlock. The episode was titledThe Hounds of Baskerville and was first broadcast in the UK on 15 January 2012 and in the US on 20 May of that same year. The episode features a character called ‘Fletcher’, modelled upon Bertram Fletcher Robinson and played byStephen Wight.[53]
Dartmoor was the fictional location for theIO Interactive video game titledHitman 3, which was released during 2021.[54] This depiction features a local and historic mansion house.[55]
Until the early 19th century Dartmoor was not considered to be a place worth visiting: in the 1540sJohn Leland wrote in hisItinerary that "Dartmore is muche a wilde Morish and forest Ground", and even by 1789Richard Gough's opinion was that it is a "dreary mountainous tract".[56] 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.[57]
The oldest leisure pursuit on the moor ishill walking.William Crossing's definitiveGuide to Dartmoor was published in 1909, and in 1938 a plaque and letterbox in his memory were placed atDuck's Pool on the southern moor. Parts of the Abbots Way,Two Moors Way and theTempler Way are on Dartmoor.[58]
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 isgeocaching. Geocache clues make use ofGPS coordinates, whereas letterboxing clues tend to consist of grid references and compass bearings.
Whitewater kayaking andcanoeing are popular on the rivers due to the high rainfall and their high quality,[59] though for environmental reasons access is restricted to the winter months.[60] TheRiver Dart is the most prominent meeting place, the section known asthe Loop being particularly popular. Other white water rivers are theErme,Tavy,Plym andMeavy.
Other activities arerock climbing on the granite tors and outcrops, some of the well-known venues beingHaytor,Hound Tor and The Dewerstone;[61] horse riding, which can be undertaken on any of thecommon land;[62] cycling (but not on open moorland);[63] and angling for wildbrown trout,sea trout andsalmon (although much of the river fishing on Dartmoor is privately owned, permits are available for some stretches[64]).
The park's main visitor centre is located inPrincetown and features exhibits about Dartmoor's history, culture and wildlife, as well as changing displays of local art. The visitor centres located inPostbridge andHaytor feature information, maps, guidebooks and items for exploring the area.
Dartmoor is served by the following bus services:
Other bus services operate in Dartmoor on a less frequent basis.[66]
GWR operate direct trains from Exeter to Okehampton.
Notes
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