Bleak and windswept, foggy and damp, bright and crisp – Dartmoor’s notoriously fickle weather can bring all four seasons in one day. At more than 368 square miles, Dartmoor National Park is the largest and wildest area of open country in the south of England, with ancient woodland, high granite tors and vast tracts of rolling moorland. Visit in spring to see lambs gambolling and hedgerows full of wild flowers, while summer invites lazy days picnicking and swimming in cool, clear rivers. In autumn, heather carpets the hills in a thick, purple bristle. Wintry walks over open moorland blow away the cobwebs, with a pint of ale by the fire in a snug pub as a reward.
A word of warning: driving around the moor’s narrow lanes and tight bends is not for the faint-hearted. Bad signage and high hedges make navigation tricky, while tractors, stray sheep, cyclists and free-range children call for slow speeds and fast reactions.
Best walk: Castle Drogo to Fingle Gorge
This two-hour round trip takes you past a dramatic castle and through an oak-lined gorge to an ancient stone bridge and traditional pub – classic Dartmoor sights.
The hike along the River Teign starts at Castle Drogo, a Lutyens-designed fortress completed in 1930 and the last great castle to be built in England. From here the routes to Fingle Gorge are clearly signed. Walk one way along Hunter’s Path, with views down the river valley, the other along the lower, Fisherman’s Path, which traces the spectacular wooded riverbank where kingfishers and woodpeckers dart between shaded pools, and trout, salmon and otters flourish in the clear water.
The small, rocky beaches are perfect for picnics and – in warmer weather – toe-dipping. Look out for glimpses of Prestonbury Castle Iron Age hill fort on the other side of the valley. At the foot of the gorge are the stone arches of Fingle Bridge, and behind it Fingle Bridge Inn, which serves a mean cream tea and has a pretty terrace overlooking the river. In spring the woods are carpeted with bluebells and daffodils (01647 433306; nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-castledrogo). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/9009985/Dartmoor-ten-of-the-best-things-to-do.html
set above the Teign Gorge with dramatic views over Dartmoor. One of the most remarkable works of Sir Edwin Lutyens and the last castle to be built in England. Tea rooms and gardens.
