Some of our guests were asking me about Dartmoor National Park today. I often try to give tips and advice over breakfast time if people mention what their plans are for the day or if they have questions.
Dartmoor became a National Park in the 1950s and covers 368 square miles. To get the most out of a day on Dartmoor, it's therefore best to plan out your time rather than just drive around aimlessly and miss all the points of interest.
Dartmoor contains the largest concentration of Bronze Age remains in the country, and also has a fascinating tin mining history. You will no doubt of heard of the Dartmoor ponies which wander around the moor too.
We usually advise you to start your journey at the largest of the visitor centres at Princetown. There's an interesting museum, along with maps, leaflets and helpful staff on hand to offer advice. It's central location is ideal to park up and take a walk, or drive on to the many points of interest across the moor.
Talking of walks, there are literally hundreds of places to walk in all directions, including circular walks. You could also visit Becky Falls to see the waterfalls and walk through the woodland (take some coins to make a wish!).
There's easily enough to keep you busy for a day with Dartmoor Prison Museum, one of England's most famous prisons, Buckfast Abbey and Holy Trinity with its links to the famous Hound of the Baskervilles novel to name a few.
If you are into shopping and antiques, there are several quaint villages to stop off at, and some great places to eat, whether you are looking for a traditional pub, afternoon tea or fine dining, there's something for everyone.
To help you out, I've produced a handy guide here or you can also view it on our website. It lists everything I've mentioned and more (along with postcodes so you can just satnav your way around).
To really get the best experience, along with hearing lots of interesting facts, and of course being able to both enjoy the fabulous views, then we'd recommend you have a tour guide rather than drive yourselves. We recommend Alex Graeme who runs Unique Devon Tours. Check out our website for full information on Alex and his various tours, along with a special discount exclusive to our guests.
We hope you have a fantastic time when you next visit Dartmoor, using The 25 Boutique B&B as a base.