Editing Dartmoor

{{Short description|National park in South West England}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name            = Dartmoor National Park
| iucn_category   = V
| iucn_ref        = 
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| photo           = View to Sharpitor from Meavy.JPG
| photo_caption   = View down the River Meavy towards Leather Tor and Sharpitor
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| location        = [[United Kingdom]] ([[South West England]])
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| established     = 1951
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| visitation_num  = 10.98m
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| governing_body  = Dartmoor National Park Authority
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| website         = {{URL|https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/}}
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{{National parks in the UK|sidebar=yes}}
'''Dartmoor''' is an [[highland (geography)|upland]] area in southern [[Devon]], [[South West England]]. The [[moorland]] and surrounding land has been protected by [[National parks of England and Wales|National Park]] status since 1951. '''Dartmoor National Park''' covers {{convert|954|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="DF">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/learningabout/lab-printableresources/lab-factsheetshome/lab-generalfactsheet.htm
 |title=General Information Factsheet
 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
 |access-date=12 July 2009
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908090232/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/learningabout/lab-printableresources/lab-factsheetshome/lab-generalfactsheet.htm
 |archive-date=8 September 2008}}</ref>

The [[granite]] that forms the uplands dates from the [[Carboniferous]] Period of geological history. The landscape consists of moorland capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as [[tor (rock formation)|tor]]s, providing habitats for wildlife. The highest point is [[High Willhays]], {{convert|621|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above sea level. The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeological [[artifact (archaeology)|artefacts]].

Dartmoor National Park is managed by the [[Dartmoor National Park Authority]], whose 22 members are drawn from [[Devon County Council]], local [[Districts of England|district councils]] and Government. The [[Dartmoor Commoners' Council]] exists to create and enforce regulations regarding commoners' rights.

[[Dartmoor Training Area|Parts of Dartmoor]] have been used as military [[firing range]]s 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.

==Physical geography==
===Geology===
[[File:Cornubian batholith.png|thumb|upright=1.8|Map showing the main granite outcrops of the [[Cornubian batholith]] in southwest England and the gravity anomaly associated with it]]

{{Main|Geology of Dartmoor National Park}}
Dartmoor includes the largest area of [[granite]] in Britain, with about {{convert|625|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} at the surface, though most of it is under superficial [[peat]] deposits. The granite (or more specifically [[adamellite]]) was intruded at depth as a [[pluton]] into the surrounding sedimentary rocks during the [[Carboniferous]] period, probably about 309 million years ago.<ref>Durrance & Laming 1982, pp.86, 101</ref> It is generally accepted that the present surface is not far below the original top of the pluton; evidence for this includes partly digested [[shale]] [[xenolith]]s, contamination of the granite and the existence of two patches of altered [[sedimentary rock]] on top of the granite.<ref>Durrance & Laming 1982, p. 88</ref>
A considerable [[gravity anomaly]] is associated with the Dartmoor pluton as with [[gravity anomalies of Britain and Ireland|other such plutons]].<ref>British Geological Survey 1997, ''Gravity Anomaly Map of Britain, Ireland and Adjacent Areas'', Smith & Edwards 1:500k</ref> Measurement of the anomaly has helped to determine the likely shape and extent of the rock mass at depth.

===Tors===
[[File:Saddle tor to Hey tor pano.jpg|thumb|left|Panorama of some better known Dartmoor [[Tor (rock formation)|tors]] in snow]]
[[File:High Willhays.jpg|thumb|left|[[High Willhays]] with Yes Tor behind]]

Dartmoor is known for its [[Tor (rock formation)|tor]]s – hills topped with outcrops of bedrock, which in [[granite]] country such as this are usually rounded boulder-like formations. More than 160 of the hills of Dartmoor have the word ''tor'' in their name but quite a number do not.<ref name="DF"/> 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 the [[Ten Tors Challenge]], when around 2,400 people aged between 14 and 19 walk for distances of 56, 72 or 88&nbsp;km (35, 45 or 55&nbsp;mi) between ten tors on many differing routes.

The highest points on Dartmoor are on the northern moor: [[High Willhays]], {{convert|621|m|ft|abbr=on}}, ({{gbmapping|SX 580892}}) and [[Yes Tor]], {{convert|619|m|ft|abbr=on}}, ({{gbmapping|SX 581901}}). The highest points on the southern moor are [[Ryder's Hill]], {{convert|515|m|ft|abbr=on}}, ({{gbmapping|SX 660690}}), Snowdon {{convert|495|m|ft|abbr=on}}, ({{gbmapping|SX 668684}}), and an unnamed point, {{convert|493|m|ft|abbr=on}} at ({{gbmapping|SX 603645}}), between Langcombe Hill and Shell Top. The best-known tor on Dartmoor is [[Haytor]]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bradt|first1=Hilary|last2=Booth|first2=Janice|title=South Devon & Dartmoor|date=2014|publisher=Bradt|location=Chalfont St Peter|isbn=9781841625522|page=222}}</ref> (called Hey Tor by William Crossing), {{convert|457|m|ft|abbr=on}}, ({{gbmapping|SX 757771}}). For a more complete list see [[List of Dartmoor tors and hills]].

===Rivers===
[[File:ErmeIvybridge.jpg|thumb|left|[[River Erme]] at [[Ivybridge]]]]

The high ground of Dartmoor forms the [[drainage basin|catchment 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 as [[Dartmoor tin-mining|tin mining]] and quarrying.

The moor takes its name from the [[River Dart]], which starts as the [[East Dart River|East Dart]] and [[West Dart River|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, Devon|Dartmouth]]. Other rivers flowing from Dartmoor include the [[River Teign|Teign]], the [[River Taw|Taw]], the [[River Tavy|Tavy]], the [[River Avon, Devon|Avon]], and the [[River Lyd, Devon|Lyd]].

Some of the rivers in Dartmoor have been dammed to create [[Dartmoor reservoirs|reservoirs for drinking water]], including the River Avon<ref>{{Cite web |title=Avon Dam, Devon|url=https://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/avon-dam |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=South West Lakes Trust|date=20 December 2018 }}</ref> and the South Teign River (Fernworthy Reservoir).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://teign-catchment.co.uk/from-source-to-chagford/|title=Source Area|last=Gearing|first=David|work=The Teign Catchment|access-date=24 April 2022}}</ref>

===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 [[bog]]s 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.<ref>{{cite book|first=Ian |last=Mercer |chapter=Bogs and Mires of Dartmoor |editor-last1=Hunt |editor-first1=P. J. |editor-last2=Wills |editor-first2=G. L. |date=1977 |title=Devon Wetlands |location=Exeter |publisher=Devon County Council |page=16 |isbn=0-903849-19-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/bogs_moor.htm
|title=The Bogs & Mires of Dartmoor
|publisher=Legendary Dartmoor
|access-date=12 July 2009
|last=Sandles
|first=Tim
|archive-date=1 November 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101133944/https://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/bogs_moor.htm
|url-status=dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Crossing |first=W. |title=Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor |date=1912 |publisher=Western Morning News Co. Ltd.}}</ref>

[[File:Aune head mire3.jpg|thumb|left|[[Aune Mire]], the source of the [[River Avon, Devon|River Avon]]]]
The vegetation of the bogs depends on the type and location. [[Blanket bog]], which forms on the highest land where the rainfall exceeds {{convert|2000|mm|in}} a year, consists mainly of cotton-grass (''[[Eriophorum]]'' species), sedges (''[[Carex]]'' and ''[[Rhynchospora]]''), ''[[Narthecium ossifragum|Bog Asphodel]]'' and ''[[Common Tormentil]]'', with ''[[Sphagnum]]'' thriving in the wettest patches. The valley bogs have lush growth of [[Juncaceae|rushes]], with sphagnum, [[Erica tetralix|cross-leaved heath]], [[Drosera|sundews]] and several other species.<ref>{{cite book
| last=Brunsden
| first=Denys
| author2=Gerrard, John
| editor=Crispin Gill
| title=Dartmoor. A New Study
| chapter=The Physical Environment of Dartmoor
| publisher=David and Charles
| year=1970
| location=Newton Abbot
| pages=[https://archive.org/details/dartmoornewstudy0000gill/page/40 40–42]
| isbn=0-7153-5041-2
| chapter-url-access=registration
| chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/dartmoornewstudy0000gill/page/40
}}</ref>

Some of the bogs on Dartmoor have achieved notoriety. [[Fox Tor|Fox Tor Mires]] was supposedly the inspiration for Great Grimpen Mire in Conan Doyle's novel ''[[The Hound of the Baskervilles]]'',<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/grim_mire.htm
|title=Dartmoor's Notorious Fox Tor Mires
|publisher=Legendary Dartmoor
|access-date=7 July 2009
|last=Sandles
|first=Tim
|archive-date=23 March 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323024547/http://legendarydartmoor.co.uk/grim_mire.htm
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> 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, Devon|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."

<ref>Milton 2006, p. 2</ref><!-- mention "Dartmoor Stables" -->

===Astronomy===
[[File:Aurora Borealis visible over Dartmoor 02.jpg|alt=A picture of the sky with red at the top, which fades to green at the bottom, with some streaking grey vertical lines.|thumb|upright|[[Aurora borealis]] visible from near [[Bridford]] during the [[May 2024 solar storms]]]]
Dartmoor is popular with local astronomers because it is remote from many sources of [[light pollution]]. However, in recent years, [[Light-emitting diode|LED]] [[street light]]s have caused more light pollution to be spread onto Dartmoor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sidgreaves |first=Martin |date=2020-07-24 |title=Under a Dartmoor Night Sky |url=https://dartmoorwalker.co.uk/2020/07/under-a-dartmoor-night-sky/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Dartmoor Walker |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Climate==
Along with the rest of [[South West England]], Dartmoor has a [[temperate|temperate climate]], which is generally wetter and milder than locations at similar height in the rest of England.{{dubious|date=December 2023}} At [[Princetown]], near the centre of the moor at a height of {{convert|453|m|ft}}, January and February are the coldest months with mean minimum temperatures around {{convert|1|C|F|0}}. July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima not reaching {{convert|18|C}}. Compared with [[Teignmouth]], which is on the coast about {{convert|22|mi|km}} to the east, the average maximum and minimum temperatures are {{convert|3.0|C-change}} and {{convert|2.6|C-change}} lower respectively, and [[frost (temperature)|frost]] is at least five times as frequent.<ref name="W30">Webb 2006, p. 30</ref> On the highest ground, in the north of the moor, the [[growing season]] is less than 175 days – this contrasts with some 300 days along most of the south coast of the county.<ref name="W30" />

[[Precipitation (meteorology)|Rainfall]] tends to be associated with Atlantic [[low-pressure area|depressions]] 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 {{convert|2000|mm|in}}. This compares with less than {{convert|800|mm|in}} in the lower land to the east around the [[Exe Estuary]], which is in the [[rain shadow]] of the moor. Due to the influence of the [[Gulf Stream]] snowfall is not common, though due to its high altitude it is more vulnerable to snowfall than surrounding regions.<ref name="W31">Webb 2006, p. 31</ref>

Between 1961 and 1990 [[Met 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 cold [[air stream|polar maritime air]] that has travelled over a large expanse of warmer ocean is forced to rise over high country.<ref name="W31" />

When average temperatures at Princetown between 1961 and 2000 are compared, the average annual temperature in the decade 1990–2000 was up by {{convert|0.2|C-change|1}} and the late winter temperature increased by {{convert|0.5|C-change|1}}.<ref name="W32">Webb 2006, pp. 32–33</ref>
<!-- give examples of some extreme conditions: ammil, long freeze in the 60s, etc.-->

== 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 [[intensive farming]], and all these factors combine to form the basis of the important ecosystems found here. The landscape is one of granite with [[peat bog]]s overlying it. While the [[Moorland|moors]] 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 the [[blanket bog]]s, upland heaths and the oak woodlands, which are all of global importance.<ref name="plantlife">{{cite web|url= https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/nature-reserves-important-plant-areas/important-plant-areas/dartmoor|title=Dartmoor IPA| website=Plantlife| access-date=3 June 2018}}</ref> Dartmoor is a [[Special Area of Conservation]] (SAC) with four habitats (''Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix''; ''European dry heaths''; ''Blanket bog''s and ''Old 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 the [[southern damselfly]], which is also a primary reason for its selection along with populations of [[Salmo salar|Atlantic salmon]] and [[Lutra lutra|otter]] being qualifying reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0012929| title= Dartmoor – Special Area of Conservation | website = Joint Nature Conservation Committee|access-date=3 June 2018}}</ref>
[[File:Wisht.jpg|thumb|Inside Wistman's Wood in summer]]
[[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 earliest [[Neolithic]] 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 of [[lichen]], 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, [[Acarospora fuscata|brown cobblestone lichen]] and goldspot lichen and many rare lichen grow on rocks exposed by mining that are rich in [[heavy metals]]. On the upland heaths heather ([[Calluna|ling]]) and [[bell heather]] are common along with [[western gorse]]. In dry grassy areas [[tormentil]], [[heath bedstraw]] and [[heath milkwort]] are all common. [[Cross-leaved heath]] and [[purple moor grass]] grow in wetter spots and in the boggy areas many different species of [[sphagnum]] and other mosses can be found, along with [[liverwort]]s, [[Hare's-tail Cotton-grass]], [[round-leaved sundew]] and [[bog asphodel]], and in the valley bottoms, many different [[sedge]]s, [[bogbean]] and [[pale butterwort]] all grow.<ref name="plantlife" />

A large variety of bird species can be found on Dartmoor including ones that have declined elsewhere in the UK, such as [[Eurasian skylark|skylark]] and [[common snipe]]; some are even rare nationally, such as the [[ring ouzel]] and the [[Common cuckoo|cuckoo]]. There are internationally important populations of [[meadow pipit]] and [[European stonechat|stonechat]].  Woodland birds include a number of migrant species, like the [[European pied flycatcher|pied flycatcher]], the [[wood warbler]] or the [[common redstart]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/wildlife-and-heritage/wildlife/birds| title=Birds| website = Dartmoor National Park| access-date=3 June 2018}}</ref> Mammals found here include otters, hazel dormice and nearly all of the UK's 16 bat species. Three rare species: the [[barbastelle]], and the [[greater horseshoe bat|greater]] and [[lesser horseshoe bat]]s are of particular importance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/wildlife-and-heritage/wildlife/mammals| title=Mammals| website = Dartmoor National Park|access-date=3 June 2018}}</ref> The upper reaches of the rivers are spawning grounds for Salmon and [[trout]]; [[Palmate newt]]s, 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, the [[Limax cinereoniger|Ash black]], is also found. Reptiles include [[common lizard]]s and [[Vipera berus|adders]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/wildlife-and-heritage/wildlife/other-animals| title=Other animals| website = Dartmoor National Park|access-date=3 June 2018}}</ref> The farmland in the wet valleys around the edge of the moors is the most important habitat for insects, including: the [[marsh fritillary]] butterfly, southern damselfly, [[Hemaris tityus|narrow-bordered bee hawkmoth]] and [[Eristalis cryptarum|bog hoverfly]]. Areas of [[bracken]] are home to the [[high brown fritillary]] and [[pearl-bordered fritillary]]. Insects found in the heathlands include the [[emperor moth]], [[green hairstreak]] and the [[bilberry bumblebee]]. The old oak woodlands have a distinctive group of insects including the [[blue ground beetle]] and [[Ectoedemia heckfordi|Heckford's pygmy moth]], a species found nowhere else in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/wildlife-and-heritage/wildlife/insects| title=Insects| website = Dartmoor National Park|access-date=3 June 2018}}</ref>

== Restoration and climate change mitigation ==
The '''South West Peatland Project''' aims to restore around 300 hectares of Dartmoor's [[peatland]] through collaboration with [[Dartmoor National Park Authority|Dartmoor National Park]]. Preserving these peatlands will help mitigate climate change through sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South West Peatland Restoration – Devon Climate Emergency |url=https://devonclimateemergency.org.uk/taking-action-old/south-west-peatland-restoration/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=devonclimateemergency.org.uk}}</ref> More generally, Dartmoor aims to be [[carbon negative]] by 2045.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate Action {{!}} Dartmoor |url=https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/about-us/how-we-work/climate-change |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=www.dartmoor.gov.uk}}</ref>

==History==

===Pre-history===
The majority of the [[prehistoric]] remains on Dartmoor date back to the late [[Neolithic]] and early [[Bronze 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 by [[reave]]s, cover an area of over {{convert|10000|ha|mi2}} of the lower moors.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/lookingafter/laf-culturalheritage/laf-archaeology/laf-prehistoricdartmoor.htm
|title=Prehistoric Dartmoor
|publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
|access-date=2 September 2009
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201085932/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/lookingafter/laf-culturalheritage/laf-archaeology/laf-prehistoricdartmoor.htm
|archive-date=1 December 2009}}</ref>

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 [[pasture]] and [[swidden]] 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 of [[peat]] and [[bog]]s.<ref>Role of anthropogenic fire and in creating moors, and moor-burning in sustaining them, described in Pyne, Stephen J. (1997) ''Vestal Fire: an Environmental History, Told through Fire, of Europe and Europe's Encounter with the World''. University of Washington Press, Seattle, pp. 348–369. {{ISBN|0-295-97596-2}}</ref>

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 enthusiastic [[Victorian era|Victorians]] and, in some cases, they have placed their own interpretation on how an area may have looked.

===Standing stones===
[[File:Beardown man dartmoor.jpg|thumb|upright|Beardown Man, Dartmoor]]

Numerous prehistoric [[menhir]]s (more usually referred to locally as [[standing stone]]s or longstones), [[stone circle]]s, [[Dartmoor kistvaens|kistvaen]]s, [[cairn]]s and [[stone row]]s 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 {{convert|3300|m|ft|abbr=on}}
* Beardown Man, near Devil's Tor – isolated standing stone {{convert|3.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} high, said to have another {{convert|1|m|ftin|abbr=on}} below ground. {{gbmapping|SX596796}}
* Challacombe, near the prehistoric settlement of [[Grimspound]] — triple stone row. {{gbmapping|SX689807}}
* [[Drizzlecombe]], east of [[Sheepstor]] village – stone rows, standing stones, kistvaens and cairns. {{gbmapping|SX591669}}
* [[Grey Wethers]], near [[Postbridge, Devon|Postbridge]] — double circle, aligned almost exactly north south. {{gbmapping|SX638831}}
* Laughter Tor, near [[Two Bridges, Devon|Two Bridges]] — standing stone {{convert|2.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} high and two double stone rows, one {{convert|164|m|ft|abbr=on}} long. {{gbmapping|SX652753}}
* [[Merrivale, Devon|Merrivale]], between [[Princetown]] and [[Tavistock, Devon|Tavistock]] — includes a double stone row {{convert|182|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|1.1|m|ftin|abbr=on}} wide, aligned almost exactly east–west, stone circles and a kistvaen. {{gbmapping|SX554747}}
* [[Scorhill]] (pronounced 'Scorill'), west of [[Chagford]] — circle, {{convert|26.8|m|ft|abbr=on}} in circumference, and stone rows. {{gbmapping|SX654873}}
* [[Shovel Down]], north of [[Dartmoor reservoirs|Fernworthy reservoir]] — double stone row approximately {{convert|120|m|ft|abbr=on}} long. {{gbmapping|SX660859}}
* [[Yellowmead Down]], a quadruple concentric stone circle and stone rows.

===Hut circles and kistvaens===
There are also an estimated 5,000 [[hut circle]]s 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 {{convert|1.8|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} 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 [[Dartmoor kistvaens|kistvaens]], Neolithic stone box-like tombs.

===The historical period===
[[File:Crazywell cross 1.JPG|thumb|Ancient [[stone cross]] close to [[Crazywell Pool]]]]

The climate became wetter and cooler over the course of a thousand years from around 1000&nbsp;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 the [[Ancient Tenements]]. Most of these date back to the 14th century, and some even earlier.

It was not until the [[early 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 the [[Dartmoor longhouse|longhouse]]; some of theses are still inhabited today, although they have been clearly adapted{{clarify|date=December 2023}} 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 of [[Princetown, England|Princetown]], the site of [[Dartmoor (HM Prison)|Dartmoor Prison]], which was originally built by Isbell Rowe & Company, Plymouth, for [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] from the [[Napoleonic Wars]] and the [[War 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 the [[Dartmoor tin-mining]] industry, and farmhouses long since abandoned. See [[Industrial archaeology of Dartmoor]].

==Ownership and access==
[[File:Wild camping on Dartmoor.jpg|thumb|The right to wild camp on Dartmoor has been upheld and reinstated, following the Court of Appeal's ruling in mid-2023.]]

Over half of Dartmoor National Park (57.3%) is private land; the [[Forest of Dartmoor]] being the major part of this, owned by the [[Duke of Cornwall]]. The [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] owns 14% (see below), 3.8% is owned by water companies (see [[Dartmoor reservoirs]]), 3.7% by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]], 1.8% by the [[Forestry Commission]] and 1.4% by Dartmoor's [[national park authority]]. About 37% of Dartmoor is [[common land]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dartmoor Commons |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/print/lab-comm.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227004835/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/print/lab-comm.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2008 |access-date=19 March 2008 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority}}</ref>

Dartmoor differs from some other [[National parks of England and Wales|National Parks in England and Wales]], in that since the [[Dartmoor Commons Act 1985]]<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/localact1985/pdf/ukla_19850037_en.pdf Dartmoor Commons Act 1985] on the OPSI website</ref> much of it has been designated as [[access land]], which, although it remains privately owned, has no restrictions on where walkers can roam. In addition to this access land, there are about {{convert|730|km|-1|abbr=on}} of [[Rights of way in England and Wales|public rights of way]] on Dartmoor, and many kilometres of permitted footpaths and bridleways where the owners allow access.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Public Rights of Way |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/vi-prow |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911075542/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/vi-prow |archive-date=11 September 2009 |access-date=14 July 2009 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority}}</ref>

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."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horton |first=Helena |date=13 January 2023 |title=Right to wild camp in England lost in Dartmoor court case |work=Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/13/dartmoor-estate-landowner-alexander-darwall-court-case-right-to-camp |access-date=13 January 2023}}</ref> A protest against the new restrictions, led by local storyteller Martin Shaw, was held in January 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ellingham |first=Miles |date=January 27, 2023 |title=A wild day on Dartmoor — joining the ramblers' rebellion |work=[[FT.com]] |url=https://www.ft.com/content/90c54da3-4bb2-41c5-bf66-4e47f44fd1c5}}</ref> However, on 31 July the ban was overturned by the Court of Appeal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mathers |first1=Matt |last2=Gregory |first2=Andy |title=Dartmoor wild camping ban lifted as campaigners win battle against wealthy landowners |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dartmoor-camping-ban-court-of-appeal-b2377223.html |website=www.theindependent.co.uk |publisher=The Independent |access-date=5 August 2023}}</ref>

=== Use by the Ministry of Defence ===
{{See also|Dartmoor Training Area}}

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 (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] (MoD) uses three areas of the northern moor for manoeuvres and live-firing exercises, totalling {{convert|108.71|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}},<ref name="DF" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Summary {{!}} Ten Tors |url=http://www.tentors.org.uk/challenge/about |website=Tentors.org.uk}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Heritage Gateway – Results |work=Heritagegateway.org.uk |url=http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MDV55113&resourceID=104}}</ref>

==Preservation==
[[File:Dartmoor Clapper Bridge mod.jpg|thumb|The [[clapper bridge]] at [[Postbridge]]]]
[[File:Dartmoor pony 1.jpg|thumb|[[Dartmoor pony]] near [[Widecombe in the Moor]]]]

Throughout human history, the landscape has been exploited for industrial purposes. In recent years,{{when|date=November 2021}} controversy has surrounded the work of industrial conglomerates [[Imerys]] and Sibelco (formerly Watts Blake Bearne), who have used parts of the moor for [[china clay]] mining. Licences were granted by the [[British Government]] but were recently{{when|date=November 2021}} renounced after sustained public pressure from bodies such as the [[Dartmoor Preservation Association]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dartmoorsociety.com/files/debates/chinaclay.html |title=The 7th Dartmoor Society Debate: How Important is China Clay to Dartmoor?|last=Hedges |first=Mike |publisher=The Dartmoor Society |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715224602/https://www.dartmoorsociety.com/files/debates/chinaclay.html |date=2004 |archive-date=15 July 2011 |access-date=8 June 2017 }}</ref>

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 that she perceived that the army was doing to the moor.

==Towns and villages==
[[File:Saddle tor evening.jpg|thumb|A typical Dartmoor tor close to [[Haytor]]]]

The designated Dartmoor National Park area has a resident population of about 33,000,<ref name="DF" /> which swells considerably during holiday periods with incoming tourists. The largest settlements within the National Park are [[Ashburton, Devon|Ashburton]] (the largest, with a population of about 3,500), [[Buckfastleigh]], [[Moretonhampstead]], [[Princetown]], [[Yelverton, Devon|Yelverton]], [[Horrabridge]], [[South Brent]], [[Christow]], and [[Chagford]].<ref name="DF" />

For a full list, expand the ''Settlements of Dartmoor'' navigational box at the bottom of this page.

==Landmarks==
{{See also|List of Dartmoor tors and hills}}
* [[Avon Dam Reservoir]] – reservoir popular for walks and trout fishing
* [[Bowerman's Nose]] – a tor said to be shaped like a nose
* [[Brent Tor|Brentor Church]] – remote church {{convert|344|m|ft|abbr=on}} high on crag at western edge of moor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller/Datasheet/GBR0001538/41104/Panorama |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130506010749/http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller/Datasheet/GBR0001538/41104/Panorama |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 May 2013 |title=ViaMichelin Travel. Panorama – Great Britain: The Michelin Green Guide |publisher=Viamichelin.com |date=3 April 2008 |access-date=18 April 2010 }}</ref>
* [[Buckfast Abbey]] – abbey near [[Buckfastleigh]]
* [[Dartmoor reservoirs|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]]
* [[Childes Tomb|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
* [[HM Prison Dartmoor|Dartmoor Prison]] – a prison in the middle of Dartmoor at the village of [[Princetown]]
* [[Devonport Leat]] – human-made water channel
* [[Duck's Pool, Dartmoor|Duck's Pool]] – location of a memorial to local writer [[William Crossing]]
* [[Dartmoor reservoirs|Fernworthy Dam & Reservoir]] – granite-faced concrete dam and lake in Fernworthy Forest, near [[Chagford]]
* [[Fingle Bridge]] – a 17th-century crossing of the River [[Teign]] near 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|Haytor Rock]] – prominent tor and viewpoint between Bovey Tracey and Widecombe
* [[Haytor|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 – {{convert|201|m|ft|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|45|m|ft|abbr=on}} high concrete dam and Victorian iron bridge which itself is {{convert|165|m|ft|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|46|m|ft|abbr=on}} high<ref>{{cite web |title=Information Sheet 3A: Introduction to the Industrial Archaeology of the Meldon area |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/sheet_3a-b.pdf |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority |access-date=19 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204034801/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/sheet_3a-b.pdf |archive-date=2007-12-04 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[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
* [[Spitchwick]] – a swimming spot where the [[River Webburn]] joins the [[River Dart]]
* [[Tavistock Canal]] – 19th-century canal
* [[Two Bridges, Devon|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|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==
[[File:Jay's Grave, geograph.jpg|thumb|[[Jay's Grave]]]]

Dartmoor is known for its myths and legends. It is reputedly the haunt of [[pixie]]s, a [[headless horseman]], a mysterious pack of "[[Hellhound|spectral hounds]]", and a large [[black dog (folklore)|black dog]], among others.<ref name="bfr">{{cite web | last = Spiring |first = Paul | title = Hugo Baskerville & Squire Richard Cabell III | publisher=BFROnline | year = 2007 | url = http://www.bfronline.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=9 | access-date=18 February 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923184203/http://www.bfronline.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=9 |archive-date=23 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Cabell Tomb&nbsp;— Buckfastleigh | work=Devon Guide | year = 2007 | url = http://www.devonguide.com/photos/img512.htm | access-date =29 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Sherlock Holmes and the phantom pack |url= https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/sherlock-holmes-and-the-phantom-pack-101721752667601.html |newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=23 July 2024 |last1=Lele |first1=Teja }}</ref> During [[The Great Thunderstorm, Widecombe|the Great Thunderstorm]] of 1638, the moorland village of [[Widecombe-in-the-Moor]] was said to have been visited by the [[Devil]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pastplace.exeter.ac.uk/2014/03/dartmoor-the-blending-of-myth-and-reality-when-the-devil-pays-a-visit/ |title=Dartmoor: the blending of 'myth' and 'reality' when the Devil pays a visit |first=David |last=Harvey |publisher=University of Exeter |date=3 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Day 'The Devil' visited Dartmoor church remembered in new book about extreme weather |first=Max |last=Channon|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/day-the-devil-visited-dartmoor-571004 |date=3 October 2017 |newspaper=[[Plymouth Herald]] |access-date=14 August 2024}}</ref>

Many landmarks have ancient legends and [[Ghosts in European culture|ghost]] stories associated with them, such as the ancient burial site of [[Childe's Tomb]], the rock pile called [[Bowerman's Nose]], the [[Dartmoor crosses|stone crosses]] that mark former mediaeval routes across the moor and the allegedly haunted [[Jay's Grave]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wearesouthdevon.com/jays-grave-legend-fact-fiction/ |title= Jay's Grave: legend, fact and fiction|first=Kevin |last=Dixon|website= www.wearesouthdevon.com|date= 11 December 2015}}</ref>

A few stories have emerged in recent decades, such as the "[[hairy hands]]", that are said to attack motorists on the B3212 near [[Two Bridges, Devon|Two Bridges]];<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/hairy_hands.htm
|title=The Hairy Hands
|publisher=Legendary Dartmoor
|access-date=7 August 2010
|last=Sandles
|first=Tim
|archive-date=23 May 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523111221/http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/hairy_hands.htm
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> and the "Beast of Dartmoor", [[British big cats|a supposed big cat]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/beast_dart.htm
 |title=The Legendary Beast of Dartmoor
 |publisher=Legendary Dartmoor
 |access-date=7 August 2010
 |last=Sandles
 |first=Tim
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823061015/http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/beast_dart.htm
 |archive-date=23 August 2010}}</ref>

Dartmoor has inspired a number of artists and writers, such as [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] in ''[[The Hound of the Baskervilles]]'' and ''[[The Adventure of Silver Blaze]]'', [[Bertram Fletcher Robinson]],<ref>{{Cite book |first1=Brian |last1=Pugh |first2=Paul |last2=Spiring |title=Bertram Fletcher Robinson: A Footnote to the Hound of the Baskervilles|date=September 2008 |publisher=MX Publishing |isbn=978-1-9043-1240-6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/news/Devonians-helped-Sherlock-masses/article-2764973-detail/article.html |title=The lasting appeal of legendary detective Sherlock Holmes is due to t… |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505071424/http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/news/Devonians-helped-Sherlock-masses/article-2764973-detail/article.html |archive-date=5 May 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="The Devon Association">{{Cite web|url= https://devonassoc.org.uk/devoninfo/book-review-arthur-conan-doyle-sherlock-holmes-and-devon/|title=Book Review: Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Devon |author=Professor Mark Brayshay|website= devonassoc.org.uk |date=28 February 2020 |access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="jar">{{Cite web|url= http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/w/index.php?title=Arthur_Conan_Doyle,_Sherlock_Holmes_and_Devon:_A_Complete_Tour_Guide_and_Companion_by_Brian_W_Pugh,_Paul_R_Spiring_and_Sadru_Bhanji|title=Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Devon |author=[[John Van der Kiste]]|website= thebookbag.co.uk |access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref> [[R. D. Blackmore]], [[Eden Phillpotts]], [[Beatrice Chase]], [[Agatha Christie]], [[Rosamunde Pilcher]], [[Gilbert Adair]] and the Reverend [[Sabine Baring-Gould]].
{{wikisource|Hemans Miscellaneous Poetry 2/Dartmoor|'Dartmoor', a poem by Felicia Hemans}}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]]. 

Dartmoor is also the setting for the many film and television adaptations of ''[[The Hound of the Baskervilles]]''. In the second series episode ''[[The Hounds of Baskerville]]'' of the [[BBC]] drama ''[[Sherlock (TV series)|Sherlock]]'' it was the fictional location of a [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] animal testing centre called 'Baskerville'.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1942613/|title=The Hounds of Baskerville|website=imdb.com|access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref>

'''''[[The Old Dark House (1963 film)|The Old Dark House]]''''' is a 1963 [[comedy horror]] film directed by [[William Castle]] for [[Hammer Film Productions]]. It is a [[film remake|remake]] of [[Universal Studios, Inc.|Universal's]] 1932 [[The Old Dark House (1932 film)|film of the same name]] directed by [[James Whale]]. Both films are based upon the 1927 novel by [[J. B. Priestley]] originally published under the name ''[[Benighted (novel)|Benighted]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=The Old Dark House |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10003373-old_dark_house |access-date=2023-06-17 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |language=en}}</ref> The 1963 film starred [[Tom Poston]], [[Robert Morley]], [[Janette Scott]], [[Joyce Grenfell]] and [[Fenella Fielding]], and it is predominantly set on Dartmoor.
 
In '''''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''''', the fictional 1994 [[Quidditch]] World Cup final between [[Ireland]] and [[Bulgaria]] was hosted on Dartmoor.<ref>{{cite web|title=The History Behind the 'Harry Potter' Quidditch World Cup |date=20 July 2018|url=https://www.newsweek.com/learn-more-historic-quidditch-world-cup-1033396 |website=[[Newsweek]] |access-date=14 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=J K Rowling turns to sports writing – with Quidditch |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/j-krowling-turns-to-sports-writing-with-quidditch-9193563.html|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|date=14 March 2014 |last1=Johnson |first1=Andrew }}</ref>

Dartmoor was the fictional location for the [[IO Interactive]] video game titled ''[[Hitman 3]]'', which was released during 2021.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Goroff |first=Michael |date=January 11, 2022 |title=Hitman 3 reveals the rest of its mission locations |url=https://egmnow.com/hitman-3-reveals-the-rest-of-its-mission-locations/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331033125/https://egmnow.com/hitman-3-reveals-the-rest-of-its-mission-locations/ |archive-date=31 March 2023 |access-date=August 2, 2023 |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]}}</ref> This depiction features a local and historic mansion house.<ref name=":182">{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Andy |date=2021-01-27 |title=How IO made the Hitman trilogy, its stealth masterpiece |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/how-io-made-the-hitman-trilogy-its-stealth-masterpiece/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307130401/https://www.pcgamer.com/how-io-made-the-hitman-trilogy-its-stealth-masterpiece/ |archive-date=7 March 2021 |access-date=2022-07-21 |work=[[PC Gamer]] |language=en}}</ref>

== Leisure activities ==
Until the early 19th century Dartmoor was not considered to be a place worth visiting: in the 1540s [[John Leland (antiquary)|John Leland]] wrote in his ''Itinerary'' that "Dartmore is muche a wilde Morish and forest Ground", and even by 1789 [[Richard Gough (antiquarian)|Richard Gough]]'s opinion was that it is a "dreary mountainous tract".<ref>Milton 2006, pp. 19–20</ref> 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.<ref>Milton 2006, p. 36</ref>

The oldest leisure pursuit on the moor is [[hill walking]]. [[William Crossing]]'s definitive ''Guide to Dartmoor'' was published in 1909, and in 1938 a plaque and letterbox in his memory were placed at [[Duck's Pool, Dartmoor|Duck's Pool]] on the southern moor. Parts of the Abbots Way, [[Two Moors Way]] and the [[Haytor Granite Tramway#The Templer Way|Templer Way]] are on Dartmoor.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-walkingforall.htm
 |title=Walking For All
 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
 |access-date=12 July 2009
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418182625/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-walkingforall.htm
 |archive-date=18 April 2009}}</ref>

[[Letterboxing (hobby)|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 [[Global Positioning System|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,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/swengland/swengland.htm |title=South West England |publisher=UK Rivers Guidebook |access-date=18 April 2010}}</ref> though for environmental reasons access is restricted to the winter months.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-canoeing.htm
|title=Canoeing
|publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
|access-date=12 July 2009
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623215828/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-canoeing.htm
|archive-date=23 June 2009}}</ref> The [[River Dart]] is the most prominent meeting place, the section known as [[The Loop, River Dart|the Loop]] being particularly popular. Other white water rivers are the [[River Erme|Erme]], [[River Tavy|Tavy]], [[River Plym|Plym]] and [[River Meavy|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;<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-climbing.htm
 |title=Climbing
 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
 |access-date=10 July 2009
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714225755/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-climbing.htm
 |archive-date=14 July 2009}}</ref> horse riding, which can be undertaken on any of the [[common land]];<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-horse-riding.htm
 |title=Horse Riding
 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
 |access-date=12 July 2009
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717074950/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-horse-riding.htm
 |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref> cycling (but not on open moorland);<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-cycling.htm
 |title=Cycling on road and off-road
 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
 |access-date=12 July 2009
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430195345/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-cycling.htm
 |archive-date=30 April 2009}}</ref> 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<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-otheractivities.htm
 |title=Other Activities
 |publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority
 |access-date=10 July 2009
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717081405/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/index/visiting/vi-enjoyingdartmoor/vi-otheractivities.htm
 |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref>)
.

===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)<ref name="countrybusdevon">{{Cite web | url=http://countrybusdevon.co.uk/routes/ | title=Timetables – Country Bus Devon|website=Countrybusdevon.co.uk }}</ref>
* 271 Newton Abbot – Bovey Tracey – Widecombe (Summer Saturdays only) (Country bus)<ref name="countrybusdevon"/>
* 173 Moretonhampstead – Chagford – Exeter (Stagecoach)<ref>{{Cite web|title=173 Bus Route & Timetable: Exeter Sidwell Street - Moretonhampstead |url=https://www.stagecoachbus.com/routes/south-west/173/exeter-sidwell-street-moretonhampstead/XDAO173.O}}</ref>
* 178 Newton Abbot – Bovey Tracey – M'tonhampstead – Chagford – Okehampton (Country bus)<ref name="countrybusdevon"/>
* 98 Tavistock – Princetown – Postbridge (Oakleys)

Other bus services operate in Dartmoor on a less frequent basis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.travelinesw.com/|title=Traveline SW - Welcome|website=Travelinesw.com|access-date=11 June 2022}}</ref>

GWR operate direct trains from Exeter to Okehampton.

==See also==
* [[Dartmoor Discovery]], ultramarathon race
* [[Dartmoor Way]] [[long-distance footpath]]
* [[Museum of Dartmoor Life]]

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}

'''Bibliography'''
{{refbegin}}
* [[William Crossing|Crossing, William]] Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, the 1912 edition reprinted with new introd. by Brian Le Messurier. Dawlish: David & Charles, 1965.
* {{Cite book
| last=Durrance
| first=E. M.
|author2=Laming, D. J.
| title=The Geology of Devon
| publisher=University of Exeter
| year=1982
| isbn=0-85989-247-6}}
* {{cite book
| last=Kelly
| first=Matthew
| title=Quartz and Feldspar. Dartmoor: A British Landscape in Modern Times
|publisher=Jonathan Cape / Vintage
| year=2015
| location=London
| isbn=9781409029793}}
* {{cite book
| last=Milton
| first=Patricia
| title=The Discovery of Dartmoor, a Wild and Wondrous Region
| publisher=Phillimore
| year=2006
| location=Chichester
| isbn=1-86077-401-6}}
* {{cite book
| last=Webb
| first=Bruce
| editor=Roger Kain
| title=England's Landscape: The South West
| chapter=The Environmental Setting of Human Occupation
| publisher=Collins
| year=2006
| location=London
| pages=30–33
| isbn=0-00-715572-7}}
* {{cite book
| title=Worth's Dartmoor
| last = Worth
| first = R. N.
| editor1-last = Spooner
| editor1-first = G. M.
| editor2-last = Russell
| editor2-first = F. S.
| editor2-link = F. S. Russell
| year=1967
| publisher=David & Charles
| isbn= 0715351486
| location=Newton Abbot}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Dartmoor}}
{{commons}}
{{Wikisource|Dartmoor}}
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* [http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk Dartmoor National Park Authority] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402032712/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/ |date=2 April 2011 }}
{{Clear}}
{{Devon}}
{{National_parks_in_the UK}}
{{Settlements_of Dartmoor}}
{{Rivers_of Dartmoor}}

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[[Category:Dartmoor| ]]
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[[Category:National parks in England]]
[[Category:Hills of Devon]]
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