sign in sign up
<<
Home , Ilsington, Postbridge

Enjoy Britain

It’s uphill but a reasonably gentle walk up to from Dramatic or the car park and visitor centre aTherre’s mtuch mmore to deolightful D than the prison and The Hound of the Baskervilles, as Norman Wright discovers

PHOTOGRAPHY: CLIVE NICHOLLS t 6 CHOICE JANUARY 2014 JANUARY 2014 CHOICE 7 Enjoy Britain t

UST A few hundred yards Dartmoor ponies across the moor on one side roam the moor and of the road was Hound Tor charm visitors with all the chilling resonances of The Hound of tJhe Baskervilles. On the other side, there was a chocolate-box scene as a Dartmoor pony mare grazed quietly with her foal. There were more contrasts a little further along that ribbon road stretching away over the undulating moor. At , youngsters paddled in the shallow, but still icy, waters spanned by the ancient clapper bridge. Compare that with the grim sight of the grey, forbidding prison as you drive into – another ‘chocolate box to Conan Doyle’ moment. However, there are a lot more sights and experiences to warm your heart on Widecombe-in-the-Moor Dartmoor than moments to send a chill Widecombe is a charming village which The restored built between down your spine. And when you do gets busy with tourists during the season. 1905 and 1937 by a team of no more than glimpse the prison and imagine the gangs Its big day is the Widecombe Fair six monks of Victorian convicts breaking up rocks or (September 9 in 2014) where you can recall reading of the howl of the hound expect to see Uncle Tom Cobley and all through a rolling mist, it serves to Hassel family, brothers Tim and Richard. indoor pool and health centre with spa view it offers of the coast of the Teign as well as lots of agricultural show events Postbridge heighten the charm of so many It’s close to Haytor with its National Park facilities, fitness equipment and estuary and across the eastern part of and some local favourites like ferret racing Postbridge is a small village next to the delightful places in this very beautiful Visitor Centre and walk up to the rock treatments from the resident beautician Dartmoor, it is an uphill walk. or square bale rolling. which merges with the corner of Britain. formation. It’s also near the town of Bovey and therapist. The summit is 1499ft (457 metres) but The fair has been held annually for West Dart River to form the Dart. It is We were staying in an ideal place to Tracy, one of the gateways to Dartmoor. There are two choices for food, either the way is over grassy terrain with a 150-odd years. The fair is an English named after the 13th century clapper enjoy Dartmoor in all its guises, the It’s such a peaceful setting with the restaurant with all the gourmet well-trodden path – easy walking if you are country classic day but the village is more bridge which enabled pack horses to cross Country House Hotel, now wonderful views up to the heather-clad trimmings or the less formal Blue reasonably fit. than worth visiting at any time. the river, carrying tin to the town of being run by the fourth generation of the higher curves of the moor. There’s an Tiger Inn. . The clapper bridge is All in all, it’s idyllic, and the complete, and stands alongside the ‘new’ “There are a lot more sights and experiences to warm your heart temptation is to stay put instead of road bridge built in the 1780s. on Dartmoor than moments to send a chill down your spine” exploring further around Dartmoor. In summer the East Dart is a gentle, There are plenty of places to visit, shallow stream. In flood it becomes a however. The lanes can be narrow in raging torrent, something the clapper places, typical of , but all you bridge has taken in its stride for 800 years. have to do is slow down and enjoy the There is a National Park Visitor Centre reduced pace. There’s usually a handy in the car park. passing place when you do meet traffic. Here are some places you Buckfast Abbey shouldn’t miss. The Benedictine Abbey church is a splendid sight framed by trees as you Haytor approach through the main gates. Haytor is the best-known of the granite It was founded in 1018 during the reign rock outcrops or tors that burst from the of King Canute and the monastery peaty soil all over Dartmoor. survived the ravages of the Black Death There is a car park and National Park only to come up against Henry VIII in visitor centre on the B3387 about 1539 when the abbey was looted and Ilsington Country halfway between Bovey Tracy and destroyed. It stood in ruins for more than No sign of Uncle Tom Cobley at the charming House Hotel Widdicombe. 300 years until six monks arrived from village of Widecombe home of the famous fair

To get to the rocks and the superb France in 1882 and began to reconstruct t

8 CHOICE JANUARY 2014 JANUARY 2014 CHOICE 9 Enjoy Britain

Passport to Dartmoor

Getting there n By car: From the north, the M5 takes you directly to Exeter. From here take the A30 dual carriageway towards Cornwall, turning off on to the north of Dartmoor at . Alternatively, take the A38 towards Plymouth, turning off on to the eastern edge of Dartmoor at . From the south-east, the A303 brings you again directly to Exeter. From Cornwall, take the A30 towards , turning off at Cross and head towards Tavistock in The ancient clapper bridge at Postbridge the east of the moor n By train: Devon is well connected to main line services. The closest rail t the abbey church on the foundations Princetown stations are at Exeter, , from 1147. The church was eventually The highest settlement on Dartmoor, Totnes, and Plymouth. For finished in 1937, having been built by Princetown is an essential place to visit. further information, contact National only six monks at a time using primitive Dominated by the great grey walls of the Rail Enquiries, tel: 08457 484950, construction methods. prison, it has a visitor centre that will give websites: (www.nationalrail.co.uk) or Now you can visit the church, subject to you a good introduction to the moor and (www.thetrainline.com) services, and buy the strong tonic wine and places to visit. n By coach: National Express runs honey products that the monks are now The National Park visitor centre direct coach services to Okehampton famous for. Website: (www.buckfast.org.uk). (www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk) is in the old from most major towns and cities Duchy Hotel that was originally built as an throughout Britain. For details, tel: Bovey Tracy officers’ quarters for those in charge of 08705 808080, website: Only three miles from Haytor, Bovey Tracy guarding prisoners of war from the (www.gobycoach.com). is a small town perched on the very edge of Napoleonic Wars and the American War of Getting around Dartmoor and sees itself as the gateway 1812 – the original purpose of the prison. n Dartmoor has a good summer public to the moor. As a hotel it had several famous guests transport network including buses and The Devon Guild of Craftsmen is based including Prince Albert, Winston trains. The Haytor Hoppa is a scenic in the converted Riverside Mill and you can Churchill after a visit to the prison, Alfred bus route, offering plenty of circular watch craftsmen and women create unique Lord Tennyson and Sir Arthur Conan and linear walking opportunities. The jewellery, sculpture, prints, glass and textiles, Doyle, who reputedly wrote some chapters Dartmoor Sunday Rover ticket gives from the traditional to the modern. There’s of The Hound of the Baskervilles there. unlimited travel for a day on a whole also a craft shop and spacious gallery. You can also visit the Dartmoor Prison range of buses and trains across the Museum just a few yards from those grey moor and is a good day out in itself. forbidding walls. For full information, including interactive journey planning, see the Devon coast website: (www.traveline.org.uk). Dartmoor is close to the sea and rather Where to stay than the direct route from Exeter we drove n Standard rooms at the Ilsington along the coast before cutting up to the Hotel start from £100 per night for moor from Teignmouth. two, including (excellent) breakfast. First we took some sea air on the Stays in superior and deluxe rooms beautiful stretch of sand at Dawlish start from £130 and £155 respectively. Warren before visiting the part-Victorian, For bookings, tel: 01364 661452, part-Georgian town of Dawlish with its website: (www.ilsington.co.uk). park known as The Lawn stretching along Find out more a duck-populated brook leading to the sea. n Dartmoor Tourist website: At Teignmouth we headed for the old (www.dartmoor.co.uk) The waterfront harbour and watched the lazy afternoon n Dartmoor National Park website: at Teignmouth boat traffic over a glass of red wine from (www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk). the terrace of one of the quayside pubs. 10 CHOICE JANUARY 2014