Explore Dartmoor: top 5 scenic walks around Okehampton and Chagford

The best walk for Dartmoor's highest peaks...

What: High Willhays and Yes Tor
Summary: Choose a nice day for this high-level challenging walk to enjoy the views from Dartmoor’s highest summits
Start/finish: Rowtor car park
Time: 3½hr
Distance: 10.5km (6½ miles)
Climb: 275m

Most of the walking on this route is along military tracks with steady gradients – however, there are two streams to cross with no footbridges. This is a high-level walk that visits Dartmoor’s two highest summits, so be prepared with appropriate clothing, and don’t attempt the walk in bad weather or low visibility.

Since the early 1800s parts of Dartmoor have been used for military training by UK forces. This walk lies within the Okehampton Military Range and can only be undertaken when the range is open. On North Dartmoor there are three live firing ranges marked with red and white posts: Okehampton, Merrivale and Willsworthy. The public has access to these areas, except when live firing exercises are in progress. If the warning signals are displayed – red flags by day and red lamps by night – you must not enter the range.

The best walk for historic churches and ancient sites...

What: Kestor Rock and Scorhill Down
Summary: Visit a historic church, climb a tor with a view and explore some fascinating ancient sites
Start/finish: Scorhill car park, near Gidleigh
Time: 2¾hr
Distance: 8.5km (5¼ miles)
Climb: 275m

This walk follows lanes down to Gidleigh before heading through Gidleigh Wood. After crossing the North Teign River there is a short steep ascent before a more gradual climb along paths and lanes to Kestor Rock on Chagford Common. The prominent stack of Kestor Rock has an impressive rock basin. Views include Fernworthy Forest (south), Meldon Hill (east), Watern Tor (west) and the dome of Cosdon Beacon (north-west). After you’ve soaked up the view, the route continues over open moor, passing some ancient stone rows and crossing the North Teign River. The final stop is the atmospheric Scorhill stone circle from where it is a short walk back to the car park.

The best walk for views and quarries...

What: Haytor Rocks
Summary: A popular tor, lots of views, old quarries and a fascinating granite tramway
Start/finish: Haytor National Park Visitor Centre
Time: 1¾hr
Distance: 5km (3 miles)
Climb: 150m

This varied walk takes you up to Haytor Quarries before continuing up to Haytor Rocks – one of Dartmoor’s best-known and most-visited tors. Then it’s off down to Holwell Tor for a great view before heading downhill to join the old granite tramway. You then follow the tramway – part of the Templer Way – back towards Haytor Vale and the visitor centre. The world-famous author Agatha Christie, dubbed the ‘Queen of crime’, stayed at the Moorland Hotel at Haytor whilst writing her first novel A Mysterious Affair at Styles.

The best walk for visiting Chagford...

What: Chagford and Meldon Hill
Summary: Explore a lively town and make a steep ascent and descent of a tor for a great view
Start/finish: The Square, Chagford
Time: 1¾hr
Distance: 5km (3 miles)
Climb: 230m

Chagford is a former ‘Stannary Town’ where smelted tin was brought for assaying and taxation. In The Square is the unusual octagonal Market House built in 1862, known locally as the ‘Pepperpot’. The 15th-century Church of St Michael the Archangel is also worth a visit. Take a look at the roof bosses which include the ‘tinners’ rabbits’ – each rabbit has two ears, but there are only three ears between them. The town has a range of facilities, including cafes, pubs and independent shops.

From Chagford the route follows lanes to the edge of the town. Then the going gets a bit more strenuous as you follow lanes up past Meldon Hall before a final climb up a grassy path brings you to the top of Meldon Hill. After soaking up the views head downhill, steeply at times, before crossing Padley Common on the way back to The Square. A shorter, more level walk is also possible.

The best walk along a reservoir...

What: Meldon Reservoir
Summary: Walk alongside a reservoir, visit a beautiful oak wood and, after a steep climb, enjoy the views from Black Tor
Start/finish: Meldon Reservoir
Time: 2¾hr
Distance: 8km (5 miles)
Climb: 315m

After crossing the 200m-long dam this walk follows a path along the length of Meldon Reservoir before swinging left and heading up the West Okement valley to the magical Black-a-Tor Copse. This national nature reserve is home to ancient stunted English oaks growing amongst granite boulders clothed in moss and lichen. This is one of three high-altitude oak woods in Dartmoor, the others being Wistman’s Wood and Piles Copse. A stiff climb up to Black Tor gives some great views along the valley. From here you follow a track down Longstone Hill, steeply for a time, arriving back at the reservoir and retracing your outward route back to the start.