In Pictures: Celebrating Dartmoor
The UK's first four National Parks turned 70 in 2021. Dartmoor was one – and its a landscape that, while windswept and atmospheric, is far from bleak.
Widgery Cross stands on the summit of Brat Tor above the village of Lydford. This cross was erected in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
A wild pony and foal graze on Dartmoor. Numbering 1,500 individuals, today's semi-wild ponies are a mixture of breeds, though herds of the 'pedigree' Dartmoor pony – a sturdy, large animal built to thrive on the sometimes harsh conditions on the moor – still roam.
Wild campers pitch their tents on the high moor. Though it is tolerated in others when conducted responsibly, Dartmoor is the only national park south of Scotland to expressly allow wild camping. The activity is popular for those keen to capitalise on the clear night skies, which are amongst the least light-polluted in Britain. For their own safety, campers must take heed of the restrictions imposed by the various military ranges at certain times.
A view to Sourton Church, which dates to the 1300s, on the north-west edge of the High Moor and National Park.
'Letterboxing' was a popular activity peculiar to Dartmoor, and is said to be the forerunner of geocaching. Started in 1854, it involves logbooks or jars for 'visiting cards' left in various remote corners of the moor for visitors to record their passage.
A red flag below Belstone Tor signals firing activity on one of several military ranges on Dartmoor. The high moor comprises three such ranges (Okehampton, Merrivale and Willsworthy) where live ordnance is sometimes fired. When this is underway, red flags fly by day, and red lamps by night.
Ger Tor, above the valley of Tavy Cleave. Many of the tors on north Dartmoor reach relatively impressive altitude, due to the uplift of the moor itself.
The highest point of Dartmoor, High Willhays is – at 621 metres – the highest point in England south of the Peak District.
The ruined castle at Okehampton, on the northern edge of the moor. Begun in the 11th century, the castle spent time as a prestigious private residence in the 14th century, before falling into disrepair in the 16th.
Hound Tor at dawn, with Haytor Rocks in the distance. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is said to have been inspired to write the Hound of the Baskervilles after visiting the location and hearing its folklore; certain weathered boulders in the eerie area are said to resemble the heads of dogs, peering above the rocks.
Soldiers train on the high moor. The area's low population density, rugged terrain and challenging navigation make it a good testing ground for the army, which has had a presence on the moor since the 1800s. There is a large battle camp barracks at Okehampton.
Autumnal colours line the banks of the River Teign at Fingle Bridge.
Autumn colour in Hannicombe Wood near Fingle Bridge, Dartmoor. The bridge is owned by the National Trust and is believed to date to the 17th century.
In addition to the army presence, another incongruous addition to the National Park's cultural tapestry is Princetown Prison. Located in the centre of the moor, the prison's austere granite walls make it look formidable, and it was built to house prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars. During Victorian times it is said to have housed some of Britain's most dangerous criminals and earned a reputation as being 'escape proof' – but for most of its existence it has been a prison for so-called 'white collar' prisoners, and is today a Category C facility.
Dartmoor's historic reputation as a haunted and dangerous land has led to fanciful local tributes. The Highwayman Inn, in Sourton, is onesuch; with ornate exteriors styled in the shape of a boot and a carriage and an interior resembling a cross between an ancient castle and a pirate ship, it describes itself as 'Britain's most unusual and magical pub.'