Okehampton Devon Walking and Cycling, Dartmoor, Devon

Devon Trails from Okehampton

A choice of long distance trails begin, end or pass by Okehampton. Starting with the West Devon way, this path stretches 36 miles/58 km from Okehampton, North Dartmoor to historic maritime Plymouth, bypassing delightful Tavistock. What do you get along the way? Plenty of beautiful moorland on the western side of Dartmoor National Park, plus peaceful rural paths and river valleys. The West Devon Way is mostly Waymarked except those sections which traverse open moorland. This Devon walkway is very easy to dip in and out of as it runs parallel to bus routes!

The Dartmoor Way is the main circular long distance trail around the outskirts of Dartmoor National Park. It's 90 miles/144 km long and is easy walking, but what walking with spectacular views of Dartmoor all along the route! Check out the virtual tour map of the Dartmoor Way on the web link to the right for full details. The Dartmoor Way is not just a walkway, it's a cycle route as well! The two paths are separate, but walkway and cycle way run along similar routes on the moorland edge. Take in delights such as old tin mine Wheal Betsy in Mary Tavy, Lydford Castle, the many Tors and stone rows and stunning river views particularly around Dartmeet. The famous Nine Maidens stone circle is just off the Dartmoor Way at Belstone! Key Dartmoor villages adjacent to the Dartmoor Way include Okehampton of course, plus Morehampstead, Bovey Tracey, Ashburton, Dartmeet, Princetown, Tavistock, Brentor and Lydford, with various smaller stops along the way. If you're just getting into walking, and looking for a not too demanding walking week in the UK, then the Dartmoor Way in Devon is the perfect choice!

The Two Moors Way winds it's way upt through Dartmoor for over 100 miles/160km, stretching from Ivybridge in the south up to idyllic Lynmouth in the north. You can join the Two Moors way further south by hopping on the 15 mile/24km Erme-Plym Trail (the two walk ways combined make the perfect Devon Coast to Coast walk!) commencing at Wembury on the coast south of Plymouth. The little Erme-Plym Trail takes in some traditional most attractive Devon pastoral landscape, prior to joining into the Two Moors Way. Called Two Moors because that's what it does, link the two moors or national parks of Dartmoor and Exmoor! The route weaved by the Two Moors Way across Dartmoor takes in some really diverse scenery, and some pretty unspoilt remote sections of Dartmoor especially around the valley of the River Dart! The Two Moors Way is relatively easy walking, apart from two rather challenging stretches and some open moorland where you'll need some navigational skills, a compass and such like!

Various long distance trails push out from Okehampton, North Dartmoor into other beautiful parts of Devon. You can really mix and match your walkways, as they're all connected, and touch on differently themed walking territory from open moorland, to pastoral/rural Devon to historic and literary themes along the Tarka the Otter and castles/celtic/stone and iron age lines. Hop onto the Tarka Trail at Okehampton which weaves up through English Civil War hotspot Great Torrington. This walkway was influenced by the children's favourite novel 'Tarka the Otter', which contained real places covered on the trail which stretches 180 miles/290 km in a figure of eight shape. The Tarka Trail takes in a little of the north Dartmoor National Park, but it's figure of eight covers mostly wooded river valles, peaceful Devon countryside and dramatic parts of the North Devon Coast. This walkway is particularly well marked, and easy to dip in an out of either with short sections undertaken, or circular sections like the top end which weaves from Barnstaple round the famous surfing North coast of Devon through Croyde, Ilfracombe, and the soul stirring beauty of Combe Martin and Lynton, back down through Exmoor. The Tarka Trail takes in the lot - Dartmoor and rugged moorland, dramatic North Devon coastline, age old Devon towns like Barnstaple, and the wooded pastoral beauty of mid-Devon around Great Torrington. Want walking variety - choose the Tarka Trail!

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The New Granite Way & the National Cycle Network

Top news, cycling anad walking family. There's a new walkway and cycle way in Dartmoor. The superb and mostly traffic free cycle and walkway called, aptly for Dartmoor, the Granite Way! This cycle and walkway runs between Kehampton and Lydford and forms part of the national Cycle Network (NCN), noted as route number 27. Take a look at the National Cycle Network web link to the right!

The Granite Way is 11 miles/18 kms in total, and is perfect for family cycling holidays and novice cyclists, and traces a route formally occupied by the Southern Region Railway. This walkway and cycle way is off road for 6 miles/9kms on the stretch between Okehampton and the Lake Viaduct just past Sourton. Fantastic, it weaves it's leisurely way past Meldon and it's historic viaduct and reservoir, then on through Sourton Down all the way down to charming Lydford village with it's Devon Castle, superb country inn pubs and a Lydford Gorge. The Granite Way is part of the wider National Cycle Network (NCN), and a little section of the Devon Coast to Coast 102 mile cycle/walkway which runs between Ilfracombe and Plymouth.

Key Devon industrial sites on the Granite Way include the superb Meldon Viaduct which dates from 1874 and served the London and South West railway. This marvellous mammoth steel viaduct is a sight to behold, spanning 341 fee/165 metres in height. Meldon was a key mining and quarrying area as well, so there's plenty of marks of mineral mining and quarrying of limestone in the area. Meldon Dam and Reservoir is a little more recent, built in 1972 in the West Ockment valley. It's a good reservoir to walk around, with a good pathway and spectacular views of Dartmoor!

Parts of the traffic free sections of the Granite Way are wheelchair accessible, all excepting access from the A386 at Bearslake to the Lake Viaduct! For cycle hire Check out Okehampton Cycles, North Road, Okehampton, EX10 1BQ. Tel: 01837 53248. Moor Cycles, 6 The Arcade, Okehampton, EX20 1EX. Tel: 01837 659677.

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Okehampton Youth Hostel & Outdoor Pursuits North Dartmoor

Okehampton Youth Hostel, Okehampton Station, Klondyke Road, Okehampton, EX20 1EW. Tel: 01837 53916

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