Walking the Dartmoor Way : 109-mile hike around Dartmoor National Park

Skirting the lofty granite expanse of Dartmoor, this rewarding trail leads you through an ever-changing tapestry of open moorland, wooded gorges, iconic tors, and picture-perfect villages. The route is described in 10 flexible stages, making it perfect whether you want to tackle the full circuit in a week or enjoy a more leisurely pace. Short, manageable climbs and descents feature throughout, keeping the walk accessible to most walkers. For added variety, the 23-mile (37km) High Moor Link offers a two-stage route across the moor's untamed interior, allowing you to create shorter loops or even a figure-of-eight journey. Traverse celebrated landscapes including Haytor Rocks, the dramatic Teign Gorge, Castle Drogo, and the remote beauty of Princetown with its imposing 19th-century prison. Spring and autumn are ideal times to walk, when mild weather and dazzling wildflower displays or rust-coloured foliage bring the moor to life. Watch for wildlife including great spotted woodpeckers, dippers, red and fallow deer, and the semi-wild ponies that have become symbols of Dartmoor National Park. This comprehensive Cicerone guidebook features route information boxes for each stage with start and finish points (grid references), distances, and estimated times. You'll find details of accommodation and refreshment options in characterful villages including Ivybridge, Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Moretonhampstead, Chagford, Okehampton, Lydford, and Shaugh Bridge. Navigate with confidence using included 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps and downloadable GPX tracks, plus low-level alternatives for bad weather to ensure safe passage when cloud descends.