Dartmoor Towns and Villages
Moretonhampstead is a great central location for visiting all the local towns. With a range of sizes, history and activities, there is something for all the family to enjoy and all within a few minutes away. Each town has its own character and features to keep you wondering where to go next. Our staff will happily help you to find a suitable location to suit your needs.
CHAGFORD
Throughout the year, Chagford is a magnet for visitors from all over the world. Historians think Chagford was established in the Saxon times where the name meant ‘the ford where the gorse grows’. Chagford became one of four Stannary towns in 1305, where miners brought their tin for weighing and valuing. A focal point of Chagford, the eight-sided market house, was built over the old Stannary court. Just a small walk around the town and you will be astonished by the old granite buildings, which date back to the sixteenth century. The parish church, another focal point of Chagford, dates back to the fifteenth century where all the redeeming feature can be clearly examined.
Chagford is the centre of many attractions where Fingle Bridge, a major beauty spot on Dartmoor, is only a riverside walk away. In the centre, arts and crafts can be enjoyed while watching local potters and basket makings at work, with an array of art galleries on your doorstep. Enjoy the fine selection of pubs and restaurants and your day will be fulfilled. Finally, visit the last castle ever to be built in England and just a few minutes away. Castle Drago has an ambiance of wildlife and natural splendour where you can see wild deer and have a heard of buzzards circling overhead.
EXETER
If you fancy a day out at one of the bigger cities in Devon, then Exeter is the perfect answer. Only 20 minutes away, you will have everything from shopping and restaurants to theatres and leisure centres. The brand new shopping centre should keep you occupied for a few hours. With brand name shops and cafes like Fat Face, Hotel Chocolate and the Strada café, you are spoilt for choice. On the other hand, if you don’t fancy the normal high street glamour, dip into one of over 300 smaller, specialist shops from arts and crafts to personalised gifts for the family.
Exeter also offers many popular attractions like the heights of Exeter Cathedral and the splendours of Northernhay Gardens. Take the family to Exeter castle for a taste of medieval life or dart down Exeter’s underground passages, which where built to carry safe drinking water in the medieval times. But that’s not all, Exeter has a assortment of museums, leisure centres and many more. It’s the perfect place for a day out and can accommodate everyone’s needs.
TAVISTOCK
Tavistock is a large town set just south of the Dartmoor national park. The town was renowned as the prominent agricultural market for the area, providing food for the surrounding towns. Tavistock was the birth place of Sir Francis Drake where his statue can be seen just from the town centre. Things to see include the ruins of the Tavistock Abbey, the pannier market, the wharf arts centre and theatre and the Tavistock museum.
As a starting point for the moors, Tavistock is a must visit location, with a good range of pubs, restaurants and many attractive features.
