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Since we moved to Devon 5 years ago we have discovered lots of lovely new places to visit but my favourite place of all is still Dartmoor. It is a moorland area that covers 954 square kilometres and sits right in the middle of Devon.

Today I thought I would share with you my 10 reasons to visit Dartmoor…

The Views

The views are simply breathtaking and it doesn’t seem to matter where you look there is always a spot that is worthy of a photo.

The Hidden Gems

Dartmoor is massive and it has hundreds of hidden gems all over it. Bellever Forest is one of our favourite spots (pictured below). Another one of my favourite spots is Haytor Quarry which can be found just up behind Haytor, it’s the perfect place to sit, have a picnic and take in the beautiful surroundings.

Climbing Adventures

Everywhere you look there is a rock that needs to be climbed.

The Dartmoor Ponies

The Dartmoor Ponies can be seen wandering around all over the place. They are quite happy for you to walk past them and take a picture, although bear in mind it is illegal to feed them. It is a common misconception to think that the ponies are wild when actually they all have owners.

To Be At One with Nature

Our two love nothing better than running wild and free on Dartmoor. They can literally run for miles without disturbing anyone.

The Local Foods

There are hundreds of places to stop for food. There are some lovely local pubs, normally with roaring open fires, perfect for a rest after all that fresh air.

This real Devon fudge can be bought at Pixieland near Princetown which is one of our children’s favourite places to visit and as a bonus, it’s free to get in.

To Get Away From it All

All you see for miles around you is a massive expanse of wide open space. Perfect for clearing your head and getting lungs full of fresh country air.

Letterboxing

Letterboxing is only something we have recently been made aware of by a friend and apparently, it originated on Dartmoor. It started in 1854 and involves boxes being left in certain spots, like under rocks, which are filled with stamps and letters.

The idea is to find the box and use the stamp you find in your own letterboxing book. The challenge is to see how many different boxes and stamps you can find. When we last went we found 10 all around the same spot.

It was lovely to read some of the letters and notes that had been left in the boxes. Just remember to put it all back where you found it so the next person can enjoy it too.

The Tors

The Tors are rock formations and each one on Dartmoor has its own name. The one pictured below is Haytor. It’s our aim this year to see and photograph as many different ones as we can, although this may take a while as there’s a fair few of them!

The Long Walks

We love going for a walk on Dartmoor, not only is it free but it’s great exercise too. It’s also a great opportunity to let the dog off the lead so he can have a real run around. If you can find a walk that ends next to a pub even better!

Have you visited Dartmoor before? If so I’d love to hear about your experiences.