Discover the Dartmoor Way, a 109-mile (175km) waymarked circuit that encircles the wild heart of southwest England’s largest national park. Skirting the lofty granite expanse of Dartmoor, this rewarding trail leads walkers through an ever-changing tapestry of open moorland, wooded gorges, Devon’s iconic tors, and picture-perfect villages. 

For added variety, the 23-mile (37km) High Moor Link offers a two-stage route across the moor’s untamed interior, making shorter loops or even a figure-of-eight journey possible.

Ideal for walkers seeking the wilder side of Devon, the Dartmoor Way is described in 10 flexible stages, with options to tackle the full circuit in a week or enjoy a more leisurely pace. Short, manageable climbs and descents feature throughout, making the route accessible to most walkers, while low-level detours are available for days when Dartmoor’s legendary mists descend.

• Traverse celebrated landscapes including Haytor Rocks, the dramatic Teign Gorge and Castle Drogo, and the remote beauty of Princetown, famed for its imposing 19th-century prison and the semi-wild ponies that have become the symbol of the National Park.
• The Dartmoor Way is perfect for spring or autumn walking, when mild weather and dazzling displays of wildflowers or rust-coloured foliage bring the moor to life. Wildlife abounds, from great spotted woodpeckers and dippers in the valley woodlands to roe, red, and fallow deer, and elusive otters now found on every Devon river.
• The route caters to every kind of walker, whether you’re embarking on the full loop in one go, breaking the journey into manageable sections, or creating your own adventure with the High Moor Link. For those on a one-week schedule, the Trek Planner helps you tailor the stages for longer days and mileage.
• Each stage features a comprehensive route information box, detailing start and finish points (with grid references), distances, estimated time (including stops), and options for accommodation and refreshments in characterful Dartmoor villages such as Ivybridge, Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Moretonhampstead, Chagford, Okehampton, Lydford, and Shaugh Bridge.
• Navigate with confidence using the included 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps and downloadable GPX tracks. Low-level alternatives are described for bad weather, ensuring safe passage even when the cloud is down.

Plan your Dartmoor Way adventure with confidence and immerse yourself in the untamed beauty, history, and wildlife of England’s most magnificent moorland, with the comprehensive guidance of the Cicerone guidebook.

Dartmoor Way – Quick Facts

Trail name: Walking the Dartmoor Way 
Location: Dartmoor National Park & Devon, South-West England, UK  
Total distance: ~175 km / ~109 miles (circular walk around Dartmoor)  
Typical duration: ~10 days end-to-end (flexible)  
Start / Finish: Ivybridge (circular route)  
Route type: Long-distance circular walking route in 10 stages (plus optional High Moor Link)  
Difficulty: Moderate; includes short steep ascents/descents (suitable for most walkers)  
Terrain: Moorland edges, wooded valleys, quiet lanes, footpaths & bridleways  
Navigation: 1:50,000 OS maps and GPX files available  
Accommodation & logistics: Public transport, accommodation details and planning advice included in guidebook  
Best season: Spring and autumn often offer ideal conditions, though walkable year-round

Author Highlight

“Dartmoor walking isn’t all about tramping across the high moor. Move away from the unenclosed commons towards the National Park boundary and you enter a different, less demanding landscape: the granite gives way to the softer ‘country rocks’ of the hinterland. Here will be found steep-sided wooded valleys carved out by fast-flowing rivers; clusters of small stone-walled fields and ancient farmsteads; hedged byways and a network of narrow, twisting lanes leading to picturesque villages, usually centred on the parish church. This peaceful moorland-edge landscape is best experienced on foot – and the Dartmoor Way provides the perfect opportunity to do just that."

- Sue Viccars, author of Walking the Dartmoor Way

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview map

Route summary table

Trek planner

Introduction

History of the route

Geology and landscape

Wildlife

When to go

Planning the walk

Accommodation

Public transport

Maps

Getting there and getting away

What to take

Food and drink

Health and safety

Mobile phones and emergencies

Waymarking and access

Using this guide

The Dartmoor Way

Stage 1 Ivybridge to Shipley Bridge

Stage 2 Shipley Bridge to Ashburton

Stage 3 Ashburton to Bovey Tracey

Stage 4 Bovey Tracey to Moretonhampstead

Stage 5 Moretonhampstead to Chagford

Stage 6 Chagford to Okehampton

Stage 7 Okehampton to Lydford

Stage 8 Lydford to Tavistock

Stage 9 Tavistock to Shaugh Bridge

Stage 10 Shaugh Bridge to Ivybridge

High Moor Link 1 Buckfastleigh to Hexworthy

High Moor Link 2 Hexworthy to Tavistock

Appendix A Useful contacts

Appendix B Refreshments and supplies

Appendix C Selected accommodation

Appendix D Further reading

Seasons

Ideal in the 'shoulder' months: wild flowers, lambs and foals in spring; rusty bracken moorland, colourful oak woods and diverse fungi in autumn. Expect cooler and wetter weather in autumn and winter.

Centres

Ivybridge, South Brent, Buckfastleigh, Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Manaton, Moretonhampstead, Chagford, South Zeal, Sticklepath, Belstone, Okehampton, Sourton, Lydford, Mary Tavy, Peter Tavy, Tavistock, Yelverton, Cornwood, Holne, Hexworthy, Princetown

Difficulty

Includes short but steep ascents and descents, but the route is well signed and split into easily manageable day walks. Alternative low-level routes listed for days when visibility is poor, and navigation may be a challenge.

Must See

Dartmoor National Park; Redlake Tramway; Buckfast Abbey; Haytor Rocks and the Haytor Granite Tramway, built in 1820; the Teign Gorge; Cranbrook Iron Age hillfort; Castle Drogo; Belstone Cleave and the Taw River; Okehampton castle; Meldon Viaduct and bluebell woodland; Dartmoor's highest point, High Willhays; Lydford Castle; The Dewerstone; Lee Moor china clay workings; Princetown's Napoleonic prison

October 2023

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