about dartmoor

Dartmoor presents a rich and varied landscape, from the bleak and isolated open moorland which provided the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Hound of the Baskervilles" ('Hound Tor' is literally minutes by car, or approximately 1.5 hours walk for a keen walker), through the wooded, boulder strewn ravines, down to the sheltered valleys, picturesque villages and thatched cottages which personify the Devon countryside.

Dartmoor is an upland area containing the largest expanse of moorland in the south of England, an area of countryside identified by its unique combination of physical attributes, and is consequently attributed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Geography & Geology

It is the largest area of unglaciated upland in Great Britain, with an immense granite surface and a variety of features of geological interest. The landscape of Dartmoor is characterised by the granite tors, which have been formed by the weathering of the granite over the last ten million years. A tor is described by geologists as the hard granite core of a higher mountain range of softer rock, which has eroded away. Granite is the most common intrusive igneous rock. This forms when magma from inside the Earth spills out through volcanoes or gaps in the crust, and sets on the surface.

History

During the 1820's, the cities of which the Industrial Revolution heralded new commerce demanded public buildings of a suitably imposing appearance. The fine grain and high quality of Dartmoor granite made it the perfect choice of building material, and it consequently became imperative that the highest points of the moor should become accessible. George Templer, the heir to Stover house, and undoubtedly one of the most accomplished men in Devon, instigated the construction of the Dartmoor Railway. It stretched from the canal at Ventiford to the family's granite quarries at Haytor, and was an important contribution to the prosperity of the valley. Opened on 16th September 1820, it was horse-drawn and utilised a four foot six inch wide track known as Dartmoor gauge.

The granite would be transported from the quarries, along the line to Cattewater, and then shipped on to London and other ports, where it was utilised in the construction of various monuments and structures including Nelson's Column; London Bridge; Liverpool Slave Market; the National Gallery; the old General Post Office and parts of the British Museum. In an unsuccessful attempt to reclaim the moor for agricultural purposes, lime, sand and compost were transported in the opposite direction.

During the 1870's the line was closed and the rails were removed in 1916 to help with the war effort, although some of the stone sleepers still remain today. For keen walkers it is possible to trace the meandering path of the tramway across the moor. Situated to the north of Haytor, the track is still clearly visible and reasonably easy to follow as part of a walk.

Prehistoric remains are also prevalent across the landscape of Dartmoor, the durability of granite being a contributory factor in their survival. Man has inhabited Dartmoor since the Early Bronze Age, and having a slightly more temperate climate than it has today, the moor was a desirable place to live. The predominance of hut circles are an indication that Dartmoor was one of the most densely populated areas of North West Europe at this time. The remains of a medieval village can be found between Greator Rocks and Hound Tor.

Wildlife

The wildlife of Dartmoor is of international importance, and the blanket bogs, upland heaths and oakwoods, hay meadows, hedgebanks and lowland heath, support a wide range of species. These include the Otter; Dormouse; Greater Horseshoe Bat; Buzzard; Golden Plover; Red Grouse; Ring Ouzel; Cirl Bunting; Skylark and Woodlark. The diverse variety of species evident on Dartmoor encompasses the prolific through to several rarities, which are globally threatened and have consequently been identified for conservation projects.