Princetown offers the walker spectacular views of Dartmoor's almost volcanic landscapes.
Two popular family walks
 | Dartmoor Prison Museum Dartmoor Visitors Centre (10.00 - 17.00) Ruins at Swelltor Quarry |
 | Car Park Princetown £ 2 all day |
 | what3words ///reserving.herds.frogs |
 | SATNAV Postcode:PL20 6QF |
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Prince of Wales, Plume of Feathers
Old Police Station Cafe (highly recommended)
Walk 1 Princetown to Swelltor Quarry's ruins (5.4 miles)
Difficulty:
A most memorable 5 mile hike travelling back into the past following a dismantled railway to the ruins of workshops where once stones were carved for London Bridge.
You can still see some corbels intended for widening the bridge but abandoned for some reason.
This walk is more suited for a sunny day as there is nowhere to shelter when it rains.
The Walk
A From the car park take service road and follow this in a southwesterly direction towards the fire station.
B Take foot path on left which soon joins the dismantled railway.
C In the distance you can see the line meandering to Yelverton.
For those who prefer not to 'negotiate' the quarry turn left into a bridle path and descend to rejoin the railway line lower down. When you join , turn right and continue in a clockwise direction.
This may be the safest option if you have young children as the quarry includes steep cliffs and paths are not clearly defined.
D Turn left onto a grassy track up the quarry. At the top keep left and descend between the boulders to some ruins.
Caution :The quarry has some unexpected steep cliffs. Do not be tempted to follow paths along a cliff as they are quite steep; instead, skirt the quarry slightly lower down.
E Remarkable ruins of smithy and engine house with extensive views of Plymouth Sound.
F Railway sleepers are still visible. Follow the grassy path outlined by the sleepers until you join the original dismantled railway and continue clockwise.
G There is an opportunity to climb a path to King's Tor.
Continue along railway line to return home.
Although this is an easy walk firm footwear is recommended to cope with fine track ballast.
Difficulty:
Map of Walk 1
| Walks near Princetown | |
| Tavistock | |
 | Best town walks through this ancient tin producing market town. |
| Grimspound | |
 | During the bronze age Grimspound , made of granite blocks , enclosed 24 hut circles, suggesting a milder climate and an abundance of trees. Two popular walks. |
| Postbridge | |
 | A popular and varied forest walk with lots to see:bronze age stone & hut circles, a clapper bridge & Bellever Tor. |
| Meavy | |
 | A great pub walk to Meavy and Burrator Reservoir with spectacular views of a dramatic landscape featured in the film 'War Horse' . |
length: | 5.4 miles |
time: | 3 hrs |
| See on Google Earth | |
| download FIT for Watches / GPS | |
Walk 2 South Hessary Tor (4.4 miles)
Difficulty:
A scenic walk following the famous Dartmoor Way, bridle paths and lanes.
This walk had to be revised due to access issues.
The Walk
A Start from centre of Princetown and walk along right pavement of main road to Two Bridges.
B After an old fountain (dating 1908) take a track right.
C At fingerpost turn right.
D At next junction turn left and continue following the Dartmoor Way with wooded area on your right.
Go through a gate then after 70m take the bridlepath on your right and continue in a southerly direction.
After heavy rain, some stretches can become muddy.
Keep wall on your right for just over a mile when it turns west.
E Continue with wall on your right past Peat Cott Chapel and follow the bridlepath for a third of a mile.
When reaching a lane , cross over onto a track and at the next crossing turn right.
FFollow the Abbotts Way back to Princetown and past South Hessary Tor.
download route for Mobile / GPS
download FIT for Watches / GPS
| Car Park Princetown |
Map of Walk 2
Walk 3 South Hessary Tor (2 miles)
Difficulty:
A shorter version of walk 2 .
Due to access issues the walk includes a fairly long stretch along a quiet country lane.
Map of Walk 3
