DNP ENJOY DARTMOOR 2024 digital - Flipbook - Page 41
Hiking up to Yes Tor with Okehampton in the distance
The East Okement river in Simmons Park
SPOTLIGHT ON:
Discover the town with so much moor
Home to countless recreation opportunities through
wooded valleys or open moorland and places rich
in history and heritage, Okehampton is perfect for
immersing yourself in Dartmoor life.
Accessible by train, the Dartmoor Line is a wonderful
way to travel between Okehampton and Exeter
by rail. Opened in 2021, this is the first line to be
reinstated under the Department for Transport’s
‘Restoring your Railway’ initiative. For a coffee,
cake, or something more substantial you can step off
the train and straight into The Bulleid Buffet café,
situated on the station’s platform.
The Victorian Arcade
Okehampton lies at the confluence of the East and West
Okement rivers. The first mention of Okehampton –
written in Saxon as Ocmundtune – was around 970 AD.
A motte and bailey castle was built here following the
Norman Conquest in 1066. Set on a spur above the
River Okement it is an imposing sight with a tumultuous
history spanning civil war, politics and aristocracy.
Managed today by English Heritage, it makes for a
fascinating visit. Spend some time in the old deer park,
now a peaceful nature reserve.
The town centre lies a short walk away. Here, you’ll
find great shops, pubs, cafés and restaurants. A proud
Fairtrade town, its many independent shops and cafés
stock and sell goods that are fairly-traded, something
which promotes a more just and ethical world.
For a small rural town it has a real breadth of choice
– head to the Victorian Arcade where small shops line
up under a domed roof. Or, if you visit on a Saturday,
pick up some local produce from the market in Red
Lion Yard.
Want to learn more? Housed in a quirky Grade II listed
building, The Museum of Dartmoor Life is packed with
remarkable artefacts and objects spanning 5,000 years.
dartmoor.gov.uk
Okehampton Castle
While you’re here…
• Try bushcraft, canoeing and pony trekking with all
the family at Adventure Okehampton
• Explore the town’s popular Simmons Park
• Bag two tors by hiking to Yes Tor and High Willhays
– Dartmoor’s highest peaks
• Go on a guided tour of the Finch Foundry at
nearby Sticklepath, where you’ll learn about the
enterprising Finch family who rose to become
leaders in the British tool industry business
• Cycle or walk along The Granite Way shared path,
stopping to explore Meldon, where you can see
an abundance of wildlife and industrial heritage,
including the impressive Meldon Viaduct, which spans
the West Okement river
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