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For the Victorian hamlet in Australia, see Dartmoor, Victoria. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Dartmoor is a rural hamlet sitting on the edge of the Glenelg River, in South Western Victoria.

Dartmoor
Protected Area
none High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor and southern England at 621 m (2037 ft) above sea level, with Yes Tor beyond
High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor and southern England at 621 m (2037 ft) above sea level, with Yes Tor beyond
Country Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Part Flag of England England
County Devon
Highest point High Willhays
 - elevation 621 m (2,037 ft)
Lowest point Doghole Bridge
 - elevation 30 m (98 ft)
Area 953 km² (368 sq mi)
Animal Dartmoor Pony
National Park of England 1951
Management Dartmoor National Park Authority
 - location Bovey Tracey
Visitation 10. High Willhays is the highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, at 621 m (2039 ft above sea level and the highest point in Great Britain south England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Yes Tor is the second highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, South West England, at 619 m (2031 ft above sea level The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name High Willhays is the highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, at 621 m (2039 ft above sea level and the highest point in Great Britain south The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The Dartmoor pony has lived in southern The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. 98m
IUCN category II - National Park
Website: http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/

Dartmoor is an area of moorland in the centre of the English county of Devon in South West England. Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas characterised by low growing vegetation on Acidic soils England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Protected by National Park status, it covers 953 km² (368 mile²). The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949

The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian period about 359 Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops (known as tors), providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. A tor is a rock outcrop formed by Weathering, usually found on or near the summit of a Hill. Dartmoor and the fact that a great deal of it is undisturbed for much of the year is an encouragement to the wildlife. The highest point is High Willhays, 621 m (2,040 ft) above sea level. High Willhays is the highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, at 621 m (2039 ft above sea level and the highest point in Great Britain south The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeology. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos

Dartmoor is managed by the Dartmoor National Park Authority whose 26 members are drawn from Devon County Council, local District Councils and Government. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County.

Parts of Dartmoor have been used as a military firing range for over 200 years. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking A shooting range is a specialized facility designed for Firearms practice The public enjoy extensive access rights to the rest of Dartmoor, and it is a popular tourist destination. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel The Park was featured on the TV programme Seven Natural Wonders as the top natural wonder in South West England. Seven Natural Wonders was a Television series that aired on BBC Two from 3 May to 20 June 2005. South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to

Contents

Physical geography

Tors

Dartmoor is known for its tors – large hills, topped with outcrops of bedrock, which in granite country such as this are usually rounded boulder-like formations. A tor is a rock outcrop formed by Weathering, usually found on or near the summit of a Hill. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. There are over 160 tors on Dartmoor. They are the focus of an annual event known as the Ten Tors Challenge, when over a thousand people, aged between 14 and 21, walk for distances of 35, 45 or 55 miles (56, 72 or 89 km) over ten tors on many differing routes. Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike organised and run in early May for 2400 young people by the British Army on Dartmoor. While many of the hills of Dartmoor have the word "Tor" in them quite a number do not, however this does not appear to relate to whether there is an outcrop of rock on their summit.

The highest points on Dartmoor are High Willhays (grid reference SX580895) at 621 m (2,040 ft) and Yes Tor (grid reference SX581901) 619 m (2,030 ft) on the northern moor. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Yes Tor is the second highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, South West England, at 619 m (2031 ft above sea level The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Ryder's Hill (grid reference SX690660), 515 m (1,690 ft), Snowdon 495 m (1,620 ft), and an unnamed point at (grid reference SX603645),493 m (1,620 ft) are the highest points on the southern moor. Ryder's Hill stands at 515 m and is one of the highest points on the southern part of Dartmoor, Devon. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Probably the best known tor on Dartmoor is Haytor (also spelt Hey Tor) (grid reference SX757771), 457 m (1,500 ft). Haytor or Hay Tor is a Granite Tor on Dartmoor in the English County of Devon. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit For a more complete list see List of Dartmoor tors and hills. This is a list of Tors and Hills on Dartmoor. Dartmoor is a National Park in South West England.

Rivers

River Erme at Ivybridge
River Erme at Ivybridge

The levels of rainfall on Dartmoor are considerably higher than in the surrounding lowlands. The Erme is a River on Dartmoor, Devon, England. It rises in southern Dartmoor on the Abbot's Way near the source of the Plym Ivybridge (pronounced) is a small town and Civil parish in the South Hams, in Devon, England. With much of the national park covered in thick layers of peat, the rain is usually absorbed quickly and distributed slowly, so that the moor is rarely dry. Peat is an accumulation of partially Decayed Vegetation matter.

In areas where water accumulates, dangerous bogs or mires can result. A bog or mire is a Wetland type that accumulates Acidic Peat, a deposit of dead plant material &ndash usually Mosses but also Some of these, up to 12 feet (3. 7 m) across and topped with bright green moss, are known to locals as "feather beds" or "quakers", because they shift (or 'quake') beneath your feet. This is the result of accumulations of sphagnum moss growing over a hollow in the granite filled with water. [1]

Another consequence of the high rainfall is that there are numerous rivers and streams on Dartmoor. As well as shaping the landscape, these have traditionally provided a source of power for moor industries such as tin mining and quarrying. The Dartmoor tin mining industry is thought to have originated in pre- Roman times and continued right through to the 20th century

The Moor takes its name from the River Dart, which starts as the East Dart and West Dart and then becomes a single river at Dartmeet. The River Dart is a River in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Dartmeet is a popular tourist spot in the centre of Dartmoor, Devon, England.

For a full list, expand the Rivers of Dartmoor navigational box at the bottom of this page.

Angling

Angling is a popular pastime on the moor, especially for migratory fish such as salmon. Angling is a method of Fishing by means of an "angle" ( hook) Salmon is the common name for several species of Fish of the family Salmonidae. [1]

Kayaking and canoeing

Dartmoor is a focal point for whitewater kayaking and canoeing, due to the previously mentioned high rainfall and high quality of rivers. Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a Kayak on a moving body of water typically a Whitewater river Canoeing is the activity of paddling a Canoe for the purpose of recreation (also called a float trip Sport, or transportation. The River Dart is the most prominent meeting place, but the Erme, Tavy and Plym are also frequently paddled. The River Dart is a River in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. The Erme is a River on Dartmoor, Devon, England. It rises in southern Dartmoor on the Abbot's Way near the source of the Plym The Tavy is a River on Dartmoor, Devon, England. It is a Tributary of the River Tamar and has as its own tributaries The River Plym is a River in Devon, England. Its source is 450m above Sea level on Dartmoor, in an upland marshy area

History

Pre-history

The majority of the prehistoric remains on Dartmoor date back to the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Indeed, Dartmoor contains the largest concentration of Bronze Age remains in the United Kingdom, which suggests that this was when a larger population moved onto the hills of Dartmoor.

The climate at the time was warmer than today, and much of today's moorland was covered with trees. The prehistoric settlers began clearing the forest, and established the first farming communities. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Fire was the main method of clearing land, creating pasture and swidden types of fire-fallow farmland. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. Pasture is land with Herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of Ungulate Livestock as part of a Farm or Ranch. Slash and burn consists of cutting and burning of Forests or Woodlands to create fields for Agriculture or Pasture for Livestock, or Areas less suited for farming, tended to be burned for livestock grazing. Over the centuries these Neolithic practices greatly expanded the upland moors, contributed to the acidification of the soil and the accumulation of peat and bogs. Peat is an accumulation of partially Decayed Vegetation matter. A bog or mire is a Wetland type that accumulates Acidic Peat, a deposit of dead plant material &ndash usually Mosses but also [2]

The nature of the soil, which is highly acidic, means that no organic remains have survived. However, by contrast, the high durability of the natural granite means that their homes and monuments are still to be found in abundance, as are their flint tools. It should be noted that a number of remains were "restored" by enthusiastic Victorians and that, in some cases, they have placed their own interpretation on how an area may have looked. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities

Beardown Man, Dartmoor
Beardown Man, Dartmoor

Numerous menhirs (more usually referred to locally as standing stones or longstones), stone circles, kistvaens, cairns and stone rows are to be found on the moor. A menhir is a large upright Standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as Monoliths or as part of a group of similar stones Standing stones, orthostats, liths or more commonly Megaliths ' because of their large and cumbersome size are solitary stones set vertically in the A stone circle is an ancient monument Such a monument is not always precisely circular and often forms an ellipse or a setting of four stones laid on an arc of a circle A kistvaen is a stone Coffin, usually pre- Christian, derived from the Welsh Cist (chest and maen (stone A cairn ( carn in Irish is an artificial pile of stones often in a conical form http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/ImageKnocknakilla_25jpgView of part of the megalithic complex at Knocknakilla, a 3 The most significant sites include:

There are also an estimated 5,000 hut circles still surviving today, despite the fact that many have been raided over the centuries by the builders of the traditional dry stone walls. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude These are the remnants of Bronze Age houses. The smallest are around 1. 8 m (6 ft) in diameter, and the largest may be up to five times this size.

Some have L-shaped porches to protect against wind and rain – some particularly good examples are to be found at Grimspound. It is believed that they would have had a conical roof, supported by timbers and covered in turf or thatch.

Many ancient structures, including the hut circles at Grimspound, were reconstructed during the 19th century – most notably by civil engineer and historian Richard Hansford Worth. Grimspound is a late Bronze Age settlement situated on Dartmoor in Devon, England. Some of this work was based more on speculation than archaeological expertise, and has since been criticised for its inaccuracy.

The historical period

The climate worsened over the course of a thousand years from around 1000 BC, so that much of high Dartmoor was largely abandoned by its early inhabitants.

It was not until the early medieval period that the weather again became warmer, and settlers moved back onto the moors. Like their ancient forebears, they also used the natural granite to build their homes, preferring a style known as the longhouse – some of which are still inhabited today, although they have been clearly adapted over the centuries. The Dartmoor Longhouse is a type of traditional home found on the high ground of Dartmoor, in the south west of the United Kingdom. Many are now being used as farm buildings, while others were abandoned and fell into ruin.

The earliest surviving farms, still in operation today, are known as the Ancient Tenements. The Ancient Tenements are the oldest surviving farms on Dartmoor, in England. Most of these date back to the 14th century and sometimes earlier.

Some way into the moor stands the town of Princetown, the site of the notorious Dartmoor Prison, which was originally built both by, and for, prisoners of war from the Napoleonic Wars. Princetown is a town situated on Dartmoor in the county of Devon in England. HM Prison Dartmoor is located in Princetown, high on Dartmoor in the English County of Devon. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The prison has a (now misplaced) reputation for being escape-proof, both due to the buildings themselves and its physical location.

The Dartmoor landscape is scattered with the marks left by the many generations who have lived and worked there over the centuries – such as the remains of the once mighty Dartmoor tin-mining industry, and farmhouses long since abandoned. The Dartmoor tin mining industry is thought to have originated in pre- Roman times and continued right through to the 20th century Indeed the industrial archaeology of Dartmoor is a subject in its own right. The Industrial archaeology of Dartmoor covers a number of the industries which have over the ages occurred on Dartmoor and the remaining evidence surrounding them

Myths and literature

Dartmoor abounds with myths and legends. It is reputedly the haunt of pixies, a headless horseman, a mysterious pack of 'spectral hounds', and a large black dog. Pixies (also Piskies and Pigsies as they are sometimes known in Cornwall) are mythical creatures of Folklore, considered to be particularly concentrated During the Great Thunderstorm of 1638, Dartmoor was even said to have been visited by the Devil. The Great Thunderstorm of Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Dartmoor, took place on Sunday 21 October 1638, when the church of St Pancras was The Devil is the

Many landmarks have ancient legends and ghost stories associated with them, such as Jay's Grave, the ancient burial site at Childe's Tomb, and a rock pile called Bowerman's Nose. A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented Jay's Grave (or Kitty Jay's Grave) is supposedly the last resting place of a suicide victim who is thought to have died in the late 18th century Childe's Tomb is located on the south-east edge of Foxtor Mires, c Bowerman's Nose is a stack of weathered Granite on Dartmoor, Devon, England

A few stories have emerged in recent decades, such as the 'hairy hands', that are said to attack travellers on the B3212 near Two Bridges. The Hairy Hands is a Ghost story/legend that built up around a stretch of road in Dartmoor, United Kingdom, which was purported to have seen an unusually Two Bridges is an isolated location in the heart of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England

Dartmoor has inspired a number of artists and writers, such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventure of Silver Blaze, Eden Phillpotts, Beatrice Chase, Agatha Christie and the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould. Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930 was an Anglo-Scottish Author most noted for his stories about the The Hound of the Baskervilles is a crime novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. " Silver Blaze " one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of the twelve in the cycle collected Eden Phillpotts ( 4 November 1862 – 29 December 1960) was an English novelist poet and dramatist Beatrice Chase is the pen name for a British writer who became well known for her Dartmoor -based novels during the first half of the 20th century Agatha Mary Clarissa Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 &ndash 12 January 1976 commonly known as Agatha Christie, was an English The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould ( 28 January 1834 &ndash 2 January 1924) was an English Hagiographer, Antiquarian, novelist

Ownership and access

Over half of Dartmoor National Park (57. 3%) is private land, much of this owned by the Duke of Cornwall, a title held under a charter of Edward III by the Prince of Wales. The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first Dukedom created in the Peerage of England. Edward III (13 November 1312 &ndash 21 June 1377 was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom The Ministry of Defence owns 14% (see below), 3. 8% is owned by water companies (see Dartmoor reservoirs), 3. Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries a number of reservoirs and Dams were built in the area now covered by Dartmoor National Park in Devon 7% by the National Trust, 1. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales 8% by the Forestry Commission and 1. The Forestry Commission (established in 1919 is a Non-ministerial government department responsible for Forestry in Great Britain. 4% by Dartmoor's National Park Authority. A National Park Authority is a special term used in the United Kingdom for the legal body in charge of a National park. About 37% of Dartmoor is Common land. Common land (a common) is a piece of land owned by one person but over which other people can exercise certain traditional rights such as allowing their livestock to graze [3]

Dartmoor differs from some other National Parks in England and Wales, in that since a 1985 Act of Parliament much of it has been designated as 'Access Land', with no restrictions on where walkers can roam. The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 An Act of Parliament is a Law enacted as Primary legislation by a national or sub-national Parliament. This Access Land remains privately owned land.

There are still almost 450 miles (720 km) of footpaths and bridleways on Dartmoor, but they are for guidance and convenience – they do not have to be kept to, and in fact footpaths in these sections of the Park are generally not waymarked. In England and Wales, public rights of way are paths on which the public have a legally protected right to pass and re-pass Waymarking is a means by which people can catalog mark locate and log unique and interesting locations around the world usually with a GPS receiver This is not connected with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which has established similar rights in other rural parts of the country. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 is a UK Act of Parliament which came into force on November 30, 2000. Dartmoor is largely unaffected by this legislation because of its existing arrangements. In 2006, this Act opened up much of the remaining restricted land for walkers – a topic much disputed amongst the landowners and the councils.

Use by the Ministry of Defence

There is a tradition of military usage of Dartmoor dating back to the Napoleonic wars. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions There is still a large British Army training camp at Okehampton – also the site of an airbase during the Second World War. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Okehampton is a Town and Civil parish in Devon, England, at the northern edge of Dartmoor, on the River Okement. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) uses three areas of the northern moor for manoeuvres and live-firing exercises, totalling 108. The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters 71 km² (41. 9 mile²), or just over 11% of Dartmoor National Park. Red and white posts mark the boundaries of these military areas (shown on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale maps). Ordnance Survey (OS is an Executive agency of the United Kingdom government Flagpoles on many tors in and around the ranges will fly red flags when firing is taking place. At other times, members of the public are allowed access. Blank rounds may also be used, but the MoD has no obligation to alert the civilian population of this.

Those wishing to walk in the firing areas are advised to check the firing times for the coming week by calling the MoD on 0800 4584868. Further advice is available at the National Park website.

Some "challenge" and charitable events take place with assistance of the military on Dartmoor including the long established Ten Tors event and the more recent Dartmoor Beast. The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike organised and run in early May for 2400 young people by the British Army on Dartmoor. The Dartmoor Beast is an annual charitable Fundraising challenge run in aid of the charity Cancer Climber Association (CCA UK.

Preservation

The clapper bridge at Postbridge
The clapper bridge at Postbridge

Throughout human history, the landscape has been exploited for industrial purposes. Postbridge is a hamlet in the heart of Dartmoor in the English county of Devon. In recent years, controversy has surrounded the work of industrial conglomerates Imerys and Watts Blake Bearne, who have used parts of the moor for china clay mining. Imerys is a French multinational company listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ticker NK) Kaolinite is a Clay mineral with the chemical composition Al 2 Si 2 O 5( OH)4 Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body Licences were granted by the British Government but were recently renounced after sustained public pressure from bodies such as the Dartmoor Preservation Association. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at The Dartmoor Preservation Association or DPA was founded in 1883. Many of these licences predate much of the heavy machinery which is in use today. Imerys were singled out for particular criticism after work at Lee Moor destroyed a number of archaeologically significant sites.

The British government has made promises to protect the integrity of the moor; however, the cost of compensating companies for these licences, which may not have been granted in today's political climate, could prove prohibitive.

The military use of the moor has been another source of controversy, such as when training was extended in January 2003. The National Park Authority received 1,700 objections before making the decision. A National Park Authority is a special term used in the United Kingdom for the legal body in charge of a National park. Objectors claimed that Dartmoor should be an area for recreation, and that the training disturbs the peace.

Those who objected included the Open Space Society and the Dartmoor Preservation Association. During her lifetime, Lady Sayer was another outspoken critic of the damage which she perceived that the army was doing to the moor. Sylvia Olive Pleadwell Sayer Lady Sayer (1904-2000 was one of the foremost early conservators of what is now Dartmoor National Park in Devon in the south-west of

Towns and villages

A typical Dartmoor tor close to Haytor.
A typical Dartmoor tor close to Haytor. Haytor or Hay Tor is a Granite Tor on Dartmoor in the English County of Devon.

Dartmoor has a resident population of about 33,400, which swells considerably during holiday periods with incoming tourists. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology For a list, expand the Settlements of Dartmoor navigational box at the bottom of this page.

Features

Well known landmarks

Letterboxing

The definitive guide to hill walking on Dartmoor was written by the Victorian era walker William Crossing. Great Links Tor is a prominent Tor on the north-western flank of Dartmoor, Devon, England Grey Wethers consists of a pair of Prehistoric Stone circles situated on grassy Plateau to the north of Postbridge, Dartmoor, in the Grimspound is a late Bronze Age settlement situated on Dartmoor in Devon, England. Haytor or Hay Tor is a Granite Tor on Dartmoor in the English County of Devon. The Haytor Granite Tramway was a unique granite-railed tramway running down from Haytor Down Dartmoor, Devon. High Willhays is the highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, at 621 m (2039 ft above sea level and the highest point in Great Britain south Hound Tor is a Tor on Dartmoor, Devon, England and is a good example of a heavily weathered Granite outcrop Jay's Grave (or Kitty Jay's Grave) is supposedly the last resting place of a suicide victim who is thought to have died in the late 18th century Lydford Gorge is a 15 mile (24 km long Gorge near Lydford, Devon, England. Meldon is a village in Devon, England, located at 5070° N 04 The Tavistock Canal is a Canal in the county of Devon in England. A Bullaun or Bullan (from a word cognate with 'bowl' and French 'bol' is the term used for the depression in a stone which is often water filled Two Bridges is an isolated location in the heart of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England The Warren House Inn is a remote and isolated Public house in the heart of Dartmoor, Devon, England. Wistman's Wood is one of threeremote copses of stunted oaks on Dartmoor, Devon, England. In Britain, the term hillwalking or fellwalking is normally used to describe the recreational practice of walking in hilly or Mountainous terrain generally Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities William Crossing (1847 - 1928 was a writer and documenter of Dartmoor and Dartmoor life He states that a Dartmoor guide placed a bottle for visitors' cards at Cranmere Pool on the northern moor in 1854. Cranmere Pool is a small depression in the peat set in the northern half of Dartmoor at SX604858 This would seem to be the origin of letterboxing. Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of Orienteering, Art and Puzzle solving. In 1938 a plaque and letterbox in Crossing's memory were placed at Duck's Pool on the southern moor. Duck's Pool is a small depression set in a remote location in the southern half of Dartmoor, Devon at.

This pursuit has become increasingly popular in recent decades. Watertight containers, or 'letterboxes', are hidden throughout Dartmoor, each containing a visitor's book and a rubber stamp. The original intention was for walkers to leave a letter or postcard, which would then be collected and posted by the next person to visit the site. Today visitors take an impression of the letterbox's rubber stamp as proof of finding the box and record their visit by stamping their own personal stamp in the letterbox's logbook.

Until the 1970s there were no more than a dozen such sites around the moor, usually in the most inaccessible locations. Today there are thousands of letterboxes, many within easy walking distance of the road. Today there is a club called the "100 Club", membership of which is open to anyone who has found at least 100 letterboxes on Dartmoor. Clues to the locations of letterboxes are published by the "100 Club" in a bi-annual catalogue. Some letterboxes however remain "word of mouth" and the clues to their location can only be obtained from the person who placed the box. Some clues may also be found in other letterboxes or on the Internet, this is however more commonly for letterboxes in places other than Dartmoor, where no "100 Club" or catalogue exist. Letterboxing has become a sport in itself, with thousands of walkers gathering for 'box-hunts' – an in some areas of the moor is particularly popular amongst children, some of the more difficult to find boxes and tougher terrain are however better suited to more experienced adults.

Such letterboxes have also been placed in various locations around the world, with a more recent variant known as geocaches. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS receiver or other navigational techniques These caches are usually much harder to find, and often require GPS coordinates to locate. Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth

See also

External links

Notes

  1. ^ Ian Mercer: Bogs and Mires of Dartmoor, in Hunt & Wills 1977, p. The Geology of Great Britain is hugely varied and complex and gives rise to the wide variety of landscapes found across the islands The Haytor Granite Tramway was a unique granite-railed tramway running down from Haytor Down Dartmoor, Devon. The Dartmoor Discovery is an Ultramarathon run around Dartmoor in early June (recently the first Saturday in June A rock-cut basin, in this usage of the term is a natural phenomenon The Dartmoor Way is a Long-distance footpath in South West England in the United Kingdom. Long-distance trails (or long-distance tracks paths footpaths or Greenways are the longer recreational right-of-way routes mainly through rural areas used for non-motorised The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory 16.
  2. ^ Role of anthropogenic fire and in creating moors, and moor-burning in sustaining them, described in Pyne 1997, pp. 348-369.
  3. ^ Dartmoor Commons. Dartmoor National Park Authority. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China.

References

Dictionary

Dartmoor

-proper noun

  1. A national park in Devon, southern England.
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