Guided Walking at Haytor

Easier Walks      Medium Walks    Harder Walks

Easier Walks are on generally well-graded paths with some short, steeper sections. Medium Walks have steady ascents and descents. Harder Walks are mostly over high moorland.

• Our experienced guides offer the choice of up to three different walks each day
• Choose the option which best suits your interests and fitness; take an Easier Walk one day and switch to a Harder Walk the next
• We offer a social activity each evening 

2012 - Itinerary One

7 night holidays
Days 1-7: 26 May; Sat 9, 23 June; Sat 7 July; Sat 4, 18 Aug; Sat 1, 15 Sept

6 night holiday
Days 2 & 4-7: Sat 6 Oct

4 night holidays
Days 1-4: 26 May; Sat 9 June; Sat 7 July; Sat 4, 18 Aug
Days 2, 4 & 7: Mon 15, 22, 29 Oct

3 night holidays
Days 5-7: 30 May; Wed 13, 27 June; Wed 11 July; Wed 8, 22 Aug; Wed 19 Sept
Days 2 & 6: Sat 6 Oct
Days 4 & 7: Tues 9 Oct

See below for Itinerary Two

Day 1: Arrival day 

Meet your leaders who will tell you more about the walks. 

Day 2: Tor-bagging around Haytor

Easier Walk: A circular walk through pretty Haytor Vale, picking up the Templar Way, an old granite tramway. We contour round to Black Hill, then passing Smallcombe Rocks to Holwell Tor and Saddle Tor before we reach Haytor Rocks. 6¼ miles with 825 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: A clockwise walk taking in the high points of Saddle Tor, Rippon Tor, Top Tor, Bonehill Rock and Hound Tor, eventually arriving at Haytor Rocks. 9 miles with 1,300 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: We visit all of the highlights on the Medium Walk but also loop south to Buckland Beacon with its inscribed Ten Commandments stone. 11 miles with 1,550 feet of ascent.

Day 3: High moor and Okehampton

Easier Walk: On the wild northwestern edge of Dartmoor we contour above Meldon Reservoir and over Longstone Hill, traversing Red-a-Ven Brook and Black Down before ending in Okehampton. 6½ miles with 750 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: Crossing Sourton Tor we head for High Willhays, the highest point in Britain south of the Brecon Beacons. We descend to Okehampton via Rowtor. 8¾ miles with 1,600 feet of ascent. 

Harder Walk: From the track bed of the Rattlebrook railway – built in 1878 to transport peat – we pass over Gren Tor, Hunt Tor, Kitty Tor. We cross the West Okement River before reaching High Willhays and Yes Tor, then descend to Okehampton. 10 miles with 1,875 feet of ascent.

Day 4: Wembury, the South West Coast Path and Plymouth Hoe

Easier Walk: From Blackstone Rocks and the marine conservation area of Wembury beach we pass Wembury Point to Plymouth Sound, ending with a short ferry crossing to Plymouth Barbican and the Hoe. 6¾ miles with 550 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: We follow the same route as the easier walk but spend more time exploring the countryside around Wembury. 8½ miles with 650 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: After looking out over the River Yealm at Warren Point we make our way to Wembury and the marine centre, before following a similar route to the other walkers to Plymouth Barbican and the Hoe. 10 miles with 850 feet of ascent.

Day 5:

For 3 night holidays arriving today, this is your chance to meet your leaders.

If you have booked a 7 night holiday, today is a free day with no guided walks organised. This is a great opportunity to explore Dartmoor or South Devon independently - see the Local Area tab for places that you may enjoy visiting.

Day 6: Man’s moulded moor

Easier Walk: Walking in the middle of Dartmoor we head from Merrivale past Vixen Tor and Pewtor to Sampford Spinney and Ward Bridge, over the River Walkham. We pick up the dismantled railway line to finish at Princetown. 7½ miles with 875 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: East of Merrivale we track south through prehistoric sites and through the Walkham Valley and the Devonport Leat – built in the 1790s to provide water for the naval dockyards – to Hart Tor and into Princetown. 9 miles with 1,050 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Starting west of Merrivale we take a circuit of Cox Tor, Roos Tor and Great Staple Tor, exploring the remains of a blowing house, before heading over Pew Tor to Stamford Spinney. Then to Devonport Leat and Princetown. 10¾ miles with 2,100 feet of ascent.

Day 7: River Dart to Widecombe-in-the-Moor

Easier Walk: From picturesque Dartmeet we follow the East Dart River to the clapper bridge over Walla Brook and the ancient moorland tenement of Babeny.  We pass Yar Tor, Corndon Tor and the hamlet of Jordan, and then carry on over open moorland to Widecombe-in-the Moor. 7¼ miles with 1,200 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: In the centre of the national park at Postbridge, with its picture postcard clapper bridge, we head through woodland to the River Dart at Bellever Bridge. Then we journey to Jordan via East Dart valley, Babeny and Corndon Tor. 9 miles with 1,225 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: From Dartmeet we ascend Yar and Corndon Tors then swing south to pick up the Dartmoor Way over Sharp Tor. We then head north for Ponsworthy, Jordan and on to Widecombe. 10 miles with 1,800 feet of ascent.

2012 - Itinerary Two

7 night holidays
Days 1-7: Sat 2, 16, 30 June; Sat 14 July; Sat 28 July – for Solos; Sat 25 Aug;
Sat 22 Sept

4 night holidays
Days 1-4: Sat 2, 16, 30 June; Sat 14 July; Sat 28 July – for Solos; Sat 25 Aug;
Sat 22 Sept

3 night holidays
Days 5-7: Wed 6, 20 June; Wed 4, 18 July; Wed 1 Aug – for Solos; Wed 29 Aug;
Wed 26 Sept

Day 1: Arrival day 

Meet your leaders who will tell you more about the walks. 

Day 2: Exploring north of Haytor to Bowerman’s Nose

Easier Walk: Enjoy exploring the area around the disused Haytor Quarry and the old granite tramway, the Templar Way, before taking in Smallacombe Rocks, Holwell Tor, Saddle Tor, Top Tor, Pil Tor and the massive outcrop of Haytor Rocks. 6½ miles with 825 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: We cross Templar’s tramway to Smallacombe Rocks before heading north over Black Hill to Hayne Down and the granite pillar of Bowerman’s Nose. We return via prehistoric and medieval ruins, over Hound Tor, and back to Haytor Rocks. 8¾ miles with 1,475 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: A similar, but reversed, route to the Medium Walk, with the addition of Bell Tor, Honeybag Tor and the enigmatic Jay’s Grave, burial place of a pregnant and rejected woman from the late 1700s. 10¾ miles with 1,825 feet of ascent.

Day 3: The rivers and hills of northern Dartmoor

Easier Walk: We begin at Sticklepath – home to Finch Foundry, a working forge – and head to Belstone village.  We pass Nine Stones cairn circle en route to Higher Tor and Winter Tor before arriving in the market town of Okehampton. 7½ miles with 1,175 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: From the mining village of South Zeal we cross Cosdon Hill to Belstone and take the Tarka Trail into Okehampton. 9¾ miles with 1,725 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: We take a circuit of Cosdon Hill, Little Hound Tor, Hound Tor, Steeperton Tor and Oke Tor before reaching Okehampton on the Tarka Trail along the East Okement River. 12 miles with 1,975 feet of ascent.

Day 4: Coves, coast and castles around Dartmouth

Easier Walk: A day to explore history. From Dartmouth we take the South West Coast Path to Blackstone Point and see the Tudor artillery fort at Bayards Cove, the Civil War redoubt at Gallants Bower and also Dartmouth Castle. 6¼ miles with 725 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: Today we loop around the lower Dart River. We cross on the ferry at Dittisham on the way out and return via the Kingswear ferry. We will glimpse Greenway House, once the holiday home of Agatha Christie, and walk alongside the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway. 8½ miles with 1,075 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: From the nature reserve of Berry Head we follow the South West Coast Path to Kingswear, below Coleton Fishacre and the Forward Point National Coastwatch Station, and cross on the ferry to Dartmouth. We can enjoy many historic, nautical and geological sights on our walk today. 10¾ miles with 2,100 feet of ascent.

Day 5:

For 3 night holidays arriving today, this is your chance to meet your leaders.

If you have booked a 7 night holiday, today is a free day with no guided walks organised. This is a great opportunity to explore Dartmoor or South Devon independently - see the Local Area tab for places that you may enjoy visiting.

Day 6: Teigh Valley and Chagford

Easier Walk: From Easton we follow the Teign Gorge to Fingle Bridge before heading to Castle Drogo, designed by Edwin Lutyens. We then take the Dartmoor Way into picturesque Chagford. 7 miles with 825 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: From Moretonhampstead we head for Fingle Bridge via the Iron Age hill fort of Cranbrook Castle before following in the footsteps of the easier walkers to Castle Drogo and Chagford. 10 miles with 1,325 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: A circular route from Chagford takes us along the Two Moors Way to Teigncombe and through Gidleigh Park.  We then enjoy a moorland loop taking in stone circles, clapper bridges, stone rows and long stones before returning to Chagford via Meldon Hill. 11 miles with 2,050 feet of ascent.

Day 7: Two Moors Way to Grimspound and Widecombe-in-the-Moor

Easier Walk: The highest pub on Dartmoor, Warren House Inn, is the start of our walk today. In tin mining country we contour around Challacombe Down to a Bronze Age village, walking along the top of Hamel Down before finishing at Widecombe-in-the-Moor. 7 miles with 550 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: From Leapra Cross we follow the Mariners’ Way, over Chagford Common, Birch Tor and Hookney Tor to Grimspound and on to Widecombe. 10 miles with 1,225 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: From the very centre of the National Park at Postbridge we head north over Hartland and Sittaford Tors and pass the Grey Wethers stone circles. We descend to Warren House Inn and enter Widecombe via Grimspound. 12½ miles with 1,925 feet of ascent.  

Local transport

On some days the walks start and finish at our country house, Moorlands. On other days you’ll be transported to other parts of Dartmoor and South Devon. The cost of all transport to and from the walks is included in the price of your holiday.

Our guests

The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. There is normally a good mix of ages, of new guests and 'regulars' from Britain and overseas, and of people travelling alone, with a partner or with friends.

In the evenings

Your leaders will inform you about the choice of walks for the next day and answer any questions you may have. After a sociable evening meal you could join in an organised activity such as a quiz or a talk about the local area, relax in the bar or use the Country House facilities.