Dartmoor

The Polar Express

Event Date: 
28/11/2014 - 5:00pm to 28/12/2014 - 7:00pm
Venue: 
Dartmoor Railway, Okehampton Station

Inspired by the run-away hit movie produced by Warner Bros, this very special train ride is inspired by magic and designed to delight and inspire your family this festive season.

The Polar Express train makes a mystical round-trip journey to the North Pole. The characters of the story come to life with the conductor punching away at the children’s golden tickets, chefs dancing and delivering hot chocolate and cookies, and the doubting hobo wandering through the train. The story is read aloud and the music from the movie plays for all the kids to sing along.

At the North...

A world first and Tom Parker reigns supreme

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Mon, 11/24/2014 - 12:22pm

A crowd of more than 3,000 turned out at Exeter Racecourse yesterday to watch ponies from Dartmoor and Clydesdale horses stretch their limbs in their two furlong races before seven jump races gave racegoers an afternoon to remember.

Six hill ponies went to post and it was a tiny pure bred registered Dartmoor who crossed the line in front with his owner Rachael Watson on board.

“My plan was to stay close to Frolic in the race and keep something in the tank for the finish,” said 20-year-old Rachael who farms with her parents near Poundsgate.

The ponies are part of the...

Murder Mystery at the Two Bridges Hotel

Event Date: 
05/12/2014 - 7:00pm to 06/12/2014 - 12:00pm
Venue: 
Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor

The Two Bridges Hotel in the heart of Dartmoor National Park is kicking off the Christmas season with a Festive Murder Mystery Evening. Those looking for something different for their Christmas party need look no further than this ‘Murder at Dowton’ themed event.

Hosted by Lord and Lady Downton, the event will take place on Friday 5 December from 7pm till late. Guests are invited to dress up and enter the intrigue at the Two Bridges Hotel, just 30 minutes from Plymouth and a short drive from Tavistock, with a chance to win a prize for best-dressed post Edwardian guest.

...

Dartmoor hotel unveils spa plans

The family-run Ilsington Country House Hotel on Dartmoor has started work on a new spa due to open in February 2015. Guests staying while the work takes place will enjoy a 30% discount off regular room rates.

Facilities will be extensive for a 25 roomed hotel, which is the first in the South West to feature the renowned Spanish Inbeca equipment, including: a hydrotherapy pool boasting two submerged air beds, two water canons and back and leg jets plus, pool side sauna and steam room with mood lighting and sound. The existing 11m x 5m indoor pool is being refreshed with new lining...

Stone row conservation weekend

Event Date: 
22/11/2014 - 5:00pm to 23/11/2014 - 5:00pm
Venue: 
Near Glasscombe Corner, Corringdon Ball, South Brent

Help Dartmoor National Park Archaeologists and Rangers look after prehistoric stone rows in a weekend of conservation work on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November.

Dartmoor’s landscape is among the richest in western Europe in terms of its archaeological remains. Dartmoor contains the longest stone row in the world and has the greatest number of archaeological sites out of all the UK National Parks. In fact 60% of all stone rows to be found in England are on Dartmoor and 1/3 of all stone rows in the UK and Brittany are on Dartmoor.

All of this takes some looking after and we...

Little and large under orders on Devon Day

It will be a case of little and large at Exeter Racecourse on Devon Day, November 23 when feathers will be flying and tiny hooves dashing. The racing Clydesdales are set to return and the racecourse is staging the first ever race for ponies born on Dartmoor. The pint-sized ponies will come under starters’ orders at 12pm and their wee little hooves will come tearing down the track as they demonstrate their versatility as tough, hardy and fast children’s ponies. Then the beguiling Clydesdales will take centre stage with professional jockeys’ on board. They’ll come thundering down the home...

Citizen science helping our cuckoos

Dartmoor Cuckoos have reached the Congo rainforest ahead of schedule this year, at a time when they would normally be taking a break and recovering body condition during their long migration.

It seems the dry weather conditions may have encouraged them to head south weeks earlier than expected. The cuckoos have been fitted with satellite tags as part of a national project to monitor migration routes.

The project is being co-ordinated by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Emsworthy was amongst the first UK Cuckoos to arrive in the Congo rainforest and has been joined...

Beaujolais Nouveau Dinner at The Two Bridges Hotel

Event Date: 
20/11/2014 - 7:00pm
Venue: 
The Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor

The Two Bridges Hotel in the heart of Dartmoor is hosting a Beaujolais Nouveau Dinner on Thursday 20 November to celebrate the arrival of this year’s vintage.

From 7pm onwards, guests are invited to choose from a superb three course menu accompanied by a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau from the centre of the Rhône-Alpes region, in east-central France. What started off as a local tradition of the light-bodied fruity red wine has now become a widely celebrated custom and The Two Bridges are bringing it to Dartmoor.

Executive chef Mike Palmer will be serving up the best of French...

Illustrated talk: World War II bomber crash on Hameldown

Event Date: 
12/11/2014 - 7:30pm
Venue: 
The Church House, Widecombe-in-the-Moor

On 21 March 1941 a Hampden bomber crashed on Hameldown, near Widecombe-in-the-Moor, on its way back to base. Seventy years later John Lowe, a retired RAF policeman is trying to piece together the events of that night and reflect on the young aircrew who lost their lives.

Join him for an illustrated talk to discover the detective work he’s undertaken and find out how Moor than meets the eye has helped to undertake a geophysical survey to look more closely at the crash site.

This talk is free. There will be a short interval for refreshments during the evening. For more...

Free guided walk celebrating the wonders of Dartmoor

Event Date: 
19/10/2014 - 10:00am
Venue: 
Dartmoor

On Sunday 19 October BBC Radio Devon have teamed up with Dartmoor National Park Rangers to offer a FREE guided walk celebrating the wonders of Dartmoor on a visit to Tavy Cleave.

This superb high moorland valley where the young River Tavy carves its way through the moor is a fascinating place to explore. Discover the secrets of this place, the wildlife to be found and its history of ancient human occupation in the company of someone who knows it well - a National Park Ranger.

The walk will set off from Lane End Car park (SX 537 823) striking out along the old mine leat into...

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