Dartmoor is situated in the county of Devon, and is the most southerly national park in Britain, covering an area of
some 368 square miles. It can be described as having three distinct sections, North Dartmoor, where the highest
and most remote areas are, and South and East Dartmoor which are generally more occupied and lower level.
High Willhays, on the North Moor, stands at 2,039 feet (619 m) and is the highest point in England south of the
Peak District. The climate on Dartmoor is wet, but not particularly cold during the winter months, especially in
recent years. Snow is rare on Dartmoor now, and is usually gone within a day or two. As recently as forty years
ago, Princetown, home of the infamous Dartmoor Prison, was regularly snowed-in during January to March.
Dartmoor's open moorland has remained relatively undisturbed for centuries, and so provides a suitable home
for many species of rare plants, birds and other wildlife. In the steep river valleys, ancient broad-leaved woods
make a perfect refuge for the more secretive moorland mammals.
Man has lived on Dartmoor since prehistoric times, and much evidence of early occupation still remains clearly
visible. Today, Dartmoor is home to more than 30,000 people, although many commute into one of the nearby cities of
Plymouth and Exeter, or the market towns of Ashburton and Tavistock, for employment.
Once covered entirely by woodland, Dartmoor is now a rich mixture of boulder strewn rivers , bustling market
towns and villages , lush green farmland, beautiful flooded valleys, and of course, granite topped tors. beautiful
villages like North Bovey, Manaton and Buckland nestle quietly within the moor, seemingly unchanged as the centuries
pass by.
Dartmoor ponies still roam freely, though now in far fewer numbers than half a century ago. Not all are pure
Dartmoor, some Shetlands and other breeds have found their way here ! Despite what many people think, they are
not wild (but they are untamed), and each one is owned, branded and tagged.
Dartmoor is a photographers dream location. So to come up with a list of favourite places to photograph would
be very difficult, as those places tend to be the most recently visited ! And even after many years of exploring
Dartmoor, there would still be hundreds of wonderful locations to discover.
Visiting one of the many granite quarries dotted around the moor, even on bad weather days, offers
so much interest and subject matter for the photographer. The stone for many of London's famous buildings, such
as the old London Bridge
and the British Museum came from these now desolate places. One can only imagine how different the scene would
have looked at the height of the productive years. Hundreds of men would have hacked away at the landscape day
after day, year after year to create what we see today.
But, nature has a way of healing herself, and the remains of times gone by are now softened by bracken and gorse.
Deep open quarries have flooded to add even more interest and hide the scars man created.
There is a favourite saying amongst landscape photographers - "When in doubt, head for water". In other words, if
you can't find inspiration elsewhere, seek out water, such as a lake, reservoir, stream, pond, or even a puddle !
Dartmoor has naturally been blessed with many dramatic and beautiful rivers. However, the large open waters on
the moor are all man-made reservoirs, for the supply of water to the nearby towns and cities. This has created
areas of beauty, on a par with many other National Parks in Britain.
About the Author:
Steve Thompson is a professional photographer based on Dartmoor in Devon. He contributes to leading UK agencies, magazines and local businesses, as well as running a successful website www.focus-on-dartmoor-in-devon.com
Dartmoor in Devon :
