Postbridge Visitor Centre is about to embark on a new chapter in its history as it undergoes a £500,000 extension. Dartmoor National Park Authority is taking the next steps in its ambitious vision to transform the centre and tell the Dartmoor Bronze Age story in greater detail. The centre will close its doors from Monday 23 September for preparation work. Construction will start on 21 October and will last 32 weeks. Dartmoor is the most important area for Bronze Age archaeology in Western Europe with iconic sites such as the prehistoric settlement of Grimspound and the double stone rows at...
The fantastic sunny weekend we have just experienced here in the south west has seen thousands of people enjoying the outdoors and all that it has to offer. But whilst this weather provides a welcome boost to the local economy, the selfish behaviour of some people can potentially put people’s lives at risk.
At Spitchwick and Deeper Marsh cattle grid gateways were blocked and vehicles were parked on narrow roads blocking access for farm vehicles and emergency vehicles. The situation was repeated right across the National Park at popular locations.
At its Annual Meeting on 1 July 2016 Dartmoor National Park Authority elected Bill Hitchins as Chairman and re-elected Maurice Retallick as Deputy Chairman of the National Park Authority.
Bill commenced his working life running a family agricultural business covering a large part of southwest Devon and Dartmoor and later developed an equestrian and pet supply business alongside a small builder's merchant outlet at Roborough. He owns a small-holding which qualifies him as a commoner with rights on Roborough Down where he served as association treasurer for 30 years.
Now that the festive celebrations are over, why not come and shake off the winter blues with a day of conservation work at Haytor.
Dartmoor National Park Ranger Simon Lee will be working with volunteers on 10 January 2016, near the National Park Visitor Centre, to benefit the extremely rare bog hoverfly.
The day begins at 10.30 and finishes at 3.30 but you are welcome to come along for part of the day if you wish.
In recent years the bog hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum) has been found only within a restricted area of Dartmoor. It is identified in the UK Biodiversity...
Dartmoor National Park has just launched its Communities Fund for 2015/16. The Fund, supported by the New Homes Bonus from West Devon Borough, Teignbridge and South Hams District Councils, will support capital projects that ensure the long term viability of valued existing community facilities and services, or create new community infrastructure to meet identified community needs.
This year there is just over £48,000 in the pot, so if you have plans for your village hall, are thinking of setting up a new community shop or want to make the most of a valued local heritage asset the...
Join Dartmoor National Park Rangers to help look after our prehistoric heritage on Wednesday 7 October 2015.
Dartmoor’s landscape is among the richest in western Europe in terms of its prehistoric 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.
The day will involve a continuation of work previously begun to ensure the multiple...
Devon students have been enjoying their work experience placements with Dartmoor National Park. Harry Cooper, aged 15 from Kingsteignton (a pupil from Teign School) and Nathan Miles, also aged 15 from Tavistock (a pupil at Tavistock College) are in year 10, and, along with three other young people, are taking part in a week with the National Park.
For Harry and Nathan the week commenced with a day in the Communications Team learning about working with the media and gaining some experience of writing press releases (including this one). They will also be working with planners,...
Join Dartmoor National Park Ecologist Naomi Barker on a walk in the Haytor area to see if you can get a glimpse of one of spring's most evocative birds. Cuckoos have suffered a huge population decline in recent years and in many parts of the country their distinctive call is no longer heard. Naomi will guide you on a fascinating walk in which you will learn more about the work being done to find out what is causing the population decline in this species.
You will also learn about other birds nesting on the moor, such as skylarks and yellowhammers.
Two major projects to bury overhead power cables and enhance the landscape of the Dartmoor National Park have been completed in a joint project between Western Power Distribution, the South West Protected Landscapes Forum, and Dartmoor National Park Authority.
The two schemes on Holne Moor and Walkhampton Common have removed nearly 6km of overhead lines between them from open moorland.
Work on the Holne scheme started in November with the 1km or so of underground works now completed. Archaeologists were on site throughout the trenching works but disappointingly, nothing of...
