By: Blonde One

Princetown is the town at the heart of Dartmoor and is definitely the hub of all things related to walking such as DofE and Ten Tors. An aesthetically pleasing ‘X’ marks the spot where Princetown lies, between the B3212, the B3357 and Tor Royal Lane. Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt bought some Duchy land in 1785 with the intention of using it for farming, encouraged others to join him, and created Princetown which he named after the Prince of Wales. Thank goodness he did; where would the Two Blondes hold our very important business meetings if Princetown didn’t exist! It now benefits from a good range of services for its 1500 population, as well as things to do for the visitor.

So, what can I do in Princetown?

  1. Have a cup of tea and a slice of homemade cake at Fox Tor Café. Muddy boots and well-behaved dogs will be welcomed.   
  2. Visit Dartmoor prison: not as an inmate we hope! Make sure you adhere to all of the rules and regulations about taking photographs and stopping your car outside the gates.
  3. Spend some time in the High Moorland Visitor Centre which has a variety of superb exhibitions, a shop and fascinating displays.
  4. Visit the interesting Prison Museum which gives an insight into prison life over the last 200 years.
  5. Have a wander around St Michael’s and All Angels Church which is the only church in the UK to have been built by French and American prisoners of war.
  6. Pop into the Dartmoor Brewery shop to pick up some of their fabulous beer.
  7. Support some of the local sporting events that pass through or begin and end in Princetown. A good example is the Dartmoor Classic Sportive.
  8. Experience the hospitality of the Plume of Feathers Inn.
  9. Walk in any direction for a few minutes to see the open moorland that attracts so many walkers every year.
  10. Take a walk out towards Foggintor Quarry along the disused railway line to see the remnants of Dartmoor’s industrial archaeology.

 

Princetown really has a lot to offer. I urge you to go and see for yourself.

 

If you haven’t looked at the Visit Dartmoor website yet, you really should. As well as places to stay on Dartmoor (including Dartmoor campsites), things to do on Dartmoor and top pubs on Dartmoor, the Visit Dartmoor website gives loads of useful information about Dartmoor activities, Dartmoor places and more Dartmoor walks than you could possibly complete in even 10 visits.