Spitchwick Manor Circular Walk

The Spitchwick Manor Circular Walk is a lovely adventure in Dartmoor National Park; however, it does contain some extended periods of uphill walking that might not be suitable for young children or less mobile walkers. Be sure to wear proper walking boots and take your time when working through these areas. Livestock will likely be grazing in the fields surrounding the trail, meaning that you will need to ensure that your dog is on a lead to avoid any interactions. Additionally, the car park at the trailhead can become quite busy, so try to arrive early to secure a space.

This trail doesn’t really feature any prominent highlights or spectacular lookouts, but it does contain scenic views throughout the majority of the walk, allowing you to fully relax and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding landscape while out exploring the trail. Travelling through open farmland, charming villages, peaceful forests, and tranquil riverside settings; the constantly changing terrain along this superb walk will be more than enough entertainment to keep you busy for hours.

Setting out from the car park, pick up the trail to the southeast and follow it as it immediately bends to the northeast to travel past New Bridge along the River Dart. Keep right along the forested trail and enjoy the relaxing riverside setting, until you eventually meet up with a road. Turn right here and follow the road for 0.2mi, where you will turn left at the fork. Finding a footpath on the left after 0.2mi, follow it uphill to eventually arrive at the grounds of Spitchwick Manor, a 19th Century country house with a history that dates back to the Norman Era.

Turn right here to make your way across the estate, keeping left along the road as you continue to climb uphill past the Church of St. John the Baptist and the village of Leusden, eventually arriving in Ponsworthy. Continue uphill along the road to the northwest, where you will break off on a footpath leading even further uphill to the south. This stretch of the trail is the most demanding, as you work your way up the hillside along the slopes of Bel Tor, Mel Tor, and Aish Tor overlooking the forested expanse of the Dart Gorge. From Aish Tor, you will head downhill across the moor to the southeast, meeting up with a road that will eventually lead you back to the car park where you began the Spitchwick Manor Circular Walk.

Trail Highlights

Spitchwick

A historic estate that can be found in Devon, in the southwest corner of England, Spitchwick was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as one of the 72 manors in Devon held by William the Conqueror. The current manor house on the estate grounds was constructed during the 19th Century.