Things to see and do during your stay

Birdwatching and Wildlife

During the summer months, from dawn to dusk, an abundance of birds visit Moorview, these include Woodpeckers, Treecreepers, Fly-Catchers, Nuthatches, Thrushes, Jays, as well as the more familiar birds such as Tits and Finches. Cuckoos are often heard, although rarely seen.

The open moorland is a good place to spot Pheasants, Kestrels, Buzzards, Owls, Foxes, Deer and Badgers. At nearby Hillbridge there is a good chance of seeing Dippers and Kingfishers and the leat is full of small Brown Trout. If you are really lucky you may see a Cuckoo or a Ring Ouzel up on the moor.

There are no street lights in this area, consequently there is little light pollution. On a clear night the views of the stars and planets are exceptional.

Walking and Cycling

Dartmoor National Park is right on the doorstep with miles of beautiful open moorland to explore and there are over 20 miles of walking and cycling on Drake's Trail and on the Granite Way (The National Cycle Route 27).

Lydford Gorge (National Trust) is just a 15 minute drive away and visitors can enjoy some lovely woodland walks through the gorge to the spectacular White Lady Waterfall and Devil's Canyon (with tearooms at each end).

There are also miles of walking and cycle trails on the Tamar Trail which follow the route of the old mineral tramways and railways in what is now part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.

Country Houses and Gardens

We are spoilt for choice with the number of National Trust houses and gardens within easy reach. These include:

• Cotehele, with gardens sweeping down to the River Tamar, Cotehele Quay and Cotehele Mill
• Buckland Abbey, former home of St Francis Drake
• Antony House, chosen as the set for the film Alice in Wonderland
• Lanhydrock House, a magnificent house and grounds and a good day out for all the family
• Saltram House, a popular choice which can be combined with a day out in Plymouth

Other gardens well worth a visit include:

• The Garden House, a colourful and inspiring garden on the edge of Dartmoor
• Rosemoor (RHS), a must for the keen gardener
• The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a garden of world renown
• Eden Project, full of interest for all the family

Beaches and Coastal Walks

The South West Coastal Path meandering around the Devon and Cornwall coastline offers miles of spectacular walks. Devon has some lovely sandy beaches including Widemouth Bay, Burgh Island, Bantham, Thurlestone and Bigbury. Sightseeing and fishing boat trips leave the Barbican at Plymouth daily.

Cornwall also has plenty of sandy beaches, great for body boarding and famous good surfing. The popular harbour town of Padstow is within easy reach. The fishing villages and beaches of South East Cornwall are less than an hour's drive with fishing and sightseeing trips running from the harbours at Looe and Polperro.

Family Days Out

There is plenty to amuse all the family including, to list but a few:

• Morwellham Quay, featured in the BBC 2 Edwardian Farm series
• Finch Foundry (National Trust), in the picturesque Dartmoor village of Sticklepath
• National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth
• Dartmoor Prison Museum, Princetown
• Museum of Dartmoor Life
• Tavistock Museum
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter
• Tree Surfers, Gulworthy, Tavistock
• The BIG Sheep, famous for sheep racing
• Kents Cavern, Torquay
• South Devon Railway, Steam Trains, Buckfastleigh - Totnes
• Dartmoor Otters & Buckfast Butterflies, Buckfastleigh
• Babbacombe Model Village, Babbacombe, Torquay
• Haldon Forest Park, Bullers Hill, Kennford, Exeter
• Meldon Reservoir, Okehampton
• Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, The Esplanade, Lynmouth
• Launceston Steam Railway
• Dartmoor Letterboxing
• Tintagel Castle, the legendary birth place of King Arthur

Our nearest town is Tavistock about five miles away. Tavistock is an attractive historic market town, with a good selection of independent shops, restaurants and cafes. The pannier market is open most days throughout the year. The farmers market is held in front of the town hall on alternate Saturday mornings. Tavistock also has an interesting museum. Tavistock Wharf is an Arts and Entertainment venue offering a varied program of live music, cinema, theatre and other arts. On the same site is Meadowlands Leisure Centre.

There are a number of picturesque Dartmoor towns and villages including Widecombe in the Moor, Postbridge, Mortonhampstead, Dartington and Chagford. Princetown with its Visitors Centre in the middle of Dartmoor and the lovely Clapper Bridge at Postbridge are also well worth a visit.

Nearby Towns and Cities To Visit

There are plenty of places to choose from including Clovelly with its famous cobbled street leading down to the sea on the North coast to Dartmouth and Salcombe in the South. Other options include Ashburton, Barnstaple, Boscastle, which was flooded in 2004, Bude, Chagford, Exeter, Lynton and Lynmouth, Plymouth, Port Isaac, where Doc Martin was filmed and where The Fisherman's Friends often perform, Princetown, Sidmouth, Torquay, Totnes, Truro and Widecombe-in-the-Moor.

Eating Out

The award winning Peter Tavy Inn which offers good food and and a collection of local ales is about a mile away (20 minutes walk back down the lane).

Other local pubs include The Mary Tavy Inn, The Castle Inn (Lydford), The Who'd Have Thought It Inn (Milton Combe), Royal Oak (Meavy), The Royal Inn (Horsebridge), The Fox and Hounds (Lydford), The White Hart (Bridestowe), The Cornish Arms (Tavistock).