Sustainable travel across Dartmoor National Trust

Visitors arriving at Quarry Bank — Visitors arriving by bus | © Annapurna Mellor

Have a day out without your car and visit one of the special places we look after around Dartmoor, using sustainable transport.

Getting to us by bus

Castle Drogo

Services between Exeter and Chagford drop off at the bottom of the drive at Castle Drogo, which is an 800 yard walk uphill to the Visitor Centre. We have a buggy service that is scheduled to meet the bus at the bottom of the drive during opening hours and can take you to or from the visitor centre. Please note, the buggy service is dependent on volunteers, and does not run every day.

Stagecoach bus 173 from Exeter City Centre, Bus station Stand 1. This bus operates Monday to Saturday and takes roughly 1 hour.

Stagecoach 173

Lydford Gorge

Services between Okehampton (including train station) and Tavistock stop at both entrances to Lydford Gorge.

Stagecoach 118. Alight at Lydford Gorge main entrance for Devil's Cauldron entrance and at Lydford Gorge lower entrance for the Waterfall entrance.

Stagecoach 118

Finch Foundry

Services between Okehampton (including train station) and Exeter or Newton Abbot.

Stagecoach SW service number 6A and Country Bus service number 178. Alight at Sticklepath, Devonshire Inn. Finch Foundry is a 1 minute walk away.

Stagecoach 6A

Country Bus 178

Parke

Stagecoach bus 38 from Exeter or bus 39 from Newton Abbot. Stop at the Dolphin Inn in Bovey Tracey then walk 10 minutes along level ground to the Parke estate. Country Bus 193 runs between Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot via Hay Tor Wednesday and Friday (except Public Holidays).

Stagecoach 39

Country Bus 193

Buckland Abbey

Services from Tavistock, via Yelverton roundabout, drop off at the gates of Buckland Abbey, which is a 500 yard walk down to visitor welcome.

Plymouth citybus 55 operates Monday to Saturday.

Plymouth city bus 55

Shaugh Bridge

Services from from Plymouth, alight at Shaugh Bridge for walks through ancient woodland and on to Dartmoor.

Plymouth citybus 59 operates Monday to Saturday.

Plymouth city bus 59

View through the trees of a steam train with the sea in the background — A train steaming through the countryside | © Rod Edwards

Nearby railway stations

Great Western Railway

Castle Drogo

Nearest train stations Yeoford, 8 miles, and Okehampton, 12.3 miles.

Lydford Gorge

Nearest train station Okehampton, 10 miles.

Finch Foundry

Nearest train station Okehampton, 4 miles.

Parke

Nearest train station Newton Abbot, 6 miles.

Buckland Abbey

Nearest train station Plymouth, 11 miles.

Shaugh Bridge

Nearest train station Plymouth, 9 miles.

Visitors exploring the multi-use trail on bikes available from the Cycle Hire Hub at Ickworth Estate, Suffolk — Visitors exploring the Estate on bicycles | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Cycle routes

Castle Drogo

The nearest cycle route is Route 28 of the National Cycle Network (NCN28), which is part of the long distance cycling route, the Dartmoor Way.

There is cycle parking on site. Bike racks are located near the outside seating area for the café.

To get to Castle Drogo going northbound from moretonhampstead on NCN28, you need to go straight on instead of left at the junction to Great Weeke to reach the A382, then turn right at the Sandy Park Inn and follow the road until you reach the bottom of the drive to Castle Drogo.

To reach Castle Drogo going southbound from Chagford on NCN28, you need to turn left when you reach Chagford village square and follow the B3206 to Easton Cross. At Easton Cross turn left onto the A382 and follow that road until you reach the Sandy Park Inn. At the junction here, turn right and follow the road until you reach the bottom of the Castle Drogo drive.

Please note: These roads are narrow and shared with heavy traffic.

Plan your journey to Castle Drogo on CycleStreets here: CycleStreets » Cycle journey planner

Finch Foundry

Is on Route 28 of the National Cycle Network (NCN28).

Plan your journey with CycleStreets here: CycleStreets » Cycle journey planner

Parke

Route 28 of the National Cycle Network (NCN28) runs through the Parke estate, part of the Wray Valley Trail.

To reach the entrance of Parke going north from Bovey Tracey on NCN28, turn left at Station Road instead of right and continue straight over the roundabout. The entrance is the next turning on your right.

To get to the entrance of Parke going south from Bovey Tracey, go straight on at Station Road until you reach the roundabout. Go straight across the roundabout and it's the next turning on your right.

Plan your journey with CycleStreets here: CycleStreets » Cycle journey planner

NCN28