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Parke
DevonA peaceful retreat set within the beautiful Devon countryside
near Bovey Tracey, Devon, TQ13 9JQ
Important notice
Please take extra care and follow signage on site. (Recent flooding has damaged paths around the river. From Mon 2 Feb heavy machinery will be working in orchard and walled garden to improve access.) The Tramper is not currently available to hire.
M T W T F S S Open
Closed
Opening times for 5 March 2026
Asset Opening time Estate and walks Dawn - Dusk Home Farm Café (not NT) 10:00 - 16:00 - Café
Home Farm Café (not NT) - open 10am-5pm (10am-4pm November to March) and selected evenings. Dinner bookings essential, please call 01626 830016
Café - more information- Car park
Small car park, unsuitable for large vehicles, caravans or trailers. Free for National Trust members and Blue Badge holders. Otherwise it's £3 for 2 hours, £5 all day, cash or JustPark 80641. National Trust members can register their membership card with JustPark. No overnight parking
- Dogs allowed
Dogs welcome - please keep under effective control with 'paws on the path'. Please use a short lead in the car park, around livestock, and in the Walled Garden. Off-lead play area between the disused railway line and river: what3words: ///acted.headlight.lunge
- Picnic area
A flat grassed area with picnic benches which can be accessed down the stone path from the car park.
- Toilet
Down a set of steps just beyond the café courtyard, open all hours, including one accessible toilet and a baby-changing facility
Small car park with limited spaces. Several uneven paths in the woodland area, with some steep gradients and steps.
- Accessible toilet
Near the café courtyard. To avoid the steps, continue down the hill past the café and turn right through a white picket gate. Follow the path to the toilets on your right
- Designated parking
Four designated accessible spaces in the car park. Blue badge holders park for free
- Drop-off point
Down the main path from the car park, outside the café
- Steps/uneven terrain
Steep hill down to the café and river. Uneven terrain through the woodland. Two steps to access the Walled Garden which has narrow paths in places
Parke car park - what3words: ///hillsides.farms.clipboard
- By road
- Just 2 miles from A38 Devon Expressway, connecting Plymouth and Exeter.Parking: Car park free to National Trust members and Blue Badge holders, or £3 for 2 hours and £5 for all day. To find the entrance to the car park - what3words: ///hillsides.farms.clipboard
- On foot
- A short walk of roughly 1 mile from the town of Bovey Tracey along a public footpath. The estate is also on the Dartmoor Way long distance walking trail and the Wray Valley Trail.
- By train
- Newton Abbot train station 6 miles and Exeter St Davids train station 16 miles.
- By bus
- Stagecoach bus 39 from Exeter or Newton Abbot. Stop at the Dolphin Hotel in Bovey Tracey then walk 600 metres (a third of a mile) 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). Country Bus 271 runs during the summer only and Country Bus 671 runs on Wednesdays.
- Cycling
- The Newton Abbot to Bovey Tracey cycleway mainly follows the route taken by the granite quarried from beneath Haytor (a granite tor in Dartmoor National Park) and transported to Newton Abbot. It is a moderate 9 mile cycle route along fairly quiet roads, with some traffic-free sections, waymarked with blue cycleway signs. National Cycle Network Route 28 forms part of the Wray Valley Trail. Parke is also accessible from Route 272 and the Dartmoor Way.
Planning your visit
PDF
Article
Visiting Parke with your dog
Parke is a three pawprint rated place. Discover how to have a dog-friendly visit, including where to walk, what to be aware of and what facilities are available for dogs.
Article
Your accessible visit to Parke
Find accessibility information to help you explore the Parke estate.
Article
Sustainable travel across Dartmoor National Trust
Sustainable travel to National Trust places around Dartmoor is easier than you might think. We've put together a useful guide to help you navigate some greener transport options.
Highlights
Estate
A peaceful woodland retreat within the Devon countryside, on the outskirts of the small market town of Bovey Tracey.
Garden
A walled garden growing fruit, vegetables and cut flowers, surrounded by a mixed orchard, open most days between 10.30am and 2.30pm.
Leat and weir
The River Bovey was an important source of water to power Bovey Tracey's historic mills sited downstream.
Things to see and do
Article
Things to do at Parke
Explore the historic estate of Parke on the edge of Dartmoor, with its walled garden and mixed orchard plus abundant wildlife along the river.
Article
The Church House at Widecombe in the Moor
Find out more about the Church house at Widecombe in the Moor on Dartmoor, and the best ways to access it if you’d like to pay a visit.
Outdoor activities
Activity
Outdoor activities at Parke
Find out what outdoor activities you can enjoy on your visit to Parke. Bring your bike, go for a run or walk or enjoy an orienteering adventure.
Eating
Home Farm Café
Home Farm Café (not National Trust) offers local seasonal produce and food, made with love. This award-winning café and restaurant is located within a pretty courtyard next to the walled garden, perfect for a pit-stop after a walk around the Parke Estate.
Places to stay
The Lodge at Parke
A homely bolthole for two with the wilds of Dartmoor on its doorstep.
Warcleave Cottage
A woodland hide-out complete with a tree-top balcony and a riverside garden.
Upcoming events
Event
Wednesday Social Walk - Parke
A free and friendly volunteer-led walk around the beautiful Parke Estate.
Event
Spring Symposium hosted by Skylark FM & Dartmoor National Park
Join Dartmoor's community radio station for a day of talks and activities.
Event
Guided Walk at Parke: Birdsong
Come on a gentle walk in this beautiful space and learn about it's wildlife with a focus on enjoying and identifying birdsong.
Event
Guided walk at Parke: Spring Flowers
Join us for a gentle walk around the Parke Estate with local naturalist David Tilsley, to enjoy the early wild flower species.
Event
Sunday Social Walk - Parke
A free and friendly volunteer-led walk around the beautiful Parke Estate.
Event
Wednesday Social Walk - Parke
A free and friendly volunteer-led walk around the beautiful Parke Estate.
Event
Guided walk at Parke: Spring Flowers
Join us for a gentle walk around the Parke Estate with local naturalist David Tilsley, to enjoy the early wild flower species.
Event
Guided Walk at Parke: Birdsong
Come on a gentle walk in this beautiful space and learn about it's wildlife with a focus on enjoying and identifying birdsong.
About Parke
There's something for everyone at Parke, found on the outskirts of the small market town of Bovey Tracey, gateway to mystical Dartmoor. You can walk from the town (about one mile) or stop off as you drive to the open moor, where the next stop is the rugged crag of Haytor.
This compact estate was once the home of a wealthy local family and probably enabled them to be self-sufficient for all their day-to-day needs with
- a vegetable garden, fruit garden and orchard
- cold house, fish pond, grazing meadows for livestock and beehives for honey
- and gardens to wander in for spiritual refreshment.
So, take a short stroll around the garden, or a longer more strenuous walk through the woodlands and along the river to the medieval weir. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for a myriad of wildlife and a host of wild flowers.
History
Article
History of the River Bovey at Parke
The River Bovey runs through Parke and was an important source of water to power Bovey Tracey's historic mills sited downstream. Find out more about its history.
Our work
Article
Our work at Parke
Discover the important work of the ranger and garden teams at Parke, from conservation grazing and woodland management, to the productive crop and cutting garden.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Parke.
