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Perfectly located for enjoying the great outdoors…

Our dog-friendly hotel in Devon has many charms, with just one of them being that we are already on a walk – the Two Moors Way – which runs from Exmoor in the north all the way down to the South Devon coast. From this ancient artery, you can explore fabulous routes in all directions, stepping back in time to a land of legend and mystery. We have plenty of maps and guidebooks available from the hotel reception, and there are plenty of local walks available on the Explore Devon website.

We also have a boot room which you can enter the hotel through. Here you can immediately get yourself dry and take care of any muddy boots or paws, and you could even find a treat or two tucked behind the sink for good measure.

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Walks from Mill End Hotel

We have a wonderful location where the footpaths are direct from the front door and follow the River Teign either to the stannary town of Chagford or a longer walk to Fingle Bridge. Castle Drogo is also just a short hike away and offers superb views across the valley.

Some lesser-known places to explore nearby include Spinsters Rock and burial chamber, Stone Lane Gardens, Prestonbury Castle, the many Bronze Age Hut Circles and Blowing Houses that still stand and Fernworthy Reservoir for a flat and scenic walk.

A bit further afield are the quarry and rocks of Haytor, which are a must-see for nature enthusiasts, along with Becky Falls and Lydford Gorge.

Teign Gorge to Fingle Bridge Dartmoor Walk Map

WALK 1: The Teign Gorge to Fingle Bridge

CIRCULAR WALK. APPROX 4.5 MILES. ALLOW 2-3 HOURS.
This walk is difficult in places with uneven steps and a few steep climbs. Stout footwear is advisable. Of course, you don’t have to follow the complete route as it is still a very pleasant stroll to the Iron Bridge.

  1. Leave the hotel, turn left over the bridge, and cross the road to follow the marked path. Follow the route towards the gorge. Up ahead, you will see Castle Drogo. Follow the path and enter the gorge with the river on your right until you come to the Iron Bridge.
  2. Follow the path. Drogo Weir is a short distance from the Iron Bridge. Continue downstream until you reach the steps (slippery in wet weather).
  3. Continue along the river to Fingle Weir, which you’ll glimpse through the trees. The gorge rises steeply on your left, the path then descends to Fingle Bridge, which is believed to date from Elizabethan times. There’s a pub here for rest and refreshments.
  4. When ready, cross the bridge and turn right to follow the river back to the hotel.
  5. The path is gentler and takes you eventually to the newly restored Castle Drogo Turbine House.
  6. Continue on; the high walls of Whiddon Deer Park will appear on your right before you come to a steep style over the wall to the Iron Bridge. Take care here. Cross the bridge and retrace your steps back to the hotel with the river to your left.

Walk to Chagford Map

WALK 2: To Chagford

APPROX 1.5 MILES. ALLOW 25-30 MINUTES.
A pretty and easy walk to the stannary (historical Devon tin mining) town. Sturdy footwear is advisable when it’s wet.

  1. Leave the hotel, turn left over the bridge, and then left again immediately following the footpath sign.
  2. Pass through ancient woodland, river on your left. Look out for the Peter Randall-Page sculpture on the small island in the river).
  3. As you leave the woods, follow the path along the bank. Aim for the Rushford Mill Farm, slightly to the right.
  4. Pass through the farmyard, walk up the metalled lane, turn left to see Chagford’s famous outdoor swimming pool.
  5. Cross the bridge, and follow the road up a fairly steep hill.
  6. In under half a mile, you will have reached Chagford.

Walk to Castle Drogo and Fingle Bridge Map

WALK 3: Castle Drogo & Fingle Bridge

CIRCULAR WALK. APPROX 5 MILES. ALLOW 2-3 HOURS.
This walk is difficult in places with uneven steps and a few steep climbs. Sturdy footwear is advisable.

  1. Leave the hotel, turn left over the bridge, and cross the road to follow the marked path. Follow the route towards the gorge. Up ahead, you will see Castle Drogo. Follow the path and enter the gorge with the river on your right until you come to the Iron Bridge.
  2. Take the left-hand footpath following signposts to Castle Drogo and Gardens to the right up the hill; the path climbs steadily.
  3. Follow the signpost to Castle Drogo and Gardens and Hunter’s Path up the hillside – enjoy the beautiful views along the gorge.
  4. Castle Drogo will loom above on your left. At this point (1.5 miles from Mill End), you may choose to take a break at Castle Drogo tea rooms or continue along the Hunters Path.
  5. From Castle Drogo, follow signs for Teign Valley Estate Walks, just left along the castle road from the car park. Follow signs downhill, turn left across the grass track, following signs to Piddledown Common and Fingle Bridge. Keep to the upper path before passing through a gate with the edge of the Common to the left.
  6. At the next marker, turn right downhill before turning left to join Hunter’s Path. When the path splits, take the right-hand fork downhill to the steep descent to the river.
  7. Arrive at Fingle Bridge, an old 17th Century packhorse bridge, a great place for refreshments. Turn right so that you are heading upstream, with the river on your left- side. Follow the river for 1.5 miles, and you will arrive back at the hotel.

Map of Whiddon Deep Park Walk

WALK 4: Whiddon Deer Park

CIRCULAR WALK. APPROX 2.5 MILES. ALLOW 1.5 HOURS.
A short walk with a steady uphill climb. Sturdy footwear is advisable in wet weather.

  1. Leave the hotel, turn left over the bridge, and cross the road to follow the marked path. Follow the route towards the gorge. Up ahead, you will see Castle Drogo. Follow the path and enter the gorge with the river on your right until you come to the Iron Bridge.
  2. Cross the bridge, and granite steps take you over the wall into Whiddon Deer Park.
  3. In front of you is a well-worn track that climbs steeply to the top of the park. Alternatively, there’s a gentler ascent via the track/road that runs to the right, then curls to the left, steadily uphill as a path through the woods. The entrance to Deer Park is marked by the spectacular Peter Randall-Page sculpture.
  4. Near the top of the deer park is an old granite hut with nearby rocks and boulders from which you can enjoy extensive views.
  5. To return, cross back over the bridge and retrace your steps back to the hotel with the river to your left.
Dartmoor scenery

Walks on Dartmoor

The Dartmoor landscape is all about contrasts. Majestic Tors punctuate the wild, heather-clad hills, wild Dartmoor ponies graze as buzzards fly overhead, ancient clapper bridges cross the rivers, and there are Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age circles and remnants of abandoned medieval farmhouses. Then you’ll find tranquil lakes like Fernworthy and dense forests of pine and larch. To walk the Moor is to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors – along ancient paths, unchanged and unforgettable.

Further afield, there’s Buckfast Abbey and Buckland Abbey – the home of Sir Francis Drake – whilst other National Trust properties, like Castle Drogo, are just a short ramble away.

Best Places for Walks on Dartmoor

  • Teign Gorge
  • Lydford Gorge
  • Burrator
  • Hound Tor
  • Grimspound
  • River Bovey
  • Bellever Forest
  • War Horse Walk
  • Wistman’s Wood
  • Gutter Tor

historical sites on dartmoor

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