Wistman’s Wood

Fantastic place to visit. One of Englands last temperate rainforests. Parking is tricky, so you've got to walk in from a fair distance away, but absolutely worth it, unlike anything I've ever seen elsewhere. It's quite a small area, but really easy to enjoy for an hour or two.

Absolutely stunning. We were in awe of nature. The oaks are so special and the stones full of moss make those Woods absolutely special. There’s plenty of spaces to have a little picnic. Just relax and enjoy natures beauty.

A lovely place to visit. The walk takes around 45 minutes in total, with a light 30-minute trek from the car park. The journey itself is very pleasant, surrounded by nature, often a bit windy, and filled with scenic views that make it even more enjoyable.

Remarkable ancient woodland situated in a peaceful scenic valley. Wistman's Wood is small, but the rocky ground and Dartmoor's upland environment have formed one of the UK's most distinctive areas of woodland.

The unusually small oak trees are thickly covered with very rare lichens and mosses, including a species only found in one other location in the UK. The lush vegetation is of great biological importance, so access is restricted to the woodland's edge for its protection. It nonetheless provides some excellent photo opportunities.

There's limited parking opposite the Two Bridges Hotel, from where the wood is about a 25 minute walk, taking in fine views of the river valley along the way. The path is easy to begin with, but becomes more uneven and rocky towards the wood. There are no visitor facilities, which helps preserve the area's natural feel.

If you've got mobility problems or can't walk too far then this place isn't for you!

We naively went here thinking the woods wasn't too far from the car park but we were very wrong. It took us a long time and a lot of confusion to get to the woods itself.

You have to walk along a path, past a farmhouse then over very rocky moorland to get there. However it's absolutely stunning, the views and the whole area is just beautiful.

There's a river running along the valley, sheep on the hillside on the side opposite where you need to walk and a picturesque woods over that side too.

When you (finally) get to Wistman's Wood you're told you're not allowed in the actual woods itself and are only allowed to walk around the edge which is fair enough, it's an ancient wood and they want to preserve it.

There's a large flat rock perfect to sit down and take it all in. Have a picnic ready!

I recommend going and planning the walk back when the sun is setting if you like taking photos. I got some gorgeous ones and wish I had a proper camera!