Dartmoor train line is back after 50 years ? here?s what to do and see along the route

Many are the legends of lost walkers tricked by swirling mists, pixies or ghosts on the northern edge of Dartmoor, one of Devon’s more isolated corners. In the 18th century, when stage coaches rattled over rough tracks, it was a harsh and dangerous place to travel. There is still a sense of remoteness - this is where the Atlantic winds arrive unhindered, and it is at once bleak and bracing, dramatic and drear. But if you haven’t got wheels, it has been harder to reach in recent times than it was for generations past.

When it opened in October 1871, the 15.5-mile line from Exeter was the initial stage in a series of two major railway extensions that continued west to Launceston in Cornwall and, in 1890, down to Tavistock and Plymouth via the Tamar valley. Though not scheduled to close as part of the initial Beeching cuts of the 1960s, the last regular train ran back in 1972. A Sunday service operated in the summer months from the late 1990s but the line was largely for transporting - ironically enough - railway ballast from Meldon Quarry.

West Devonians are still calling for a restoration of the complete route down to Plymouth, their case strengthened in 2014 when a storm destroyed the GWR tracks at Dawlish. For now, though, we’ll have to make do with the new line, which will make the journey from Exeter to Okehampton in 40 minutes with a single stop at the tiny bishopric of Crediton along the way. Trains will run every two hours (hourly from 2022).

Often overlooked, Okehampton is a likable enough market town that’s home to the Museum of Dartmoor Life, retelling the region’s history from the Mesolithic to post-industrial times, and an excellent YHA hostel that occupies an old railway goods shed. Over the winter, its Victorian station will be refurbished, the cafe restored, and there are plans for a Dartmoor national park visitor centre next year.

Twelve miles southeast lies Chagford, a lively former stannary (tin-mining) town inside the national park. Arts and crafts studios, vegan cafes and jazz nights make it a sort of Totnes of the top of the moor, and there are plenty of cottages and inns offering B&B. It’s a fair, but pleasant, walk and the 178 bus runs once daily (except Sundays) between Okehampton and Chagford. There are lovely woods and riverside footpaths around the town.

Each region of Dartmoor has its own character. The north and northwestern moors generally feel more open and exposed, and while there is plenty of good walking, the uplands can be Baskerville-level boggy. The presence of the MoD and its firing ranges can be a pain if war games coincide with your planned visit - but they’re not that common and usually military activity is restricted to one of three areas (firing and other military exercises are flagged up in advance online.

A major upside is that Dartmoor is the only area in England that currently explicitly permits wild camping. For domestic tourists keen to reduce their carbon footprint, a train ticket and a tent are all they need to escape to the wilds of the far north.

Circular walk from OkehamptonFrom Okehampton follow the road to the Battle Camp - just inside the moor - to do a popular circular five- or six-mile walk around West Mill Tor, Rowtor, Scarey Tor and Tors End, returning via the quaint Tors Inn at Belstone.

Granite WayThe mainly traffic-free 11-mile Granite Way cycle route runs between the station and Lydford. You can rent bikes and e-bikes at Granite Way Cycles on Klondyke Road.

Okehampton to Buckfastleigh

It’s a serious-sounding 26 miles between these two small towns, but the terrain is varied and rarely tough going, and there are excellent places to camp en route, including beside the Grimspound stone hut circles or in the woodlands and gorse patches on the eastern slope of Hameldown. This last is a majestic humpback hill with fine views in all directions. Buckfastleigh is served by the touristy South Devon Railway, which links up with Totnes for mainline trains.

Cross DartmoorThe 37-mile West Devon Way between Okehampton and Plymouth is a good option for those who come by bus or train: each of the eight stages starts and stops at a bus stop.

Loop the loopThe 95-mile Dartmoor Way, which passes through Okehampton, loops round the park on lanes and minor roads, ideal for cycling and e-bikes. It can be used for day trips or for a full five-to-seven day holiday. A parallel 108-mile route is used by walkers.

Note on navigatingLarge areas of Dartmoor are featureless, mists are common and sudden, and there are morasses all over. The double-sided Ordnance Survey OL28 map covers almost the entirety of the national park at 1: 25,000 scale, ideal for walkers

BMC XT40, a single 1:40,000 scale map showing the whole of Dartmoor, is suitable for general planning or easy, short walks on well-used paths.

Tickets from Exeter to Okehampton cost £8 return, for information and tickets visit Dartmoorline.com