Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
man Henry Baskerville took Conan Doyle on a carriage tour, and the brooding landscape
he encountered, coupled with legends of a huge phantom dog, inspired the thriller.
Walks
As the inspiration for
The Hound of the Baskervilles
, the moor around Princetown still
evokes the topics locations. From the village centre, the lonely track heading southeast
from beside the Plume of Feathers pub leads to Foxtor Mires (the book's Grimpen Mire)
2½ miles away. Many see the nearby Nun's Cross Farm as Merripit House (where the
Stapletons lived); and the hut circles half a mile southwest of Princetown (beside the
B3212) as the ruins Holmes camped in. To explore, kit yourself out with a compass and
an OS map; staff at the Princetown Tourist Office can also advise.
Sleeping & Eating
HOSTEL, PUB
£
Prince of Wales
( 01822-890219;
www.theprinceofwalesprincetown.co.uk
; Tavistock Rd; dm £12, breakfast £5; meals
noon-2.30pm & 5.30-8pm)
The pick of Dartmoor's bunkhouses, this former brewery boasts cent-
ral heating and double glazing (on the moor, this matters), great showers, a sloping-
ceilinged crash room and - joy of joys - a drying room. The rustic pub (mains £5 to £16)
next door is famous for its three open fires, mixed grill platters the size of tea trays and
pints of own-brewed, full-bodied, Jail Ale.
B&B
££
Tor Royal Farm
( 01822-890189;
www.torroyal.co.uk
; Tor Royal La, near Princetown; s £55, d £80-100; )
Just what a
middle-of-the-moor retreat should be: an easy-going, farmhouse packed with lived-in
charm. It was built in 1785 for a Secretary to the Prince of Wales and heritage features are
everywhere, from the royal, fleur-de-lys plumes on the cornices, to the smart, country-cot-
tage styled bedrooms. The farm's own pork appears on the breakfast table, and you can
book horse-riding lessons at their stables just next door.
Two Bridges
( 01822-892300;
www.twobridges.co.uk
; Two Bridges; s £95-120, d £140-190; )
Walking into this
classic moorland hotel feels like slipping on a favourite pair of shoes - everything fits,
perfectly. Tuck into a cream tea (£8 to £13) in front of a huge inglenook fireplace, or chill
out in classically furnished bedrooms with views out over the tors. Former guests Wallace
LUXURY HOTEL
££
