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Voykit pocket guide · United Kingdom
Haytor Vale
Half a day to a full day: walk up Haytor (457 m) and explore the tors, then lunch at the Tinpickle And Rhum. Not a base — stay in Bovey Tracey or Princetown.
Haytor Vale is a small village on the eastern edge of Dartmoor, best known for the granite tor that gives it its name. The walk to the summit takes about 30 minutes from the car park and rewards you with 360-degree views over the moor. Most visitors come for a morning or afternoon, combine it with a pub lunch, then move on. The village has one hotel with a gastro pub and a handful of holiday cottages.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (short days, cold and often wet)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GBP
- Money
- Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; some places are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget £30–50 (walking, picnic, no accommodation) · Mid £80–150 (pub lunch, B&B in Bovey Tracey) · High £200+ (Moorland Hotel dinner, bed and breakfast) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines, no registration needed.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 999 or 112 · NHS non-urgent 111
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Three-pin Type G only; European, US and Australian plugs need an adapter. Bathrooms have two-pin shaver sockets only.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.; Pub or bar: Not expected; 'and one for yourself' offers the bartender a drink.; Taxi: Round up or 10%.; Hotel porter: £1–2 per bag.; Tour guide: £5–10 per person for a day tour; free walking tours expect £10–15.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Free refills are common; restaurants will bring tap water if you ask.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 or are card-only. Stations, museums, department stores and pubs (if you buy a drink) are the fallback.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pub lunch (main course) | £12–18 |
| Pint of ale | £4.50–6 |
| Coffee | £2.50–4 |
| Parking at Haytor car park | £5 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EXT · Exeter International Airport
- About 30 km (19 mi) east; taxi or car hire about 40 minAbout 19 mi (30 km) east; taxi or car hire about 40 min
Typical fares
- Exeter Airport → Bovey Tracey, taxi
- about £50–70, 40 min (check)
- Bovey Tracey → Haytor car park, taxi
- about £10–15, 10 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential. The village has no public transport; the nearest bus stop is in Bovey Tracey. Walking paths connect Haytor and Holwell Tor.
See and do
Known for
- Haytor (granite tor, 457 m)
- Holwell Tor
- Tinpickle And Rhum gastro pub
- Gateway to eastern Dartmoor walks
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Widecombe in the Moor | Car via B3387, about 15 min | 20 min |
| Princetown | Car via B3357, about 30 min | 40 min |
| Buckfastleigh | Car via A38, about 20 min | 25 min |
| Tavistock | Car via A386, about 35 min | 45 min |
Sleep
- Haytor Vale village
- Moorland Hotel (with Tinpickle And Rhum) is the only accommodation in the village; book ahead in summer.
- Bovey Tracey
- 5 km (3.1 mi) east; more B&Bs and pubs; good base for eastern Dartmoor.3.1 mi (5 km) east; more B&Bs and pubs; good base for eastern Dartmoor.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| One pint of ale, please | One pint of ale, pleaseone pint of ale, please |
| Where is the path to Haytor? | Where is the path to Haytor?where is the path to Haytor |
| How much is that? | How much is that?how much is that |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card?can I pay by card |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake at first meeting; 'hi' and first names quickly; avoid: Cheek kisses with strangers
- Conversation: Weather is a safe opener; understatement and self-deprecating humour; avoid: Asking about salary or class
- Queues: Join at the back; avoid: Pushing onto buses or trains before others get off
- Apologies: 'Sorry' is said constantly, even when not at fault; avoid: Taking it as an admission of blame
- Pubs: Buy rounds in a group; wait at the bar without waving money; avoid: Clicking fingers at staff
- Nations: Call Scots Scottish and Welsh Welsh; avoid: Calling the whole UK 'England'
Scams and watch-outs
- Parking at Haytor car park fills by 10:00 on summer weekends; arrive early or park in Bovey Tracey and walk up.
- Moorland weather changes fast: carry a waterproof jacket and a map even on a clear day.
- No shops or cash machines in the village; bring cash for the pub if needed.
Dartmoor is safe for walkers but the weather can turn dangerous. Tell someone your route, carry a map and phone, and avoid the moor in fog or high wind.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Haytor Vale yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Haytor (granite tor, 457 m)
- Holwell Tor
- Tinpickle And Rhum gastro pub
- Gateway to eastern Dartmoor walks
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Haytor Vale, revision 4982967 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4982967
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Haytor Vale
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance999 or 112
- NHS non-urgent111
The US has an embassy in London; most other countries have consulates in London or Edinburgh.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/haytor-vale). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.