Thank fully in the majority of towns and villages on Dartmoor the original red iconic boxes remained in place

Christmas Fairs and Markets, Santa’s Grottos, Arts Festivals, Food Festivals and Carol Concerts, Dartmoor at Christmas is alive with merriment and joy. 

There’s so much to do and enjoy on Dartmoor all throughout the winter months, when that nip in the air and chance of snow covering the tors and slopes on the open moorland, makes heading out for a family walk just that bit more exhilarating.

I always get a lovely feeling of excitement when heading up onto Okehampton moor with Maisie, the wide open space is vast and the opportunities endless.

Today I’m out biking early. Cycling through the morning’s crisp autumnal air, dipping into valleys of low-lying clouds and climbing up as the clearing mist reveals yet another breath-taking view over Dartmoor.

We started our walk in the free car park next door to Okehampton Castle, where you can either climb a wooden stile onto the wooden footbridge across the West Okement River or take the easy route through a gate next door to the car park.

As the days get shorter, the air gets colder and winter approaches, we know that Christmas is just around the corner

You never know what the weather will do at the end of October, it could be lovely enough to enjoy some wonderful family walks and bike rides, or it might send us running for cover!

The Finalists have been announced for this year’s Devon Tourism Awards which will be presented at The Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay on 28 November.

Half Term is nearly upon us, so we’ve had a look at some of the fun events that you can enjoy on and around Dartmoor, and listed five of them below.