Teign Gorge classic circuit
Perhaps the most famous walk on Dartmoor. From the imposing bulk of Castle Drogo – the last castle to be built in England – and following the breathtaking Hunters Path high above the River Teign, this walk is filled with chances to spot wildlife and stunning views.
Total steps: 12
Total steps: 12
Start point
Castle Drogo main car park, Drewsteignton, grid ref: SX725902
Step 1
From the car park follow signs for the Teign Valley estate walks back up the drive. Turn right, following signs for Hunters Path which take you down two flights of steps. At the bottom of the steps you join Hunters Path - turn left following signs for Fingle Bridge.
Step 2
Pass Sharp Tor on your right - pause a moment to enjoy the view. Continue on Hunters Path, following signs for Fingle Bridge.
Step 3
Go through a small gate between granite posts (Hunters Gate), then after 55yd (50m) take the right-hand path and go downwards following signs for Fingle Bridge.
Step 4
At the bottom of the path you join the road to Fingle Bridge - turn right and walk along the road to the bridge (please take care). The meadows are excellent places to picnic and the Fingle Bridge Inn sits adjacent to the bridge (check opening times). Cross the 13th-century packhorse bridge and turn right, for a less challenging alternative route, avoiding sections of steep steps.
Step 5
Here you have a choice; either follow Fishermans Path (before you cross the bridge on the right), or cross the bridge to the other side (National Trust car park and public toilets) and immediately turn right. Walk through the meadows to the small wooden footbridge at the far end and join the track (sometimes known as Foresters track). Both routes follow the river all the way back through the gorge.
Step 6
If you followed Fishermans Path you must ascend and descend the base of Sharp Tor. Please take care.
Step 7
The Hydroelectric plant; if you followed Fishermans Path, this is on the opposite side of the river, if you followed the Foresters track you will walk right past it. If you look up you will see Piddledown Common above you and you might just catch a glimpse of the castle above the trees.
Step 8
The Deer Park; if you followed Foresters track you will pass through a gate and walk along the lower wall of Whiddon Deer Park, enclosed in around AD1560 to contain a herd of fallow deer.
Step 9
Drogo Weir; if you followed Fishermans Path you will pass the end of this structure, built in 1928 to serve the hydroelectric plant downstream. When the river is high, this is spectacular.
Step 10
The Iron Bridge; if you followed Foresters track you need to climb a stone stile over the Deer Park wall and cross the suspension bridge - look downstream as you cross to see Drogo Weir. At the other side of the bridge, you rejoin Fishermans Path.
Step 11
The return; from the end of the suspension bridge turn left and then right, following signs for Castle Drogo and the Two Moors Way. Follow this route until it joins a tarmac drive near Gibb House and Coombe. Follow the drive uphill.
Step 12
When you reach a wooden gate on the right-hand side of the drive between massive beech trees, turn right and go through it following signs for Hunters Path. Continue along Hunters Path, passing below the castle and looking back down the valley you have walked through. When you reach the bottom of a set of steps (the same ones you came down at step one) climb these and return up the castle drive back to the main car park.
End point
Castle Drogo main car park, Drewsteignton, grid ref: SX725902
Trail map
More near here
Piddledown Common walk
Enjoy a visually memorable walk from Castle Drogo that overlooks the dramatic Teign Gorge and takes in a variety of flora, including oak trees and wildflowers.
Baggy Point to Woolacombe circular walk
Follow this circular route around Baggy Point and Woolacombe Warren in Devon with coastal, sea and farmland views, known for its wild flowers and birds and as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geological features.
Beckland Woods bluebell walk
This two mile circular route starts and finishes at the National Trust car park at Brownsham. Enjoy quiet woodland and sea views, as well as natural history and sites of archaeological interest.
Get in touch
Our partners
We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.
You might also be interested in
Eating and shopping at Castle Drogo
The café at Castle Drogo serves hot and cold drinks, lunches, snacks and sweet treats. Afterwards, stop off at the shop for a choice of gifts and souvenirs to take home with you.
Cotswold Outdoor: our exclusive walking partner
Learn about the National Trust’s ongoing partnership with Cotswold Outdoor. Find out how they help us care for precious places and the exclusive discount available for National Trust supporters.
Staying safe at National Trust places
The special places in National Trust care sometimes come with a few risks for visitors, be it coastline or countryside. Find out how to keep safe throughout your visits.
Outdoor activities in Devon
Get active this winter with outdoor activities at a National Trust place near you in Devon. There's lots to do with the whole family this season.
Walking in Devon
From rugged coastline with captivating views to gentle woodland strolls, these are some of the best walks in Devon this winter.
Walking
Explore some of the finest landscapes in our care on coastal paths, accessible trails, woodland walks and everything in between. Find the best places to walk near you.