East Dartmoor Woods
East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve is one of the best places in the country to enjoy the outdoors and to encounter wildlife. The Reserve lies just a stone’s throw from the iconic Haytor Rocks, and straddles both the high open moors and lower wooded valleys of Dartmoor National Park. It comprises three joined but distinct areas: Yarner Wood, Trendlebere Down and the valley of the River Bovey. Nature Reserves safeguard some of Britain’s most important wildlife for present and future generations to cherish and enjoy. East Dartmoor is managed by Natural England in partnership with the Trendlebere Down Commoners Association, the Woodland Trust and Dartmoor National Park Authority. The blogs on this page are from the East Dartmoor Blog and capture the activity that took place during and after the Heritage Lottery Funded Moor than Meets the Eye project. (The East Dartmoor Blog was closed in 2025).

Lichens - Dartmoor's Hidden Gems

Five in one, half a dozen in the other!

No Boundaries – Broader Horizons

The Mighty Oak

East Dartmoor’s Mires

Hours of Frustration and Fun: The Joys of Moth Trapping

Counting butterflies

Sharing Expertise on Woodland Bats

Bovey Valley Woods 2016/17 Review

Saving a Rare Species – White-letter hairstreak

Earthworms at Yarner

Otter Survey – Time to Share Some Skills

Saving a Rare Species – The Plight of the Elm

Protecting the Bluebell Woods from Big Old Foot

Pearls of Wisdom

Up with the birds

Understanding Dartmoor's woodlands

Finding Treasure: Heritage and Wildlife of the Bovey Valley

Students Spring into Action
