We’ll ease into the day with a leisurely breakfast followed by time to explore the grounds and gardens. Then it’s all aboard a historic steam railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh, a beautiful valley that blooms with flowers and butterflies in spring and, later in the year, autumnal tints and fruit. This is a preserved railway and in no hurry, covering six miles in one to two hours. We’ll meet our driver at Staverton on the other side and head to a cozy pub for lunch. Afterwards, we’ll poke our heads into Joint Mitnor cave, home to bones from the days when the hippopotamus, hyena, and elephant roamed Britain. We’ll then walk up the hill to Buckfastleigh’s ruined church and hear the legend of Squire Cabell, a man so evil the locals constructed a building over his tomb to prevent his soul from wreaking post-mortem wickedness. From there it’s another short stroll down the hill to the Valiant Soldier, a former pub that now serves as a museum and heritage center, a small and intimate window into the past. Afterwards, we’ll head up through the wooded valleys and follow the Dart Valley onto the moor, returning to our accommodations towards evening. Prince Hall is uniquely situated on the open moor, and you can see the West Dart river tumbling through the valley a few hundred meters away. Arthur Conan Doyle stayed here while writing The Hound of the Baskervilles, the Sherlock Holmes novel set on Dartmoor. Our group will have the entire place to ourselves, a bit like having our own country mansion for the next three nights. We’ll settle in for dinner together here in Prince Hall.

First stop this morning: A wander into Wistman’s Wood. One of England’s last patches of ancient woodland, this fairy-tale forest is entangled in many a myth and legend. We’ll hear some of these stories while walking among the beautiful, twisted trees in a sea of moss-covered rocks. The afternoon schedule will inevitably depend on the weather. In fair weather we’ll head straight for lunch at the Royal Oak at Meavy, then take a four-mile walk to admire the Plym Valley, the Drizzlecombe landscape that hosted Bronze Age rituals, and the abandoned Ditsworthy Warren farm. If rainy, we’ll check out the Dartmoor Prison museum, plus the park’s High Moorland Visitor Centre. To wrap up the day, we’ll take a tour of Dartmoor Brewery, which produces fine, fine, beer. In the evening, we’ll wind down with a hearty dinner at a lively local spot.

Today we’ll be visiting the hamlet of Postbridge, the prehistoric settlement of Grimspound, and Widecombe-in-the-Moor, a tiny, postcard-perfect village. Take some time to wander around its shops and old buildings before we meet up for lunch at the Rugglestone Inn, a quaint and cozy pub. In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Chagford, taking in the folklore-filled Jay’s Grave and abandoned 13th-century village of Hound Tor. We’ll enjoy a final dinner at an old granite pub. Thursday night is practice night for the local Morris Dancing Side, with their dark and fiery interpretation of the traditional English folk dance, and we might be able to peek in on a practice session. And for our final dinner together on the moor, there’s nowhere better to fill our bellies and raise a glass than at the old inn at Drewsteignton.

On our last morning, we’ll explore Chagford, an ancient tin-mining town with buildings dating back to the 15th century. We’ll have the opportunity to visit the church, shops, and galleries before exploring an area of Dartmoor known as Scorhill, the site of a Bronze Age stone circle. There, weather allowing, we’ll enjoy a "Pagan Picnic” among the legendary stones. We’ll also hear the mythology of Scorhill and the Tolmen Stone, once thought to have been used by druids for purification. Our walk will take us through open, rolling countryside, where we might even encounter ponies and sheep. We’ll leave Dartmoor just after midday and make the 25-minute drive to Exeter. From here, extend your stay to explore the city or catch the train back to London or your next destination. Until next time!