Woodleigh Coach House B&B Guest House and Cafe

Dartmoor; Magical, Mythical and Absolutely Breathtaking.

Dartmoor National Park, 368 square miles of stunning moorland, was taken over by the National Trust and became a national park in 1951. Featured on the TV Programme "Seven Natural Wonders" Dartmoor was voted number one for the Southwest and one of the top 10 in the UK. The name comes from the river Dart which starts at East Dart and West and becomes a single river at Dartmeet. With breathtaking scenery no matter which part you go to, Dartmoor will always succeed in making a lasting impression on anyone. With a high level of rainfall, much greater than the levels of the surrounding areas, Dartmoor is almost always wet but makes for tranquil streams and some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the UK, all of which shape and create the landscape of the wonderous Dartmoor.

There are plenty of historical sites and villages to visit on Dartmoor with some buildings dating back to the Bronze age. Examples of the past include the Double Stone circles at Grey Wethers near Postbridge which are almost perfectly aligned North-to-South and the Hut Circles located at Grimspound, originally built by Neolithic Settlers who moved onto Dartmoor because of it's high grounds and even higher Tors.

Dartmoor abounds with myths and legends. It is reputedly the haunt of pixies, a headless horseman, a mysterious pack of 'spectral hounds', and a large black dog. During The Great Thunderstorm of 1638, Dartmoor was even said to have been visited by the Devil! Many landmarks have ancient legends and ghost stories associated with them, such as Jay's Grave, the ancient burial site at Childe's Tomb, and a rock pile called Bowerman's Nose. A few stories have emerged in recent decades, such as the 'hairy hand', that is said to attack travelers on the B3212 near Two Bridges by gripping the steering wheel or handlebars and turning vehicles off the road.

Each town and village in Dartmoor has it's own personality and style meaning you can travel to any village and see different buildings from different eras ranging from the bronze age to modern day. Each village has its own traditions and festivals which happen yearly and so at any given time there is almost always something happening, whether it be Tar Barrelling, welly throwing or the more national event of the "Ten Tors" hike which is an annual event that hundreds of people turn out to participate. This event is very popular with a variety of people taking part, from experienced walkers to complete novices of all ages, which is why the Devon Air Ambulance is always on alert during the event for those unable to continue their hike due to either an injury or exhaustion putting them at risk being in such an inaccessible area for vehicles such as Ambulances.

With so much going on it's hard to believe that you can visit Dartmoor and relax in its remote and tranquil settings. But you can. With a reputation as one of the best places for campers you can literally get away from modern life completely and just slow the heart with Dartmoor's natural, breathtaking and gorgeous scenery.

Exeter; Historic, Beautiful, Cultural.

The Cultural centre of the South West, a Glorious and Historic city, Exeter has much to offer everybody. With a stimulating mix of Theatre, art, dance, live music, cinema and stand-up comedy. Plus a year round programme of colour festivals. "Small but perfectly formed" Therein lies the beauty of Exeter. From it's stunning Cathedral built during Norman times to it's historic Quayside, the major shopping centre to any of it splendid dining places, all the best bits are within walking distance from each other. With everything Exeter has to offer it is no wonder this city is frequently voted one of the best cities in the UK to live.

Cheriton Bishop; Constantly changing, but not too much.

A beautiful little village with a large personality. Situated near the north eastern edge of Dartmoor and about 10 miles from Exeter and 13 miles from Okehampton. Its location in the heart of Devon makes it ideal for touring the County. The A30 from Penzance to Hyde Park Corner ran through Cheriton Bishop until 1978 when the dual carriageway from the end of the M5 was opened. This bypasses the village and a new bridge over this major road, which was opened in February 2001, provides villagers with a safe exit and entry onto the dual carriageway.

Of Saxon origins, the village was certainly established by 1086 since it is mentioned in the Doomsday Book as CERITONA which is probably derived from CYRIG = church and TON= farm. The suffix BISHOP was applied in the 13th Century. The original Cheriton Bishop was a collection of houses, two public houses, the "Rest and be Thankful" (now Pinecroft) and "The Ring O`Bells" (now Sunnyvale) a school and post office clustered very close to the parish church - this was known as CHERITON TOWN. However in the 17th and 18th Century the ridgeway road at CHERITON CROSS was developed into a turnpike road complete with Toll House(see image below). The stagecoach route from London and Exeter west passed through the village with a change of horses (stage) at the Royal Hotel at Crockernwell. The ancient Cross at Cheriton Cross is of uncertain origin and is now near to the war memorial.

And so gradually, over the years the centre of gravity of the village moved from Cheriton Town to Cheriton Cross. The pubs in the "Town" ceased trading and new ones appeared at Cheriton Cross. A blacksmith, farrier and butcher had a busy trade on the main road. In the 1930s the increase in motor traffic brought petrol pumps to the New Inn at the junction of the Yeoford Road, these were later replaced by pumps at the tea rooms named Chequers on the site of what is now Chestnut Close. Now you can find a Post Office and newsagents there under the same name only spelt differently, Checkers.

Today in the village there are still two public houses, The Old Thatched Inn (a 16c Freehouse) and The Mulberry (newly refurbished modern pub), both of which provide great food throughout most of the day and real ales, as well as the more city favoured lagers. The Church and the School both still stand in Cheriton Bishop and continue to be the centre of activity for the village.