Things to Do in Okehampton: A First-Timer's Guide

Short answer: Okehampton Castle is the largest castle ruin in Devon, the high moor starts at the edge of town, and the Dartmoor Line runs from Exeter — with a second station, Okehampton Interchange, opened in August 2026.

What Okehampton is

A working town on the northern edge of Dartmoor, and the gateway to the highest, wildest part of the moor. It is not a pretty village in the way Chagford is, and it does not try to be — it is where you base yourself for the high ground.

The trains are back

The Dartmoor Line reopened to passengers in 2021, running from Exeter via Crediton, and a second station — Okehampton Interchange, on the east side of town near the A30 — opened on 1 August 2026 with a 200-space car park and step-free access.

The original station has the Dartmoor National Park information centre, a railway museum and a station café, so arriving is part of the day.

What to do

• Okehampton Castle — the largest castle ruin in Devon, a Norman motte-and-bailey later rebuilt as a fortified manor, in woodland by the river.
• The high moor — High Willhays and Yes Tor, the highest ground in southern England.
• Bellever Forest, south on the moor — marked trails, a clear shallow river and wild ponies.
• Lydford Gorge, fifteen minutes south — the Devil's Cauldron and the 30-metre White Lady waterfall.
• Castle Drogo, on the other side of the moor — the last castle built in England.

Before you walk the high moor

Parts of the northern moor sit within the military firing range. Check the firing times before going up, take a map, and remember the weather changes fast and the light goes early in winter.

Where to eat

Brothers is the best cooking in Okehampton by a distance — pork belly bites, flatbreads with hummus and lamb. The London Inn is a well-run town pub with live bands at weekends. The Plume of Feathers is the quirkiest, with an extensive cider range.