Parking
Use Saddle Tor North Car Park, just off the B3387 southwest of Haytor Vale.
Overview
About Saddle Tor Walk
Why go
- A short climb reaches Saddle Tor’s paired granite outcrops.
- Open views toward Haytor Rocks.
Heads up
- Uneven, rocky footing across open moorland.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Dartmoor map
Full mapElevation388–413 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Dartmoor alerts
- CautionDartmoor military firing restricts accessDo not cross the Okehampton, Willsworthy or Merrivale training-range boundaries when warning signals are displayed.Official details
- CautionAccess restriction at Huccaby FarmAccess to CROW Access Land at Huccaby Farm in the West Dart River Valley is subject to a current restriction notice.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Dartmoor Tour Guide
Your drive to Saddle Tor Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Dartmoor National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Haytor Rocks0:00 / 0:36
“You're approaching Haytor, where the granite towers are an uphill walk from the visitor centre, not a roadside lookout.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Dartmoor Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Emsworthy Mire from Saddle Tor
- The Farm Before the Mire
- The Dragonfly in the Runnels
- The Bird That Plants Oaks
- 298 audio storiesacross Dartmoor’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Western Roe Deer, Red Fox, European Rabbit, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 54 trails, 59 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Saddle Tor Walk
Is this the short tor walk?Saddle Tor Walk is a roughly 1 km (0.
Saddle Tor Walk is a roughly 1 km (0.6 mile) out-and-back from Saddle Tor North Car Park across open moorland to the western granite outcrop. It suits a quick stop when you want a little uphill walking without committing to the longer Saddle Tor and Hound Tor circuit. Give it about 30 minutes. Expect roughly 40 m of overall ascent on rough, rocky ground; it isn't a smooth path, and the distance understates how lumpy the last section feels.
The granite pilesSaddle Tor is a pair of granite masses with short grass between them.
Saddle Tor is a pair of granite masses with short grass between them. The higher western pile has blocky towers and a sheer north face, so keep back from that edge. From the rocks, look northeast toward Haytor Rocks. On a clear day you may pick out the sea toward Teignmouth. Frame both the stone and a bit of open moor so the outcrop keeps its scale.
Start and accessStart at Saddle Tor North Car Park, just off the B3387 southwest of Haytor Vale.
Start at Saddle Tor North Car Park, just off the B3387 southwest of Haytor Vale. The route heads west over open common, then returns the same way. This isn't a paved walk; expect uneven rock underfoot. Dogs are allowed, but on Access Land they need a short fixed lead (no more than 2 m) from 1 March through 31 July; keep them under close control at other times and follow posted notices. Choose the separate Hound Tor circuit if you want a longer outing.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Dartmoor
32 sightingsWestern Roe DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
10 sightingsRed FoxMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
37 sightingsEuropean RabbitMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
19 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
34 sightingsGreat Spotted WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
20 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Dartmoor. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
