Parking
Start at the Tarka Trail connection in Sticklepath, just below the A30, and finish at Chagford Bridge. Dedicated trail parking was not verified at either end, so arrange a pickup or onward transport between the villages.
Overview
About Taw-Teign Link
Why go
- Connects the Tarka Trail and Two Moors Way in one walk
- Ramsley Hill opens to a wide view over the moor
Heads up
- Lane-heavy and not waymarked
- Point-to-point transport takes planning
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Dartmoor map
Full mapElevation152–271 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 Taw-Teign Link, 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
Finch Foundry in Sticklepath0:00 / 0:34
“Finch Foundry is coming up in Sticklepath, where water from the River Taw drives three wheels that power the old hammers and shears.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Dartmoor Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Rebecca Finch's Catalogue
- Four Mills on the Taw
- The Coconut Scent of Gorse
- The Travelling Song of Widecombe Fair
- 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 Taw-Teign Link
A link, not a loopThe Taw-Teign Link is a 6.
The Taw-Teign Link is a 6.2-mile one-way walk between the Tarka Trail at Sticklepath and the Two Moors Way at Chagford Bridge. It crosses Dartmoor’s northern fringe through village streets, lanes and footpaths, with an open view from Ramsley Hill and a wooded descent to the Teign. The name brings together two river-linked long-distance routes: the Taw through the Tarka Trail and the Teign through the Two Moors Way. This is a useful connector, not an all-moor outing. Allow about three to three and a half hours walking, and plan your return from Chagford before you set off.
Up from SticklepathFrom the Tarka Trail connection below the A30, the route heads through Sticklepath and into…
From the Tarka Trail connection below the A30, the route heads through Sticklepath and into South Zeal. It passes the village centre, including the market cross and old inns, then climbs Ramsley Hill. This is the most open part of the walk: pause for the view across Dartmoor and toward South Tawton before following the path onward. The climb gives the route its main payoff, but most of the way between villages feels practical rather than remote.
Throwleigh to ChagfordBeyond Ramsley Hill, the route follows moorland lanes toward Throwleigh, crosses to Wonson,…
Beyond Ramsley Hill, the route follows moorland lanes toward Throwleigh, crosses to Wonson, then passes through Blackaton Copse and heads toward Murchington. Near the end, it drops steeply down a field and through a small wood to Chagford Bridge. That’s where this link meets the Two Moors Way. Some mapped traces continue farther into Chagford, but this walk ends at the connection. The road and lane sections break up the footpaths, so expect a mixed, village-to-village rhythm rather than a continuous track across open moor.
Plan the handoffThe route is shown on Ordnance Survey mapping but isn’t waymarked, so keep an eye on junctions…
The route is shown on Ordnance Survey mapping but isn’t waymarked, so keep an eye on junctions and carry map navigation you can follow offline. Watch for traffic on the lane sections, and take care on the steep descent to the bridge. Dogs can use Devon’s public rights of way; keep them on a lead or under close control. Start at the Tarka Trail access in Sticklepath and finish at Chagford Bridge, so arrange a pickup or onward travel between the ends. Dedicated parking, toilets and drinking water at either end weren’t verified.
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.
