Photo © James Penman
Many of Devon's most famous rivers rise on the high moors and flow down to the coast. On their way, they cut numerous stunning wooded valley and cleaves* on the fringes of Dartmoor National Park. Lustleigh Cleave, in the east of the Park between the pretty village of Manaton and Lustleigh is one of these. It's a joy.
Cut by the River Bovey, steep sided woods rise from the valley floor. On the north east side of the river, the landscape is particularly big and impressive. The views from Harton Chest and Hunter's Tor (Lustleigh Cleave) are amazing. To the east are Teignmouth and the Devon coast. To the south you'll see Haytor Rocks and Hound Tor (east Dartmoor). To the west and north west are the high moors with the dome of Cosdon Hill dominating the skyline.
We've been walking Lustleigh Cleave for years and members of the team here live in the area. We'd recommend the following walks:
Lustleigh Cleave to Hunter's Tor Circular Walk (Medium)
Lustleigh Cleave River Bovey Circular Walk (Medium)
Lustleigh Cleave Foxworthy via Horsham Steps Circular Walk (Medium)
Try also Manaton Rocks Walk (Gentle) for its views of Lustleigh Cleave.
*For more of Dartmoor's wooded valleys and cleaves, try:
Teign Gorge
Dart Gorge
Tavy Cleave
Belstone Cleave
Lydford Gorge, National Trust
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