Bellever Forest and Bellever Tor Circular

Bellever Forest sits in the heart of Dartmoor, a block of conifer plantation that opens abruptly onto open moorland where Bellever Tor rises to 443 m with a full panorama across the national park. This 5.1 km circular from the Forestry England car park follows plantation tracks south through the forest before climbing onto the moor for the short ascent to the tor, passing Bronze Age cairn circles, burial cists and the Lakehead Hill stone rows along the way. The return drops through the forest edge and follows the ancient Lych Way track back to the start. The 186 m of climbing is gentle and well spread, and the paths are established throughout.

Dogs get a genuinely varied dog friendly walk here. The forest carries the deep resinous scent of Scots and Sitka spruce, changing sharply to open moorland air as the treeline ends and the wind brings the damp, peaty smell of high Dartmoor. The East Dart River runs along the eastern edge of the forest and is easily reached from the car park for a pre- or post-walk paddle. Dartmoor ponies graze freely through the forest and onto the tor, so leads are required in their presence and awareness of livestock is needed throughout. The summit delivers a rewarding 360-degree view and the gentle gradients make this accessible for dogs of most sizes and abilities. A walk that combines forest, moorland and ancient history in a compact and satisfying package.