Lydford Gorge Devil's Cauldron Walk

Lydford Gorge is a splendid place to visit for a short circular walk through dramatic surroundings. It is located in the Dartmoor National Park near the town of Lydford and is notable as the deepest gorge in the South West of England.... The footpaths take you through the wooded glade to the fantastic 100-foot-high (30-metre) 'White Lady Waterfall'. In wet weather the falls are a spectacular sight being the highest waterfall in the south west. You will also visit a series of noisy whirlpools known as the 'Devil's Cauldron' where the water seems to be boiling. Another highlight are the Tunnel Falls - a series of potholes formed by the River Lyd eroding the rock away.
Start the walk from the National Trust car park next to the Devil's Cauldron. You can then follow the woodland trails south along the river before crossing to the other side and turning it into a circular walk by following the western paths. The route runs for just under 2 miles on an undulating path. Look out for flora including pretty wood anenome and bluebells which cover the steep slopes of the gorge during the spring months.
The gorge is located next to the Dartmoor Way long distance walk so you could continue your walk by following the path south towards Mary Tavy and Tavistock or north towards Bridestowe and Okehampton.
Also nearby is the splendid Tavy Cleave and Hare Tor where you can enjoy the steep-sided valley of the River Tavy before climbing Hare Tor for wonderful views over Dartmoor.
Pubs and More Info
There's two on site tea rooms run by the National Trust. They're located at each of the two entrances to the gorge – the Devil’s Cauldron and Waterfall entrance. The latter has a nice selection of second hand books to browse.
If you fancy a pub lunch then the The Dartmoor Inn is a good option. The pub dates back to the 16th century and serves good quality food. Inside there's slate flooring, wooden furniture and a wonderful real fire. Outside there's a lovely garden area with views of the countryside. You can find them just east of the gorge at postcode EX20 4AY for your sat navs. The inn is dog friendly.
Just to north east is the climb to Brat Tor and Widgery Cross. The tor rises prominently above the River Lyd, and at its summit stands Widgery Cross, a striking granite monument erected in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

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Nearby Routes

Tavy Cleave and Hare Tor Granite Way West Devon Way Dartmoor Way Brat Tor and Widgery Cross

Photos

Lydford Gorge lush vegetation.

Overlooking Lydford Gorge On the top path between the National Trust’s main entrance and White Lady Waterfall – a distance of 1.5 miles

River Lyd, peacefully running through the gorge.

White Lady Waterfall in Lydford Gorge. Southern limit of the walk through the gorge. (National Trust)

Devil's Cauldron, Lydford Gorge This picture shows the steep and slightly dangerous single track path into and out of the Devil's Cauldron. The river flows out through the gap in the rocks to the right and below the people on the path.

River Lyd, Lydford Gorge. This is the River Lyd looking north east up the Gorge from the White Lady's Fall towards Lydford and the Devil's Caldron (1½ miles)

 Lydford Bridge spans the River Lyd at Lydford Gorge. Although it is shown in a Gothic font on the Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 mapping, with the suffix (Res) implying that it has been restored, there is not a great amount of information currently available about it. In 1666 it was described as being "in decay", so presumably the restoration took place after that date. A couple of antiquarian writers describe the water level, which is just visible at the bottom of the photograph, as being "60 feet below the bridge".

Wood Anemone In the National Trust’s Lydford Gorge estate. Anemone nemorosa used to be known locally as emony. In Dorset more elaborate names evolved, according to Geoffrey Grigson [The Englishman's Flora], such as 'Jack O' Lantern', 'Snake's Eyes' and 'Lady's Purse'

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