About the Dartmoor Cream Tea Challenge
The cream tea challenge is a route across Dartmoor that incorporates 16 great tearooms and hotels that sell Devonshire cream teas. With its stunning scenery Dartmoor is the perfect place to enjoy a cream tea, or 16! Its open expanse makes Dartmoor perfect for walkers, with the most well known trek being the ten tors adventure where students hike between 35 and 55 miles across Dartmoor on a route that takes them between 10 Dartmoor tors.
How the Dartmoor Cream Tea Challenge Works
The Dartmoor Cream Tea Challenge is a fun on-going event that can either be walked, rode or driven. Those looking for adventure can walk, run or ride the route ticking off each cream tea over the course of a long weekend. Those more keen on thick clotted cream and warm fresh scones than the exhausting 63 miles of Dartmoor hills can treat the challenge as a tick list crossing off each venue over the course of whatever time period they choose, making it a very accessible challenge to all.
The below map shows the route by road in a bit more detail, those taking on the adventure challenge will find that some sections are walk-able direct off-road. For on-route accommodation check out http://www.visitdartmoor.co.uk/.
What do you get for completing the challenge?
The Dartmoor cream tea challenge is a fun event that Devon Heaven Hampers run for free so we don't give out medals or badges etc. for completing the challenge. However, you will be added to our hall of fame below and have your achievement shared through our social media page. Simply let us know the details below and send us a picture or two of you en route. We will also give away one of our cream tea hampers as a prize to one of those who complete the challenge each year (or can send to a relative if you've eaten too many cream tea's!).
| Date | Name | Walk/Ride/Drive | Days Taken | Favourite Cream Tea |
Cream Tea Voucher Give Away
To celebrate the cream tea challenge, we have cream tea vouchers to give away! Vouchers can be won for the tearooms and hotels listed below. To enter the competition, all you have to do is like our Facebook page.
Cream Tea for Two Vouchers
Venue / Status
Badgers Holt - Done
Fox Tor Cafe - Done
Buckland Abbey - Done
Home Farm Cafe - Done
Moorland Gardens Hotel - Coming Soon
The Old Forge - Coming Soon
The White Hart Hotel - Coming Soon
Prince Hall - Coming Soon
Tearooms and Hotels on the Cream Tea Challenge Route
These will be set until summer 2016.
1. The Old Walled Garden, Dunsford EX6 7AA
The Old Walled Garden is a small tearoom with a lovely walled garden in the centre of Dunsford that serves great value homemade cream teas, which can be enjoyed after a walk along the River Teign at Steps Bridge.
2. Woodleigh Coach House, Cheriton Bishop, Exeter EX6 6JL
http://www.woodleighcoach.com/
Woodleigh Coach House is a Grade II listed building originally constructed by a London Brewer in the late 19th century. Located in the former stables of the Coach House, the cafe offers a warm and rustic feel with splendid views of the countryside.
3. The Old Forge, Chagford TQ13 8AB
http://theoldforgechagford.co.uk/
This converted blacksmith’s forge in the centre of Chagford serves high quality local and homemade food and drink, including Devonshire Cream Teas served with loose-leaf tea which has been rated by independent cream tea reviewer Ditch Townsend as the best in Devon. We sell gift vouchers for a cream tea for two at The Old Forge.
4. Gidleigh Park, Chagford TQ13 8HH
http://www.gidleigh.co.uk/
On the banks of the River Teign in Dartmoor this luxury Tudor style country house hotel is the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon tea or a Devonshire cream tea.
5. Bovey Castle, North Bovey TQ13 8RE
http://www.boveycastle.com/
Bovey Castle is one of the UK’s finest hotels and offers visitors a chance to be treated like a king whilst enjoying a cream tea or a more extensive afternoon tea within its wonderful grounds.
6. The White Hart Hotel, Moretonhampstead TQ13 8NQ
http://www.whitehartdartmoor.co.uk/
A family-owned hotel in the centre of Moretonhampstead with a lovely restaurant that uses local produce and serves cream teas daily between 10-4. The White Hart is very dog friendly so pop in after a nice walk on the moors.
7. Home Farm Café, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9JQ
http://www.homefarmcafe.co.uk/
Surrounded by lots of nice walking routes along the River Bovey this dog friendly café is an ideal spot for dog walkers to enjoy a good value cream tea with warm homemade scones.
8. The Edgemoor Hotel, Bovey Tracey TQ13 9LE
http://www.edgemoor.co.uk/
A family-owned, dog friendly country house hotel en route to Haytor serving cream and afternoon teas in either the Old School Tea Rooms or outside in the attractive gardens.
9. Bagders Holt, Dartmeet PL20 6SG
http://www.badgersholtdartmoor.co.uk/
Set at Dartmeet where the East and West River Dart merge, Bagders Holt is in a great location and offers wonderful walking along the river. Badgers Holt specialises in Cream Teas with a secret scone recipe exclusive to the restaurant for over 60 years and also offers homemade traditional fruit, cheese and gluten free scones.
10. Prince Hall, Two Bridges, Dartmoor, Devon, PL20 6SA
http://www.princehall.co.uk/
Set high on Dartmoor the Prince Hall is a lovely setting overlooking the West River Dart. They serve delicious Devonshire cream tea featuring freshly-baked crumbly scones, locally-made strawberry preserve and Devon clotted cream.
11. Two Bridges Hotel, Princetown PL20 6SW
http://www.twobridgeshotel.uk/
Two Bridges Hotel offer a fine dining experience in the middle of Dartmoor as well as serving cream teas daily either inside by the fire or outside in their private garden.
12. Tor Royal, Princetown PL20 6SL
http://www.torroyal.co.uk/
Tor Royal is a homely bed and breakfast set in a Grade II-listed building in the middle of Dartmoor National Park. It sits in an unspoilt region of Dartmoor, where War Horse was filmed.Its restaurant offers quality local food and drink, including gluten free cream teas. We sell gift vouchers for an afternoon tea for two at the Tor Royal.
13. Fox Tor Café, Princetown PL20 6QS
http://www.foxtorcafe.com/
A licensed café, popular with walkers passing through Princetown, Fox Tor Café sell local food and drink and serve great value meals.
14. The East Gate, Tavistock PL19 0BW
http://www.eastgatetavistock.co.uk/
Located in Tavistock on the west side of the moors, the East Gate Café offers the chance to enjoy a Devon cream tea in their beautiful terrace garden overlooking the River Tavy. We sell Devonshire cream tea gift vouchers for The East Gate on Dartmoor.
15. Buckland Abbey, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6EY
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buckland-abbey/
The 700 year old abbey is now managed by the National Trust, it is part museum, part house, and filled with treasures such as the legendary Drake’s Drum. The onsite Ox Yard restaurant serves food that often is picked from the abbey's traditional walled Cider House kitchen garden.
16. Moorland Garden Hotel, Yelverton PL20 6DA
http://www.moorlandgardenhotel.co.uk/
On the edge of Dartmoor, Moorland Garden Hotel boasts nine acres of beautiful moorland garden perfect for either a special afternoon tea or indulgent cream tea.
Can I just point put that Visit Dartmoor, although completely delighted to be associated and working with Devon Heaven, did not compile the list of tea rooms and cafés that were chosen ??
Not so much a badge, more a sticky label. With ECG leads sticking out of it! :-D
I completely missed out on this challenge. Woodleigh Coach House is on the top end of Dartmoor where we also do Devon Cream teas with our own homemade scones as well as a gluten free option. Shame I didn’t get an email about joining this event.
Regards
Michelle
The Wife and I miss our Dartmoor rambles.
Please could I have details. I’d love to get a group together and do this.
:)