New date for Dartmoor's History Hunters Day

Dartmoor's History Hunters Day is back, after being postponed earlier in the summer due to wet and windy weather. 

Saturday, 16th September is the new date for the family day out which will be packed with great activities dedicated to helping children (and adults) get hands-on with heritage.

The event is part of a summer-long programme organised by Dartmoor National Park Authority aimed at helping people explore Dartmoor, learn about its special qualities and understand the importance of the protected landscape. 

History Hunters Day runs from 10.30am until 4pm and focuses around the National Park Visitor Centre at Postbridge. People are welcome to make a day of it or stay for a couple hours.  Outreach and Engagement Officer Andy Bailey said: “We're really pleased to have a new date and look forward to welcoming history hunters of all ages. 

“Activities include making a hunter-gatherer spear, building a miniature Bronze Age round house, having a go at test pitting under the expert eye of Dartmoor archaeologists and medieval games. 

“Events like this are supported by a range of different organisations, all working to protect Dartmoor's history and heritage. We're really grateful for their support and to all the volunteers who help make it happen.”

Dartmoor’s history and heritage is of national and international importance and is one of the reasons why it was designated as a National Park in 1951. The landscape is packed with archaeological treasures: stone rows, abandoned medieval villages, tin workings, disused quarries and even a former gunpowder factory. 

All of this human activity, alongside the earth's natural forces and centuries of farming, have resulted in the landscape we see before us today. History Hunters Day is a great opportunity to learn more about the National Park, or simply enjoy a range of activities in a beautiful part of the moor. 

Dartmoor's heritage is also being celebrated through the Heritage Open Days festival. The Authority is organising free tours of Higher Uppacott, an incredibly rare and intact example of a Dartmoor longhouse, including a 'medieval marvels' tour for families. See the website for more information. www.heritageopendays.org.uk