Devon Day marked with a call to honour Dartmoor’s wild soul

June 4 marks Devon Day, a celebration of the county’s rich culture, nature and community. One of the region’s most iconic landscapes is taking centre stage: Dartmoor.

Among those marking the occasion is Helen Bruce, Communications Lead at the Dartmoor Preservation Association, who describes the day as “a marker that reminds us to appreciate the amazing nature and culture which we are surrounded by in Devon.”

Now based in Somerset, Helen has spent years immersed in Dartmoor’s folklore, history and wild character. 

Her connection began as a teenager during a school geography trip that left a lasting impression.

“We visited Grimspound and were sent off to find our own individual hut circle and sit in it silently,” she recalls. 

“I remember being amazed that I was able to sit in a dwelling which my ancestors had built, taking up the same space where they had lived and made memories.”

Helen believes that Dartmoor is so much more than just a beautiful place.

She feels it is a living, breathing part of Devon’s identity, a landscape that “has an amazing power to inspire creativity and an ongoing devotion in the people who spend time in it.”

That devotion, she says, is reflected in the many ways Dartmoor features in the cultural life of the county, from artists and storytellers to campaigners and conservationists.

“As a topic for artists, photographers, mask makers, giant builders, singers, historians and storytellers, it has managed to have a presence that has spread far beyond the edges of the National Park.”

The Dartmoor Preservation Association (DPA), one of the oldest environmental groups in the country, plays a key role in that ongoing story. 

Helen, who joined the charity nearly a year ago, describes her role as “a dream job”.

Working in a hybrid way, Helen travels regularly to Dartmoor, but says the connection has long been part of her.

“I’ve visited Dartmoor regularly since I was a teenager, spending nearly 20 years researching the local folklore and writing two books on the subject.”

She describes Dartmoor as a “thin place”, somewhere where the boundary between past and present, myth and reality, feels especially close. 

“It has so many natural and manmade monuments that invite us to stop and connect with the storied landscape, whether it’s recollecting a tale we’ve heard about Old Crockern or Dewer, or making up our own myths, inspired by the shapes of the rocks.”

This deep-rooted connection is something the DPA seeks to nurture and protect. 

“People who have access to Dartmoor are able to build a bond with the land, and those who have a bond with the landscape are more likely to respect and protect it,” Helen explains.

Devon Day, celebrated annually, is an opportunity for people across the county to reflect on what makes their corner of the world unique. 

For Helen, that reflection is about thinking local, supporting local and connecting with history.

“It’s a day to think local, support local businesses and connect with the history that has shaped the landscape and people of Dartmoor and beyond.”

And her message for those enjoying the moor today is clear. 

“Dartmoor is a precious and complex landscape which has both shaped people, and been shaped by people, for thousands of years. Please show your love for the landscape by leaving no trace as you make your own special memories.”