Tree Trail

Designed to be a bit more adventurous the Tree Trail takes you deep into Haldon Forest, passing through some of our tallest trees. Reaching heights of 42m (136ft) they tower above you like an ancient forest - but these trees are mere infants. Planted in 1922 they have the potential to get much, much bigger!

The first part of the walk will take you back through the mists of time, and into Buller’s Hill quarry, a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. As you enter the quarry you pass a cliff face of greensand rock, deposited on a prehistoric sea shore 100 million years ago, when dinosaurs were stalking the Earth. The main part of the quarry shows a flint cliff face deposited 60 million years ago, after the dinosaurs had died out and mammals were taking their first tenuous steps towards dominance.

Moving on, the walk takes in a variety of different habitats to be found here at Haldon, from majestic trees to heathland areas and ponds. You can also glimpse great views of Dartmoor from various points along it.

All the work on the trail has been undertaken by volunteers, everything from ditch digging and step making through to cutting back vegetation. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at Haldon Forest Park, follow the link on the right.

The trail is subtlely waymarked with designs scorched into tree stumps and logs, encouraging people to keep their eyes peeled, explore and discover for themselves!