Location

Yelverton is a large village (population of 3’493) in South-West England, situated between the town of Tavistock (5,8 miles; 9,3 km) and Plymouth (9,5 miles: 15,3 km) – a famous port city on the south coast of Devon. Yelverton is located on the south-west edge of Dartmoor (Dartmoor National Park) – an area of moorland (heath) in southern Devon. Yelverton is on the very edge of the moor at Roborough Down, which is also famous for the huge mass of stone called „The Rock”. Yelverton with St Paul’s Church, a range of shops, pubs and plenty of accommodation around is a popular place within tourists.

distance to Exeter airport: 1h 3 min (54,1 miles: 87,1km)
distance to Newquay airport: 1h 16 min (55 miles: 88,6 km)
Plymouth airport: closed in 2011

distance to London: 4 h 10 min (243.3 miles; 391,5 km) via M5 and M4

Climate

Yelverton like the rest of South West England, has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than locations at similar height in the rest of England. January and February are the coldest months with mean minimum temperatures around 1°C (34°F). July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima not reaching 18°C (64°F).

History

The coming of the railway (Great Western Railway- line from Plymouth to Tavistock) was responsible for Yelverton’s growth in the 19th century. Many residents of Plymouth bought houses in the village and commuted to Plymouth.

Attractions

– Yelverton is well situated to explore the park, with many prehistoric standing stones and stone rows within a short distance as well as opportunities for walking and cycling.
– Nearby is a village Sheepstor, used as setting in the Steven Spielberg film, War Horse. On the moor outside the village are ancient stone rows and standing stones.
-Just outside Yelverton on the edge of Roborough Down is The Tock, a large stone outcrop popular with families (kids love to climb on the rocks). The Rock gave its name to the nearby Rock Hotel, a 16th-century farmhouse converted into a hotel in the Victorian era when tourism began to bring more visitors to the area.
– At the outbreak of World War Two RAF Harrowbeer was built just outside the village. The most important visitor to RAF Harrowbeer was US President Franklin Roosevelt, who had to land here when his original destination was covered by fog.
– Two miles outside Yelverton is Buckland Abbey, home of Sir Francis Drake – an English sea captain and privateer of the Elizabeth era.
– Nearby Yelverton is the Garden House in Buckland Monachorum, a 10-acre one of Britain’s finest gardens built from the remains of a 14th-century vicarage. The garden incorporates a medieval tower and thatched barn.
– The ancient stannary and historic market town of Tavistock is only 4 miles distant. It traces its recorded history back to at least AD 961 when Tavistock Abbey, whose ruins lie in the centre of the town, was founded.
– Nearby is Plymouth – a famous port city in Devon. It’s known for its maritime heritage and historic Barbican district with narrow, cobbled streets. Sutton Harbour is home to the National Marine Aquarium, where sharks and rays glide in a deep tank. Also in the harbour are several marinas and a fish market, the Plymouth Fisheries. The Mayflower Steps are where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the New World in 1620.