Wistman's Wood

Wistman's Wood is a small, high-altitude fragment of ancient oak woodland in the West Dartmoor valley of the River Dart, near Two Bridges in Devon. It is one of the highest oakwoods in Britain, its stunted, twisted trees growing among moss-covered granite boulders. As a rare relic of the kind of woodland that may once have been more widespread on the moor, it is protected as a national nature reserve and studied for its unusual ecology and lichens.

The wood has a powerful place in Dartmoor folklore. Local tradition links it with the "Wisht Hounds", a spectral pack said to hunt across the moor, and some visitors describe an intense, brooding stillness among the gnarled trees. The name itself has been connected to old words for the uncanny, though its true origin is uncertain, and such feelings owe much to the atmospheric setting.

Wistman's Wood is best understood as a place of genuine natural and cultural significance. Its documented ecology and long folklore make it fascinating, and the eeriness is part of its character rather than evidence of anything supernatural.

Wistman's Wood is a national nature reserve on open Dartmoor and is not a staffed attraction; there is no admission charge. It is typically reached on foot from the Two Bridges area along an exposed moorland path, and there are no facilities at the wood itself.

The fragile trees, mosses and lichens are easily damaged, so visitors are strongly asked to stay on the paths, avoid climbing on or entering the delicate woodland interior, take all litter home, and come prepared for rapidly changing weather and rough ground.