Dartmoor & Exmoor
Penn Moor
493M
1617FT
About Penn Moor
Rising above the Yealm valley in the south of the national park, this expansive moorland shoulder offers a quintessential Dartmoor experience. Often climbed in tandem with the higher Shell Top, its grassy, peat-flecked summit provides an exceptionally clear vantage point over the South Hams and the glitter of the English Channel.
Key Statistics
Rank
28th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Dartmoor
Prominence
?
41m
Nearest Town
South Hams
Geology
You are standing on solid granite, formed when a massive bubble of molten rock cooled deep underground to create the foundation of Dartmoor.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SX602645
Latitude
50.4636°N
Longitude
3.9711°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Penn' is a rare Brythonic survival in the Devon landscape, likely derived from the Celtic word for a head or summit, a linguistic link to the Welsh 'pen'.
- •To the southwest, the summit offers a commanding view of the Plymouth breakwater and the Cornish hills beyond the Tamar, while the nearby white pits of the Lee Moor clay works provide a stark industrial contrast.
- •The area is dense with Bronze Age archaeology, most notably the massive cairn on the neighbouring Penn Beacon, which has served for centuries as a prominent navigational landmark.
- •While the map suggests a simple stroll, the terrain around the summit has a habit of turning into a sodden sponge that tests the waterproofing of even the most expensive footwear.