If the hit film War Horse has left you feeling inspired to wander some of the film’s Dartmoor locations, there’s a Gutter Tor guided walk on 19 February to show off some of the most recognisable backdrops to the film.

The walk starts at 10.30am, and booking is essential on 01822 890414.

Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of War Horse has leapt to the top of the box office chart, and the stunning scenery of Dartmoor is inspiring people all over the world to come and enjoy this untouched patch of England.

The dramatic tale of the fight for horse and owner to stay together against the forces of war was filmed on Devon’s Dartmoor National Park, and we can vouch that it’s just as gorgeous as it looks on the big screen!

You could go a step further and have a go at horse riding on Dartmoor, and there are plenty of schools and stables for all levels of rider.

Our very own Ewan Davy took his daughters for the journey of a lifetime on the Santa Express last year, and he told us all about their day chugging through snowy Dartmoor.

The Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat’s Santa Express will be running between Paignton and Kingswear from 10 – 24 December, so don’t forget to book your ticket to a winter wonderland!

The Santa Express service includes a pantomime, mince pies and festive drinks for the grown ups and sweets for the children. This year’s panto is Robin Hood.

Christmas is coming to Pennywell Farm on Dartmoor, and the attraction will soon be opening its gates for its annual nativity plays and chance to visit Father Christmas.

Bet you’ve never seen a nativity play with real animals, and what better place to re-enact the Christmas story and stable scene than on a peaceful Devon farm?

Booking is essential, and plays will run from 3 – 24 December. Children will be more than welcome to join in the performance, and costumes will be provided so parents don’t forget to take a camera!

The nights are officially wintry and we’re rediscovering the hearty produce of Devon to warm up our evenings.

As luck would have it, we found ourselves right beside one of the champions of local produce and hearty food at the Dartmouth Food Festival last month – Tom’s Pies!

The company is headed by Tom Cull, who was inspired by his Dartmoor roots to make Devon famous for its pies.

The south west isn’t all sunny beaches and ice creams you know... the sweeping countryside and historic sites of the region echo with tales of ghostly happenings and strange sightings! With Halloween creeping up on us we thought we’d bring you our top ten spooky sites to get you in the spirit of things, so keep your eyes peeled if you visit any of these attractions during half term...

Berry Pomeroy, Devon

A foreboding ruin close to Totnes, Berry Pomeroy Castle is one of Devon’s most notorious spooky sites. The castle dates back to the 15 century and is the scene of constant haunted happenings, including visitors’ cameras breaking, photos showing spectres and constant claims of sightings of a white lady. 

Devon’s no stranger to the top spot of a poll, and it was recently named the horsiest county in the UK by Horse and Hound magazine.

If you’ve always harboured secret fantasies of riding along a beach with the wind in your hair this is the place to be brave and make them come true! After all, how hard can it be?!

Not only is taking the reins a great chance to try something new during a Devon holiday, but it also burns more calories than many other sports...so you’ll return from holiday minus the slight vacation bulge we’re all a little prone to.

Did we ever tell you the old Dartmoor tale of Jan Reynolds? Whilst many Dartmoor legends are unproven to say the least, this one is almost believable if you visit the site on an eerie summer’s evening.

The rolling moorland of Dartmoor National Park is home to many unusual and priceless sights, but this is certainly one of the strangest.

Visitors to the park need to position themselves outside the Warren House Inn, near Moretonhampstead to experience this Dartmoor spectacle, and no doubt many who have noticed it on leaving the inn put it down to one too many ciders...

You’re probably wondering how the refreshingly rural Dartmoor Zoological Park ended up bracing itself for the Hollywood version of its life, so let’s start at the beginning...

The fate of the zoo in Dartmoor National Park changed when Benjamin Mee, a journalist from Surrey, moved his family to nearby Plymouth and they bought themselves the zoo.

They made the attraction the centre of their new lives and tended the 33 acre zoo with passion.

The West Country’s rolling landscapes are the perfect backdrop to tales of legend and adventure, and next winter will see Devon feature in a blockbuster for the second time in the last couple of years!

No sooner has Tim Burton finished shooting Alice in Wonderland at Antony House, near Plymouth, than his Hollywood peer Steven Spielberg rolled up on Dartmoor to film scenes for the forthcoming film version of War Horse.

War Horse will be released in the winter of 2011, and tells the tale of a young man’s mission to find his horse, after it’s sold to the cavalry and taken to war-torn France.