Meldon Reservoir, in the north-west of Dartmoor, sits below the moors two highest peaks, High Willhays and Yes Tor. The man-made lake was created when a vast dam was built across the West Okement Valley, and the area above the dam was flooded. Below the dam, you’ll see the Lower West Okement Valley, across which Meldon Viaduct stretches in the distance.
The setting for the reservoir is spectacular, and offers some of the best scenery in this part of Dartmoor. There are numerous walks available, with a good option being to cross the dam and then take the path to your right which runs along the eastern side of the reservoir. Alternatively, bear left after you have crossed the dam and follow the West Okement as far as the viaduct, from which you can pick up the Granite Way cycle path back to your starting point.
While many people visit Meldon for views and local walks, it’s also the perfect spot from which to explore some of the highest ground in Dartmoor. From the bottom end of the reservoir, there’s a path which takes you to Black-a-tor Copse. This is one of the best examples in Britain of a high-altitude oak woodland, and is a remarkable, almost alien, place. The combination of high humidity and clean air allows a wide variety of mosses and lichens to grow freely and these clothe the trunks of the trees and the surrounding rocks.
There is a small charge for parking at Meldon Reservoir but other than a toilet block in the car park, no facilities are available, although an ice-cream van has been known to turn up in the summer!