New Dartmoor Outdoor Festival launched

Organisers hope to appeal to a wider audience

A Dartmoor festival has been renamed and expanded to attract more people, organisers have said.

Dartmoor Walking Festival has been rebranded as the Dartmoor Outdoor Festival.

It will offer events including film showings, climbing sessions and running events, alongside guided tours of the moors.

Organisers said the new look festival would take place between 29 August and 5 September 2025.

Tourists from America

Festival director Hannah Durdin, who took over management of the walking festival earlier in 2024, said: "There is so much we can be doing in Dartmoor other than just walking, so we are going to take it bigger.

"We've already had people from America ask when it's on so they can coincide their trip to the UK with the festival so they can be there for it, which is quite the compliment," she said.

"It's a bit of pressure but I'm sure we can match it."

She added: "What we are passionate about is trying to help people who may be on the fringes, and would like to explore Dartmoor but don't really know how to do it.

"To be able to come and not worry about the kit and be able to put on accessible events for them too."

'Anyone welcome'

The festival is running in partnership with Dartmoor National Park Authority and Dartmoor Preservation Association.

Mrs Durdin said: "It's aimed at anyone, whether you've been walking on Dartmoor for 20 years of if you've never been to Dartmoor, anyone can come.

"We are working with the wheelchair access group to have accessible walks for people who are in wheelchairs or trampers, literally anyone is welcome.

"All the events will be individually bookable, it's not like you have to commit to spending hundreds of pounds to come, it will be booking walks that you like the look of."

Mrs Durdin said events would be available to book once the festival website was launched.