Meldon Wildlife Festival

Tuesday, 19 August 2025 at 10:30 - 16:00
Join the National Park and partners for a wild day out celebrating Dartmoor's unique and beautiful wildlife. A free fun-filled, event for all the family!
There will be lots of wildlife activities to help you get closer to nature and nature crafts to take home. This year we have a Boggy theme as we are part of the PeatFest SouthWest celebrations. More details to follow but here is a quick taster of some of the things planned
- Discover Dartmoor's bogs - spot the difference, stick the beak on a snipe, interactive water display with South West Peatland Partnership
- Art and Energy with the Be More Moss portal and mossy carpet
- Stream dipping- There will be two sessions 10.30-12.30 and 1.30-3.30. You can pop in at any time during these two sessions but children must be supervised by their adult at all times.
- Be part of the Pine Marten picnic with Devon Wildlife Trust
- Minibeast hunts
- Ranger Ralph wildlife craft
- Barn Owl Pellet Dissection with the Barn Owl Trust
- Mammal Tracks and signs quiz and mammal related craft activities + skulls, droppings, nibbled hazelnuts and stuffed specimens with Devon Mammal Group
- Reptile walk, slow worms in a tank and reptile and amphibian craft activities with Devon Amphibian and Reptile Group
- Discover Dartmoor invasive plants- quiz and colouring activity with Dartmoor Invasive Project and South West Water
- Museum of Dartmoor Life
- National Trust
- Fun activities with Sticklepath and Okehampton Conservation Group
- Fun with the Okement Rivers Improvement Group
- Exciting virtual river tour with Westcountry Rivers Trust
- Refreshments from 1st Okehampton Scout Group
- Ice creams from Taw River Dairy
- Snail and Minibeast activity from Adventure Okehampton
- Why not grab your phone and become a Look Wild i-Naturalist to help us record the wildlife you see on Dartmoor or take part in our Time for Nature Challenge
- Water themed obstacle course participatory event - seen signs on the day for times
- Wildlife Games
Spend the day with us and our wildlife partners at a beautiful part of Dartmoor.
We would like to thank the landowners Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council and the Duchy of Cornwall, and Adventure Okehampton, who lease the land, for their support in making this event possible.
Facilities
Free parking, toilets, and refreshments available to purchase.
Getting there
From Okehampton: Follow the B3260 uphill and look for Meldon Quarry sign. Turn left just before Betty Cottles. Follow road over A30, through the woods, under viaduct and look out for car park entrance to Meldon Old Quarry on right.
From Tavistock & A30 Cornwall: Follow signs to Okehampton leaving the A30 via slip road. Turn left onto B3260 towards Okehampton until you see Betty Cottles on your left, take next road on right marked Meldon Quarry. Follow road over A30, through the woods, under viaduct and look out for car park entrance to Meldon Old Quarry on the right.
Location: Meldon Old Quarry
Booking required: no
Charge: FREE