You won't believe the terrifying secrets hidden inside this ancient, haunted forest
- UK Hidden Gems
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Hidden deep within the vast, desolate landscape of Dartmoor National Park, lies an astonishing and truly eerie patch of ancient, twisted trees that look like something from a nightmare.
The whole atmosphere is immediately silent, strange, and unsettling, as the stunted oaks are covered head-to-toe in huge clumps of bright green moss and thick, heavy lichen.
This dark, hidden location feels completely cut off from the easy light and warmth of the normal world.
This astonishing location owes its eerie fame to the unbelievably ancient and unique appearance of the trees, which are called dwarf oaks because they have grown short and gnarled due to the harsh conditions on the moor.
The tiny, tangled branches twist over each other to form a thick, dark ceiling, creating a frightening and magical feeling perfect for a spooky holiday adventure. It is a major hidden gem that every keen walker and ghost story fan needs to explore.
The wood's most thrilling and enduring secret is its long history of association with ancient Druid rituals and local tales of ghosts and strange, unseen dwarf spirits who guard the wood.
The name itself is thought to come from the old word for "wise man" or "spectre," adding to the profound sense of magic and horror surrounding the trees.
This powerful history gives the whole place an intense, untouched, and utterly haunted energy.
For visitors planning a trip, be aware that the ground is extremely uneven, covered in slippery moss, and littered with massive granite boulders, making the walking very challenging and potentially dangerous.
The car park nearest the site, at Two Bridges, is small and fills up fast, and the walk from there across the open moor is long and very exposed to the wind.
Make sure your boot is packed with waterproof gear and your toughest sturdy boots, as the Dartmoor weather changes instantly.
This perfectly unique spot is a genuinely rare piece of British nature, offering a chilling and thrilling escape into an unsolved historical puzzle and letting you walk through a mysterious, ancient, haunted woodland.
This amazing, hidden cultural secret, guarded by ghost stories and twisted trees, is what we are finally revealing. The name of this fantastic Devon gem is Wistman’s Wood.
Remember - LeaveNoTrace!
As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!
Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
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