Bracken Tor House (YHA Okehampton) sits on edge of Dartmoor in the woods above Okehampton, Devon. This 7 bedroom house offers accommodation for groups and families with 4 acres of landscaped garden providing a beautiful venue from which groups can walk straight out onto Dartmoor.

The conversion

The house was originally built in 1908, in the style of Arts and Crafts movement house.  Adventure Okehampton acquired the property in 2006, and during the conversion we retained as many of the original features as new regulations for hotels/hostels would permit, including the traditional windows, wood panelling and fireplaces.

The grounds

The house is situated within landscaped gardens with flat grass games areas. There is also a full size beach volleyball court and fun areas to explore around the site. Just outside the hostel are lovely areas of woodland with bluebells, primroses and violas at suitable times of the year.

Accommodation

The main living room room has the original wood panelling and double aspect corner windows that provide the unique design of the house. This provides an area which functions as a meeting room, dining room and relaxation area. There are seven bedrooms, providing sufficient accommodation for visiting groups. Some of these rooms are en-suite, with toilet and showers directly accessed from the bedroom. Other rooms have a toilet/shower-room adjacent on the landing. Each room has a dedicated bathroom. On the ground floor there is one bedroom with wheelchair access along with disabled toilet and washing facilities.

• Accommodates up to 34 people in 7 bedrooms
• 3 Bunk rooms with 4 to 8 beds
• 4 Bunk rooms which are ensuite with 4 to 8 beds
• Kitchen and Dining Area
• Washroom and toilets
• Drying Room
• Car parking for up to 6 vehicles (Small car park at the bottom of the drive). Most vehicles should be left at the main Youth Hostel.
• Bracken Tor House & the Filter House can be booked together allowing a total occupancy of 52 people

Other facilities available at Bracken Tor

• 4 Acres of surrounding garden
• Direct access onto the moors
• Bicycle hire
• Outside seating area with picnic benches
• Drying room
• Volleyball court
• High Ropes Challenge course (must be supervised by instructor: book in advance)
• Bushcraft area (must be supervised by instructor: book in advance)

This Centre is smoking free zone and all residential groups are expected to respect this ruling.

There is no resident warden on this site.

This unique building was converted with sustainability, environment and conservation in mind.  It has retained many of the features from the original building; it has underfloor heating and double-glazed windows that have been fitted to make an economic unit, that can be used throughout the year. Downstairs comprises of a lounge/dining room with a small fully equipped self catering kitchen as well as a boot room and wc.  The lounge has a pull-down projection screen to allow the use as a training room. Upstairs has the four bedrooms, that will allow groups of 18 to stay. For groups booking both Bracken Tor and the Filter House, there is a linking path, making it easy to connect to the dining room at Bracken Tor; schools can then use the Filter House dining area as a classroom or training room.

Outside, there are picnic benches, so that when the sun is out, you can sit and enjoy the woodland surroundings on the edge of Dartmoor.  Just beyond the Filter House, you can walk on footpaths onto Dartmoor, and the Sustrans cycling track is a short distance down the main road.