YHA Bracken Tor

Bracken Tor House was originally built in 1908, in the style of Arts and Crafts house with many of the original features. The living room room has the original wood panelling and double aspect corner windows that provide the unique design of the house. In the living room, the fireplace has been restored back to the original brick, with a traditional wood burning stove offering cosy lounge accommodation for the winter periods.

Rooms: There are seven bedrooms in total.

• 3 Bunk rooms with 3 to 8 beds with private bathroom on corridor
• 4 Bunk rooms with 4 to 8 beds with ensuite bathroom in room
• Lounge with wood-burning stove and TV
• Small self-catering area off the lounge

On the ground floor there is one 3 bedded room with disabled private toilet and shower room adjacent to the room.

Other facilities at Bracken Tor House:

• Dining Room seating 32 people with separate external entrance from covered porch
• Outside seating area with picnic tables
• Living Room/Games room with seating area
• Drying room
• Secure cycle shed
• Gravel parking area for cars and minibuses
• Wifi access in the Lounge

Shared facilities with the Bracken Tor Lodge:

• Landscaped gardens with flat grass games areas
• Full size beach volleyball court

All catering provided by the Youth Hostel, is in a separate building, Bracken Tor Function Room at specified meal times. If there are two different groups on-site, they will be given separate times for their meals. The function room is only available to those staying in the accommodation buildings outside mealtimes if they make a separate booking for this facility.

Reception: Although the main booking office is at YHA Okehampton, a short distance away, there is an on-site warden and small reception office at the site for check-in for rooms at both Bracken Tor buildings which is usually open 8-10am and 5-8pm.

Items that can be booked in advance:

• Pull-down projection screen & projection facilities
• High chair facilities & travel cots

Activity facilities:

• High ropes course (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)
• Archery range (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)
• Grass Sledging course (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)
• Bush craft area (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)

Bracken Tor Lodge was originally the old filter house for the water supply for Okehampton, prior to Meldon Reservoir. It has been converted to a Youth Hostel since 2007.  The living room room has the original wood panelling and double aspect corner windows that provide the unique design of the house. In the living room, the fireplace has been restored back to the original brick, with a traditional wood burning stove offering cosy lounge accommodation for the winter periods.

Rooms: There are eight  bedrooms in total.

• 2 Bunk rooms with 8 beds with shared bathroom on corridor
• 2 Single bedrooms with shared bathroom on corridor
• 4 Bunk rooms with 6 beds with ensuite bathroom in room
• Lounge and dining area with  TV
• Self-catering Kitchen

Other facilities at Bracken Tor Lodge:

• Outside seating area with picnic tables
• Drying room
• Secure cycle shed
• Gravel parking area for cars and minibuses
• Wifi access in the Lounge

Shared facilities with the Bracken Tor Lodge:

• Landscaped gardens with flat grass games areas
• Full size beach volleyball court

All catering provided by the Youth Hostel, is in a separate building, Bracken Tor Function Room at specified meal times. If there are two different groups on-site, they will be given separate times for their meals. The function room is only available to those staying in the accommodation buildings outside mealtimes if they make a separate booking for this facility.

Reception: Although the main booking office is at YHA Okehampton, a short distance away, there is an on-site warden and small reception office at the site for check-in for rooms at both Bracken Tor buildings which is usually open 8-10am and 5-8pm.

Items that can be booked in advance:

• Pull-down projection screen & projection facilities
• High chair facilities & travel cots

Activity facilities:

• High ropes course (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)
• Archery range (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)
• Mountain board course (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)
• Bush craft area (Must be booked and have AO Instructor)

The function room seats up to 80 around circular tables or 120 theatre style.  It is available for separate booking by groups staying at YHA Bracken Tor House or YHA Bracken Tor Lodge. If we provide catering packages for Bed and Breakfast, Half Board or Full Board for your stay, then Breakfast and Evening Meal will be in this room and different hours (if two groups are booked in).

In 2017, Dartmoor Active Leisure got a grant from the LEADER funds that part supported the development on the function room. This allowed the addition of the Muti-use space, providing groups with better classroom facilities as well as a common dining area with a commercial kitchen, making it easier to cater for large groups.

In 2022, Dartmoor Active Leisure got a grant from the Devon County Council –  Devon Elevation Fund  that supported the feasibility study for further developments at the YHA Bracken Tor site. This study has helped us in our goal to increase the sustainability of the business and extend the seasonal employment of staff.

We would therefore like  to gratefully acknowledge the following without whose support, the commissioning of this project would not have been possible.