The who and what of the festival

The Dartmoor Outdoor Festival has a proud history spanning over a decade on the moor. For its first eight years, it operated under the name Dartmoor Walking Festival.

The Dartmoor Walking Festival began in 2016 as an annual celebration of walking on Dartmoor. The idea was originally proposed by our current Festival Director, Richard Matthews, to Simon Dell of Moorland Guides. Together, along with a small team, they delivered an impressive 72 events in the very first year — a huge undertaking and a remarkable success.

Over the years, the Walking Festival grew in popularity and became a much-loved fixture in the Dartmoor calendar, running annually with the exception of 2020 due to Covid.

At the end of 2024, the festival evolved. With Simon stepping away, the event was reimagined and relaunched as the Dartmoor Outdoor Festival. Up to that point, the festival had primarily consisted of guided walks led by local providers across the moor, showcasing some of Dartmoor’s most spectacular landscapes.

Since then, the festival has continued to develop. In 2025, we piloted the Princetown Festival Hub, expanding the scope and ambition of the event.

Now, in 2026, we have even bigger plans in store — and we can’t wait to share them with you. Check out our programme to see what’s coming next.

In 2026, the festival will run from Friday 28th August to Friday 4th September. Princetown will once again be the hub of the festival, but rest assured — there will be opportunities to get involved across all of the moor.

The goal of the festival is to sustainably showcase the wide range of recreational activities that can be enjoyed on Dartmoor, encouraging greater engagement from local communities and visitors alike. There will be a strong focus on sustainability, responsible access, affordability, and celebrating the vibrant Dartmoor community.

And this is only the beginning. We have ambitious plans for the next five to ten years to grow the festival into an even more incredible event for everyone to enjoy across the entirety of the moor.

Over the years, the festival has raised over £10,000 for Devon Air Ambulance. In 2026, we’re proud to continue supporting Devon Air Ambulance, alongside Dartmoor Search and Rescue and Adventure Therapy. Funds will be raised through our Festival Letterbox Trail — with more details coming soon.

Festival Team

Richard Matthews FRGS - Festival Director

Richard grew up in Devon, where he first developed his passion for the outdoors. From the age of 12, he began exploring Dartmoor through Ten Tors training — an experience that marked the beginning of what would become a lifelong career in the outdoor world.

Now a freelance outdoor professional and expedition leader, Richard works with young people and adults alike. He provides consultancy for large-scale international expeditions and has led numerous adventures himself, taking him quite literally around the world.
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Richard still lives in Devon, just on the edge of Dartmoor — though one day, he hopes to call the moor itself home.

Find out more about Richard here.

Beyond this Richard is supported by various people across the moor and beyond, who all volunteer their time to help make this festival so amazing.