Cranmere Pool is a small depression in the peat set in the northern half of Dartmoor

Dartmoor

Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...

 at SX604858. It is approximately 0.5 km north west of the source of the East Dart

River Dart

The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...

 and is effectively the head of the West Okement which feeds Meldon reservoir

Dartmoor reservoirs

Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, a number of reservoirs and dams were built in the area now covered by Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England to supply drinking water to the rapidly growing towns in the surrounding lowlands. With its deep valleys and high rainfall, Dartmoor was an...

. The only time there is standing water is after heavy rainfall.

It lies within the Okehampton

Okehampton

Okehampton is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and has an estimated population of 7,155.-History:...

 Artillery range, one of the Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....

 ranges. A military access road which made it possible to drive to within one kilometre of Cranmere Pool has now (2010) been closed for civilian use (although the road surface is now very worn in places). It is possible to park at one of the military observation post

Observation post

An observation post, temporary or fixed, is a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements, to warn of approaching soldiers , or to direct artillery fire...

s (OP 15).

Cranmere pool is the location of the first letterbox

Letterboxing

Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. Individual...

. The Victorian walker William Crossing

William Crossing

William Crossing was a writer and documenter of Dartmoor and Dartmoor life. He lived successively at South Brent, Brentor and at Mary Tavy but died at Plymouth.-Early life:...

 relates in his Guide to Dartmoor that a well known Dartmoor guide (James Perrott) from Chagford

Chagford

Chagford is a small town and civil parish on the north-east edge of Dartmoor, in Devon, England, close to the River Teign. It is located off the A382, about 4 miles west of Moretonhampstead. The name Chagford is derived from the word chag, meaning gorse or broom, and the ford suffix indicates its...

 placed a bottle for visitors cards at Cranmere Pool on the northern moor in 1854.

In addition Cranmere Pool is the location of the Legend of Cranmere Binjie (sometimes known as Benjie).