Plan C - Dartmoor North to South

Every year I take part in the Original Mountain Marathon on the last weekend of October.  Last year was cancelled due to Covid and so I was really looking forward to this years race starting from Langdale, Lake District.  Unfortunately nature had other ideas and on Thursday morning a storm ripped through the event centre destroying the marquee and led to the cancellation of the event.  With bags already packed and not wanting to miss the opportunity to catch up with my running partner Oliver, we came up with the plan to do a two day North to South of Dartmoor.  Starting from the Ten Tors start near Okehampton Army Camp.  Full route here.  We managed to find a "suitable" camping spot near Fox Tor and survived a wild night during which we experienced heavy rain and wind.  

New Tors - High Wilhays (1)

Dartmoor 365 - D7 - High Wilhays, P10 - Childe's Tomb

   

Rowden Tor

So not the quickest way to get to Rowden Tor (217), I parked near Wind Tor and headed north over Hamel Down. On the run I visited Hameldown Beacon and Tor, Grimspound, Hookney Tor, Birch Tor, Rowden Tor and Wind Tor. It was a beautiful day, and running at this time of the year with the bracken and vegetation down is always nice, add to that the Skylark's doing their thing and all the other wildlife coming to life it was a great run.

Shap Tor

Really cold but beautiful day out.  Lockdown 3 means walking from the house,  and this is the closest tor to me on the list, but still a good 6km walk and a good amount of climb.  The climb out of Bovey Tracey is a shock to the system but once half way up Furzeleigh Lane a lot of the climbing is out of the way and it's a beautiful woodland walk through National Trust and Woodland Trust land.  Shap Tor (177) itself is in thick woodland so getting a photo is difficult but there is an impressive amount rock on show and great views down to Bovey Tracey and over to Haytor Rocks from the obvious summits. I took the path back through Shaptor Farm before winding my way through the lanes and footpaths back to Bovey Tracey and eventually Heathfield.  All in all a stunning day, my only regret is that I haven't thought about doing this before 

  

Icicles on the lower rock edges

Western Summit

View over to Haytor

Eastern Summit

One of the many stunning Oak trees that surround the tor