Six Tors and a Crock of Gold

What I thought was going to be a grey Dartmoor day, turned into a stunner with broken cloud and some beautiful light.  Leaving from Princetown Prison "Viewpoint" I took the bridleway to Bachelor's Hall stopping to quickly photograph the Devonport Leat for my ongoing project. Next up I had to navigate a field with a Bull in it.  As he was chilling half on the path I decided to give him a wide berth and take a route behind him.  As it happens he didn't even move, but it's still a nervous time!  

First up Tor wise was Round Hill Tor

Then Prince Hall Rocks

The going in this area is pretty tough!

Ground Tor

Blakey Tor

Crock of Gold

Royal Tor

Strane Tor

With time ticking on not wanting another encounter with the Bull I decided to hike up to the Devonport Leat and follow it through Peat Cot and then up to the road from Whiteworks back to Princetown.  Before I made it to the Leat I had a unfortunate encounter with a bog, and in protecting my camera I ended up covered and a little battered!  It was a soggy walk back to the car, but at least the camera was OK.

Dartmoor Tors and Hilltops Flickr Album  

 

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

South Hessary Tor

 193 .......... and about time too!

Nice walk around Devonport Leat before heading up to (77) South Hessary Tor.  Strange that I haven't been there since I started this list 10+ years ago, it's about time.  The Tor is also Square O8 in the Dartmoor 365 book, so two birds and all that.  Absolutely hammered it down just before I got there hence not many photos, had a very soggy walk back to the car at Whiteworks.  

 

Hedge Down Tor

I am really not sure why I haven't noticed this tor before.  Maybe it gets lost in the view from Chinkwell and Honeybag Tors because of the distraction of Hound Tor which looms behind.  Or maybe I have noticed it but disregarded it thinking it was not accessible.  For whatever reason it popped up on my radar during lockdown, and so after a bit of home schooling off I went with Evie for a bit of exploring.  Normally when discovering unvisited tors they are a little disappointing.  Small outcrops on the side of a hill or an uninspiring boulder.  Not Hedge Down Tor though this is a great tor which keeps on giving.

Made up two major outcrops the highest of the two to the south stands at 414m and although small has plenty to explore.

The second outcrop to the north takes the form of ridge which winds its way down the hill side for some 50m or so.  Evie loved running down the ridge, but beware it has a large drop off on the east side.

The start of the ridge from the east side

Part of the joy of visiting this tor is that it is remote enough to be very quiet, unspoilt and not battered by the crowds other tors get.  It also has nice 360 degree views.  We were also luck to be treated to the formation of a Altocumulus Standing Lenticular Cloud, which you can see forming the photos.  After visiting the Hedge Down Tor we did made a quick visit to Honeybag, Chinkwell and Bell Tors before descending to the car. 

Altocumulus Standing Lenticular Cloud format over Chinkwell Tor

Long Run with Plenty to See - 20th May 19

Parked up below Smeardon Down, it was a hot morning and I was regretting not having any suntan cream in the car.  Off I went up the track to Stephen’s Grave (K4) 

Stephen' Grave with White Tor behind

After pausing at Stephen's Grave I headed cross country to Langstone Moor stone circle (K6).  The running was good and under foot the moor is incredibly dry, crunchy even.

Langstone Circle

Next it was on to Limsboro Cairn (J6) near Lynch Tor.  The cairn seems some what depleted since I first visited it some 30 odd years ago.

Limsboro' Cairn

Lynch Tor

A quick visit to Lynch Tor (35) which lies than 200 metres to the North-West, then off to the Walkham Head Peat Pass.  The going is tough on this part of the moor, but I managed to pick up a few sheep tracks to help me on my way.  The Peat Pass (I7) wasn’t to hard to find with a post marking both ends.

Next it was a short run over to Tavy Hole (I8), a nice waterfall but close enough to Tavy Head that the dry weather meant the river was flowing enough to show it at its best, but certainly one to return to. 

Turning west now I headed over to Standon Hill (54), this would have been heavy going in wetter conditions but it was a case of crunching my way across the plain. It not a particularly spectacular tor but what it lacks in stature it make up for in position with amazing 360 degree views.   

Time to head for home now with a nice run contouring below Lynch Tor over to the Langstone (K5).  The face of which shows the pock marks from American machine gunners practicing in 1944.

All that was left was to run down the hill back to the car, 19km done, I was glad of the building cloud cover on a hot day.




Co-ordinates in brackets eg (Q10) refer to squares in Dartmoor 365 by John Hayward

I Forgot About Black Tor

Spent a nice night out on Black Tor at the end of May.  It was a lovely night out with an interesting sunset and an beautiful morning which had the potential for an amazing sunrise, however it didn't really materialise, it was stunning but not from a photographic point of view.

Hangingstone and Whitehorse Hill

Grey Wethers Stone Circles

Nice run out from Fernworthy through the forest and up to the stone circles, before continuing on to Sittaford Tor. Nice run on to the huts at Quinten's Man before off the long run to Cranmere, drifted west before relocating to the pool.  Good trod over to Hangingstone Hill (4) one of a handful of points over 600m, before heading south down the ridge to Whitehorse Hill (5) the lowest of the 600m hills.  Then it was time to head back via Manga Brook, Fernworthy Forest and on the road back to the car.  GPS Track on Endomondo.

   

The view from Sittaford Tor towards Quintens Man

Letterbox at Cranmere Pool

The slightly disappointing Cranmere Pool

Hangingstone Hill stunning location, scruffy buildings 

Dartmoor run on a hot and sunny day in August

Arch Tor

A beautiful summers day, daughter away at her Grandparents and so off to Postbridge I went.  My run started with a quick jog down the road before turning right onto the bridleway and off the track to Arch Tor (105), a nice little tor and start to the day.  I continued west and picked up the wall near Higher White Tor and followed thewall to beyond Lydford Tor, initially the going was quick under foot but after Lydford the terrain changed making the going hard near the settlements in the valley.   It was nice to have a rest on Conies Down Tor (31) and enjoy the views over to Great Mis Tor and beyond.  Next I headed south west over to Greena Ball, I really enjoyed this part of the run flowing over ground.  I was soon at Great Mis Tor (23) one the great tors of the moor.  A majestic tor which offers amazing views both south to Plymouth and North over the some of the highest points on the moor. Next the short jump to Little Mis Tor (58). Then a nice run down to the hill to Over Tor (209), not marked on OS Maps or listed in the book, so added to bottom of the list.  All that remained was the run over to Princetown to catch a bus back to Postbridge.  I arrived in Princetown pretty drained after 17.3km in 2hrs 48min in really hot conditions; I dropped into the High Moor Centre to find out about bus times to Postbridge.  I was shocked to hear that were any for 4 hours! And even more shocked to find there isn’t even a local taxi company!  So off to the local shop for a quick refuel before the 8km boring road run to Postbridge, lesson learnt!

Conies Down Tor

Great Mis Tor looking over the Staples

Great Mis Tor

Little Mis Tor

Over Tor looking back up to Little and Great Mis Tors

Run from West Rook Gate

The summer continues! I was under the impression that it was going to be OK today, so headed out after the school run.  It didn't look promising when I arrived below West Rook Gate but thought it may might clear up as I ran.  I was very wrong!  Once I hit the moor after a short road run I quickly realised that this was going to be a day to test the navigation skills, so set my altimeter at the gate and was glad I did.  The short climb to Rook Tor (170) and the quick realisation that there isn't a lot to see here and so I quickly moved on and up.  I was glad to see Penn Beacon (91) appear out of the mist and stopped to take some photos.

Penn Beacon

Penn Beacon

Seem to remember having been here before probably during a hash or fell race.  Off again this time to Shell Tor (64) which turned out to be a nice little tor, again I was glad to find it.

Stunning Views from Shell Top

Next I made the short hop to the trigpoint at SX602645, I have added this to the list as it it the highest point around unfortunately it is unnamed. 

Next off to Hen Tor which I have already visited so just a flying visit before turning south west to Little (150) and Great Trowelsworthy Tors (140), a nice run and good underfoot, just before the tor I stumbled on two people carrying yellow bags around which they leaving around the place.  I am not sure what they were up to, maybe leaving kit for Royal Marines or other military training exercise.  If anyone knows please let me know.  

Enjoying the weather near Little Trowelsworthy Tor

Great Trowelsworthy Tor

All that was left now was the run home, but that's another story!!

Run tracked on Endomondo.com