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  

 

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.

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.

Quick blast over the moors after work and I notice Tor Rocks (186) on the map at SX641 591 and thought I would go and take a look.  It turned out to be a beautiful little corner of the moors with a small quarry below and the charming Butter Brook to the north.  This ones not on the original list but have added it on.  After visiting continued north and planned on a return visit to Tristis Rock, but it turns out that this is not the best angle to approach from high ferns meant getting to the river was a challenge then the river was wider and deeper than anticipated.  The final decision to turn back was the look of the slope below Tristis Rock itself which looked like deep gorse and ferns! 

Wacka Tor, Corringdon Ball and Piles Hill

I am back..... got to get this going again!

Out for a run on the moors took in two hilltops and one Tor that I haven't visited before, none of which are in the original list I was working to!!

Little Tor and West Mill Tor

Wow it's been a while, over a year in fact since I logged a Tor.  There was no planning around this we just decided to go for a family walk up to Yes Tor and as I sat up there taking in the amazing view I remembered this journey (of sorts) I was still on.  I saw West Mill and another outcrop which isn't on the map but with the power of google I found that this was known locally as Little Tor (210).  Both had yet to be visited on this journey although I remember on many occasions visiting West Mill Tor as a checkpoint when Ten Tors training, always nice as generally it came at the end of the day and you c an see the buses waiting for us at the bottom of the hill near the camp.  So Little Tor first only a small pull up the hill after descending from Yes Tor to this nice little outcrop, not sure why it only gets a small ring contour on the OS map.  Next it was on to West Mill Tor. I had forgotten what an amazing tor West Mill Tor(19) is, with plenty to explore, but alas no time today I had to catch up with the family heading back to the car.  Hopefully this has inspired me to get back out on this journey in the near future.   

Little Tor (West Side looking South)

Little Tor with West Mill Tor in the background

 

Looking Across the Roof of West Mill Tor

Dartmoor Photos

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 

Birch Tor via a fell race!

Time for a fell race with Dartmoor Runners from Challacombe Cross, I had chosen this over an orienteering race in a particularly average forest.  I hadn't ever run from this car park before but was really looking forward to it.  After a short road run we joined the path at Lepra Cross, through Moor Gate to West Coombe,  I confess that I am not sure whether we stayed on the path or not, the Harvey's map was a little vague and it wasn't obvious on the ground either.  I was soon caught by the next starter, and together we found our way back onto the open moor.  I managed to leave him at control one as I cut in first and was quickly out and flowing nicely.  I decided to stay low as this looked the best running, the downside of this was that I had to keep pushing hard, not easy as the sheep trods were very slippery after the recent rain.  After a short climb I contoured into the valley west of the trees and out again then around the hill into two.  I lost concentration on the next leg and following the West Webburn river ended south of Hameldown Tor, having climbed too much, but picked up the path and then dropped into control 3 at Grimspound.  I decided to head north west and loop into Birch Tor (52), I managed to find trods most of the way, and kept going over the 300m or so of rougher stuff to the tor, I passed a few runners on this leg but am not sure it was the best route choice.  I headed north off the tor and looped onto the Two moors way track, still running well I had my eye on a runner I had passed as he came off Birch Tor, I like having a target on these events, it seems to keep me motivated.  I caught him at the final control but couldn't shift him on the descent and finished about 10 metres in front.  So 11km in 80min, I really enjoyed my run and felt pretty pleased with my time.

Route on Endomondo

Photos from the finish



View Dartmoor Runners 6th Oct 2012 in a larger map

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