Since early November sunny days in this part of the world have been extremely rare. Rain and strong winds from the south west have arrived day after day. Finally though we had one good day which meant one final walk in 2015. The original plan was start near Bonehill Rocks walk through Widecombe and up to Hameldown before looping round at the far end and ascending Honeybag Tor and coming back to the car along the ridge. Once out and looking at the blue sky I decided that I would add a warm up loop around Top Tor and Pil Tor and once up on Hameldown I would consider continuing to Grimspound. As it was I did pretty much 10 miles in some lovely sunshine.
| Start – B3387 |
| Route – Top Tor – Pil Tor – Hollow Tor – Widecombe in the Moor – Kingshead Tor – Hameldown Beacon – Two Barrows – Single Barrow – Broad Barrow – Hameldown Cross – Hameldown Tor – Grimspound – Hookney Tor – King Tor – Berry Pound – Honeybag Tor – Chinkwell Tor – Bell Tor – Bonehill Tor – B3387 |
| Distance – 10 miles Start time – 10am Time taken – 5h 30min Highest Point – Hameldown Cross 530m |
| Weather – Sunny and blue skies to start, clouded over at the end |
© Crown copyright 2014 Ordnance Survey FL 2014 SF
Blue skies and Haytor from the start of the walk
And blue skies the other way to the west
On Top Tor looking back towards the car, Hameldown to the left where I’m heading soon
Pil Tor next though
Haytor and Saddle Tor from Pil Tor
Rainbow on Widecombe from Hollow Tor
The dark tor in the centre is Corndon Tor from Hollow Tor
Heading through Widecombe you get this great view back up to Chinkwell Tor
On Hameldown looking to North Hessary Tor (far left)
Looking back along the Two Moors Way from Kingshead Tor
Uh oh, on Kingshead Tor and that looks ominous!
Luckily the shower missed me, just! On Hameldown Beacon now
Broad Barrow ahead
And great views westerly
Time for coffee and festive cheer!
Blue skies on Two Barrows
Looking back to Hameldown Beacon
On Broad Barrow now looking to Hameldown Tor
Hameldown Cross is first up though
Great views next from Hameldown Tor
I decided to add on Grimspound and Hookney Tor to the walk as the weather was on my side
Hookney Tor (the white spot to the right of the tor is the Warren House pub)
Fantastic stuff from Hookney Tor down into Challacombe valley
Grimspound down to the left with Hameldown Tor above
King Tor is next up, a lot of heather between myself and the cairn
Zoomed in and plenty of cars at the Warren House pub
From King Tor looking to North Bovey (the village) in the centre
Hound Tor catches the sun with Haytor behind
Honeybag Tor is next and its a fair walk away, at least its in the sun for now!
Lovely
RAF memorial to a plane that crashed here on 22nd March 1941 on the way back from a bombing run
The circle is Berry Pound, clearly seen from here
The searchlights are out!!! Looking to Widecombe from the stupidly steep climb to Honeybag Tor
Note to self, don’t come up from the west again!! Looking to Chinkwell Tor from Honeybag Tor. The sun has gone now I’m here.
Hameldown up on the left from Honeybag Tor
The cairns on Chinkwell Tor looking back to Honeybag Tor
Ok I wasn’t drunk, but I did double take thinking this was a group of unicorns!!
Bell Tor below, Bonehill Rocks behind and Rippon Tor back left with Top Tor and Pil Tor in the middle distance
Haytor still in view from Bell Tor
From Bonehill Rocks looking back to Chinkwell Tor
Bonehill Rocks
Final shot on the short walk back to the car with Bonehill Rocks in the foreground and Chinkwell Tor behind
treksandtors 