This was my first proper walk after coming back from the Lakes. Nothing too tricky or too far but an area I haven’t been before, around the Blackbrook River and somewhere I have been around, in Royal Hill. Like much of Dartmoor at the moment the grass is long, the bracken is high and thus paths are sometimes non existent and even when they are cattle seem to frequent them and their verges!! On crossing the bridge below Round Hill Tor I noticed on the map and subsequently on the internet afterwards, that it has no name. Thus I named it Round Hill Bridge!
| Start – Roadside B3212 (Between Princetown and Two Bridges) |
| Route – Scout Hut – Round Hill Bridge – Round Hill Tor – Round Hill Bridge – Blakey Tor – Crock of Gold – Royal Hill – Tor Royal – Roadside B3212 |
| Distance – 4.5 miles Start time – 11am Time taken – 2 hrs 50mins Highest Point – Royal Hill 407mertres |
| Weather – Lots of warm sunshine |
© Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey FL 2016 SF
Starting out this morning the weather was, let’s say, a bit weird. Low cloud seemed to be sticking to some strange spots. Here it is glued to halfway up the mast above Princetown and the prison
To the north it was right down on the high tors, all the time blue sky was above, the sun was out and warm
After passing the scout hut this view opens out along the Blackbrook River. Round Hill Tor on the left
Down to this concrete bridge over the Blackbrook, I didn’t cross here as the grass the other side looked thick, so I crossed the wooden bridge and followed the Blackbrook to the next wooden bridge
After crossing the bridge it was a short hop to Round Hill Tor. Here looking back over the long grass to Princetown, the mast and North Hessary Tor on the right, the scout hut is in the trees to the left. I handrailed the wall across the picture to get to the wooden bridge
Round Hill Tor, Blackbrook River below and Blakey Tor on the other side of the river, just in the shadow
Re-crossing the Blackbrook River, Bellever Tor distant left
No name on the map, so this is Round Hill Bridge in my book!! Round Hill Tor behind
Heading to Blakey Tor now across more longish grass, Bellever Tor dead centre of shot
This definitely wins rock structure of the day or best impersonation of a mushroom!! Round Hill Tor just to the right of it. Princetown mast in the distance
Looking north from Blakey Tor
After a warm slog uphill I arrive at the Crock of Gold, on the map this should be north of the path, however its to the south
No gold!!
Azure blue skies above Royal Hill summit rocks, also plenty of flies. I think I took 3 shots of this one with a large fly caught straight in the centre of picture!!
Looking back towards Princetown from Royal Hill
Now on the main path through these parts, here looking back eastwards with the Down Ridge above the path
However I’m going this way towards Princetown, and need to give a wide berth to these two mothers and their calves
Circumnavigation of bovine completed, I’ve now past Tor Royal and am above the scout hut (down there on the right). All that is left is a simple path walk back to the main road
treksandtors 