I’ve been looking at the tors on my list that I’ve yet to tick off, two in the centre were standing out, Arch Tor and Flat Tor. Looking at them on a map you’d think the link between them was simple. Far from it, this is Dartmoor after all. This is tough ground, very little paths and plenty of boggy ground. One part in particular went through one of the areas on Dartmoor where the boggy mires are being regenerated, and whilst it makes for tough walking, these projects (mires project is one) are vital to stemming climate change and CO2 emissions. Only when I got back to Brown’s House did a real path appear which helped finish off what was a tough walk. It was a hard day out and this will probably be the first and last time I link these two tors together!!
| Start – Roadside B3212 near Cherrybrook Bridge |
| Route – Lych Way – Arch Tor – Archerton Bog – Broadown Tor – Flat Tor – Brown’s House – Lower White Tor – Higher White Tor – Lych Way – Powdermills – Lych Way – Roadside B3212 |
| Distance – 8 miles Start time – 1.15pm Time taken – 4hrs 30mins Highest Point – Flat Tor 539mertres |
| Weather – Hazy, some sun but got hazier as the walk went on |
© Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey FL 2016 SF
Stood by the car looking across to Longaford Tor left and Higher White Tor right
As it says on the gate, heading along the Lych Way, this part involves crossing boardwalks over a bog
Its a short hop up to Arch Tor, here looking from the summit towards Postbridge
From Arch Tor to Higher White Tor and Longaford Tor
Looking over towards Ryders Hill, I could see from here that a number of cars had stopped on Cherrybrook Bridge and the sound of a helicopter confirmed something was wrong
Zooming in to see the air ambulance as it landed on the road. It turned out to be a motorcyclist who had come off his bike around the bridge, he was airlifted to Plymouth with neck injuries
The ‘path’ around Archerton Bog, looking back to Arch Tor left and Bellever Tor in the distance, it was at this point the helicopter took off
Ahead is Broadown Tor, this area is hard on the legs and can be quite depressing in its relentlessness, I was pleased to see the upward slopes with shorter grass to the tor!!
Broadown Tor with Higher White Tor on the right, the haze is getting thicker looking this way
This way its not as bad though, however the terrain is even tougher this way
Rough Tor in the distance, I’ll be walking back over the hill on the right, Tom Brown’s House is on its lower slopes
I’ve picked up a quad bike track across this boggy area which is a blessing, Flat Tor is this side of the high point centre photo (Cut Hill)
The Mires Project and I can confirm that it is indeed boggy here, large pools of standing water abound, dragonflies and all sorts of insects love this place.
On Flat Tor at last, the hill I need to get to next is dead ahead with Rough Tor over on the right
Cut Hill from Flat Tor
Merrivale military firing area pole with Whitehorse Hill far left and Winney’s Down to the right of the pole
Heading across the area below where the Mires Project is, which is also boggy!! Looking back to Flat Tor in the sun
Just wilderness here, I didn’t see another person for the whole of this walk except for 2 people at Powdermills. Which is unbelievable for August bank holiday Saturday, I was clearly off piste!
Heading down to Brown’s House with the White Tors to the left, back this way the haze is pretty bad
That’s the Beardown Tors, barely visible even from this close range!
Tom Brown’s House
The walk to Lower White Tor wasn’t too bad from Brown’s House, it can be very boggy indeed. Here looking over to Broadown Tor, where I was earlier
The sun catches Arch Tor but the haze is preventing any good views from Lower White Tor
It was quite eerie on Higher White Tor with the mist and haze swirling around Longaford Tor
Looking back down to Lower White Tor
A bit of zoom picks out a person and two dogs on Longaford Tor, the tor silhouetted perfectly
I passed on Longaford Tor and headed down to the Lych Way, the area brightens though. Here looking back up to Higher White Tor
Powdermills is over there by the trees however the grass is horrific and boggy through here, and I ended up handrailing the wall on the left which kept me safe!
The gunpowder factory at Powdermills
The buildings were well scattered to prevent an explosion taking out more than one building
Powdermills
The walls were very thick, however the roof they had was flimsy so any bang went straight up and out!!!
The Lych Way leads all across from Longaford Tor, in the distance, to the car. Higher White Tor on the right. All I had left was to recross the boardwalk at the start of the walk to get to the car
treksandtors 