8 summits in the search for The Shovel Stone

I’d done a similar walk to this in November last year (here) and this time wanted to find the Shovel Stone, which isn’t marked on the map but I know is in the area. I’d done a bit of internet digging beforehand which brought up conflicting photos of the stone itself. All I could tell was that Widecombe village say it is on a straight line between the Rugglestone Inn in Widecombe and Top Tor. That’s good enough for me. I set out having forgotten my camera (phone photos today) and waterproofs and feeling a bit daft and under-prepared!! Luckily the weather was set fair and the views far better than my last time here.

Start – Cold East Cross parking

Route – Buckland Beacon – Ten Commandments Stones – Wittaburrow – Tunhill Rocks – Hollow Tor – Shovel Stone – Top Tor – Pil Tor – Blackslade Ford – Cold East Cross

Distance – 5 miles Start time – 2pm Time taken – 2hrs 45minutes Highest Point – Top Tor 432mertres

Weather – Cloudy and some sunny spells. Lovely

© Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey FL 2016 SF

Over the bovine to Wittaburrow left and Top Tor to the right, I’ll be on those later

Corndon Tor is the dark looking tor in the centre, and Ryders Hill is rising up on the left as I make my way across to Buckland Beacon

Fabulous views down to the River Dart from Buckland Beacon

The Ten Commandments Stones just below the summit

From left to right, Hameldown, Chinkwell Tor, Top Tor (with some sun) and Rippon Tor (above the tree)

After a lovely walk across I find Wittaburrow, this is from the cairn looking back to Buckland Beacon

And looking the opposite way, the tor rocks of Wittaburrow are just over there on the left

Standing by the tor rocks of Wittaburrow now, looking to Tunhill Rocks in the shade, Hameldown back left and Chinkwell Tor to the right of Tunhill

Its not more than 10 minutes between each of the tors around here, here I am on Tunhill Rocks looking back up to Wittaburrow

From the same spot, Pil Tor with Rippon Tor to the right

This view is always in view from these parts, Widecombe village centre left of photo

On Hollow Tor now and Widecombe village, and especially the church, look their best from here

Chinkwell Tor with Hameldown up on the left from Hollow Tor, I now made a beeline for what I thought was the Shovel Stone.

My beeline was to that group of rocks over there. That is not the Shovel Stone, I am stood by that. That’s Lower Top Tor as far as I can find out, answers on a postcard please!!!