I’d planned this walk for a while and never managed to get here, always heading elsewhere, higher places that on paper seem more exciting. To be honest I don’t know this little part of Dartmoor very well, I’ve always headed on to Haytor or Hameldown, or not come over this far from Plymouth and stopped at Shipley Bridge. Two new tors today, Blackadon Tor and one of the littlest on my list in Leigh Tor, both are similar in that they are best done as an out and back to the summit. The second part of the walk involved a short section of the Two Moors Way path, above the Dart valley. This is a fantastic place with plunging views down to the river below, tors on either side and a fine path to follow. Its a walk I will repeat for sure.
| Start – Leusdon Hall |
| Route – Leusdon Church – Blackadon Tor – Spitchwick Manor – Poundsgate – Leigh Tor – Aish Tor – Two Moors Way – Mel Tor – Bel Tor Corner – Poundsgate Methodist Church – Leusdon Hall |
| Distance – 5 1/2 miles Start time – 11.20am Time taken – 2hrs 40minutes Highest Point – Bel Tor Corner 350mertres |
| Weather – Cloud to start with but blue skies and sunshine as the walk went on |
© Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey FL 2016 SF
The start point of Leusdon Hall
Both these stones had engravings on them, I’m guessing at boundary stones for Leusdon maybe, anyhoo that’s Hameldown straight ahead. I’m taking the right hand road to Leusdon Church
I was going to take a picture of the church but the congregation were all outside so I gave it a miss. After finding the walled grassy path I come to this gate which confirms I’m in the right spot for Blackadon Tor
On Blackadon Tor with Hameldown to the left and Chinkwell Tor to the right
Buckland Beacon from Blackadon Tor, Buckland In the Moor church in view also
Its tricky to get a decent picture of Spitchwick Manor but here’s the driveway which I’m about to walk along out on to the road at the far end
After passing through the village of Poundsgate I do a left turn along a path to Leigh Tor, the climb to the summit is a bit tricky but once up you get a fine view of Buckland Beacon
Bel Tor is in the distance, Blackadon Tor is above the trees on the right
I’ve left Leigh Tor, which is in those trees down on the left and I’m heading up the path to Aish Tor
Aish Tor summit with Ryders Hill in the distance
Same spot with the pointy Sharp Tor stood proud
It was lovely walking along here, Dart Valley down to the left and views to Princetown, the mast and North Hessary Tor in the distance
The view is pretty good that way as well, Aish Tor up on the left
The Two Moors Way path to Mel Tor
A bit of zoom shows a fair few people up on Combestone Tor across the Dart valley
Looking across North Tor to Ryders Hill
On Mel Tor now, with Bel Tor middle left of shot and Rippon Tor standing highest in the distance, I could see from here that Haytor had the sun shining down on it
Sunny Haytor in the centre, Rippon Tor right and Holwell Tor left
The sun was also out over Sharp Tor, with Corndon Tor to the right, Yar Tor in the shade at the back
Still on Mel Tor, looking to Venford Reservoir
Bit of zoom here shows the dam and the reservoir in the trees
As you do in Peru we do on Dartmoor, take your llama for a walk!!
Hameldown in view from the grand vista by Bel Tor Corner
As its that good, I’ll show you another of the same view
Almost back at the car now as I pass Poundsgate Methodist Church
treksandtors 