A bank holiday and previous week filled with scares, hospital visits and no thoughts to walking. My dad was taken ill last week and ended up in hospital with a heart attack. Thankfully he’s recovered now and he’s on the road to recovery after having a number of stents put in. By bank holiday Monday he was home and I needed some fresh air. Unfortunately the south west of Devon was covered in low cloud and sea fog, so I set off for the east and as is normally the case, if the weather is rubbish one side of the moor, head to the other side. The area around Manaton is excellent for short walks, but it can be tricky to link more than 2 of the tors together, this walk has 5 tors plus a couple of extra bits like Jays Grave to keep the interest up, plus two rock formations that look very similar in Figgie Daniel and Bowermans Nose. There’s also a bit of road walking to do here but that’s not an issue on these quiet lanes. It was good to be out and the hot sun at the end keeps reminding me that summer is around the corner. With that plans are afoot to walk from Okehampton to Plymouth along the West Devon Way at the end of June, 37 miles over 3 days should do it and no need for a tent when you are passing through Lydford, Tavistock and Yelverton. I’ve worked the days out to be 9.5 miles, 16 miles and 12.5 miles which should be possible as long as I stay out of the pubs in the towns!!!
| Start – Manaton parking |
| Route – Jays Grave – Cripton Down Tor – Easdon Tor – Whooping Rock – Figgie Daniel – Langstone – Manaton Rocks – Manaton – Hayne Down – Bowermans Nose – Manaton Parking |
| Distance – 8 miles Start time – 10.50am Time taken – 4hrs 40mins Highest Point – Easdon Tor 439metres |
| Weather – Cloudy to start, sunny to finish, warm and humid |
© Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey FL 2016 SF
Starting out from the car park by Hound Tor. Strange that I chose not to bother with this one today
Heading along the road to Jays Grave I look through a gate to see Hedge Tor left, Chinkwell Tor middle and Honeybag Tor on the right
Kitty Jay’s grave
Cripton Down Tor is only 10 minutes from Jay’s Grave and from here you get a good view back to Hound Tor right, Haytor is centre and to the left is Hayne Down, my last tor today
Looking the other way to Easdon Tor beyond the summit
Down the lanes to Easdon Tor
Always a great view to the south from Easdon Tor
The large bulk of Hameldown on the right
The top of the Easdon Tor trig as I look along the top of Easdon Down in the direction of Figgie Daniel and some very dark looking clouds. It was clear for the next 45 minutes or so that the area around Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot to the south was getting very wet
England’s green and pleasant land. Classic Devon patchwork of fields
The bizarre rock formation that is Figgie Daniel
And again this time with Haytor and Rippon Tor in the distance
Trees frame a fantastic vista to Haytor , Hound Tor and Rippon Tor
Down through the woods to Langstone
Manaton Rocks are by those trees sticking up, to get there you kind of enter a Jurassic jungle of mossy rocks, fallen trees, streams and boggy ground
After picking my way through the jungle I sit here for a brew and a biscuit and enjoy the view
You need to find this stile at SX750816 on the county road path. Beyond this is a sign post to the top
After a bit of huffing and puffing I’m rewarded with this fine view to Hunters Tor at the start of Lustleigh Cleave
Looking back to Easdon Tor
Further round to the flat topped Hameldown
My target though is that way, Hayne Down is up next. Haytor far left
A steep but short path take you to a path which leads you to Manaton Church
First its past the cricket pitch
Inside Manaton Church
Leaving the village of Manaton behind I cross this buttercup field with a view back to the church
Still looking to the church with Manaton Rocks up to its left. As I climb Hayne Down
This group of tors has been in view a lot in this walk. Haytor is left, Rippon Tor is the big one at the back, Hound Tor in front of Rippon. You can also make out Smallacombe Rocks, below and right of Haytor
Easdon Tor from Hayne Down
Chinkwell Tor and Honeybag Tor, the start of Hameldown rising up to the right
Classic profile of the Bowermans Nose, Easdon Tor beyond
Back along the road to see these cute alpacas in the field near the car park
treksandtors 
Looks like a very fine circuit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad your dad is on the mend.
Great hill names and good pics. Never done any walking in this area. Should probably rectify that at some point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was a shock with my dad, even with his age he’s not had anything wrong with him so you know something will eventually come. Even though it was a shock. The whole of Dartmoor is great walking, the paths are better than Scotland and the hills not as steep as the Lakes!!
LikeLike