Rough Tor and the long way around the Cowsic

Well the week before this walk had been pretty good and the warmest it had been since August last year. If you want to walk in this area then pick a dry spell. Some of the hills around here might be over 500m up but they are pretty flat and as a result can hold some very boggy parts. Today wasn’t too bad, in fact with the sun shining I enjoyed this walk. Even Cocks Hill. It was nice to get up to Rough Tor again and there were lots and lots of 10 tors parties out in training for their walk in a couple of weeks. The highlight of this walk is the views along the valleys, the Walkham, Cowsic and West Dart all have a part to play and make a great photo. And hopefully this weather continues!

Start – Two Bridges parking
Route – Holming Beam – Black Dunghill – Blackbrook Head – River Walkham – Clay Tor – Cocks Hill – White Barrow – Lych Way – Conies Down TorMaiden Hill – Beardown Man – Devils TorRough Tor – Crow Tor – Beardown Tor – Cowsic Bridge – Holming Beam
Distance –  8.5 miles    Start time – 10.00am     Time taken –  4hrs 40mins   Highest Point – Rough Tor 546metres
Weather – Lovely sunshine to start, clouded over towards the end

© Crown copyright 2017 Ordnance Survey FL 2017 SF

Starting out in lovely weather, the Cowsic valley laid out before me

After not too far I hang a left, cross a stile and get this view straight ahead to Black Dunghill. Great Mis Tor back left

On Black Dunghill I can see Princetown and the mast on North Hessary Tor

I’m heading that way next, on the right hand side of the valley down there is Clay Tor. White Tor in the distance. I need to cross the River Walkham to get there.

Clay Tor, looking along the Walkham

Just behind Clay Tor is Cocks Hill, a fairly flat place but the weather is breathtaking

Nice views south to Great Mis Tor on the left and then a run of tors including Roos Tor and the Staple Tors

To the north you can see Hare Tor and Great Links Tor

I’ve dropped down to the Lych Way now and the bumps in the distance are Beardown Tor which will be my last tor today

I’ve crossed the River Walkham and also crossed a dinky bridge over the dried up Prison leat, which used to take water to the prison obviously!!

Looking the other way. I crossed the Walkham down that way on my route to Clay Tor and Cocks Hill

After following the Lych Way for a bit I reach Conies Down Tor and a great spot for lunch. The Cowsic Valley is running away from me, The trees to the right are where my car is at Holming Beam

Great Mis Tor from Conies Down Tor. The cloud starting to gather a little now and darken

An awful lot of not a lot. Miles of no one and great for peace and quiet. This is Maiden Hill

I’m pretty much at Cowsic Head, looking back along the valley. Maiden Hill is up on the right

On Devils Tor with the menhir of Beardown Man on the right and Maiden Hill beyond. There aren’t many settlements near here so quite why this stone was stood upright not many people seem to know

From Devils Tor I can see a bit of smoke rising from behind Whitehorse Hill (left centre). As it turns out there was a moorland fire around Watern Tor and Taw Marsh. I’m heading next for Rough Tor to the right

Rough Tor or a submarine!! All the military huts up there make you look twice

Glorious view, with Beardown Tor right and Crow Tor among others on the left

Behind Rough Tor the smoke rises

Military huts on Rough Tor

Crow Tor looking at the tors on Beardown

Looking left a bit is Longaford Tor, one of my favourites

And again another fab view of both parts of the last two photos. The valley holds the West Dart river and Wistmans Wood

Looking back to Crow Tor, Rough Tor back left

All of a sudden the cloud dropped and there was a bit of misty type drizzle, as quick as it came it ran off again. I’m on Beardown Tor here

Princetown mast is under the cloud over there

There are three outcrops on Beardown, and a couple of huts also. That’s the Cowsic valley down to the left

Crossing the Cowsic across its bridge. To get here can involved a boggy squelch as the ground to my right can be horrid in wet weather. The very dry week we have had has made it just about manageable

Looking south along the Cowsic, the car is up on the right

And here I am. Not as sunny as at the start but a lovely part of the world which was better than previous visits

7 thoughts on “Rough Tor and the long way around the Cowsic

    • To be fair the Ten tors groups were criss crossing my route. There was one lot on Rough Tor and lots around Beardown and on the Lych Way. It was great to see so many out. But as you say Cocks Hill and Maiden Hill were deserted

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      • I have very mixed feelings about challenge walks, but it is good to see people out enjoying themselves. Good too to have some hills to yourself!

        Liked by 1 person

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