Luckey Tor and a walk along the Dart River

It was ten tors weekend and as such I tend to stay away from Princetown, Postbridge and anywhere north of that on Dartmoor. I could have gone to Bodmin Moor but I fancied something around Dartmeet which is not an area I walk very often. I made up a walk that would take me down to Luckey Tor and then follow the Dart river upstream through Dartmeet and out the other side. I would then carry on north until I got to Laughter Hole stepping stones and then cross to continue on to Bellever Bridge before returning to Babeny and over Yar Tor. As it was the area after Blackator Rocks isn’t great underfoot on the eastern side of the river, I should really have crossed at the stepping stones to the south and walked up the western bank. But I live and learn and as a result I decided to turn at Laughter Hole stones and head straight to Babeny and Yar Tor. It was a good walk and the area just north of Badgers Holt is lovely and perfect for a picnic.

Start – Bel Tor parking

Route – Vag Hilll – Luckey Tor – Vag Hill Tor – Dartmeet Bridge – Badgers Holt – Walla Brook Clapper Bridge and Stepping Stones – Stone Park Tor – Blackator Rocks – Laughter Hole Stepping stones – Babeny – Sherwell – Yar Tor – Bel Tor parking

Distance – 6 miles Start time – 11.15am Time taken – 4hrs Highest Point – Yar Tor 416metres

Weather – Cloudy with the sun trying to peek through, wore a t-shirt most of the way around

Sharp Tor, in hindsight I should have gone over that and then dropped down to Luckey Tor, next time

The Dart valley appears as I come over the top of Vag Hill

Luckey Tor, this size of this one surprised me

A perch near the top of Luckey Tor give a decent view along the Dart valley

It was lovely walking along here

Vag Hill Tor up on the left and the area with Aller Brook Outcrop is on the hill on the right

I’m heading down to the left at this point and then onwards towards the dip. Yar Tor up on the right

Where the two parts of the Dart meet (Dartmeet). I’m looking along the East Dart and the West Dart arrives over there from the right

Dartmeet road bridge and the broken clapper bridge

Badgers Holt and easy tick on the list beside the path from the car park

He took a shine to me this fella

This area was lovely, the East Dart is just to my right and it would make a nice picnic spot

The Walla Brook clapper

The stepping stones at the end of the Walla Brook where it joins the East Dart

Near the stepping stones is Stone Park Tor

This is Blackator Rocks, I probably should have crossed the stepping stones two photos back and walked on the other side as the ground from this point to Laughter Hole stepping stones is horrid and very boggy