A day off work and a chance to get out to a better place. Its no secret that Dartmoor is my go to place, however Royal Hill and Ter Hill won’t be high on my list of favourite spots. The weather today though made every step a pleasure, it was warm for late September and befitted the day after my birthday. This for me was my birthday walk and a good one it was. The trudge up from Swincombe Bridge onto Down Ridge was the only tough part, and once on Ter Hill I got into crosses mode. You are spoilt for choice in this area, I visited 5 today, but you could easily add on Skir Ford Cross, Goldsmiths Cross, Childe’s Tomb and Hutchinsons Cross, to make 9. As I mentioned the weather was the star here today, the sky looked huge, the clouds were white a fluffy and the sun shone. A perfect Monday. I need to get my act together and book another Monday off!!
Start – Whiteworks parking |
Route – Royal Hill – Swincombe Farm – Swincombe Bridge – Down Ridge – Terrill Posts – Ter Hill – Mount Misery Cross – Rabbits Tor – Fox Tor – Yonder Tor – Whealham Bottom Cross – Nuns Cross Farm – Siwards Cross – Whiteworks |
Distance – 7.5 miles Start time – 9.30am Time taken – 5hrs 15mins Highest Point – Ter Hill 481metres |
Weather – Beautiful and sunny, cloudy right at the end |

Arriving at Ter Hill you are greeted by the Terrill Posts. This is the first. Not sure why they’ve put the brown soil around them, assuming to stop degradation

The other Terrill post is the smaller brother of the other one. The view beyond is into the area of Fox Tor Mire

Probably my favourite cross on the moor. I love sitting here, admiring the amphitheatre behind of Fox Tor Mire. Fabulous place. Rabbits Tor is down there on the left, which is my next stop

A peregrine falcon. He along with a buzzard was patrolling the skies here, plenty of stopping and hovering for this one

More of Rabbits Tor. To be honest there are 3 tors along this side with very similar views. Fox Tor and Yonder Tor to come
Great walk, Dartmoor really does open, expansive views well
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Certainly from the central parts around Princetown, you get great views north
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