December is a month of family, getting together and sharing with those you love. However this is also the time of year when the weather for walking can be as good as it will ever get. Cold bright days are what we are looking for, plenty of blue in the sky and plenty of frost and cold. Well the weather hasn’t been that, not at all, certainly not down in the south west it hasn’t. Today was a trip out to the east to see if I could get a break in the low claggy cloud that was enveloping the moor. I got a bit lucky and unlucky on the same walk, I started out in drizzle but with the strong wind it went by the time I’d crossed Holwell Lawn. It was then pretty good all the way around to Langstone, where I got a soaking, which put paid to climbing Manaton Rocks as I hid under trees for 15 minutes instead of walking. By the time I reached Hayne Down the sun had set and dark was drawing in, my conclusion was that I needed to start earlier!!
| Start – Manaton parking |
| Route – Holwell Lawn – Hound Tor – Jay’s Grave – Cripton Down Tor – Easdon Tor – Figgie Daniel – Langstone – Bowermans Nose – Hayne Down – Manaton parking |
| Distance – 7.5 miles Start time – Midday Time taken – 4hrs 30mins Highest Point – Easdon Tor 438metres |
| Weather – Heavy rain showers, bright sunshine, windy |
© Crown copyright 2018 Ordnance Survey FL 2018 SF
Drizzle crosses as I set out over Holwell Lawn. Haytor on the left, Emsworthy Rocks and Saddle Tor running to the right.
Rippon Tor in the distance and the edge of the showers, which was followed by clearer drier weather
Greator Rocks, not for me today, I was heading up to left towards Hound Tor
Grey menacing clouds and bright sun on Greator Rocks backed by Black Hill.
The stacks of Hound Tor, with Haytor framed in the distance
Looking the other way. It wasn’t a day for climbing around the granite today, far too wet and slippery.
Blimey, plenty of cars at the Hound Tor car park despite not seeing anyone at the summit. Easdon Tor to the right is my target. And Cosdon Hill peaks up above the car park in the far distance
Jay’s Grave, as always with flowers
Cripton Down Tor, with Easdon Tor right of photo
Hayne Down to the left, I’ll be there later. With Haytor the furthest tor away and Hound Tor just to the right of that
Lots of road walking on this walk, nothing busy at all. It makes for an easier walk than a muddy path. Easdon Tor looks good in the distance, time to get up there.
Easdon Tor trig point with Cosdon Hill to the right across miles of Devon countryside
Such a great view looking back the other way
This is the summit area of Easdon Tor, and over there sits Figgie Daniel, my next target
Figgie Daniel with that backdrop again
Figgie Daniel, looking to the east
Haytor framed as I walk down towards the Manaton road
I’d stowed the camera away as a heavy shower battered me at Langstone. that put paid to any thought of going up Manaton Rocks, so I headed straight to Hayne Down, which is just beyond this gate
Silhouetted Bowerman’s Nose
The Bowerman’s Nose. This was featured on the 100 greatest walks in the UK earlier this year. A fine bit of weather sculpture
Hayne Down as the evening draws in and the temperature starts to drop
Easdon Tor to the north and the Bowerman’s Nose is down to the left
I’d walked over to the other summit, marked on the map as Great Houndtor. Looking back along the ridge with Easdon Tor beyond
Hound Tor and a bit of pink in the sky
Across Holwell Lawn to Haytor
Last bit of the road, with Holwell Rocks in the distance. I’ve recently found out the name of these rocks so I will be adding them to the site.
treksandtors 
Great walk, always well worth the odd soaking on those sunshine and showers days to get the clear patches.
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That’s me up to date for my walks. Since this one is been pretty much a wash out with low cloud and rain most days. Fingers crossed the weather changes over Christmas
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