Not the walk I planned, not even the alternate walk I’d planned. Originally I was going for a walk around the Plym valley, heading to Plym Steps, Grim’s Grave and lots of tors in that area. Then I changed my mind and decided to head to Princetown, then to Whiteworks and walk across Royal Hill and cross the river Swincombe and head to Fox Tor and around the mire of the same name. I thought that crossing the Plym and the area around Drizzlecombe might be a little tricky with all the rain we’d been having, so I was heading for Princetown. Only to hit a road closed sign at Dousland and cones across the road as I crossed the cattle grid on the B3212 out on to the moor proper. Time to park up and have a look at the map. I realised that I could park where I was and walk down the road and join the old railway line and head around towards Ingra Tor, across to Swell Tor, loop around to Leeden Tor, cross the B3212 and summit a few tors above Burrator before dropping down to the car again. That would do me nicely. The weather wasn’t quite as forecast with showers passing through, but eventually the cloud lifted and the blue skies came, so all in all it was a fine, alternate, alternate walk!!
| Start – Sharpitor parking B3212 |
| Route – Plymouth to Princetown railway – Gypsy Rock – Plymouth to Princetown railway – Ingra Tor – Crip Tor – Swell Tor – Fur Tor (Walkhampton) – Yes Tor (Walkhampton) – Leeden Tor – B3212 – Leather Tor – Lower Leather Tor – Peek Hill – B3212 |
| Distance – 6.5 miles Start time – 10.30am Time taken – 4hrs Highest Point – Peek Hill 394metres |
| Weather – The odd shower with some sunny bursts, eventually the cloud cleared with plenty of sunny spells. |
© Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey FL 2019 SF
It all started nicely weatherwise with blue skies to the west, there was cloud to my right here covering the tors around Peek Hill and also the road block was to my right. But I was optimistic of a good walk. The views aren’t bad either here, over towards Cornwall and Bodmin Moor, with Walkhampton Church catching the sun
It only a couple of hundred metres back down the road to the bridge which holds the old railway line, now a path
Keeping their beady eyes on me
Walkhampton Church from the railway path
Looking back to the cloud as it starts to lift off Peek Hill. I dropped down to a lower path here so take in Gypsy Rock
Gypsy Rock, in need of a haircut
The best part about autumn is the dying off of the horrific bracken. Here I look across to Pew Tor, with the Walkham Valley below. Normally the horizon would have Cox Tor and the Staple Tors in view, however they have cloud down on them currently.
Ingra Tor catches a bit of sun to the right, but to be honest the cloud was lowering to around 400 metres if anything, rather than lifting
Hmm, some dark clouds over Bodmin Moor and Kit Hill to the west. Maybe the forecast isn’t quite right
Ingra Tor with Pew Tor just to the right of it in the distance
Ingra Tor quarry is below me and the cloud is now down on Swell Tor which is below the 400 metre mark. North Hessary Tor which is back right is well under cloud at 520metres.
I decided to head down from Ingra Tor to a permissive path which passes near to the white house (Criptor farm). Crip Tor itself sits in the front garden of the house.
Having dropped down and then climbed up towards Swell Tor and back on to the railway path I turn and look back at Criptor farm, with the tor in the green field next to it
The quarry buildings at Swell Tor
Swell Tor and its quarry
More of the quarry
Looking back out of the quarry, it looks as though it is brightening slightly to the west
Leeden Tor is across the valley up on the right and you can see the railway path below which I’m heading down to join, that will take me to Leeden Tor
As you walk the railway path you pass this cutting which seems to have been smashed through an old tor, no name for this one that I know of. However Fur Tor (Walkhampton) is ahead on the left, backed by Leeden Tor
First I visit Yes Tor (Walkhampton) which was out of sight on the right on the previous photo. That’s Ingra Tor on the left and Pew Tor is the obvious bump on the right hand side
This is Fur Tor (Walkhampton), Ingra Tor again on the left, the bridge below takes you across to Yes Tor (Walkhampton). Originally it would have been a way for livestock to safely cross the railway line (which would have been fenced off from the common land). Yes Tor can be seen to the right of the outcrop in the foreground
Swell Tor and the railway line, which loops around the back of Swell Tor (and Kings Tor, out of sight) before heading off out to the right of this photo towards Princetown.
Leeden Tor summit. The group of trees on the left are next to the Dartmoor brewery in Princetown. Hart Tor (Walkhampton) is between the rock stacks with South Hessary Tor in view sticking up on the horizon
From Leeden Tor looking north with Cox Tor far left and Great Mis Tor centre right. A brief shower has caught my lens, providing a misty shot here.
Now I see why the road is closed. Working on the B3212. I seem to remember there are three badly dropped manhole covers at that point in the road. On reaching the road I saw they had starting repairing worn away edges to the road as well, making the road impassable to traffic.
About to cross the road and also about to slip and fall. I put my foot on a piece of granite about a foot square, hardly any slope on it. It was greasy and my feet went, I landed with my hand in a gorse bush which resembled a pin cushion by the time I’d plucked out the worst of the gorse. I was still pulling them out with tweezers that night. Oh and that’s Sharpitor on the right, Leather Tor in the centre and Sheeps Tor back left.
I was heading for Leather Tor, missing Sharpitor. You get fine views down to Burrator reservoir from all the tors on this side. Plymouth Sound is also in the distance
On Lower Leather Tor now looking towards Down Tor with Eylesbarrow at the back.
Leather Tor on the left as I look to North Hessary Tor and the mast
Lower Leather Tor views
Bovine on Peek Hill with Burrator beyond
Leather Tor from Peek Hill, Lower Leather Tor can be seen to the right of Leather Tor. The weather is now replicating the forecast
Sharpitor from Peek Hill
From left to right, Cox Tor, the Staple Tors, Roos Tor, White Tor, Great Links Tor and Great Mis Tor as I drop down from Peek Hill
That view again towards Cornwall, Green fields and some lovely clouds as I drop down to the car parked by the road closure.
treksandtors 
I remember driving through on my way to Burrator for a walk and thinking what a fine group of tors this was for a walk.
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They are excellent for a short walk, when you don’t have too much time. A longer walk takes a bit of invention on the route, but you can easily include Burrator, South Hessary Tor, Princetown and round to North Hessary Tor if you have the time. Such a good place for great views and easy to get to.
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