I’d been back from the Lakes for over a week and hadn’t ventured to Dartmoor, a mix of work and poor weather when I had a day off, left me bereft of good walking opportunities. Well I decided to take a gamble on a day were the rain was due to arrive around 2pm, hoping if I got out early then I could beat it back to the car. I pretty much succeeded only getting caught in a couple of sharp showers. I’d decided on a walk from Whiteworks heading over to look for the newly restored Northmore Cross, which I’m pleased to say is back where it should be and long may it stay there. I then headed across the river Plym to Gnats Head and then Grim’s Grave and on to Hen Tor, before doing an about turn and dropping down to the Plym again and up to Eylesbarrow. This is a decent walk, which turned out to be pretty wet underfoot and across some pretty long grass in places, but that is to be expected in this area. This part of the south moor from Lee Moor trig, across to Down Ridge, over Ryders Hill to Pupers Hill and round to Stall Moor and back to Lee Moor, anything within that area will be mostly wet and tough long tufty grass walking, with little paths. Even the sheep tracks in this area have running water on them and get boggy!! Still its a great area for walking and you’ll do well to see anyone else in this part of the moor.
| Start – Whiteworks |
| Route – Devonport Leat – Whealham Bottom Cross – Northmore Cross – Plym Ford – Great Gnats Head – Broad Rock – Grims Grave – Little Hen Tor – Hen Tor – Shavercombe Tor – River Plym – Higher Hartor Tor – Eylesbarrow Tin Mine – Eylesbarrow – Nuns Cross Farm – Siwards Cross – Whiteworks |
| Distance – 7.5 miles Start time – 9.20am Time taken – 4hrs Highest Point – Great Gnats Head 469metres |
| Weather – Cold with mainly grey skies, the odd patch of sun breaking through early on and then later heavy showers. |
© Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey FL 2019 SF
Looking north as I start my walk, that’s Ter Hill over there and Fox Tor Mires is between me and that hill. I’m not heading that way but there were two people down there by the fir tree who had tried to walk in a direct line to the right edge of this photo, which is quite frankly bonkers, they got back to the lush green grass before following the wall and then heading in a straight line perpendicular from the wall, which also meant they started to sink. They were last seen sat on a stone by the fir tree!!
I’d followed the Devonport Leat to this point which gives a great shot of the whole of the Fox Tor Mires, don’t mess with it, it is wet, all the time.
That’s Nun’s Cross Farm up there, I will get there later, but for now I turn away from the leat and head uphill towards Crane Hill, but not that far.
Whealham Bottom Cross, is it a cross (it has one engraved on it now) or just an old post
This was the main target that I wanted to see today. Northmore Cross. I’m so glad it is back in situ. Hopefully no one will take a hammer to it and take it this time
Glorious view to many northern tors across Fox Tor Mires
That’s the infant River Plym down there on the left as it starts to wriggle away from its head. Langcombe Hill back left
Plym Ford is just down there about 50 metres away but it was easier to cross here than at the ford
Climbing up to Great Gnats Head the River Plym can be easily seen here with Lower Hartor Tor to the right of the river. It was pretty chilly up here, in fact it was freezing. Any showers that come might not be falling as rain if this continues
Great Gnats Head and a stop for warming coffee. That’s Three Barrows dead ahead just peeking up. It would be a tough walk to get there from here.
Some sun shining to the north. The mast on North Hessary Tor is to the left of the cairn. On the far left of photo, if you zoom in a bit you will see Brent Tor, which has the be one of the most viewed tors on the moor from so many other summits. Considering its height of 300 metres and a bit it punches above its weight in this respect. I would say the number one in this respect is Cut Hill being very central and at over 600 metres it must be number one of being seen from the most other locations on the moor.
Following the squelchy sheep tracks to Broad Rock. Redlake is the dark looking pyramid to the left with Quickbeam Hill to the right
Broad Rock and the Erme Valley behind. Erme Pits are about 200 metres that way but I am heading off to the right here. Three Barrows again pops up on the right of photo.
Grim’s Grave, no dancing witches here today
The Langcombe Brook, heading towards the River Plym. That’s Leather Tor looking very pointy from this angle, with Peek Hill to the left
Tufty grass as I look down to Ditsworthy Warren House and Gutter Tor
Little Hen Tor looking to Hen Tor. The rain behind was coming my way and actually turned out to be hail.
Looking the other way towards Eylesbarrow on the left and the River Plym which is wriggling between me and it
Hen Tor and the wet stuff behind
I barely touched Hen Tor before hiding behind its rocks away from the hail. I then dropped down to Shavercombe Tor. Here the hail had passed and I sat for a bit looking over Drizzlecombe to Sheeps Tor and Peek Hill
The silvery River Plym. The trees in the distance hold Ditsworthy Warren House, where the film War Horse was filmed
Lower Hartor Tor is to the north but for now I cross the Plym and head for Higher Hartor Tor
Lee Moor up to the left with Hen Tor on its slopes from Higher Hartor Tor
A dark looking Peek Hill and Leather Tor with Sheeps Tor left of that
Follow the path down from here will take you to Drizzlecombe.
Eylesbarrow Tin Mine. Plymouth Sound and the sea is away in the distance, in fact it is in view for lots of this walk
Eylesbarrow summit and more rain/hail in the distance
A glimpse of Burrator reservoir with Peek Hill up to the right and Sheeps Tor left
Cresting the hill brings Nun’s Cross Farm into view with the hail that has passed hitting the northern moor ahead
Siwards Cross and Nun’s Cross Farm
Fox Tor itself across its Mires. A hour after this photo it was pretty white here as the first snow hit the moor. It stayed for a few days before melting. But hopefully its a sign of a cold winter and more snow on the way.
treksandtors 
It has been an awful month for walking. Glad you managed to get out.
The best day – a nice sunny Sunday – and I was down with a heavy cold 😦
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Always the way isn’t it. You finally get a good weather window and something horrible like a cold stops the day.
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Yes, it’s been a horrid November so far. It’s a real effort to get out and walk when the cloud is down and everything as murky and the ground squelchy. This doesn’t look too bad a day at all. I don’t mind heavy showers weather. Sorry bit of a grumpy comment!
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Ha, to be fair I’m in the same sort of mood with the weather. The bright blue sky days have coincided with work days and the days I can get out mean I have to work around the weather or stay low. Today I was off, it rained all morning, cloud was right down and couldn’t work out were to go. So I went and bought a new telly for Christmas instead!!
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