Slight change to my recent walks, which have mainly been in and around woodland, this time I wanted to get out on to Dartmoor proper and up to some more recognisable tors. I was still aware that the majority of the moor is still very wet so I kind of skimmed the edge on the walk. There was still a bit of road walking and woodland did again play a part but the highlight for me is always Lynch Tor. Not the most striking outcrop of rocks but a fantastic view back down the valley and out to Cornwall, all with hardly a sole in sight. There were a few new tors, I particularly liked Master Rock which gave a great view back into the valley and up to Lynch Tor. The weather played ball, despite looking like it was going to hose it down at some points in the afternoon, mainly it was sunny, which was a real bonus. More please.
| Start – Lane End parking |
| Route – Master Rock – Hill Bridge – Willsworthy Bridge – Lych Way – Standon Steps Bridge – Coffin Wood Tor – Brousentor – Bagga Tor – Lynch Tor – Standon Hill – Standon Steps Bridge – Lych Way – Willsworthy Bridge – Zoar |
| Distance – 6.5 miles Start time – Midday Time taken – 4hrs 15mins Highest Point – Lynch Tor 517metres |
| Weather – Sunny spells, blue skies, some threatening clouds |
© Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey FL 2019 SF
Parking spot just after the hamlet of Zoar (great name), looking at the car on this photo it needs a clean!! Fine views from here into the valley which leads past Bagga Tor to Lynch Tor
Master Rock with the sun shining on Lynch Tor in the distance, this is a good little outcrop, perfect for a brew but it was a bit early in the walk for that
White Tor is on the left, Cox Tor in the sun at the back with Boulters Tor in front to the right
Hill Bridge and its weir. I’d walked down past the Creason farms to this point, I then walked back up the road towards Willsworthy
That’s the entrance to Tavy Cleave over there with Ger Tor standing sentinel
To Willsworthy for me
Willsworthy Bridge, the Lych Way comes in from the left after the bridge and I follow that historic track for a couple of miles now
The Lych Way marker post just after Willsworthy Bridge. That way to Lydford. I’m heading out of photo to the right
Sunshine and Ger Tor, Standon Hill rising up on the right. Those with good eyes might catch the red flag flying on Ger Tor, confirmed by the rapid firing at the range a mile or so to my left. Not often they fire on a weekend.
The Lych Way leaves the track down to Standon Steps Bridge and passes over fields to this point, this was a great place for a brew with that view to Bagga Tor (pointy one) with Lynch Tor behind. Now I could hear the River Tavy raging below from here so I didn’t bother heading downhill further to see if the stepping stones could be crossed, I assumed they were a no go and headed back a 100 metres to the track down to the bridge
Standon Steps Bridge
I handrailed the river along a good path back to the stepping stones (which could not be seen at all) to join the Lych Way again. Just off the way, inside Coffin Wood is the tor of the same name
There are gates at the bottom but I would climb up and through the gate at the top to reach Coffin Wood Tor and see the view down to the River Tavy which has split at this point
From Coffin Wood its a steady climb up to Brousentor and Bagga Tor
Brousentor with Brousentor farm beyond
Below Bagga Tor in the wall corner is a gate. Open today so I had a wander in 20 metres to Brousentor
Brousentor, looking to Gibbet Hill and Kingsett Down
On Bagga Tor now, another brew stop looking to Lynch Tor
Ger Tor and Hare Tor in the sun from Bagga Tor.The slope of Standon Hill to the right
Into the Merrivale firing range now, not the Willsworthy one which had the red flag flying. I did have a plan to walk to the unique range marker which joins all 3 ranges together but that was a bit far considering the time
Lynch Tor looking to some high points of Hare Tor, Great Links Tor and Amicombe Hill
Sunburst over White Tor from Lynch Tor
One of the best views on the moor for me. The ridge of Bagga Tor in the centre
Now Lynch Tor is kind of a change point for Dartmoor, beyond it the terrain and grass changes and becomes a tougher prospect. Fur Tor looks close but its a tough walk from here
I’d looped around to Standon Hill with the sun still bursting through the clouds. Cornwall is in the distance
Standon Hill with Lynch Tor left and Great Mis Tor the prominent one in the distance
Again looking to Hare Tor, Great Links and Amicombe Hill. Now to drop down past Standon Farm
Standon Farm is down there as I pick through the clitter field. Head right of that and follow the walls into the corner where a gate gives access to paths to Standon Steps Bridge
I’ve crossed the bridge now and take one last look to Tavy Cleave and Ger Tor
Bagga Tor on the right with Standon Hill left and Lynch Tor in between as I climb the Lych Way to Willsworthy
Willsworthy houses
Sun setting as I approach Zoar after a fine walk, it was good to be back on the proper Dartmoor.
treksandtors 
It’s good to get out for a winter walk on the moors. It gets a bit tiresome trudging through the mud, though 😬
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Plenty of the wet muddy stuff around at the moment, some of the paths through some of the woodlands are treacherous
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Lovely photos. The wooden bridge is very nice.
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Thank you. It was a good job the bridge was there with the river running high
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Some great moody, winter cloud shots here. The mud around my way is almost beyond belief at the moment. Everything that isn’t a ridge is just a quagmire. So glad I invested in waterproof socks!
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My Scarpa boots are, which I’ve had since about 2013/14 are starting to struggle with all this wet weather and are showing a bit of wear and tear now, so any really boggy stuff means wet feet. Hopefully they will get me into the summer and I can look for new ones in Autumn
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