Time for another Dartmoor walk and this time its out on the eastern side around Lustleigh, I hadn’t been to Lustleigh this year and I think it was April 2021 when I last walked the area and possibly 2019 since I was last on Harton Chest which is really remiss of me, seeing as its in my top 3 tors. This walk was an easy one, up to Sharpitor, along the ridge picking off the tors, up and down over Foxworthy Bridge before climbing into Neadon Wood passing 3 tors and then down to Horsham Steps. This is always a lovely spot, perfect for lunch, sat deep in the cleave, on mossy boulders, with water under your feet. We then climbed back out of the cleave following a path diagonally upwards aiming for Harton Chest/Sharpitor area. Instead we found a new tor to us, and one that isn’t on many sites at all called The Lookout and the description seems to fit, given that you get a fine window view down to Lustleigh Cleave, similar to that of Harton Chest but a hundred metres or so northwest of Harton Chest. It was a lovely way to finish this walk before repeating a short section of out out bound route and down to the car. The parking at Lustleigh was full meaning we headed to Bovey Tracey for a well earned pint of cider in the hot sun before heading home.
Lustleigh parking, this pot is a good one being near to Hammerslake TorAnd here is Hammerslake Tor and the large cave underneathThe view from beside Sharpitor to Hound Tor, the brown leaves of the trees showing the dry summer and the trees protecting themselves from the lack of waterSharpitorClouds looking very threatening, but it stayed dry for us. Black Hill on the left hand side and Haytor at the backOn Harton Chest with that magnificent view, love it up hereLinda on Harton ChestAnd the Chest itself, to get to the viewpoint head left here and pick your way throughNearing Foxworthy Tor, rain passing in the distance around Black Hill and HaytorCosdon Hill in the distance as we reach Hunters Tor, the end of this ridge and giving great views across this eastern part of DartmoorHunters Tor summit, that looks like Hameldown at the back, which I think it isFoxworthy Bridge and the hamlet of the same nameNow the tors in Neadon Cleave are a bit scruffy, this one is Neadon Cleave NorthAnd Neadon Cleave SummitFinally this is the south tor, at this point you will have reached houses and hung a sharp left and dropped down to this path under the torLinda at Horsham Steps, time for a late lunch over thereWe walked at angled path up away from Horsham Steps, heading for the Sharpitor area, we ended up coming out a bit further north on the main path than we expected, however it unveiled a lovely surpriseThis huge rocky outcrop, called The Lookout, can’t argue with the name and the great view to Black HillAfter heading past Harton Chest again we went and had a closer look at Sharpitor, a huge rock face hidden in the woodlands above Lustleigh, like lots of other tors in this area. The walk was a lovely one and it was great to stumble across a new spot for me in The Lookout. It won’t be my last visit to it.
Just a shame they had arrived early as this walk was from the end of August, the lack of rain has meant some trees shed their leaves to protect the water they had
Yes the lanes are narrow to get the parking spot. The easiest way I found is to head through Lustleigh village, turn right at the end of Rudge Hill and follow the lane, you’ll see the lane widen which is the best place to park
There are some absolutely cracking woodland tors, Shaptor Woods is a real concentration of some of the biggest and best ones. I’m long overdue a visit there
I hear Max Piper has a book coming out on lost East Dartmoor tors – should be advertised soon on the Dartmoor News website. Used to bivvy at Hammerslake.
Lovely views. The autumnal colours are here 🍁🍂. It is really nice.
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Just a shame they had arrived early as this walk was from the end of August, the lack of rain has meant some trees shed their leaves to protect the water they had
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Enjoyed this one, it’s a walk I’ll have to try, if I can figure out how to get to the parking spot!
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Yes the lanes are narrow to get the parking spot. The easiest way I found is to head through Lustleigh village, turn right at the end of Rudge Hill and follow the lane, you’ll see the lane widen which is the best place to park
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The woodland tors always look the most atmospheric..
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There are some absolutely cracking woodland tors, Shaptor Woods is a real concentration of some of the biggest and best ones. I’m long overdue a visit there
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I hear Max Piper has a book coming out on lost East Dartmoor tors – should be advertised soon on the Dartmoor News website. Used to bivvy at Hammerslake.
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Yeah Max’s book is out soon, I’m sure it will be a decent read, lots of stuff in Shaptor Woods no doubt
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Lots of secretive tors hidden the woods here. So much more to Dartmoor than just moorland
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I’m overdue a visit back to Shaptor Woods, that’s a great spot for hidden tors, all of them are huge
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Hello, is it the same cave that we can see in Stranger things ?
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