Our first walk after returning from the Lakes and we wanted something easy to get to and also fairly easy to walk, this area is easy to get around due to the Redlake tramway (Puffing Billy track) which runs from just above this parking spot. This walk snakes on and around the tramway heading north before doing an about turn and heading back. Its a simple area to navigate (I’ve been up here in a blizzard here) and the track makes for quick passage in either direction. Alongside that is the interesting tors and things to see up here, plus the views. The views to South Hams are glorious and in some sunny weather they are as good as any. The plan today was to head out as far as we could, maybe Leftlake or further but in the end we managed Three Barrows before turning for the car. Again we could have extended the walk to Ugborough Beacon on the return but decided to stay along the Butterdon Stone Row and take a more direct route back. It was a lovely walk and as The Tourists would say its “so good to be back home again”!
Looking out across South Hams as we start out on the walk, the Erme valley is wriggling away in the distanceIvybridge down to the left as we walk along the Dartmoor Way/Two Moors Way pathThe Two Moors Way path comes up here from the left as we look across towards Penn BeaconTor Rocks looking towards some darkening skies beyond Penn BeaconMe and Linda stood on Tor Rocks, more of it below here and beyond is Stalldown Barrow, Sharp Tor (Ugborough Beacon) is up to the right, we will be there laterThe pimple of Hangershell Rock is our next target as we look out from the parking area at Harford, which is still closed due to no worthwhile reason at all, and is no doubt part of the on going protests where the landowner wants to close land to Dartmoor campers and walkers.Hangershell Rock looking up to Sharp Tor and Three BarrowsLinda at Hangershell RockHobajons Cross, this one is carved into the rock rather than a free standing crossThe northern end of Butterdon Stone row, Piles Hill is behind me here to my rightOn Piles Hill here Sharp Tor is our next target in the distance, Three Barrows is up on the rightLooking west towards CornwallOn Sharp Tor now, that’s the Rover Erme below and Stalldown Barrow rising up to the rightThe River Erme wriggling its way north at the back is Lee Moor and Langcombe Hill from Sharp TorThree Barrows now and its trig pointThat’s Wacka Tor on the left and Ugborough Beacon back rightBack along the tramway, dark clouds approaching from the rightA bit dark and rainy over there, luckily for us it was headed across South Hams and not in our directionSpurrell’s Cross with Ugborough Beacon behind to the rightButterdon Hill trig point and cairnsAnd again with Ugbourgh Beacon back leftBlack Pool, a bit of a scruffy pond between Butterdon Hill and Western BeaconWestern Beacon now and looking across the eastern side of South HamsThe quarry part of Western Beacon and a lovely view out to South Hams, all that is left is to descend back to the track and the car. A lovely walk and weather for the middle of November, yes there was a cold wind but some fine sunshine and the rain stayed away from our area. A fine way to get back into Dartmoor after the fells of the Lakes
2 thoughts on “Sharp Tor, Three Barrows and Western Beacon”
Classic wide open and expansive Dartmoor views and some gorgeous photos with the low winter sun. Such a contrast to the rocky crags of the Lake District
treksandtors 
Classic wide open and expansive Dartmoor views and some gorgeous photos with the low winter sun. Such a contrast to the rocky crags of the Lake District
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Yeah it is always a bit of a shock going from rocky Lake District to green rolling moorland and tors
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