We’d had a Sunday off walking when we’d returned from the Lake District so despite the low cloud and dull conditions we headed out ready for another Dartmoor walk. The week’s break has allowed me to catch up a bit on the number of outstanding walks I had to post and I am exactly one month behind now (although that is 3 more walks after this one). We headed up towards the north eastern corner of Dartmoor, to seek out a mix of extremely large rocks and some very small outcrops. Blackingstone Rock has to be one of the largest lumps of granite on the moor, it is vast, especially when you look at the section sticking out to the side which is covered in a bit of heather, gorse and scrub now. Heltor Rock is very similar to that as is Wood Hill Lower Tor. Doccombe Rock however is titchy, but its distinctive shape, astride the wall, at least lets you know that you are in the right spot. Both tors on Wood Hill are slowly becoming more and more difficult to get to, with the brambles, gorse and loose wood on the hillside becoming treacherous and clawing at your clothing, making it almost impossible to walk through. This may well be my last visit here, as the greenery is slowly swallowing any passage and the rocks themselves. As with our walk to Great Calva in the Lakes, the weather suddenly improved right at the end of the walk, the sun appearing below clouds and bathing us in a warm glow as we crossed Pepperdon Down. A lovely end to a walk in a lovely area.

Start – Moretonhampstead parking

Route – Blackingstone Rock – Heltor Rock – Wood Hill Higher Tor – Wood Hill Lower Tor – B3212 – Snaresbrook – Leign Farm – Leign Valley Tor – Doccombe Rock – Stacombe Tor – Doccombe – Little Pepperdon – Pepperdon Down Rocks – Blackingstone Rock

Distance – 7 miles    Start time – 10.30am   Time taken – 5hrs 30mins Highest Point – Pepperdon Down Rocks 350 metres

Weather – Low clouds, misty and gloomy