The second day of the new year and our second walk, I’m pretty sure we won’t continue at this pace (if we do the post updates will be getting a little behind), however its lovely to have the opportunity to get out again. Like Boxing Day the weather was stupendous and it would have been remiss of us not to have walked today. We chose the western side of Dartmoor, just above Peter Tavy, the area has great views west, to Cornwall, in good weather and this was one of those days. We walked out towards White Tor, picking off the tors and outcrops as we went, before turning around over White Tor and back via the lanes and Smith Hill Tor. Most of the tors on this section of Dartmoor are not granite in origin but more of a gabbro type called Dolerite. This makes the rock a more slate like looking rock with sharper edges. This was a stunning walk in clear conditions, with inversions in the river valley providing some lovely photos early in the walk. It might have been the second day of the new year but this walk is already penciled in for the walk of the year list for 2023.
Some lovely valley mist sitting along the Tavy River valley behind the church in Peter Tavy as we start climbing to Smeardon Down Brent Tor is back left and Gibbet Hill, all golden in colour, sitting above Mavy TavyLovely clear skies above and misty valleys below, there was no warm up to this climb so we immediately warmed up on a cold startViews to the north to Hare Tor and Great Links TorSmearn Down RocksSmearn Down Rocks again, with some of Bodmin Moor back rightUp on Boulters Tor now looking into Dartmoor, Roos Tor right, Great Mis Tor central and White Tor up to the left. We will be heading straight on along a lonning out onto the moorInto the sun and Cox TorSetters Rocks, again with Great Mis Tor left and Roos Tor rightLooking back towards Boulters Tor from Setters RocksLooking up towards White Tor, we will be up there laterWedlake Tor now, a small outcrop down the hill from Setters RocksStephen’s Grave again the views to Mary Tavy behindCox Tor left as we walk the path which ends up round at Lynch Tor or on the Lych WayThe Langstone on Langstone Moor with Linda and White Tor behindLangstone MoorViews across to Standon Hill, Tavy Cleave and Hare Tor behindPeriglacial mounds we had lunch just down there on the left on some rocks which are part of Hare Tor (Peter Tavy), there is more of it behind me.Here it is just the other side of the wallFrom Hare Tor it a short climb up to White Tor and its settlementThis tor sits on the edge of the Merrivale firing range, the flag pole is of there on the left. Still some lovely blue skies overhead and some nice white fluffy clouds, by this point I was in just a t shirt, which was barmy for 2nd JanuaryThrough the rocks on White Tor to Lynch Tor and Fur Tor at the backJust below White Tor is this outcrop Little White Tor and more views west to CornwallLooking back up to White TorOver Gibbet Hill and Brent Tor to Cornwall from Little White TorAnother lonning this one takes us off the moor and down to Broadmoor farm and CudliptownAlong the lane after the farm we reach Smith Hill Tor. This one is an easy one to get to being right by the laneSunshine on the road from Cudliptown heading towards Peter TavyBrent Tor in the distance beyond the sheepGibbet Hill across the fields outside Peter TavyStill the sun was shining at Peter Tavy church, all that was left was a short walk up the road to the car which we’d parked under Smeardon Down, just beyond the cattle grid. The walk itself was superb and surprisingly warm given it was only the second day of the year, more like this please.
treksandtors 
What a fabulous looking walk, it has everything I would want!
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Its a lovely area and the views across to Cornwall when it is clear are always superb
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Absolutely stunning walk, not too bad at all for early January
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Had to get out on a day like this, they tend to be few and far between when the prevailing weather is coming in all the time
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