We started out with a good weather forecast, the winds from the east mean that clearer weather will be found on the western side of Dartmoor. Now its not often that this happens, mainly in the winter, but we were going to take advantage of it. The plan was to head for the Willsworthy ranges and have a look at Hare Tor, Sharp Tor and the rest around that area. However I had assumed that on a Sunday that no firing would be taking place. Nope, I was wrong, the military had put up their red flags as we pulled into the car park at Willsworthy. Plans scuppered, we headed north and stopped at Sourton village, parking by the village hall and setting out for Great Nodden, picking up the Dartmoor 365 squares as we walked. The return over East Tor and Sourton Tor was brilliant and the weather gave some fantastic views to Cornwall. I always try to come to this side of the moor on a good weather day, simply because of the views to the west, and this was one of those days, with a bank of cloud holding on to the northeast. I’d picked the right area. Another superb walk on the west side of Dartmoor.

Start – Sourton parking

Route – Sourton Green Cross – Granite Way – Lake Viaduct – Lake Down – Rattlebrook Railway – Great Nodden – Rattlebrook Railway – East Tor – Sourton Tor – Prewley Moor – Granite Way – Sourton

Distance – 7 miles    Start time – 12.30pm   Time taken – 3hrs 45mins Highest Point – Sourton Tor 440 metres

Weather – Sunshine all the way around, glorious blue skies