Where to walk? That was the question this weekend, we looked at East Dartmoor and also coastal, but an early start meant that we might be able to get some parking at Two Bridges, and a walk out to Rough Tor. As it was we were too late for the parking opposite the Two Bridges hotel, but there is a small layby just up the road and meant we could complete the route I’d had in mind. The ridge from Crockern Tor to Higher White Tor is a favourite, giving lovely views all around and some brilliant tors. And don’t the tors come quick in succession, by the time you have reached Broadown Tor after 3 or so miles of walking you have picked off 10 tors! Our route back was via Rough Tor and Crow Tor, both places give an element of isolation, especially when you look north from Rough Tor into the centre of Dartmoor to the heads of the Tavy and West Dart rivers and some very boggy ground. The walk back by the West Dart and then Wistman’s Wood is a good one, the high altitude oak woodland is lovely to see, but it is clear that the number of visitors is starting to affect the area, it doesn’t help that this walk from the Two Bridges car park is so well advertised. Still this is a brilliant out and back walk, nothing too difficult other than the boggy ground either side of Tom Browns House and finished off with a pint at the Two Bridges Hotel, lovely.
Starting out from the car, Bellever Tor is away there on the leftOn Crockern Tor now and that’s the Parliament Seat down there, the place where the four stannary towns of Dartmoor met, Sir Walter Raleigh was one of those who chaired a meeting here. Princetown and the mast is back rightBellever Tor on the left of photo as we look out across Smith HillThe tors come thick and fast now, this is Little Bee TorLittle Bee Tor far left of the photo and we are on Littaford Tor now looking down to the West Dart RiverLittle Longaford Tor and a gap to Beardown TorsBellever Forest and tor in view as we look south east. Ryders Hill up on the rightOn Longaford Tor now looking back along the ridge and the tors alongFrom Longaford Tor to the Beardown Tors, the West Dart is between the two. The West Dart Weir is down there centre rightLinda looking out the back of Longaford Tor. Higher White Tor is next for us on the right along the obvious pathI have always loved this view from Higher White to Longaford and beyond, time for a brew to enjoy it.The forest in the distance is Fernworthy. we head away left from this photo and follow the wall to another torThis is Little Whiten Tor. Rough Tor is on the hill over there and the West Dart is in the valley between here and there. We are heading to Little White Tor next but will be on Rough Tor laterLittle White Tor looking south eastish, Hameldown is back left and Rippon Tor can be seen at the back middleLinda looking down to the Cherrybrook from Little White Tor, we will then head up to Broadown Tor beyond the CherrybrookCherrybrook RocksWe have headed up to Broadown Tor here from Cherrybrook Rocks, that’s Higher White Tor up to the rightVery bleak out the back of Broadown Tor even on this sunny dayFrom here there is a faint path looking like it heads straight for Rough Tor, don’t take it as it leads to boggy ground, green mossy soft areas. We ended up almost out of photo up to the right to get around it. Just go back to Cherrybrook Rocks and follow the obvious path to Tom Browns.After a bit of bog hopping we reached Tom Brown’s house, unreal that someone would think to farm out here. The Beardown Tors are straight aheadOn the way up to Rough Tor, the path is obvious but not necessarily dry, Broadown Tor is in the near ground, at the back is Rippon Tor and HameldownRough Tor and the rocky part of this place, Princetown mast in the distanceThe normal photo of the tor includes the military paraphernalia, back left is Cut Hill, with Fernworthy Forest away to the rightRough Tor to the pointy Longaford Tor, we are heading this way down to Crow Tor, which is in view here as a dark area sliding down the hill middle rightCrow Tor now looking to Longaford TorCrow TorAnd the other side of Crow Tor, this is a shapely outcropLongaford Tor up on the left and the West Dart below us, we have just crossed it for a second time as we head for the West Dart Weir which will mean a third crossingWest Dart Weir and the separation of the Devonport Leat starts here on its 27 mile journey to the dockyard in Devonport, built in the 1780sBeardown Tors above the West Dart Weir, it was horribly wet and boggy as we left this part, heading away up and left as we could to avoid the worstThe main path after the boggy bits brought us to Wistmans Wood, and amazing oak woodland with lichen, moss and plants rarely found elsewhereThe trees are fantastic, all gnarly and spookyLeaving the woods along the main path and looking back, the West Dart River is down to the leftTwo Bridges Quarry Tor, probably the most important tor on the moor as it shows clearly how all tors were formed and the weathering which took place undergroundAfter a pint we looked around the ground of the hotel, this is the road bridge (Prince Edward) built in 1931. We’d sat outside and had a pint which for April isn’t bad in the middle of the moor/ All that was left was a short walk to the car after the end of an amazing walk into the heart of Dartmoor and a chance for Linda to see some of the boggy centre of the moor, I’m loving showing the moor to her.
They have started putting signs up asking people not to walk in through the trees, it seems as though the trees are ok, more the moss and lichen that is suffering
Interestingly, I see in Oliver Rackham’s History of the Countryside book the suggestion that air pollution from Plymouth might have actually helped preserve the wood in that it keeps oak mites at bay?
treksandtors 
Interesting though that Wistman’s Wood is actually a third larger than it was in Victorian times.
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They have started putting signs up asking people not to walk in through the trees, it seems as though the trees are ok, more the moss and lichen that is suffering
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Interestingly, I see in Oliver Rackham’s History of the Countryside book the suggestion that air pollution from Plymouth might have actually helped preserve the wood in that it keeps oak mites at bay?
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I can’t believe I’ve never been in Wistman’s Wood. What a fabulous walk
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Its worth a visit, if not this one then look up Piles Copse or Black-a-Tor Copse, two others of the same type in different parts of the moor
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Good tip, thanks
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What a gentleman you are, taking your better half to the finest places – the boggy centre of Dartmoor! 🤣
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If she wants to visit all the tors then its a good job she has some waterproof boots!!
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