A blisteringly hot day near the start of June but another chance to get the boys out and away from phones and GCSE revision for my eldest. I was looking for a place to take them, and for some reason I’d never taken them to the Staple Tors, which seems baffling considering we’ve been walking on Dartmoor for at least 14-15 years. Time to put that right. We took plenty of liquid with us and applied the suncream, devising a shortish loop around. We had a choice of Cox Tor or Little Roos Tor for the return leg and we went for the latter as it meant we could also walk past the Merrivale Quarry and pick up the Dartmoor 365 square of Sett Makers Bankers. Nothing too tricky or demanding about this walk, which was good considering the heat. We yapped as we always do, lots of varying topics this time, about exams (my eldest was about halfway through his GCSE’s at this point), also games and holidays we had booked in the summer (Snowdonia). A lovely couple of hours with the boys.
This car park is pretty much under Little Staple Tor and gives easy access to the Staple Tors. Peek Hill is in the distance, with Vixen Tor the nearer outcrop behind the wall and Pew Tor over on the rightLittle Staple Tor is quickly conquered with views out to CornwallMiddle Staple Tor is next up, lots of rock piles hereMiddle Staple Tor looking to the mast on North Hessary TorGreat Staple Tor. Probably one of the most photographed of the Dartmoor Tors, certainly the one they would put on a shortbread tin if Dartmoor had one. You might be able to see my youngest climbing up the notch, he was getting up on the next to top rock before I told him we were heading off to Roos TorRoos Tor catching shade in the distance from the only cloud that was in the sky. Looking over there from Great Staple TorRoos Tor looking back to the large piles and avenue tor of Great StapleAgain looking to North Hessary Tor, this time from Roos TorSelfie, we managed to find a bit of shade and a nice breeze back here, as my eldest’s hair will testifyWilderness at the back of Roos Tor. Back left is Great Links Tor, with White Tor nearer on the leftDown at Little Roos Tor, the River Walkham is down there before the land rises up to the sprawling outcrops of Great Mis TorFollowing the grassy path towards Merrivale Quarry and the hamlet of Merrivale comes into viewMerrivale Quarry, or Tor Quarries as it was known, it ran for over one hundred years and only closed in 1997. Granite from here built Portcullis House and New Scotland Yard in London.Looking over to Kings Tor with Peek Hill back rightThe boys have walked off towards the car whilst I was searching for the Sett Makers BankersSett Makers Bankers, not the best ones in this area, better ones are a bit further west in a line between Middle Staple Tor and the car park. But basically these were used by men to make setts for road building. They would kneel and cut smaller sett blocks from larger granite pieces. Back breaking workBack at the car and one last look across the sunbathing man to the mast at Princetown on North Hessary Tor
Another post to remind me of my walk around those tors. Superb scenery and photos. That hot sunny weather seems a bit of a distant memory – been really chilly up here this week
Its gone a bit changeable at the moment, showers (good for the plants) and a bit cooler for sure. I’ll be looking carefully at the weather to try and pick a dry spot this weekend
treksandtors 
What a fantastic way to de-stress from exams. What a fine dad you are.
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It is nice to have such break when studying for exam. I imagine he had a lot more energy to study again after a day out exploring.
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Another post to remind me of my walk around those tors. Superb scenery and photos. That hot sunny weather seems a bit of a distant memory – been really chilly up here this week
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its gone a bit changeable at the moment, showers (good for the plants) and a bit cooler for sure. I’ll be looking carefully at the weather to try and pick a dry spot this weekend
LikeLiked by 1 person