A short drive today to the South Western corner of the moor and a point which is probably the nearest to home. This area is full of man made scars on the landscape with clay works and tungsten mines to name two of the newer ones. The area is a forever changing landscape, and it never seems to get any better each time I come. That said the area is full of tors, 7 on this walk and you could easily add on the Trowlesworthy Tors and Shadyback Tor as well if you wanted to. This walk is 28 of my Round 2 of Dartmoor 365 squares, picking up just the one official square U8, although there are two bonus squares of T6 and U7 (both marked as Nothing!!). We were at the point where the hot weather of early and mid-June was being replaced with more cloud, threats of thunder (none materialised here) and some humid muggy stuff. Not ideal for walking but at least it wasn’t raining too often. We had eyes on a walk around Lands End a couple of weeks after this, so we wanted to keep pushing the distances to keep our fitness in shape, ready for that adventure.
Starting out from some parking near to Whitehill Tor, we headed in the opposite direction, leaving that tor until last for this walkCrownhill Tor is up there on the right hand side on the dark green lump over there. After that tor we would head left along that ridge top towards the clay worksLinda looks down to the Imerys clay works from Crownhill TorAfter leaving Crownhill Tor you pass this broken down farm, just needs a bit of paint and a new roof I reckonScars on the landscape, I wouldn’t fancy a swim in this no matter how hot it getsWe’d dropped down to the road and across Quick Bridge and joined this path up towards CholwichtownAfter passing the entrances to the farm at Cholwichtown you again hit the second part of the Lee Moor clay workings, just miles of open pits like this. Its a Dartmoor 365 square, which is its only redeeming feature.Meadow Brown on the path around the clay pitThe path loops around the right hand side of this picture and over to Hexton TorPlymouth Sound in the distance across the pitsLinda walking to Hexton Tor, the main part is the outcrop on the right here, with some smaller rocks to the leftGreat Trowlesworthy Tor isn’t far away if you wanted to tag that one onThis slight valley holds the Blacka Brook, as we stop for lunch with views towards Wigford DownBehind us is the ever present clay worksBlackaton Cross with Great Trowlesworthy Tor to the right of itHeading along the path that cuts through the edge of the clay works, darkening clouds over head but no rain. Saddlesborough is on the hill over there. The path loops around to the right and then over to that hillSaddlesborough, Lee Moor is back rightA short walk towards Plymouth from Saddlesborough brings you here to Hawks Tor, probably the best tor on this walkViews down to Shaugh Prior and the churchThe balanced rock on Hawks TorCollard Tor is next with good views to Plymouth SoundCollard Tor Stone RowWalking the road back towards the carJust uphill from the road is Blackalder Tor, a decent rock pile in the treesWe walked around here prior to all these taking place, as I type now the music festival is still to come!Final tor for me and Linda is Whitehill Tor and more of those views. Tick these ones off and move on to better places.Finally at the end of the walk I noticed that a crack had appeared on the soles of my Scarpas. 3 and 1/2 years of good service, miles and miles on Dartmoor, coastal, Lake District, Brecon Beacons and Yorkshire Dales paths, but some new ones will be needed.
Some different scenery In your walk but not all bad. How long are boots meant to last? Mine never hold up more than a couple of years and I’m even worse with wellies.
Bit of both as the slab has been raised a bit by placing a rock under one side to bring it up by a couple of feet and make it level, it was called the shepherds hut originally so it makes sense
treksandtors 
Nice descriptive walk, and to see how the clay pits are gradually returning back to nature.
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Interesting to see again, as I led the campaign to save Shaugh Moor and the Blackabrook from destruction, though Crownhill Down is still under threat.
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Think the house/farm that is above the Imerys works is still lived in
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It used to be in my day.
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Some different scenery In your walk but not all bad. How long are boots meant to last? Mine never hold up more than a couple of years and I’m even worse with wellies.
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Never sure on boots, my first pair of Scarpas lasted 6 years, these 3 and a half, but this lot have had a battering on harder coastal paths
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You forget there are some pretty ugly mine workings in Cornwall and Devon. The balanced rock in that tor, man-place or natural?
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Bit of both as the slab has been raised a bit by placing a rock under one side to bring it up by a couple of feet and make it level, it was called the shepherds hut originally so it makes sense
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