So 3 weeks after bringing the boys here for the first time, I returned again, this time with Linda for another walk around the Staple Tors. This walk is number 29 of my Round 2 of Dartmoor 365 squares, and picks up L5, M4, M5, N4 and N5. However the main reason for being back in this area, was to see a sunset. They are always superb from here, with Brent Tor providing a lovely silhouette to the orange setting sun and I look forward to this walk each year. After many weeks of hot weather and clear skies, where I could easily have done this walk, I waited until nearer the solstice, in the hope that we would still have clear skies and a chance. However the weather was starting to change as we neared the end of June, the jet stream had shifted north to sit around Britain, and the heavy floods in Italy and Greece were replaced by blistering sunshine there. As a result our hot weather had left us and we had some rain and more cloud, not to worry we still had some very good days of sunshine and this one looked like it would be perfect. We copied the same walk I did with the boys initially before looping around Barn Hill, picking off a few extra tors and then enjoying the sunset at the end. Lovely way to spend an evening.
The B3357 is on the far right of the photo, this road cuts this walk in half (alongside cutting the moor in half as it heads over towards Moretonhamstead). Ahead of us are the Staple Tors, Great Staple is back left, Middle Staple is, well, in the middle obviously and Little Staple is looking like it is sliding down to the right into the bracken and gorse.On Little Staple now and the views expand as you get higher, looking to Cornwall hereAnd turning further left you get views to Peek Hill and Sharpitor with the Walkham valley running across the photo left to rightMiddle Staple Tor, one large outcrop here to the right with smaller piles on the left, Great Staple Tor is back left and Great Mis Tor back middleLooking back at Middle Staple Tor shows the larger outcrop clearly with the flatter piles to the rightLinda heading for Great Staple TorTall shapely stacks of Great Staple TorRoos Tor will be our next objective, there’s very little distance between these tors, a couple of hundred metres, so its an easy walk ticking off the tors at a pace.I prefer Roos Tor to Great Staple, I like the stacks and the views, along the valley towards Brent Tor, is always very good, especially in the mornings when any sun would be behind you or off the leftLooking back to Great Staple TorFrom the back of Roos Tor we sit on a shelf and look out into the higher tors on the west side of Dartmoor. A bit of zoom picks out Great Links Tor at the back and I think that’s Hare Tor in front of it. White Tor is on the left edge of the photoThe back of Roos Tor, we stopped here for a drink to enjoy the viewLooking to the mast at Princetown from Roos Tor and the secret shelf at the back.Bit of zoom again towards Fur Tor with Cut Hill over to the right of thatLittle Roos Tor is just down the hill from its big brother, and gives views out along the Walkham valley. We will walk that way nextThe path from Little Roos Tor takes us to Merrivale Quarry. Princetown mast is at the back and over on the right is Kings TorAs with the boys we passed some of the Sett Makers Bankers, better ones are just below Little Staple Tor, but we headed to the road before we got to thoseThese Dartmoor ponies were eating the gravel at the side of the road. Salt crystals maybe from the winter? Vixen Tor stands out in the sun on the left, we will head right first to pass the Wheelwright Stone and Barn Hill Rocks before heading across that wayBarn Hill RocksThe Wheelwright Stone is to my right here near to the little clapper across the Grimstone and Sortridge leat, we started out for Vixen Tor and hit a very boggy section so retreated left here and looped aroundAs the sun starts to go down the sky starts to put on its show, unfortunately there is a bit of cloud gathering to the west Vixen Tor and as near as we can get to it. Even if you understand the removal of access to this tor and the barbed wire fencing, there is no place on Dartmoor for the owner to scrawl on rocks to tell usLooking to Great Mis Tor from Vixen TorAs we walk towards Heckwood Tor we look back to Vixen Tor with Great Mis behind it and the Staple Tors over on the leftAfter a brief climb we are at Heckwood Tor, keeping an eye on the setting sun we reckon we have abouot 30-40 mins to get over to the Pork Hill area for the finale
Not sure on this one, might be a White Ermine moth, there are some dots on it but not much and I’m aware that they can be pretty white all over at times so I’m going for that.
Heckwood Tor, Cox Tor behind left and the Staple Tors rightGlorious light now and the clouds above are being lit up by the setting sunVixen Tor catches the last of the sunSun setting over Feather Tor, still about 25 mins or more yet though before it sets properlyLooking to Pew Tor from Feather TorWindy Post and the Grimstone leat, there is a bullseye stone allowing water to go straight on and to a farm near Pew Tor, the rest heads right and along the Grimstone leat towards Plaster DownProwtytown Rocks was our decision for the sunset or somewhere near it anywayThis is what you get from here, Brent Tor is in line for the sun to set next to it. The only issue is a line of cloud just above the horizon which looks like it will swallow the sun before it hits Brent Tor and the horizonStill a sight as the oranges and reds takes over the colour paletteSunset Brent Tor styleWe’d sat up from Prowtytown Rocks nearer to the car to enjoy the end of the dayThe thin line of cloud just takes the end of the sunset away, but it is still stunningEnd of the day clouds and the sun has gone nowPork Hill car park, always busy with people enjoying the sunset at this time of year. A fantastic walk picking off lots of tors, 10 in total, with 3 Dartmoor squares as well. Perfect end to a day.
Superb! Nothing like watching a sunset in the hills, always so peaceful and relaxing. I should have made an effort to head out in the warm sunny weather in early June to see one.
I regretted waited so long really, I could have gone out at least 3 or 4 times in the weeks running up to this walk and had a better sunset. Still this is another good addition to my sunset walks
When its been a very hot day (not that we are having any of those since June) its always good to leave the walk until after tea and then head out as it starts to cool off
treksandtors 
Superb! Nothing like watching a sunset in the hills, always so peaceful and relaxing. I should have made an effort to head out in the warm sunny weather in early June to see one.
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I regretted waited so long really, I could have gone out at least 3 or 4 times in the weeks running up to this walk and had a better sunset. Still this is another good addition to my sunset walks
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I really need to do more sunset walks!
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When its been a very hot day (not that we are having any of those since June) its always good to leave the walk until after tea and then head out as it starts to cool off
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