Despite October being pretty wet in the main, especially after the first week of the month, we seemed to get lucky each weekend, with some nice sunshine to accompany our walks. This walk in the centre of Dartmoor was no exception, again the sun was shining and reasonably warm for the time of year and the paths here are easy to follow. This was walk number 37 of the second round of D365 squares, picking off K12, L11 and L12. Starting out from Postbridge we headed first past the Postbridge clapper bridge and on to the Bellever clapper. Walking next through the forest we popped out below Laughter Tor, heading up there first before continuing on to Bellever Tor and then the historical Lakehead Hill. All that was left was a simple downhill walk back to Postbridge and a pint in the newly refurbished East Dart Inn. Credit to Karen and the team for getting this place back looking good again, and by the sounds of things they have plans for the place, with a bunkhouse already up and running, January opening (unlike previous years when it has been closed) and possible camping areas. The walk itself was lovely, not too far, not a lot of ascent and some great views from Bellever Tor in every direction, perfect for a lunch stop off point. We also saw plenty of fungi on this walk, which nicely gives us a easy way to refer to this outing, as the mushroom walk. We’ve had previous walks which we’d named, such as the butterfly walk (here) and our seal walk (here). So this one gave us some nice mushrooms to look at, now I’m not much of an expert on mushrooms so if I’ve named them wrong below then let me know!
No walk from Postbridge should be without a look at the clapper bridge, the East Dart river flowing under it. We would walk to the right of the bridge and up through those trees and out to the forest beyondClimbing away from Postbridge. Broad Down on the left with the White Ridge to the rightLooking across to Hameldown, lovely blue skies and white fluffy clouds above us todayDartmoor pony. Bellever has an enclosure around it (signs on the gates ask for the public to close the gates on entry and exit), this is to protect the ponies and their breeding. Mixing with normal horses on the moor has left lots of the population to become more of a hybrid type, these in here are the real deal.First one on the road into Bellever and I think this is a Sulphur Tuft sat on a tree stumpBellever clapper bridge, again the East Dart is the river, and an area that can be quieter than Postbridge, but there is a large car park to my left here which does get busy at times.A Fly Agaric, popular in autumn monthsThe track to Laughter Hole, to the left is the house of that name and straight on the farm. We are heading straight on.Laughter Hole Farm, it’s a long way from anywhere although it had a sky dish on it showing it was lived in not too long ago.As we pop out of the forest, just past the farm, we are treated to this fine view towards Yar Tor and Corndon TorWe had a sit on that wall for a coffee to enjoy the views. Laughter Standing stone is behind the wall The standing stone and Ryders Hill in the distance, the clouds darkened a bit here but no rain fellOn Laughter Tor now and the views to Hameldown in the eastBellever Tor is our next target after this torA few people milling around one of the outcrops here at Laughter Tor. That’s Princetown mast in the distance on the big lump that is North Hessary TorSummit of Bellever Tor, I waited for a lunch eating family to leave the trig point before I took my photos and then left the summit to have my lunch. Not a fan of those that choose to sit and have a break right where people want to take a photo. Like they own the joint. Anyhoo that’s Assycombe Hill centre back and White Ridge to the left of that. The path below leads down and then left to Lakehead HillA big shadow is cast across Higher White Tor and Longaford Tor as I look from Bellever TorOne last photo towards Princetown before I retreated for a sandwichHeading down from Bellever Tor, we would follow the yellow grass to the left to Lakehill Head, home of a stone row and cairn circles.Looking back up to Bellever Tor, this is a popular walk from PostbridgeCairn Circle and cist on Lakehead HillAnd the stone rowLooking across Lakehead Hill towards Broad Down and White RidgeRussula Emetica or the Sickener, I’ve used an AI website to try to identify all the mushrooms on this walk. Fingers crossed they are right. This one was in the conifers so its the right area for this type if it is the Sickener. Down through the conifers back to PostbridgeVery happy walkers. We’ve been together over a year now and been to some fantastic places such as Land’s End, The Lakes, Snowdonia and Yorkshire Dales. Planning for next year has begun alreadyThe forest car park, use this one if you want a car park in Postbridge as it is free. The Dartmoor Park one opposite this is not.And finally the pub at the end of a great walk, we’d parked on the left here as I always do, time for a nice pint of a Tavistock brewery beer which was excellent in the refurbished East Dart pub. Hopefully the new owners make a success of it.
treksandtors 
How colourful it must have been on the tor when, long before the trees were planted, the locals gathered their in their hundreds for Bellever Day.
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Some of the trees have started being cut down now, large sections near the road into Postbridge around the Higher Cherrybrook Bridge
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Some bits of the Moor must look very different since I was there.
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I wish I could roll back time a couple of thousand years. Lovely post, I’m missing the open skies, holed up in the smoke.
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Fantastic walk that one. Tors and two clapper bridges, what’s not to like. That fungus is like a picture from a children’s story book!
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Laughter Tor. Marvellous name! And more blue skies – you did well to get that.
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