Not since Bonfire Night have we had a proper walk with some sunshine in it, this walk was done in the second week in December and still no yellow disc in the skies above us. As I type here I can hear the wind howling outside as another named storm barrels through. Its not been much fun for us down here in the southwest, regarding the weather. We’ve missed out on those clear, cold, blue sky days that I’ve seen up in Yorkshire, Lake District and Scotland, and snow hasn’t been here for more than a few hours at Princetown, one midweek day. Just day after day of dreary drizzle, low cloud, mist and clag. Still we’ve been out, walking the lanes around the edge of Dartmoor, picking off the odd tor, villages, Dartmoor 365 squares and a pub or two. This walk is number 40 on my Round 2 of the squares and will gather A10, A11, A12, B10, B12 and B13. These are good walks for the winter months, no messing with the boggy ground on the moor proper which cake you in mud, instead we look to link the villages through quiet lanes and try to stay out of any muddier paths. This walk involves 4 of the best villages on the moor, Belstone sitting on the edge of the moor and its cleave, has a church and a great pub. Sticklepath has Finch’s Foundry, a church and pub. South Tawton has a B&B restaurant, old church and ancient church house, finally we have South Zeal with 2 pubs, chapel, cross and shop. All the villages come with the expected thatched cottages in abundance, quaint lanes, the odd cafe, school and play parks. These are lovely places to walk and mix it in with a few tors along a cleave and you have a very good walk. As we approached Belstone at the end we were indeed enjoying ourselves and then we hit a patch of path that was covered in a large puddle, Linda’s foot went in after we had negotiated 75% of the puddle and resulted in a damp sock, so no pub for us to finish, instead back to the car as the rain started to fall heavily. We sat in the car drinking the last of our coffee as the rain lashed down and were happy that we’d reached the car in time as around 10 others trudged through the downpour to their vehicles. Maybe 2024 will bring some sun. I will do my best to get another walk on my site before Christmas, however if I don’t I will take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and happy walking over the holidays.

Start – Belstone parking

Route – Belstone – Belstone Cleave – The Cliff – Sticklepath – Finch’s Foundry – Tarka Trail – South Tawton – Oxenham Cross – Oxenham Manor – Addiscott Cross – Dishcombe – South Zeal – South Zeal Village Cross – Sticklepath – Skaigh Wood – Middle Down Tor – Belstone Cleave – Tarka Bridge – Ivy Tor Bridge – Ivy Tor – Belstone Cleave Bridge

Distance – 8 miles    Start time – 11am   Time taken – 5hrs  Highest Point – 300metres Belstone village

Weather – Cloudy mainly, sun tried to come out but rain the finish as we reached Belstone