Leathertor Bridge, Burra Tor and Click Tor

/ 31/12/2023

So the last walk of 2023, New Years Eve, and where should we head off to? I’d looked at Shipley Bridge, Horrabridge or further afield to Lustleigh. But the weather wasn’t looking that good anywhere, we didn’t want to travel far (mainly because we were late getting up) and nothing too high up. Burrator fitted the bill nicely. We’d been around this area previously in Oct 2022 here and this time went for the loop around the reservoir option, picking off a couple of tors and visiting a couple of Dartmoor 365 squares as well. This would be walk 42 of my second round of the squares, picking up Q5 and Q6. Its an easy walk, with plenty of paths up in the trees and away from the tarmac road that loops around the water, making it possible to avoid the crowds in this busy area. There was even an ice cream van by the dam, but even I wasn’t daft enough for that. For once I took the opportunity to have a proper look at the Norsworthy Blowing House, which is D365 square and a really good explore of Burra Tor, which is a big outcrop hidden in the woods, by the main dam. All in all a good walk and considering we didn’t start until 1pm, we did well to get around before dark

Start – Burrator parking

Route – Lowery Cross – Lower Lowery – Cross Gate Cross – Leathertor Farm – Leathertor Bridge – Norsworthy Blowing House – Norsworthy Bridge – Longstone Manor – Burra Tor – Burrator Dam – Claig Tor – Plymouth Princetown trackbed – Devonport Leat – Lowery Cross

Distance – 5.5 miles    Start time – 1pm   Time taken – 3hrs  Highest Point – 290metres The car park

Weather – Mainly grey and damp

© Crown copyright 2023 Ordnance Survey FL 2023 SF
Out of the car park and views over towards Cox Tor and a dark looking on at that.
A bit brighter over towards Sheeps Tor as we pass Lowery Cross
Mossy gate by Lowery Barn
Glimpses of Burrator reservoir. Lots of naked trees around here, love the shape of the big ones
Cross Gate Cross, Burrator reservoir in the distance and Devonport Leat by my feet
Lots of mossy boulders and walls along here
Leathertor Farm, one of the many that had to pack it in when the water board created the reservoir
The gorgeous Leathertor Bridge, a classic packhorse bridge built in 1830
Happy walkers
Norsworthy Blowing House is on Raddick Lane, which runs from Leather Tor Bridge back towards Norsworthy Bridge. A closer look shows more of the tin workings as the River Meavy flows behind
Two holes on the stones middle right are the mortar stones, where the ore was pounded by a water-wheel operated stamp. On the left is the mould to cast the ore into ingots. These would have been taken by train back to Plymouth
Raddick Lane with the blowing house to the right here, the old stile over the fence has been removed and a gap opened in the fence.
The area that would have held Norsworthy Farm
Common Buzzard in a tree
Norsworthy Bridge and the River Meavy flowing under
We are on the tarmac section now under Sheeps Tor, looking back across the reservoir to Leather Tor, Peek Hill to the left.
Post Christmas walking means Christmas cake and coffee
Linda heading along the tarmac path. I’ve failed in my plan to take less photos of Linda’s back, although I’m claiming this was New Years Eve so it doesn’t count until January starts
Longstone Manor, originally built in the 1600’s and became a farm around 1750, before again the water board took over when the dam was built.
Apple crushing and cider making equipment
The 10th century threshing floor
Views across the reservoir from Longstone Manor
It had started to spit with rain at this point as we rounded the smaller of the two dams
Soon we were in the woods however, and found Burra Tor, Linda giving an idea of the size of this outcrop and the overhang
Burra Tor
Side on Burra Tor
Huge outcrop lower down
The dam, as expected after the months of rain, it was overflowing
All calm on the top of the water though. Peek Hill at the far end. Leather Tor peeking up
Claig Tor was a quarry site, unveiling the rock structure
Claig Tor summit
No idea what this fungi is
The main dam, Sheeps Tor behind and the ice cream van
This is where the Devonport Leat finishes, heading down a pipe and into the reservoir. We took the track to the left of the building (the old railway line) to head nearer to the car
And the last photo of 2023, along Burrator Reservoir to my favourite tor, the dimple of Down Tor at the far end. Onwards to 2024.

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16 thoughts on “Leathertor Bridge, Burra Tor and Click Tor”

  2. A good stretch of the legs! We came back from the UK with a bug and haven’t been on our feet since New Year’s Eve. Missed the fireworks and everything since so I was envious of your Christmas cake. Happy New Year to yoy!

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  5. Have you ever been in the Pixie’s Cave on Sheepstor? Much smaller than it once was. The area features nicely in Eden Phillpotts’ novel A Virgin in Judgement/

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