February and March are busy with birthdays in my calendar, with my youngest first up, then my mum and finally in February is Linda. Then I have two of my nephew’s early in March before my eldest at the end of that month. We started out with my youngest, he’d had a rucksack for his present, to aid his practice walking to ready himself for Ten Tors and DofE Silver expeditions. For Linda, she wanted to head to Tavistock for a mooch about, some lunch and then a trip to Brent Tor. Brent Tor is our favourite spot, and one of the first places we came to, sitting here in rain showers for hours, with a jacket as an umbrella. We love the little church, St Michael de Rupe, and the views into the western side of Dartmoor are superb. Tavistock is always a lovely place to wander around with old buildings to admire, we also went into the church with some lovely old history in there.
First is my youngest, enjoying his caterpillar cake (or a cake that is similar but named differently!)Linda’s birthday and we are in TavistockThe walls on the left were part of the old abbey complex, the origins of it started in the 900s around the time of Ethelred the Unready. With many parts added by the Benedictine monks, including the church and quarters for the monks to live in. This was dissolved by Henry 8th in the 1500s, by which time it was the 2nd richest abbey in Devon, after Plympton but ahead of Buckland.The town hall in TavistockTavistock Church, St Eustachius. On the opposite side of the road from this lies the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady and St Rumon from 981. This church has references back to 1265, but this version is partly from 1318 and mainly from 1447Inside this large Grade II listed churchOld plasm and prayer book with pewter tankards aboveThe grand grave of Sir John Fitz and his wife Mary, plus son John kneeling (although after his death, Mary remarried and is buried elsewhere). Sir John was high in the legal profession and made a lot of money in this area. He was also the same John Fitz and wife Mary that got lost on Dartmoor in thick mist (piskie led), finding a spring they were able to drink from the spring and break the spell, lifting the mists. He made a wall around around the spring to help others in this area.On to Brent Tor nowGibbet Hill from the top of the torInside St Michael De Rupe, think I read that this is the 4th smallest parish church in England. Think St Olaf’s in Wasdale is the smallest.We always love being up here, such a special place for us.Grand view towards PlymouthHappy birthday girl on Brent TorBrent Tor and St Michael de Rupe church. A lovely day to celebrate a gorgeous girlfriend’s birthday with a nice lunch and bimble around Tavistock. And coming back here to Brent Tor is always our perfect day.
treksandtors 
That sounds like a nice way to spend a birthday. I have a friend in Tavistock but I’ve never been there so I was interested to see it.
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Its a lovely old town and still has lots of independent shops and a pannier market, alongside the old buildings
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Belated Happy Birthday to all your clan members!
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Happy birthday
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Looks like great views for not much effort, always bonus! And happy birthday!
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Yes the climb to the summit is only 50 metres of ascent and gives some lovely views to Cornwall one way and into Dartmoor proper the other way.
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Happy birthday!
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