King Tor and Hookney Tor

/ 2 hours ago 06/02/2026

So January had been soggier than a teabag recently taken from the cup, and we moved into February, where surely the weather would get better. This might turn out to be true but for the first week (as I type) its rained every day, again. The weather forecast promised much for this day, damp low cloud in the morning, but by 1pm, clearing skies and only blue above for 3pm onwards. So we set off for somewhere safe, on the moor, but with good paths, just incase. We parked up near the Warren House Inn with expectations, the weather looked ok, there were cloud breaks and it seemed like the forecast might be good. We booted up and set off through the Vitifer Mine complex towards Grimspound, with the sun occasionally breaking through around us, all was looking good. The amount of rain recently was clear as we reached Grimspound, with normal grassy paths now a running stream of water, so we took a wide line and pushed on to King Tor. The cloud lowered and a bit of mizzle fell as we headed to the tor, the wind picked up as well and we arrived at King Tor and immediately headed for some shelter. The top outcrop allowed us to have a sandwich and coffee with a bit of protection, as the cloud obscured the views and swirled around. I managed to grab a few photos and then we headed away to Hookney Tor, were the weather was clear, but the mizzle was still around. The tor is a good one, great outcrops, good views along valleys and below a gem of a historic place. All that was left was to follow the Two Moors Way back to the car, via Bennet’s Cross and another coffee sat in the warm. Unfortunately for us the sun and blue skies came out as we walked the Two Moors Way, giving us some lovely colour at the end of the day but also right at the end of the walk, about 2 hours after forecast. So overall a very good route, but the weather wasn’t playing ball and the views off King Tor were missed (they are very good). One to park under a missed opportunity and a revisit needed.

Start – Bennet’s Cross parking

Route – Vitifer Mine – Headland Warren – Headland Warren Farm – Grimspound – King Tor – Hookney Tor – Two Moors Way – Bennet’s Cross – Warren House

Distance – 5.5 miles   Start time – 11.50am  Time taken – 3hrs  Highest Point – Hookney Tor 493 metres

Weather – Cloud, drizzle, bit of sunshine, windy

© Crown copyright 2026 Ordnance Survey FL 2026 SF
A bit grey overhead, but no rain so hopes are high for clearing weather as per the forecast. The Warren House Inn is up there on the right
Looking the other way and the direction of our walk. Hameldown is at the back
Walking amongst the old Vitifer tin mine with Birch Tor ahead on the hill
At the bottom we cross the start of the West Webburn River and its a bit wet and all over the place here, streams running in from every angle due to the deluges in January
The white building in the distance is the Warren House and the Vitifer Mines are all around us, including Chaw Gully
We’ve come from the left and are heading right, Challacombe Farm is another route from here
Grimspound is ahead, Hameldown Tor up to the right
Erm, streams around Grimspound, not normally here on the paths. Challacombe Down is at the back
King Tor in a brief break from the low cloud and mizzle. Not long before it returns though
Linda walking into the mist. Hookney Tor is in that direction, honest
Looking back to King Tor, honest
Glowing thing in the sky
Hookney Tor and some views south along Challacombe
Hookney Tor
I really like these outcrops of Hookney Tor and views to the west towards Princetown
The circle of Grimspound from Hookney Tor, you can see the path rising to Hameldown beyond Grimspound
Challacombe from the Two Moors Way
Looking north from the same spot. Its sort of clearing in that direction. The weather was coming this from this way, which may have been the issue today, as the forecast had a westerly/north westerly wind, but it was more north/north easterly
Sunburst as we crest the hill. The weather to the west was a bit better than our area
Here comes the sun, Challacombe Down on the left and Soussons Forest on the right
Bennet’s Cross
Lovely to finish as we reach the car, some sun hits Birch Tor and Hameldown. All in all the weather came too late but we still had fun and the area is stacked full of things to see. There are two stone rows we didn’t visit, plenty of other tors and even Grimspound, where we only skipped past. We were ticking off tors here and as such we succeeded.

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