I’ll let you into a secret, one of the best sunsets you can get is from Barn Hill Rocks at this time of year. I’ve made it a bit of a pilgrimage to always try an evening walk, where a sunset is guaranteed, to this place around the summer solstice time. This place never fails.…
A better day Sunday than the previous walk on Saturday (click here), thankfully a bit of sunshine and dryness. This area can be a bit of a trudge, so I tried to pick bits of interest in between to lighten the long grass, boggy trudge and hardly any paths that you get from Avon Head…
We’ve had a bit of a grotty start to the late spring/summer time down here in the south west. After a pretty dry May, June started with very heavy rain and strong winds. This weekend was no different, especially the Saturday. We needed a walk and the weatherman promised drier weather to the south west…
This was a good walk after the morning rain had been and the next day rains arrived with vengeance. I don’t think however that I’ve been on Shell Top or Lee Moor without at least a shower, and today was no different, it lashed down for 10 minutes and then left as quick as it…
A bank holiday and previous week filled with scares, hospital visits and no thoughts to walking. My dad was taken ill last week and ended up in hospital with a heart attack. Thankfully he’s recovered now and he’s on the road to recovery after having a number of stents put in. By bank holiday Monday…
Another walk in an area I wanted to come back to and this time with some added on bits and new things that I’ve wanted to go and look at. Lakehead Hill is one of these places, with plenty of antiquated cists, cairns and a stone row to keep people happy, Bellever Clapper is a…
Today I went looking for the lost tors of Dartmoor. Alongside the River Tavy around Mary Tavy there are at least 5 tors that don’t get a great deal of exposure. The trees cover them and they don’t stand out like a Great Mis Tor or Haytor. Now some of these tors sit on private…
I’ve been meaning to come to this area for a few weeks to see the bluebells and finally I managed to sort a walk in this area. It was 10 tors weekend, so knowing anywhere around Okehampton and Merrivale ranges would be packed full of teenagers doing brilliant things on the western side of Dartmoor,…
May bank holiday weekend had started well weather wise, Friday I was at a beer festival in Newton Abbot and the weather was dry and warm. Saturday was the same with blue skies thrown in, unfortunately the effects of Friday meant a good walk was not happening!! Sunday however it poured down, the forecast for…
This walk was done the same day as the previous walk around Lustleigh Cleave. The weather was good, the sun still shining and gave a good chance of decent sunset. This area around Peek Hill is fantastic for a sunset and an evening stroll, nothing too difficult in distance or gradient, but extensive views to…
This is one of the areas I’d wanted to return to and I’ve been excited about coming back here for a while now. Partly to improve a walk I’ve done before but mainly to stand on Harton Chest again. The last time I came here was to bag the 4 tors along the ridge, which…
I said back at the start of the year that I needed to do some more walking in Cornwall and in particular on Bodmin Moor. So Easter Sunday came and I set out for Minions. Now this isn’t a joke, there is a place on Bodmin Moor called Minions, and the signpost into the village…
Back at home after a week in The Lakes and back on Dartmoor soil. Have to say since being back I’ve had the post holiday blues, not really wanting to do too much. The weather has been fine, the nights are drawing out and all is set for outside things. I set myself a simple…
Ok, before anyone shouts this isn’t quite the Newlands Round. I’ve done Catbells previously so this allowed me to park in Little Town and head up to Hause Gate and onto Maiden Moor, thus missing out a short part. Still this is still a pretty big walk and gives one of the best views in…
I’d been planning this walk for a while, I’d neglected the eastern fells, picking at the Mell Fells or Arnison Crag on one off walks that didn’t really do the area justice. The plan was to walk the Helvellyn ridge, Clough Head to Seat Sandal 10 fells in a line (11 if you venture off…
A week off work for me, usually means a packed rucksack and bag, followed by a 400 mile drive the the Lake District. The first week of April was such a week for me and I picked the right one to go up. The weather was good, just two cloudy days and a bit of…
Finally Spring has arrived, lots of sunshine, warmer temperatures and a busier Dartmoor as a result!! This was a walk in a popular area but away from the crowds and avoiding the busier paths, the route out from Postbridge to Stannon Farm allows a quieter approach to the East Dart waterfall, and the area of…
Something different today, the weather on the moors hasn’t been the best this week and doesn’t look like changing for a fair few more days at least. Strong winds, low cloud and lots of drizzle seem to be the order of the day. However today the weather on the coast was forecast to be dry…
I’m enjoying this go where I want element to my walking at the moment. For the previous year the task has been to finish the tors on my list. Now I have the freedom of Dartmoor again! This walk started out as probably 5 or 6 miles, however I added on lots of extra parts,…
The weather this week has hit typical winter weather, probably the type we would normally associate with November. A freezing cold strong wind, rain then sun, followed by black cloud with hail, sunny patches, then rain and then sun to follow. Pack every type of clothing!! This was one of those days, it rained 3…
Well, I’m here to start another round of my tors and this is the first of the walks. The question I have is, when you’ve completed a list and you want to do it again, do you start again from 0 having done none of the hills, tors or whatever. Or do you count the ones…
I’m still not sure why I left this one until last on my list, and having walked to Quintins Man last week, I thought at the time that I should have made that one my last. However here I am. The last one on my list of 287 Dartmoor tors, hills and rocks that I…
I’d had a few ideas of routes to get to my true target on this walk, Quintins Man. I could have started from Postbridge, Rowtor or Fernworthy, I chose the latter as it gave a better circular walk than the others, which ultimately turned out to be a loop around Great Varracombe. I wasn’t certain…
Waking up this morning and seeing a few flakes of snow falling I knew there would be a bit on Dartmoor. There wasn’t much snow in the forecast and what there was would probably not last long. Time to get the shoes on and wrap up warm and up to a good spot, I headed…
I’d been getting cabin fever with all the bad weather recently, finally though we had a weather window at a weekend and I took the chance to bag one of the remaining 3 tors on my list. Hedge Tor is a bit of a lesser tor in an area full of the big hitter spots…
I quite like this area of Dartmoor, this is as remote as you will get on the south moor, and like last week’s walk up Langcombe Brook there was a bleakness and a beauty about the place. Foxtor Mires in the sunshine is a great place, and I’d never been to Caters Beam or Nakers…
One of my remaining walks to finish my list and I didn’t really pick the best day for it. I headed out in weather that we have had down here now for 10 days or so. even my previous two walks had similar weather in the main. Parts of this walk will be stunning in…
Like the last walk this one was a bit of a tidy up exercise to complete my Dartmoor tors list, after this I’ll have 5 left.. There were two walks, and a couple of darts to grab two more, which made 7 for the day. The five I have left will all be single walks…
This was a series of walks to get nearer to finishing off my list of Dartmoor Tors. To be honest it will always be the way when bagging hills on a list. There’s always a few at the end that need tidying up, I don’t apologise for this series of parking and bagging of the…
It has been a good year for me out on the tors of Dartmoor and the fells of the Lake District. Looking back I’ve walked about 330 miles, give or take, in 74 separate walks, which I’m really pleased with. I’ve had some fantastic walks and some not so (one in particular on Lee Moor…
The final walk of 2016 and the weather was as good as it will ever get (except maybe a bit of snow). The views were very clear, the sky as blue as it can be and no wind at all. The boys and I had a quick sprint up North Hessary Tor and back, starting…
As with many people, I was in need of a walk after the excess of Christmas and to get some fresh air. Starting from Shipley Bridge gives plenty of options including this one to an area not visited before and then to my favourite named tor on Dartmoor, Wacka Tor! The boys were in high…
An afternoon walk with the boys to pick off a couple of tors in the south part of Dartmoor that I hadn’t done. I had hoped of having a good look at the two stone rows here, Staldon and Burford, however the daylight was fading fast on a grey day and the River Erme was…
It was a beautiful day, a real walking day. I took the boys to a place that I’d wanted to get to for a while, Willsworthy Firing Range. I’d seen it from a distance many times, and heard it plenty, however I’d not walked beside the range or up to White Hill. This one ticks…
This turned into a walk which circumnavigated Cosdon Hill, whilst picking up all the tors in the area that I’ve missed for one reason or another. I started out from Shilstone Tor and made a careful plan to avoid as much of the soggy ground as possible. You are never going to be totally dry…
A walk around northern Dartmoor, and a part I’ve not visited before. When you head up along the road to Okehampton Camp your eyes are drawn to the higher tors of West Mill Tor and Yes Tor, as a result you speed past the hills and tors around Moor Brook and the East Okement River.…
I wanted to get out with the boys for a walk this weekend however the weather wasn’t playing ball. Whilst the rest of the country seemed to bask in cold clear blue skies, the south west and in particular Dartmoor, held hazy, claggy cloud that stayed too low for good views or any views at…
A calm day on Dartmoor and a chance to get out. I originally wanted to go further north east, more around Moretonhampstead, but time didn’t allow so I opted for something nearer. Venford Reservoir is a favourite of mine and North Tor gives great plunging views down into the Dart valley. The reservoir was very…
A quick walk on a Saturday that didn’t hold much hope for the weather, but which gave a window for me and the boys to get out for a bit. A short walk was needed and this is a hill I’ve not been on before. Brent Hill is distinctive when driving along the A38 from…
First walk back after a week in the Lake District and almost got caught out by the earlier nightfall. Had to get a bit of a wiggle on whilst crossing Hameldown and not too much of a stop at Grimspound in order to make it back with 20 minutes to spare before dark. I also…
The final walk of a week in the Lakes was up a fairly simple fell on the side of Thirlmere which takes me to 89 Wainwrights done. The tracks heading up through the woods are steep but the distance is pretty short and it doesn’t take much more than 90 minutes to get up and…
This was to be my big walk of the week and it didn’t disappoint. I’d neglected the Far Eastern Wainwrights during the 80 odd I’d done so far and decided this holiday to put that right. I’d fashioned two walks of 5 and 7 fells each, one that took in Steel Fell, Wether Hill, Loadpot…
Third day in the Lakes and the weather was just how you want it at this time of year, sunny and a nice nip in the air, with plenty of colour on the trees to give you some nice photos. To be honest I only took my phone with me but the walk itself was…
Another week in the Lakes, although this ones a bit different. I’m staying in Keswick this time, in order to take advantage of the pubs and eateries on the doorstep and I won’t be walking as much as I normally do when I’m up here. However my first day here and I’m doing a walk…
I thought I’d had my last evening walk a couple of weeks ago at Great Mis Tor however I managed to squeeze another one in, on a day when the rain was supposed to pour. Luckily for me the weather reporters were wrong and I enjoyed a walk in probably my most walked area on…
I’ve driven past this area quite a few times and always continued on towards Okehampton Camp or Meldon Reservoir, however this time I stopped and took in a walk. This area is kind of sandwiched in between, Great Links Tor and the many great tors around it, to the south, and Yes Tor and High…
After a busy weekend there was time for an evening walk. To be fair I wasn’t expecting to do the whole walk in a t-shirt nor was I expecting the superb sunset from the top of Great Mis Tor to finish with. I’ve not really got on with Great Mis Tor in the past, I’ve…
Just a quick walk this afternoon and nothing too strenuous. Its been a while since I’ve actually been to the top of Wigford Down, I normally skirt the flanks of the hill between the Dewerstone and Cadover, but this time I made it the focal point of the walk. At the same time I took…
I’d planned this walk for a while and never managed to get here, always heading elsewhere, higher places that on paper seem more exciting. To be honest I don’t know this little part of Dartmoor very well, I’ve always headed on to Haytor or Hameldown, or not come over this far from Plymouth and stopped…
A quick evening walk in the area around Burrator reservoir, taking in some of the smaller tors at the southern end of the reservoir. This is an ideal walk for when you haven’t much time and the views are brilliant as you walk along the old railway track above the reservoir. This walk also summits…
I’d done a similar walk to this in November last year (here) and this time wanted to find the Shovel Stone, which isn’t marked on the map but I know is in the area. I’d done a bit of internet digging beforehand which brought up conflicting photos of the stone itself. All I could tell…
I’ve been pretty busy recently, that’s not to say I haven’t been out, far from it. Its the updating of the site that has got left behind, 3 weeks since my last post!! I’ve finally got round to posting this walk from the first week in September and it was a cracker. 11 miles, some…
I had time for a quick walk just after lunch before needing to be somewhere later in the afternoon. I misjudged the length of the walk really, particularly the part between leaving Easdon Tor and getting to Langstone. From that point I was looking for paths because at this time of year the bracken on…
I’ve been looking at the tors on my list that I’ve yet to tick off, two in the centre were standing out, Arch Tor and Flat Tor. Looking at them on a map you’d think the link between them was simple. Far from it, this is Dartmoor after all. This is tough ground, very little…
This was my first proper walk after coming back from the Lakes. Nothing too tricky or too far but an area I haven’t been before, around the Blackbrook River and somewhere I have been around, in Royal Hill. Like much of Dartmoor at the moment the grass is long, the bracken is high and thus…
Time for something a little different, this was my last day on holiday before heading back to work the next day. I’d not been to Bigbury for a while and whilst the car park charges are steep its a good place for a little walk, especially across to Burgh Island. The tide was just about…
I’d had a day in Exeter on a course, as I’d been a naughty boy when driving a smidge too fast on the Llanberis Pass on my trip to Snowdonia back in early June (see here). As a result I’d had tea in Exeter before heading back along the A38. The weather was gorgeous and a bright…
This turned out to be our last walk in the Lakes this week, the weather on the Thursday turned to heavy rain and Friday we were leaving. Still this is a fine ending to our week of walks. As many know this is the smallest of the Wainwrights, standing under 300metres it would normally be…
This was our fourth walk in 4 days, all of about the same length. Unlike the other walks though we didn’t stay dry on this one thanks to a heavy shower as we left Helm Crag. This is an iconic walk in the Lake District, the Lion and the Lamb (as seen best from the…
Third day of our Lake District week and we’ve plumped for an easier walk with some interest for the boys. There had been rain overnight and Aira Force has been on my list for a while. So it was off to the Eastern Fells for a look at the waterfall plus a walk up Gowbarrow…
As is tradition for our week in the Lakes we all walk together at least once. Some go all the way around the route, some stop at a certain point and head back. The only rule seems to be get to the point where the family photo is taken and then the day is yours!…
This is the first walk of our annual week in the Lake District, I make no apologies (to Dartmoor) when I say I love this place. Yes there are higher places, more remote places, however when I’m heading past Lancaster and the high fells come into view I feel happy, very happy. After a horrific…
Time for one more walk before I head to the Lake District for a week. As is customary before I head to high ground I tend to at least have a walk that will test the legs or at worst put some mileage into them. this walk turned out to be perfect, around 12 miles,…
This was just a quick impromptu visit to a tor on Dartmoor whilst driving back from Exeter, after all the moorland scenery is far better than the A38!! This tor sits right beside to road that leads from Holne to Two Bridges, so a quick stop in the car park and a wander and then…
After only having one evening walk this year so far, I had two in two days. Yesterday evening I was with the boys around Hucken Tor, and this evening I’ve decided to make a loop around the head of the Cowsic River. Now I have to admit this isn’t really my favourite area to walk,…
The weather was good (I don’t like to say too hot as I only moan when the weather is inclement!) and we decided a quick picnic on the moor followed by a walk was in order. We ate at Cadover Bridge with the boys having a dunk in the river, not intentional, more they fell…
After a night out on the beer (other refreshments are available!) I needed a walk the next day. The mind was willing but the body was weak, so it took me until 4pm to get myself together and get out the door. My navigational skills do not improve with a hangover, so it took me…
It had been a couple of weeks since my last walk and I was getting itchy feet. I’d planned on returning to this area, as my last walk here resulted in getting soaked and the cloud dropping completely on the last two tors, meaning I had to cut short the walk. This walk allowed me…
Most walks in the area will provide you with a good chance of seeing human’s history on the moor. In this case it was going back as far as 5000 years ago and the settlements at Drizzlecombe, alongside the 19th century mining at Eylesbarrow and finally the 17th century rabbit warren house at Ditsworthy. There…
Time for a quick walk today and back to my favourite stretch of water on Dartmoor. Last time I was here I headed up to Ryders Hill from this point, however today was a more leisurely walk, with barely any ascent to talk about followed by a lovely circuit of the reservoir. Bliss.
First walk back after being away for a few days in Snowdonia, which showed up the differing terrains in these two places. Dartmoor with its boggy ground, grassy hills and, more often than not, gently sloping tors. Against Snowdonia with its bare rock, steep climbs and many Llyns (lakes). Both in their own way have…
Coming to Snowdonia for the first time I was looking for a walk that would give me a flavour of what this area was about. There is the obvious Snowdon walk, or the Snowdon Horseshoe. There is the Carnedds or the Glyders or possibly Moel Siabod. In the end I decided that the Glyders would…
I had a call from some friends who were down for the week, just over the border in Cornwall. they wanted a walk on Dartmoor, which would a) tire the kids out a bit, b) take in a leat and finally show them some tors and rocks. I figured Burrator was a good starting point…
Some days you head out for a walk and the conditions around you mean that you change your mind and decide to either, cut short the walk, or change the route. Today was one of those days, what should have been a nice little walk to Penn Beacon, was changed, due to thick haze which…
Slightly different from the norm for me, no Dartmoor, no tors and no bogs this time. Instead it was a trip after work with a BBQ to the beach to catch the teatime sunshine and have a some fun. We headed for Wembury Point, mainly because its quieter than Wembury beach itself but also so…
treksandtors 