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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Whereas last Sunday we had beautiful weather on our walk above Burrator (here), this one was a bit of a washout. It started perfectly fine, with sunshine and the thoughts of a quick 30 minute ramble and some nice views. However the weather decided it couldn’t make its mind up and thought it would also…
At last a bit of sunny, warm weather. We’d eaten down the road at the Burrator Inn and a quick little walk was in order. This is a highly recommended stroll for those with little experience of Dartmoor as it is all within 500 metres of the road and the car. Also it gives you some…
This was my first walk after work this year, the weather in the day promised much however once out of Plymouth and up above Ivybridge it became clear that any view was going to be a hazy one. As a result the photos aren’t the best but its an area I love walking in and…
Today I wanted a simple walk, not too far, some nice views and somewhere new. All of today’s route was new ground to me, 3 tors I haven’t been on before, decent views despite the haze and finally warm enough for just a t-shirt!! Having finished the walk I was a little disappointed I didn’t…
Bank Holiday weekend and one good day which allowed for one quick walk (here), however the Sunday didn’t look a wash out so I headed to the eastern side of Dartmoor and hopefully I would hang on to the drier weather for longer. As it was it drizzled a bit and the cloud dropped but…
Another beautiful day on a Saturday and to earn our lunch a quick walk was in order. These two tors are probably the closest to Plymouth and therefore the easiest to get to. The walk itself isn’t much more than 30 minutes, although the views back to Plymouth Sound and out to sea may make…
I was heading for a day out in Tavistock and decided that a nice walk at Burrator would build up an appetite for lunch! An easy walk to Down Tor was planned, giving lovely views back to Burrator reservoir. I’ve said a number of times that this is my favourite tor on Dartmoor due to…
The first proper long walk this year, with the clocks going back, daylight is longer and the weather is getting more favourable. I have neglected the north eastern corner of Dartmoor, particularly around Belstone so this was a walk to put it right. I took in 9 new tops, plus a couple of stone circles…
The weather was set fair for the weekend and after a big lunch we decided on a walk help digest the food! I’ve been up North Hessary Tor before , however I’ve never been to the two satellite tors that sit on its north western side. This walk isn’t more than an hour and involves…
Another week in Devon where the weather was better in the week (when I was in work) than it is at the weekend (when I’m not). This weekend strong winds, of around 50mph, were forecast, however I thought I’d see what happened regarding the weather. As it was, some sun shone in Plymouth and I…
Storm Katie was due to hammer Britain this Easter weekend, however the worst of it seemed to miss the south west. The winds were brisk but not horrible, and when Sunday came and the skies had some blue in them I decided a walk was in order. Unfortunately the weather in Plymouth is not the…
This walk was pretty much over similar ground to Sunday’s walk, only I headed round to Roos Tor and past Cox Tor, instead of going towards Lynch Tor this time. The weather was absolutely superb, warm enough for just a t shirt and a bit of a tan!!! It was a shame I couldn’t lengthen…
It had been such a good week, weather wise, and it seemed right to get out again for another long walk. This one allowed for some new tops for me as well as an old favourite. Unfortunately the weather, whilst dry, was absolutely bitter and a reminder that spring isn’t quite here yet!! I’d also…
Not a great deal of spare time today but we managed a quick walk out to Brisworthy Stone Circle and back. It was absolutely bitter in the wind and compared to last week’s t shirt weather, it was a bit of a shock. I guess it is only March after all!! It’s only a 15 minute…
The weather was good, me and the boys had eaten lunch and a quick stroll was in order. Despite the youngest’s protests!! Leeden Tor is barely a 10 minute walk up from the busy car parks on the B3212 but the views up to Cox Tor, the Staple Tors and Princetown are brilliant. Especially if…
The weather was decent and I had time for a quick walk out to Ditsworthy Warren House. The walk isn’t more than a 40 minute stroll and covers hardly any distance really. Having been in the Lakes the previous week it was good to be back on home turf, shame I didn’t have time to…
Finally the weather turned, after a horrible Saturday with high winds and heavy rain, Sunday broke with blue skies. Another storm was heading in from the Atlantic bringing more horrible stuff so a quick walk was needed this morning. I headed to Two Bridges and took advantage of the easy walk up to Crockern Tor…
Well there was a bit of snow on Dartmoor, however with things to do on a Saturday morning it was mid afternoon before we got up to it. A lot had melted, some made into snowmen and enough thrown at me by my boys!!! It was a bit of fun, a short walk and a…
The weather said it should be decent with rain coming in after lunch, so a quick walk was devised from Bel Tor corner over to Mel Tor and then along the Two Moors Way, returning back along the road through Poundsgate. It was lovely to be out and the bonus was the weather was even…
Since early November sunny days in this part of the world have been extremely rare. Rain and strong winds from the south west have arrived day after day. Finally though we had one good day which meant one final walk in 2015. The original plan was start near Bonehill Rocks walk through Widecombe and up…
This is a walk I try to do every year at least once. It’s a fabulous area and an easy walk, giving a taster to everything that is good about walking on Dartmoor. You get a nice moorland area across Wigford Down, fantastic views from the Dewerstone and Devil’s Rocks, history and victorian industry with…
Yet again the weather has been against me and the chances to get out have been fleeting, after a calm Sunday morning I looked out the window and noticed that it hadn’t rained!! Time for a walk. Nothing too far, a couple of miles, but enough to remove the cobwebs. Trowlesworthy Warren used to be…
Considering the amount of rain that has fallen in November it would have been foolish to at least not have attempted a walk to one of the waterfalls on Dartmoor. I considered Lydford Gorge or perhaps Becky Falls but plumped for an old favourite in East Dart Waterfall. The only question would be could I…
Let’s face it, it has been miserable in November. However finally the weather broke and I had chance for two quick walks, the first was up Cox Tor and the second a cracking little walk with my two boys around Peek Hill. My eldest tried out my old camera that I have given to them and…
It had been over a fortnight since my last walk in The Lake District on Souther Fell and I needed to get out. The problem was in that time the rain had pounded down for 2 weeks solid and there was no sign of a halt. Enough was enough though and a simple walk around some…
This wasn’t the walk that was planned for this weekend, originally I had ear marked Cosdon Hill to Hangingstone Hill as the walk for today. However when I joined the A30 at Okehampton, having driven through some sunshine around Lydford, I hit low cloud and grey skies. I turned around and headed back to Lake…
This is a second go at a walk I tried a few weeks ago, it was the end of a good week of weather and Saturday was forecast as the last decent day. In the end it turned out to be very hazy and the cloud came over towards the end. However it was finally…
It has been a while since I’ve taken a walk along the ridge to one of my favourite tors, Longaford Tor. I decided to lengthen the walk a bit and add in Higher and Lower White Tors before heading to Rough Tor. I still wanted to return along the Devonport Leat which meant a visit to…
Yep that’s right there’s a Snowdon on Dartmoor!! Unfortunately it’s not as exciting as its Welsh namesake but you can’t have everything. I set out from the very pretty Venford Reservoir and headed up to Horn’s Cross before setting off for Ryder’s Hill. The walk was going well until I started out for Snowdon where…
The plan today was to head for Great Links Tor and possibly Bleak House and beyond if the weather was ok. However the forecast to clear up after midday did not materilise on the western side of Dartmoor. In fact some water must have been put down last night as it was running like rivers…
treksandtors 