Wednesday 29th May Belstone

We started from Belstone on our annual trip to the top end of the moor.  After a bright sunny morning the cloud had come in and we set off down the lane...

...where there is this dry stone wall but with a wooden top!

Soon we came out at the beginning of Taw Marsh.  Steeperton Tor stands tall overlooking Taw Marsh.  Oke Tor is on the right.

We went to have close look at this disused underground water plant which was built as a result of the 1959 North Devon Water Act when permission was given to extract water from Taw Marsh.  The problem was that there was too much radon gas in the water and this plant was built to aerate  the water and remove the radon gas.

Skylights illuminate the underground plant

It looks like most of the plant is still intact - this photo is taken through on of the two entrances at each end.

This one is taken looking down into the workings through a broken skylight

We followed the track which led up to Oke Tor.

Looking across to Metheral Hill

On to Oke Tor where...

The military, complete with machine gun were having a training exercise, having established a good look out position on top of the tor.

Looking south from Oke Tor towards Steeperton Tor.

Our route back was along the ridge line with Knattborough Tor in the foreground and Belstone Tor in the far distance.

To the west the sun was setting over Cornwall as the rain came down on us for the final part of the walk...

...to The Tors in Belstone.

With John, Jon, Pete, Mike and Nigel