Wednesday 25th March Lee Moor

A very different walk today which took us into the heart of the China Clay Works on the south-western edge of the moor. Starting from the car park next to the Lee Moor works.

We headed off in the direction of Crewhill Tor and then took a diversion to the waterfall on Tory Brook. This is a place where there once would have been a huge water wheel but I wasn't able to get any photographs of this.

We didn't go to Crewhill Tor and headed instead to the remains of Broomage farm. The original farm dates from the 13th century.

On the left are the remains of a huge barn and on the right is where the farmhouse was. 

From here through the fields to the edge of Headon China Clay Works. China clay has been mined on this part of Dartmoor for 200 years and there are some huge areas which have been worked and now have a 'moonscape' appearance. I haven't been this close to an actual working area for a long time.

The area here behind the works has been rebuilt with waste from the excavations. It looks unreal and to me it is simply 'reconstituted' moorland of the worst kind.

We then went down to one of the many small reservoirs.  The china clay is obtained by using high-pressure hoses and this is one of the reservoirs which are used to provide the water.

A view here across arable land, mine workings and another area of 'reconstituted' moor land.

Next  to this war memorial which marks the place that a Sterling Bomber which came down on 2st August 1947.

Just behind the memorial on a tree can be seen where a cross was made in the bark for the original memorial.

Next to the memorial a giant digger was scratching out the brambles on the edge of the field. Difficult to understand how this could be a cost-effective exercise!

















We started to head back.

Lunch was at the Whitethorn in Shaugh Prior.  With Anne, Brenda, Sue, Linda and Jon.