My Dartmoor Walks: October 2016

Wednesday Evening 26th October - Cramber Tor

Out from Black Tor car park to Black Tor then over the aqueduct, Raddick Hill and up to Cramber Tor. Across to the trig point and through the squelchy moor and on to South Hessary. Back past Hart Tor, the stone row, the ford and on to the cars. The Burrator Inn was closed but The Rock was open. With Mike, Stella and Kevin

Tuesday 25th October - Bellever

Lots of fog and mist as we drove over Dartmoor to Postbridge. The plan had been to walk out to the waterfall on the East Dart but the heavy rain meant that it would probably have been difficult to get across the river so we took the other route out to Bellever Tor.

Initially through the woods.

Then out on to the open moor.

Around the edge of the woods and past the cist.

Gently up to Bellever Tor as the mist started to melt away

Back over Bellever

Towards Princetown

South towards Ter Hill. On Bellever Tor we met a German family out walking for the day with nothing more than a guide book and also a lady from Denmark walking back to Princetown without map or a book. We gave them the best directions we could but were just relieved that the forecast was good for the rest of the day - otherwise there would be a very good chance of them getting completely lost!

Then across to Laughter Tor with Hamel Down in the distance.

Down the hill to the track.

Back towards Bellever and the East Dart river.

Autumn in all it glory

Up the steeper bit to the track back....

...to Postbridge.

On to the Prince of Wales all decked out and ready for Halloween with spiders descending at random from the ceiling. An excellent lunch as usual.

With David, Peter, Charlie, Terry and Brenda

Tuesday 18th October - Dartmeet

We started from Dartmeet taking the steeper route up to the top of Yar Tor. A fresh clear morning with a very autumnal feel to it.

On Yar Tor looking to Hamel Down....

...towards Bellever

Down past the stone row and up to the memorial to Lieutenant Penny aged 19 who died in Palestine in 1918 'whilst commanding his men'.

On to Corndon Tor - looking south to Sharp Tor....

...east to Ripon Tor

A shower over Fernworthy forest.

...towards Buckland Beacon

Along the ridge to Cathanger Rock, a small tor not marked on the os map.

Down to Sherwell

Over the little clapper bridge to follow the East Dart back to Dartmeet.

BBC Spotlight were at Dartmeet where there were doing an item on BT's decision to remove many of the phone boxes from Dartmoor. They asked for an interview - Jane and Charlie volunteered. It was broadcast during the evening programme and very well they both did too.

Lunch was at Badgers Holt - a place which most of us haven't been too for a long time! With Brenda, Jane, Charlie, Peter and Tom

Friday 14th October - Fernworthy Reservoir Uncovered

Work commenced on building Fernworthy reservoir in 1936 and it was completed in 1942. In the process this little bridge and a nearby clapper bridge were covered by the waters. I would estimate about 6 - 8 feet under the water when the reservoir is full. Just occasionally following low levels of rainfall when the water levels go down the bridges are exposed again. I haven't seen them before and obviously I don't know when they will exposed again so this walk was to have a closer look at what has been revealed.

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An early start. I parked by the Warren House Inn and walked up to the cairn on Water Hill in a thick Dartmoor mist, it was quite cool too.

On to Assycombe Hill to...

...the gate into the forest.

Lots of forestry work has been going causing the deeply rutted tracks. Several deer appeared at this point but as usual were much too fast for my camera.