Tuesday 5th July - Powdermills

From Two Bridges and up to Crockern Tor

Down to the road and along to Powdermills. This is the proving mortar which is on the left of the road as you go in. This was used to fire cannon balls to test the gunpowder.

Foxgloves in abundance.

On to the ruins of the gunpowder factory.

Longaford Tor in the distance.

The buildings are well spread out - presumably to mitigate damage in the event of an explosion. The buildings had very thick walls and flimsy roofs so that in the event of an explosion the blast would go upwards and cause less damage to the actual building.

Lots of people as we headed off towards the footpath through the bog.

The footpath through the bog can be seen clearly here.

Up to Longaford Tor looking across to Beardown Tor on the left and Crow Tor in the distance.

The other way towards Bellever Tor.

We sat outside for lunch at the Two Bridges Hotel. With Brenda, Stella, Anne, Terry, Charlie and Dianne,

Wednesday Evening 29th June - Warren House Inn

A wet evening as we headed out from the Warren House Inn towards Birch Tor

Rain over Soussons Down.

From Birch Tor looking back to the Warren House Inn

Over to the Two Moors Way and then up to Hookney Tor where the sheep were sheltering from the rain - they are not so stupid as we sometimes think.

Down the hill to Grimspound...

...where we took our break sheltering from the rain.

Then around Headland Warren Farm as the rain eased and the sky started to clear.

We continued on to Challacombe and back through the mine workings arriving at the Warren House Inn at 10.20 only to find that they had stopped serving at 10.00! This has not happened before so it was on to the Two Bridges Hotel but they had just closed their bar. Finally, we received a warm welcome at the Prince of Wales who are open until 11.00. With Mike, Stella, Jon, Brenda and Anne

I have since spoken to the Warren House Inn.  They changed their opening hours earlier this year but are prepared to stay open for walking groups if they have advance notice.

Tuesday 28th June Roughtor Planation

Busy at the start of our walk this morning with lots of cars making parking difficult. The walk today was more of an amble.

Firstly we headed off to the multiple stone circles. Sheeps Tor in the distance.

Next it was decided we would wander across to find Roughtor in the Roughtor Plantation.

Roughtor is spread out over a wide area with lots of outlying granite rocks. Trees have been planted all over it so it is in possible to see the whole of the tor in context.

We came out by this naturally formed 'crevasse' a steep and deep hole in the ground where the underlying granite has moved apart. I've not seen anything like this before on Dartmoor. Not a place to fall into!

Within the woods this ramp had been built some time ago for cycling over!

As we headed across to the settlement at Whittenknowles Rocks it started to rain and then it came down in abundance.

Heading back to the start.

An excellent lunch, as always in the Royal Oak at Meavy. With Jane, Gill, Anne, Terry, Brenda, Jon, Charlie and Tom

Out from Norsworthy Bridge and up to snappers Tor.

Over Down Tor to the circle and stone row, where Jon showed us the magic of the reversing stone again.

Up through the settlement, over the cairn towards Nuns Cross. The adit is shown here where it reappears from the underground tunnel.

Nearby is the disused farm building.

Nun's Cross and the farm

Down to Older Bridge where we followed the leat to....

Crazy Well Pool and had our lunch.

Back along Raddick Lane and past Leather Tor Bridge.

With Dianne, Jon, Brenda, Stella, Terry and Charlie.

Tuesday 31st May Easdon Tor

Another wonderful morning, a little cooler but the haze had disappeared.

We started just inside the gated road on Cripdon Down and headed up to Hayne Down Tor with this view across to Haytor Rocks on the left and Hound Tor on the right.

We were not alone!

The view down to Manaton....

... and across to Easdon Tor

Below us bluebells and buttercups.

Down to the magnificent Bowerman's Nose

Down again to the lanes which we followed for a while. This is looking back across the buttercups to Bowerman's Nose.

Eventually we came to the track which leads up to Easdon Tor but headed first to the cairn on the east side with this view of Figgie Daniel

Looking back to Honeybag Tor

Stopping on top of Easdon Tor for a coffee break - Hamel Down is in the distance.

Across to Haytor Rocks and Hound Tor.

Returning through the lanes before going up to Cripdon Down Tor.

A brand new stile but not particularly easy to use and very difficult for the dog Sonny because there is barbed wire just below the top step.

We made good time finishing the walk just before 1 o'clock and it was then onto the very busy Rugglestone Inn where we managed to get a table in the garden just before our food arrived.

With Jane, Terry, Charlie, Colin and Amber.