Saturday 21st March River Walkham

What a difference a day makes. Finally after several days with the hazy 'smoggy' atmosphere, it all gets blown away and is replaced with fresh clear air. A late afternoon walk in the bright sunshine with  fine clear views.

I used the small car park below Little Staple Tor and headed across to the River Walkham valley. My destination was the Grimstone Head Weir - a place I hadn't visited before.

Around the enclosed land with Great Mis Tor in the distance.

Looking back.

I followed the leat going past this ford..

The weir came into view.  The valley is quite deeply incised at this point.

This has to be one of the smallest and most perfectly formed weirs on Dartmoor. The weir takes water off the River Walkham to feed the Grimstone and Sortridge leat.

It became obvious that the reason I had not been here before is because there is no obvious route or path across the moor at this point and this would not be the easiest place to cross the river.

I followed the river upstream for a short distance and decided to head off to the Stone Circle on Langstone Moor

Looking back.

Just before the stone circle there is the remains of a Bronze Age settlement and you can just see the outer wall of the settlement behind the range marker.

Here the outer wall of the settlement can be seen more clearly.

In the centre of the settlement - the remains of a hut circle.

Just above this is the Stone Circle with  Roos Tor and Great Staple Tor in the distance.

An alternative view with Great Mis Tor in the distance.

I headed back along the ridge to Roos Tor and Great Staple Tor. 

Across to King Tor and Foggintor Quarry

Finally the view across the road to Vixen Tor

Tuesday 17th March Around Fernworthy Forest

A much longer walk today with Tom starting from the Warren House Inn.  First up to the cairn on Water Hill just above the Warren House Inn. Our walk was going to take around the western and northern edge of the forest which can be seen below disappearing into the distance below.  Another generally dull and grey day but with a few 'splashes' of sunshine.

A good view from here looking south east to the area I walked last Tuesday.

There are  couple of steep gullies around the edge and this is the first.

Just ahead of the second gulley. Sittaford Tor is on the extreme left.

Steeply down and up again.

One of the many routes into the forest.

Looking back to Sittaford Tor on the right and stone cirles of  Grey Wethers on the left.

Around the north west corner with Teignhead Farm in the distance.

Finally into the forest beolow Thornworthy Tor where we took a break.

Down to the end of the road and finally up the long path back to the top of Assycombe Hill...

....to the exit gate at the top and the short walk back...

... to the Cairn. And we didn't visit one tor on the way.

We headed into the Warren House Inn for lunch ariving at 2.39 only to be told that the kitchen closed at 2.30 and no food was available.  This might have been acceptable if the landlord hadn't told us this with a smile and an air of great glee! On a recent previous walk one of our group and an unfortunate experience with this landlord and we now have to consider carefully adding this pub to the 'banned list'.  This would  be a great pity given its position on the moor.

Hookney Tor Tuesday 10th March

A solo walk today starting from the Warren House Inn.  A short walk along the side of the road to Bennets Cross.

I followed the easier track up to Birch Tor when a low flying Naval helecopter went past.

On to Birch Tor with this fine few across the moor - the Warren House Inn is on the right.

Looking towards Challacombe Hill

I cut back across to the Two Moors Way and headed over to Hookney Down and then a short walk up to.....

Hookney Tor

Across Dartmoor with heavily gouged out girts where men worked hard to extract tin.

 Just below is the Bronze Age settlement of Grimspound.

From here up the valley to the  memorial which commemorates the loss of Hampden X3054 which crashed on 22nd March 1941.

A short walk back up the other side of the valley to Hameldown Tor.

Down and through Grimspound

Around Headland Warren Farm and...

...backack on the path below Birch Tor

Wednesday 11th February Great Links Tor

Another dull day as we set out from High Down

To the stepping stones, not much rain for a while so the rivers are very low.

Then up towards.........

....Doe Tor.  On the edge of but not in the Willsworthy firing range.  We could hear the 'rat-a-tat' sound of the guns clearly.






















Across to the old tin mining hut with Sharp tor and Hare Tor in the distance.

A coffee break.....

 ...and then through the Girts to Dick's Well before going up to.....




















...Great Links Tor.

Yes Tor and High Willhayes in the distance.

Down to Arms and across the path with Brat Tor in the distance.

A fine lunch at the Mary Tavy Inn. With John, Jon, Ian, Tim, Peter, Mike, Anne and Jane