Wednesday 30th May King Tor and the Mariners Way

A lovely summer evening and six of us set out from Shapley Tor car park. Along the road down the hill to the Mariners Way - this footpath goes from Darmouth to Bideford.

Through the Devon meadows right on the edge of the moor...

...King Tor in the distance..

 ...through the field of rabbits - out playing in the evening sun.

 

Easdon Tor in the distance.

Past the very remote hamlets of Lower Hockner and Hethercombe and then...

...up the steeper bit to get to King Tor (214)

Across to Hookney Tor. From here you can see the Warren House Inn  so we set off at 'pub speed' to get back to the cars.  The pub is ready for the Jubilee.

With Stella, Mike, Irving, Pete and Anne.

Tuesday 29th May Trowlesworthy and the China Clay quarries

Starting from the car park beside the River Plym - a really hot summers day

Just off the track is Shadyback Tor (207).

On to Little Trowlesworthy Tor (208)

Between Little Trowlesworthy and Great Trowlesworthy Tor is this hugh millstone which someone took hours to make which has just been abandoned.

Great Trowlesworthy Tor (209)

Next stop was Shell Top in the far distance....

...around the end of this murky patch of water...

...and eventually Shell Top (210)

...with the China Clay workings behind.

Then down the hill to...

...Penn Beacon (211) where we stopped for lunch...

...observing the clay workings.  Started in 1831 and now huge holes in the ground.

There is something about these which are ugly and attractive at the same time.

Down again to Rook Tor (212)  not really a tor just some large lumps of granite.

Amber thought that one of the teeth in this sheeps skull might just fit the hole left by Colin's recent extraction!

Nearby lots of evidence that wild boars are in the area with the ground ripped up as they dig for the roots.

So what are they looking at - newts and tadpoles of course!

Finally on to Hexton Tor (213)

Just one bit of water to cross - very carefully.

Friday 25th May A Tour of Tors

There are  a number of tors which are not on the moor but within the Darmoor National Park Area.  These are mainly situated to the north east and east of the moor.  They are included in the book so have to be viewed!  The only way to do these is by car.  So on a beautiful sunny spring afternoon we set off.

The first is Beetor (197).  This tor is landlocked within enclosed private land and it is impossible to get to.  The top of it can just be viewed in the photo and clearly the whole are of the tor is completly overgrown.  The photo was taken from...

...Meldon Hill (198) which has a number of granite outcrops on top and a splendid view of...

...Chagford

Then there was a gentle drone and suddenly it seemed like we were under attack as the military flew around the side of the hill....

 Just across from here  is Nattadon Tor (199)

We went through Chagford in search of Puggiestone Tor (200).  This very nice house has been built next to it.

Through the hedge in the large gardens I could just see the large granite mass. I did try the intercom on the drive to see if they would let me in to take a photo but there was no reply!

So back to Chagford for a tea, coffee and slice of cake....

 

...in the Globe Inn

Refreshed we went on to Willingstone Rock (201)...

... and nearby Pin Tor (202).  The bluebells were at there best.

Next back through the very narrow lanes - proper Devon lanes - some of them not much more than a green road to find  Pepperdon Rocks (203).

 Blackingstone Rock (204) was next.  This is a huge granite tor...

...with concrete steps up to the top...

...and superb views all around.

Not far away is Heltor Rock (205), again another huge slab of granite

Blackingstone Rock in the distance.

Rowdon Rock (206) was the final tor of the day. I couldn't find this at first but after fish and chips in the Bridford Inn and some help from a local I  found it easily.  It is overgrown and with the leaves now out it was hidden away.