Tuesday 11th December Black Down

A beautiful cold morning with a heavy frost and clear skies - another proper winters day.  We started from the car park at Meldon and took the steep path down to the valley below...

...to the newly refurbished footbridge.

The dam high above us.

Through this much quarried valley our route was over the hill ahead.

 

 The Meldon viaduct was originally built in 1878 to accomodate a single railway track.

Across to Longstone Hill.

Then up the really steep part to the edge of Black Down.

Looking down on Okehampton.

To the south Rowtor, West Mill Tor and Yes Tor.

We turned north into the Okehampton Military Training  Camp and followed the foot path that runs through it.

Naval cadets undergoing training.

 With some interesting signs.

 ...complete with a Wendy House.















Then down again with the Okehampton Castles below us...

...and on to the Two Castles Trail which leeds to the Okehampton Golf course,  in the shade and still heavily frosted...

...before returning below the Meldon Viaduct...

...and up again past these trees growing out of a wall.

With Rosemary, Terry, Brian and Charlie.