Tuesday 16th April Dartmeet

Dartmeet was the start and in season is a real Dartmoor 'honeypot'.  Today there was just us and a little doggy and he decided to spend three hours joining us on our walk.  We took the footpath up by the side of the visitor attractions.

Trying to find the marked footpath to the west of Yar Tor wasn't easy as we rose up above the valley of the East Dart River.

Soon we came to the enclosed land and went down to the small stream...

...and out through a really wet boggy bit.

Next through the small hamlet of Sherwell and on to the path to the most northern point of Corndon Down.

We split at this point with Terry and Charlie following the edge of the moorland whilst...

 

...three of us took the slightly easier route up along the ridge line on Corndon Down

 Soon we came to Cathanger Rock and at last the sun came out.

Onwards and up to very large cairns to wait for the other two to rejoin us...

...and then up to Corndon Tor.

Haytor Rocks and Rippon Tor in the distance...

...and over the top of Corndon Tor.

Looking down over Sharp Tor with Venford reservoir in the distance.

Then down to the war memorial to Lieutenant Evelyn Anthony Cave Penney who died in Palestine in 1918 aged 19.  The memorial is inscribed 'Look up and lift up your heads'  and here nothing could be more appropriate.

We set off down to the road.

This was the doggy that followed us - he had a collar but no tag so we didn't know his name but he had a good time and when we got back to the start he just disappeared so I guess he probably lived there!











The split 'coffin stone' where coffins were placed while the pall bearers took a rest going up the steep hill.  More about this here:
 http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/coffin_stone.htm

We retired to the Tavistock Inn at Poundsgate which had a warm welcome and good food.  With Linda, Charlie, Terry, Rosemary and Roger and Chris in the pub