Wednesday 29th January Hen Tor

A beautiful sunny morning at the start of our walk.  Thirteen walkers in all which is, I think, a record for the Wednesday group.

This is the River Plym next to where we had parked our cars and looking towards Wigford Down.  Whilst the moor is very soggy underfoot it's good to see the water level in the river has normalised.

The same spot but looking the other way with Trowlesworthy Tors in the background.

Waiting for everyone to arrive when a  Hercules took a low pass overhead.
















We took the track up to Trowlesworthy Warren House before heading off to Trowlesworthy Tors.

Over the leat with Legis Tor behind and on to....

...the 'cheese ring' between Little Trowlesworthy Tor and Great Trowlesworthy Tor. This is a huge cylinder shaped piece of granite which was carved out in the 1820's to be the base of a flag pole in Devonport dockyard.  By the time it was finished the project had collapsed and it has been here for nearly 200 years.

On to Great Trowlesworthy Tor with the china clay workings behind.

From here we headed towards Hen Tor pausing to stop at this boundary stone.

 Hen Tor just ahead and whilst the sky looked threatening we didn't get a shower.

Of course at Hen Tor some always need to climb to the top.

Leaving Hen Tor for the waterfall....

 ...which is a lovely little oasis on the Shavercombe Brook...

...and the view the other way down the valley.

We stopped here for our break.

Next we headed back towards the Trowlesworthy Tors to...

...the stream known as Spanish Lake.

We followed the leat for a while and then across to  Shadyback Tor.

The view along the River Plym with Hen Tor in the distance and the sky beginning to clouding over.

On to the very busy Royal Oak at Meavy.

With Anne, Jane, Bill, Ian, David, Tom, Jon, Peter, Terry, Keith, Pete and Cath.

Tuesday 28th January Bellever Forest

A superb morning for a  walk on Dartmoor. The sky was constantly changing in between heavy showers and bright blasts of sunshine. You really did have to be there!

We set off into Bellever woods....

....along the tracks.

A brief view of  Haytor Rocks in the distance.

Across to Corndon Down and Yar Tor.

Through the hamlet of Bellever and out along the track leading to Laughter Hole Farm

Looking back down the East Dart River....

...and out onto the moor.

Up a steeper muddy bit to Laughter Tor...






















Where the sun played games on the landscape....lighting up different areas.

Bellever Tor was our next stop.

A very muddy path down to....

...the gate in the stone wall

George came too and he had so much fun going in as much mud as possible!















Then up to...

Bellever Tor

The ponies cut across us on the way down.





















A final look back to Bellever Tor.

We met the 'other' Tuesday group on the way out and we all met up again in the Prince of Wales

With Linda, Terry, Rosemary and Roger

Wednesday Evening 22nd January Corn Ridge

A cool clear evening. Starting from near Prewley water works we headed up to the Ice Works and then across to Sourton Tors.

Next over to the 'points' to follow the track up to the bridge which goes over the River Lyd.  From here through 'Tiger Marsh' to the B17 crash site although not everyone took the direct route. The B17 came down on 25th December 1943 when 5 crew members died. After all these years nothing grows in the crater area.

From here up to Branscombe's Loaf on Corn Ridge for a cuppa and then down the steeper bit to Shelstone Tor where Jon and Mike climbed on the Logan to prove it still moved.

A short walk back to the cars and to the Bearslake Inn which was closed. So next to the Fox and Hounds where the rather unfriendly barman announced that he had closed the till for the night.  Somewhat reluctantly however, he did serve us.

With Jon, Mike and Pete

Tuesday 21st January Cann Wood

A change in the weather again - a very dull start and with rain expected the walk had been arranged to take us into the woods so that we might get some protection from the weather.

Starting at Plym Bridge where....

...the water levels have now normalised after the previous heavy rains.

We followed the river for a short distance.

To the ruins of the Rumple Quarry and Engine House.....

  Details of this old building on the nearby notice board - click on the photo to enlarge it.

There are many old workings in this area.

Next under the old railway viaduct which was built in 1860 to take the railway line from Tavistock to Plymouth.  Next to it are  the remains of an earlier bridge over the river. 

We went briefly onto the disused railway line which is now part of the cycle path linking Ilfracombe in North Devon with Plymouth.

On into the woods....

With the newly planted 'plastic' trees.

Past the deserted picnic area and now the rain had started.

We made our way through the very muddy paths...

...and fallen trees back to the start.

To the Lopes Inn for lunch with Terry, Rosemary, Roger and Chris.