Tuesday 31st March Cobra Head

A very windy morning for our walk out from Norsworthy Bridge. John took us to the rock where underneath and hidden away was a giant pencil. A geocache with geocaching treasures inside.

We took the path out to....

...Cuckoo Rock and then on to...

....what is left of Combeshead Farm.  William Pengelly was the last resident who lived on this farm until he died aged 90 in 1931.  Keith produced a photograph of the farm as it was in 1934.

The main track into the farm with Sheeps Tor in the distance.

Across the stream to the potato cave - a large man made cavern.  Sue and Jon went inside to explore.

Next to the top of Eylesbarrow to inspect the new 'Cobra Head' which was installed on 25th March.  This was made in Princetown to replace the original which was stolen last year in an act of vandalism.  

The marker, originally one of four placed on the moor in the latter part of the nineteenth century and know as a 'cobra head' due to its unusual shape.  The original posts were first recorded in the Ordnance Survey boundary book in 1881.

After a break we returned around the northern edge of  Combeshead Tor.

Lunch in the Devon Tors.  With Keith, Sue, John, Jon, Brenda and Linda.

I took my camera with me but left the battery behind! So todays photos were taken with my  phone.

Thursday 26th March King Tor

A phone call from Tom and a walk at short notice - impossible not to go!  By the time I had got to the car park Tom and Andy had already started.

The usual route- up to Leedon Tor...

...down to the railway track

Criptor Farm below us and Criptor in the field next to it.

Very dull at first, with a strong head wind but brightening up on route. A derelict building next to the railway line.

Then across to the unsued London Bridge corbels and a photo opportunity for Andy who is relatively new to Dartmoor.

Over to King Tor for a coffee break by this little tree. It was good to get  out of the strong wind. Yellowmeade Farm is in the distance.

Next across to Foggintor quarry.

Then to return along the railway track.  Looking across to Vixen Tor, Cox Tor and Staple Tor.

Followed by an excellent lunch in the Devon Tors

Wednesday 25th March Lee Moor

A very different walk today which took us into the heart of the China Clay Works on the south-western edge of the moor. Starting from the car park next to the Lee Moor works.

We headed off in the direction of Crewhill Tor and then took a diversion to the waterfall on Tory Brook. This is a place where there once would have been a huge water wheel but I wasn't able to get any photographs of this.

We didn't go to Crewhill Tor and headed instead to the remains of Broomage farm. The original farm dates from the 13th century.

On the left are the remains of a huge barn and on the right is where the farmhouse was. 

From here through the fields to the edge of Headon China Clay Works. China clay has been mined on this part of Dartmoor for 200 years and there are some huge areas which have been worked and now have a 'moonscape' appearance. I haven't been this close to an actual working area for a long time.

The area here behind the works has been rebuilt with waste from the excavations. It looks unreal and to me it is simply 'reconstituted' moorland of the worst kind.

We then went down to one of the many small reservoirs.  The china clay is obtained by using high-pressure hoses and this is one of the reservoirs which are used to provide the water.

A view here across arable land, mine workings and another area of 'reconstituted' moor land.

Next  to this war memorial which marks the place that a Sterling Bomber which came down on 2st August 1947.

Just behind the memorial on a tree can be seen where a cross was made in the bark for the original memorial.

Next to the memorial a giant digger was scratching out the brambles on the edge of the field. Difficult to understand how this could be a cost-effective exercise!

















We started to head back.

Lunch was at the Whitethorn in Shaugh Prior.  With Anne, Brenda, Sue, Linda and Jon.

Sunday 22nd March Tintagel to Trebarwith Strand

A beautiful sunny day with just a little breeze so it was a drive to Tintagel to walk along the coast to Trebarwith Strand for Sunday lunch.

The Church of Saint Materiana.

A fine view from the clifftops

Above the old mineworkings. I wonder why they left this vertical stack.

The descent down to Trebarwith Strand for lunch at the Port William. Nice to eat outside for the first time this year.

A short walk out on to the beach - Gull Rock ahead.

Then back up to return.

I liked the silhouetted figure of this lady against the sparkling water as she walke out to the headland.