Wednesday 24th February - Widgery Cross

A super cold clear and  starry night. Out from the Fox and Hounds. Across to the stepping stones and up do Doe Tor Farm.  Through the clitter to the top of Doe Tor where Terry went down and badly grazed his hand. He was bandaged up as the moon appeared over Sharp Tor. On to the mine with no roof for a coffee break. Up through the girt. Over to Brat Tor and Widgery Cross.  Then back to the the pub. 

With Terry, Jon, Mike, Pete, Stella and Pete.

Tuesday 23rd February - Smeardon Down

Another glorious morning and what a difference the sunshine makes.  16 of us set out from the Peter Tavy Inn.

Up by the side of the Colly Brook and...

















...out on to Smeardown Down to see the 'Green Man'

Up the track.

To Setters Tor - looking back

...and to the side.

To White Tor for a coffee break.

Down through a Bronze age settlement where you can see the boundary wall clearly.

To cross the Colly Brook by the gate.





















The view across to Brent tor

Around Sharp Tor

 To find the gate down.

Two seriously tricky stiles with barbed wire where it shouldn't be.





















Good to see the new lambs.

An excellent lunch back at the Peter Tavy Inn

With Stella, Brenda, Ann, Anne, Jane, Amber, Dianne, Colin, Charlie, Terry, Bill, Peter, Jon.

Tuesday 16th February - Gren Tor

A glorious frosty morning with a cool breeze.  Thirteen of us head up the track from Sourton.

Our leader checks our position.

To the ice works, Yes Tor in the distance.

Unusually, there was actually some ice in the ice works!

A little pond with lots of tadpoles and discussion about whether they would survive or not.





















On to the 'points' with Great Links Tor in the distance.

Then up to Gren Tor for a coffee break and.............

....Harry put on a fine flying display with his drone. Up and away.  A shame we couldn't see the live images from the on-board camera.

That way

Next across 'proper'  Dartmoor, through difficult ground and a boggy bit to Lyd Head.  This is looking back to Gren Tor.

From Lyd Head it was over to Branscombe's Loaf.  There was some dispute about the actual distance!

I left the group at this point as they headed down the steep bit to Shelstone Tor.

Apparently a good lunch was had in the Bearslake Inn.

With Tom, Terry, Harry, David, Colin, Amber, Anne, Brenda, Stella, Dianne, Charlie and Phil

Tuesday 9th February - Granite Way

12 of us met on the road to Bridestowe to walk along the 'new' bit of the Granite Way.  This opened about 18 months ago but this was the first time I had been on it. Busy with bikes horses and dog waters.

Soon we were back on the older part (of the Granite Way) and this is one of the sculptures on this bit - there was more money it seems in when this part of  the cycle path was created for nice things like that.

Just before the Lake viaduct is this old railway store building.

We left the Granite Way at Sourton....

....and took the long path up below Sourton Tors to the Ice Works.

Then across to the track.

Rain clouds in the distance

On to the 'points' with Great Links Tor in the distance.

Gently down the track past Great Nodden.

Snow in the distance on the aptly named White Tor.

Then down to the Fox and Hounds for lunch.  Very friendly service and the food was good too followed by the final walk back to the cars.

With Jane, Anne, Brenda, Peter, Sandra, Bill, Colin, Amber, Jon, Charlie and Terry

Tuesday 2nd February - Clearbrook

A good turnout as 16 set out from Clearbrook. Our route was to take us over Roborough Down. The A386 goes right through the middle of it so this would be an area we were all very familiar with - wrong!

We headed to Drakes Leat, which was built in 1793 to supply water to Devonport. Following the building of Burrator Reservoir the leat is now dry. A short distance away was the old Harrowbear airdrome. We passed by the decoy airfield where you could still see some of the bases for the runway lights.

It was then across the main road and up to the earthworks thought to be the remains of an old hill fort. The trig point is next to this.

A short walk to find these ponds which are the remains of old mine workings from the Yeolands Consul mines.

A threatening sky and rainbow (although it only resulted in a short shower).

At the side of the Yelverton golf course we found the remains of more mine workings.

Onwards to the small monument commemorating Queen Victoria's Jubilee (which is right next to the main road) and the nearby drinking fountain. Just behind is the famous Roborough Rock with the man from BT fixing something in the foreground. A short stop here for our coffee break.

It was then across the road to the cycle path with the remains of the Plymouth and South Devon horse-drawn tramway. We diverted off the cycle path under the old railway line and.....





















.... followed the footpath through the woods to...

....the remains of the old Yeolands mine. In the foreground you can see the remains of one of several buddles and near to this are...

 .... the remains of an old wheel pit.

A short walk to the Skylark. There were 16 of us for lunch and this clearly generated some stress for the Landlord! Surprisingly the food was served very quickly and was of an excellent standard.

With Anne, Stella, Brenda, Jane, Ann, Amber, Dianne, Colin, Peter, Charlie, Jon, Bill, Colin, Roger, David and Tom.