Tuesday 31st January - Around Burrator

I was late arriving at the start and Stella was too. Peter was leading the walk and he had shown me his route last week so I had an idea of where he was going. So Stella and I set off in an attempt to catch them up by making a short cut. Up we went to Leather Tor Bridge...

...and then up to the leat but they clearly hadn't come this way.

Next down to the River Meavy but there was no way we or they were going across just there.

We decided to do our own route - up between Leather Tor and Sharpitor then a loupe back to the cars.

Past the ponies sheltering from the rain.

As we approached Sharpitor we heard a dog barking and then saw the main group. We joined them and went back down again for the coffee stop at the abandoned farm where the leat comes out of the woods.

Along the leat....

...over the aqueduct....

...and up the other side.

Past this overflow from the leat and along to Crazy Well Pool.

Then down Raddick Lane track and back to the cars. A really wet day for a walk and the ground has become totally saturated too. Lunch was at the Royal Oak. There was a bit of a mix up with one order but the food is usually quite good and so it was today.  With Peter, Stella, Charlie, Jon, Bill, Jane, Colin, Amber, Brenda and Terry.

Tuesday 24th January Calstock

A walk from the Rifle Volunteer at St Anne's Chapel down through Danescoombe to Calstock then back up again to Hingston Down. 13 on the walk today.

An old paper mill just above Danescoombe and now owned by the National Trust.

Dead leaves and looking almost like a monster

Through Danescoombe

Jon finds a swing

Old mineworking converted to a holiday cottage.

The railway viaduct at Calstock

Past a man working his loom

A duck's eve view of the walking group - a very civilised stop for coffee with benches and toilets!

The viaduct from the other side

Then back up through Calstock.

The church at where the newscaster Gordon Honeycombe is buried

The old mine on Hingston Down

An excellent lunch at the Rifle Volunteer. With Anne, Brenda, Jon, Peter, Sandra, Charlie, Colin, Amber, Terry, Dianne, Darren and Jane.

Monday 23rd January - Hooten Wheals

An absolutely wonderful day for a walk on Dartmoor with a crisp overnight frost, wall to wall sunshine and clear skies.

Our route took us from the Forest Inn (which is closed until 27th January). Up the disused track to Hooten Wheals, then across to the head of Skir Gut. On over some rough ground to Ter Hill and down to Deep Swincombe. Next to the little reservoir at Swincombe before returning past John Bishop's house and back to Hexworthy.

Frost at the start which, in the shade, remained all day.

The view to Yar Tor.

Hamel Down in the distance.

Looking directly down to Dartmeet.

Tom going over the stile.

Sharp Tor in the foreground with Hay Tor and Rippon Tor in the distance.

The little cross as you approach Hooten Wheals

Hooten Wheals mine

The remains of Hooten Wheals. Operational until 1947.

One of the crosses on Ter Hill

 





The same cross but the other cross is just visible on the left

Deep Swincombe

Swincombe Reservoir

John Bishop's House

The footbridge

And the River Swincombe next to the bridge.

Tuesday 10th January - Mariners Way

Very different conditions from two days ago. A strong cooling wind and the anticipation of rain. Starting from the car park on the main road below Shapley Tor.

Up a short distance to the stone circles.

Up again....

...by now everyone had put on their waterproofs

Shapley Tor

Hookney Tor.

Over towards King Tor - looking across to Haytor Rocks. A coffee break on King Tor then...

...very steeply down and off the moor to find the Mariners Way.

Over countless stiles - King Tor in the distance...

...to West Combe - a place which always appears to be just a short step away from dereliction.

Past what must be one of the largest ever granite gate posts.

In the event the rain didn't come to much and was much less than the forecast.

On to the Warren House Inn where the food more recently has been relatively poor. It was however served very, very quickly.  With Jon, Brenda, Stella, Charlie, Terry, Peter, Jane and Anne.