Wednesday 29th November Cranmere Pool

A longer walk than usual. I parked at Belstone Green. This was the view along Belstone Cleave. The heavy overnight frost was still visible in the shadows but it had already melted in the sunshine.

I walked through Belstone and out on to Watchet Hill - ice and much water everywhere.

The Nine Maidens stone circle.

Just a little further up the track.

Winter tor with Yes Tor and West Mill Tor in the distance.

A little further along with Knattborough Tor in the foreground. Oke Tor is beyond that with Steeperton Tor to the left. Hangingstone Hill is behind Oke Tor.

The ever hardy Dartmoor Pony

Steeperton Tor

My route was to go over Okement Hill.  This is a disused Observation Post with Steeperton Tor behind.

On to Ockerton Court. I took a direct route from here to....

 ...Cranmere Pool. It is very hard going in this area, wet underfoot everywhere and large boggy bits. I had seen Patrick arrive just a couple of minutes before me. We had both started from Belstone but had taken different routes. So strange that you can walk for 3 hours to one of the most remote places on Dartmoor and someone else arrives at the same time. Patrick regularly walks this route but he told me this was only the second time he had met anyone here. Great Links Tor is just visible in the distance.

We both signed the visitors book.

I headed across towards Hangingstone Hill, I wasn't going there...

...but to the Ted Hughes Memorial Stone which is just north of Taw Head

It's actually on the mound in the middle of the photo at the end of the visible path.

I headed up to the old military road.

Belstone Tor on the left and Steeperton Tor on the right.

Across Knack Mine ford - this is Steeperton Gorge below and Cosdon Hill in the distance.

I walked back to Oke Tor and then took the lower track which leads out from Taw Marsh below Belstone Tor.

Looking back at Steeperton Tor

Irishman's wall coming down the hill.

A walk of nearly 12 miles on a beautiful winters day.