Wednesday 27th March Shelstone Tor

Another cold day but at least we had some sunshine.  We set off from just below Prewley Waterworks and made our way out to Shelstone Tor.

Shelstone Tor in the middle distance and Yes Tor behind.

Jon on the logan stone.

The view across to Black Tor.


Looking back to Sourton Tors.

We took the easier slope up to Corn Ridge - avoiding the icy bits and the heavy frost made the going much firmer.

The view back to Homerton Hill.

Looking down the West Okement valley.

Branscombe's Loaf - but we didn't go there.

Around and down to the Tiger Marsh crash site...

 ...where on 25th December 1943  a B17 crashed killing 5 and injuring 3.
















Through a boggy bit and down to the track and we took a break by the 'points',  before continuing to Sourton Tors....

...where there was much debate about the lines in the granite and how they were formed - but no conclusions!



From here we returned to the cars and onwards to the Fox and Hounds for an excellent lunch and  discussion about the format of the walking programme for the next 6 months.

With Ian, Helen, John, Jon, Pete and Anne

Tuesday 26th March Cranmere Pool

A dull grey day and bitterly cold as I set of through Fernworthy Forest from the end of the road.

I took the track that exited opposite the ruins of Teignhead Farm and went down....

...to the clapper bridge to cross the North Teign River.

Looking back to the forest.

I went up Manga Hill through these old gate posts.

Looking east to Kestor Rock.

South around Walla Brook Head with Watern Tor in the distance.


Evenutally the range hut on Hangingstone Hill came into view.

Over towards Cosdon Hill there was just a flicker of sunshine but that was it!

The range hut on Hangingstone Hill.













There was a very heavy frost on this part of the moor. All the grasses had a feather like frosts attached in the shape of a long flag.












In the distance to the west I could just make out the familiar shapes of
Fur Tor                          Hare Tor                       Great Links Tor                     Yes Tor
 
From here I headed west to Cranmere Pool.  The interesting thing about this area is that raindrops falling on the right of the picture will eventually return to the sea at the Taw Torridge estuary near Barnstaple on the north coast of Devon and those falling on the left will return to the sea at Dartmouth on the south coast of Devon.

The letter box at Cranmere Pool
I left my mark in the visitors book. It is surprising how many people visit this remote place.

There is much more about this here:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranmere_Pool

and here:-
http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/cranmere_pool.htm






Looking back

I back tracked and headed towards White Horse Hill.  Normally this is a very wet part of the moor but the heavy frost and frozen ground made it much easier than would normally be the case to get across.

On White Horse Hill is this cairn (now reconstructed) which was opened up in 2011 to reveal the first organic remains found on Dartmoor and about 150 beads - approximately 4,000 years old.

Much more about this on these links:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-14468394
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-15727960
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-21442474

From here I followed the ridge line to Quintin's Man...

...crossing the stream here...

...and then headed up to Sittaford Tor...

...and finally past Grey Wethers before returning back into Fernworthy Forest.

Wednesday 20th March Foxtor Mires


After a break in warmer places it was back to Dartmoor on a cool still night. We set out from Whiteworks, going across the Straine River following the very wet footpath over the south eastern corner of Royal Hill to the three stones just above the dam of the Swincombe reservoir.



From here we went down to the reservoir and up to Wheal Emma Leat, following this for a while.  At the junction with the wall we set off to Childe's Tombe.


The final part of the walk was to take the very wet, soggy and boggy footpath through the western edge of Foxtor Mires - not a place to go without a leader who knows the way through!

With Mike, Jon, Stella, Charles and Pete