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| Steeperton Tor |
This walk wasn't supposed to be as long as it was, but it was which I take full blame for. It was a hot day too, requiring suncream and ample drink stops, but it's all part of 'The Dartmoor Experience' as I call it; experiencing everything that Dartmoor has to offer, from
the mist on Cut Hill to the searing heat without shade. Today we experienced the latter.
Tim Jenkinson and I arrived at Belstone car park to meet Paul Buck and start the walk onto the moor, first passing through the pretty village. The track on the eastern side of Belstone Common is a nice route onto the moor, as Steeperton Tor looms ahead like a small mountain high above Taw Marsh, the flat depression below.
We ford the Taw at Horsehoe Ford to take the grassy path to the foot of Big Whit Hill, on the south-western side of Cosdon Hill, where Flock o' Sheep Rocks could be found. After missing the recumbent cross last time, I was pleased to finally see it today. Tim and Paul both describe the area in detail in Dartmoor Magazine No. 136 p.48.
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| Big Whit Hill Cross |
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| Flock o' Sheep Rocks |
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| Flock o' Sheep Rocks |
We went higher to come across the entrance to a hut circle and a small cist, the latter of which is on
Dartefacts.
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| Big Whit Hill Cist |
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| Big Whit Hill Cist |
We beelined for Little Hound Tor, or rather I did, as Tim and Paul were disinterested! I quite like the tor.
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| Little Hound Tor |
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| Little Hound Tor |
So where next? Isn't it obvious? The White Moor Stone Circle of course! Since we were in no rush today, we also visited the White Moor Stone, an impressive standing stone near to the stone circle. I couldn't believe this was my first visit.
It is inscribed with 'DC' for the Duchy of Cornwall and 'TP' for Throwleigh Parish. Also note the two additional 'T's.
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| White Moor Stone Circle |
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| White Moor Stone |
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| White Moor Stone |
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| White Moor Stone |
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| White Moor Stone |
We took the path to Hound Tor (Okehampton), a tor I love visiting as it's the one I tend to stop at for a quick snack. I just love the views from here.
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| Hound Tor (Okehampton) |
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| Hound Tor (Okehampton) |
Now instead of heading to Wild Tor like I usually do, we took the track downhill (westward) with Steeperton Tor dead ahead. In doing so, we passed a Throwleigh Parish Boundstone.
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| Throwleigh Parish Boundstone |
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| Fish rock near the ford |
The plan was to cross unnamed ford to steeply ascend Steeperton Tor, but the brook, named after the tor, looked enticing upstream so we followed it. Paul also took the opportunity to filter some water as the day really started to warm up.
We entered what Eric Hemery calls Chimney Bow or Bow Combe, a beautiful valley with cascades, small outcrops and clean water. It is essentially a waterfall broken up by boulders as is seen at Yealm Steps and East Dart Falls. Idyllic!
Hemery enthuses: "
At Chimney Bow, the brook falls between huge boulders and steep hillsides to its tiny middle reach under Steeperton Hill. From the head of the falls can be seen the elevated basin of Raybarrow Pool and the distinctive tump of Round (Hound) Tor. A right-bank leat once conveyed water to the streamworks near Small Brook Foot to supplement the supply leated from that stream."
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| Entering Bow Combe |
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| Bow Combe |
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| Bow Combe |
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| Bow Combe |
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| Bow Combe |
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| Bow Combe |
At the head of the combe, we came across a magnificent tinners' hut or blowing house (different maps give this feature different names). Its condition is remarkable.
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| Paul in the tinners' hut |
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| Fireplace |
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| Moss |
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| Looking to Hangingstone Hill |
This side of Steeperton Tor is fairly flat and gentle, Eagle Rock, the southernmost, being our first outcrop of what turned out to be stupendous ridge of rock. Why it is given its own identity I do not know.
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Eagle Rock - Steeperton Tor summit rock - 532m
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Eagle Rock
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| Eagle Rock view of Hangingstone Hill |
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| View along the ridge. OMG! |
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We descended south-west to a small outcrop in the River Taw to see if it was worthy of going on
Tors of Dartmoor. It was dismissed but the part of the river at SX 6136 8833 is still worth a visit due to the deep water which is perfect for paddling.
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| Cracked boulder |
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| Small cliff |
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| Taw River |
Safely across we ascended to the Wheal Virgin Boundary Stone SX 61262 88438 (grid reference courtesy of Tim). As you would expect, it has 'WV' inscribed into it! It was here where I donned my suncream as I felt my head burning, my arms too.
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| Wheal Virgin Boundary Stone |
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| Wheal Virgin Boundary Stone |
I remarked to the team how I hadn't been to Taw Rocks yet and, given they are situated a little further up the valley, wondered if they'd consider a visit even though they'd both been before, Paul twice. The diversion would add some substantial mileage to the walk but for some reason, they agreed to take me up there.
Contouring the hillside southward took us back to the left bank of the Taw where the walk upstream was never-ending, but it was enjoyable and once we reached the main outcrop Paul filtered some more water.
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| Outcrops north of Taw Rocks |
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| Taw Rocks |
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| Taw Rocks |
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| Taw Rocks waterfall |
We met the track to the south at the ford to begin ascending Okement Hill. I have some interesting memories of this stretch of track: it was during a Ten Tors training walk,
here, where my shoulders began to weaken so I had to give my 75-litre pack to one of my kind teammates for a lighter pack, and, upon reaching the summit of the hill, do I remember seeing Mr. Hunt, our coach, sheltering from the relentless wind and rain in OP 15. He had ridden his bike out from Rowtor.
I never grabbed any photos of Okement Hill on that walk, nor could I see any views, so it felt like I'd never been here before!
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| OP 15 at Okement Hill - summit 564m |
It was time to finally head in the direction of Belstone, taking a windy military track to Deep Ford, a crossing of the East Okement River. On our left, we noticed a small outcrop at OP 7 which we deviated to, on purpose, as Paul had noted it before this walk. Its diminutive stature is compensated by the OP which sits on Little Hill.
Historic England describes the feature; "
It consists of three bays and measures 6m, south-west to north-east, by 2m and is 2.5m high. The bays, probably originally open on the south side or partially covered by an earthen bank, are protected by a cast-concrete blast wall topped by a tubular-metal handrail and approximately 1.5m high. Entrance is gained to the shelter via steel rungs cast into the blast wall. The protective semi-circular mound measures 7m, south-west to north-east, by 6m and is just under 3m high. The mound material is retained by a coursed boulder revetment."
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| Little Hill |
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| Little Hill |
Over a bridge, we embraced Oke Tor's steep western slope.
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| Oke Tor |
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| Oke Tor |
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| Oke Tor |
Little Oke Tor,
documented here, would be our last tor of the day, as I started to show the symptoms of heatstroke.
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| Little Oke Tor |
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| Little Oke Tor view of Oke Tor |
Avoiding Knattaborough Tor we made a right downhill to rejoin the track on the eastern side of the common. I needed to get in shade quickly and I can't tell you how nice it was to get back to Birchy Lake on the outskirts of Belstone village. The ice-cold drink at
The Tors Inn was most welcome!
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| GR Letterbox - very old |
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