Dartmoor: Lustleigh to Holwell Rocks (Part 3)

Ponies with Hound Tor behind

Continuing on from Part 2, a bit of backtracking and I was back at the entrance to Neadon Cleave, owned by the Woodland Trust. The first tor I was seeking was the North Tor, at SX 75510 82017: a pretty large grouping of granite outcrops just below the footpath at the top of the Cleave. I like it; a great find by Tim Jenkinson.

Woodland Trust Neadon Cleave

Neadon Cleave North Tor

Neadon Cleave North Tor

Neadon Cleave North Tor

Neadon Cleave North Tor

I returned to the security of the footpath where the small pile of Neadon Cleave Summit Tor resides, at SX 75544 81887. It's not the most exciting outcrop but it is separate from the North Tor.

Neadon Cleave Summit Tor

Neadon Cleave Summit Tor

Neadon Cleave Summit Tor

I exited the Cleave nearby to pass through a succession of well-maintained fields to reach my next tor: Tanglewood Tor, one of the coolest names for a tor out there! Tim Jenkinson remarks that there is more of this tor in the neighbouring garden, but I didn't spot any, being more focused on what was accessible.

Tanglewood Tor

Tanglewood Tor

Literally, beside the tor, there is a cattle grid on a private drive to Summer Hill and, in the other direction, Horsham, but it also doubles up as a public right of way which is shown as such on Ordnance Survey maps.

Summer Hill Boulders are a short way along this, to the west.

Summer Hill Boulders

Summer Hill Boulders

Summer Hill Boulders

I had to be quick as a tractor was approaching, cutting the hedges it sounded like to me, so I retraced to the cattle grid to follow the driveway down to Horsham where, before reaching the hamlet, I veered off right into a private copse to arrive at what can only be described as a truly outstanding lesser-known tor (LKT). It was only a minor trespass, I should add, and there was no signage warning me that it wasn't accessible as the tor overlooks another public right of way.

Horsham Tor, aptly named, was espied by Tim Jenkinson (yet again!) back in 2012 and it possesses a huge buttress amid other interesting rocks.

Horsham Tor

Horsham Tor

Mr Smirk at Horsham Tor

Horsham Tor

I descended and picked up the public footpath through Horsham to descend to a wooden gate. At the gate, where it began to snow, hail, rain, pretty much everything, I hand-railed the fence uphill a short way to visit Neadon Cleave South Tor, somewhat detached from the other two in the Cleave in that it is actually on private land, but only just... I touched it with my walking poles to confirm the bag!

Neadon Cleave South Tor

Neadon Cleave South Tor

Neadon Cleave South Tor

I retraced back through Horsham to reach the drive again, but this time I turned left to pick up a bridleway at the end of the drive following the course of a small stream uphill. I was now looking for somewhere to sit down for a few minutes to have a quick bite to eat and a drink, as having just visited 20 or so tors I was feeling overwhelmed.

I sat on a missed rock where, by coincidence, Mum phoned me as I had forgotten to tell her how I was getting on.

Horsham Ford SX 75660 81361

My next bag would have to be viewed from this bridleway as a field was between me and it, and there was no way I would be able to reach it without hopping a gate into a moody field with loads of cattle. I had tried to spot Fernstone Tor before on a walk some two years ago (link HERE), but I couldn't see it as I was too far west, but today, it was easy to spot and I got my camera out to obtain some zoomed shots.

Fernstone Tor

Fernstone Tor

Fernstone Tor

Further along the track, by the muddy gate, I noticed a redundant gatepost with a hole!

Holed Stone, Manaton SX 75191 81393

Holed Stone, Manaton

Manaton is a lovely village and to add to the loveliness it began to snow quite heavily as I took the road to Great Houndtor, southward.

Manaton... another slotted gatepost centre of frame

Manaton

Manaton Village Car Park

Slotted Gatepost, Manaton SX 75000 80928

En route, I encountered a fine slotted gatepost (above) and a lone outcrop in a field that I forgot to get an NGR for.

Tis snowing

Lone Outcrop in a field

I just so happened to be passing Lower Nap Tor (first visited HERE) so I took a few piccies, and better ones as the snow shower had moved on.

Lower Nap Tor

Lower Nap Tor

Lower Nap Tor

Lower Nap Tor

Passing Great Houndtor Camping Barn I was faced with the slog up to Hound Tor Car Park where I had planned to end the walk, but as usual, I was ahead of schedule so halfway up I phoned Mum to tell her that I would meet her at Holwell Rocks, or at least the parking area below it.

Great Houndtor Camping Barn

Cattle Grid SX 74568 79284

B.M. 1137.5 - Dartefacts

At Swallerton Gate, I turned left to pass the entrance to Hedge Barton where there is an inscribed rock that Tim showed me in my blog post HERE. The light was kinder today.

Hedge Barton Inscription

I was still a bit early for Mum arriving so I sat on a rock by the cattle grid. It was a pleasant way to end a successful day on Holwell Rocks, and it even started snowing again!
'

Holwell Rocks ahead

Holwell Rocks

Holwell Rocks

And that is the end of this adventure, a brilliant walk, strenuous in places but with lots of new tors in the bag.