TWW 27th April 2021

 

Another sunny day with that chilly wind, but an away day into the Cornish interior. A later start to cater for those who inhabit our spiritual home.
As so often with the leader the walk started with a climb, after a slight detour due to work on the forest tracks, however to everyone’s relief it was the only major one of the day. It was then following a little used forest road round the upper reaches of Cardinham Wood crossing the “Bodmin Beast” mountain bike track on our way.
Having promised picnic tables for the coffee stop it was decided that it wasn’t worth descending to them to climb back up to take the track through Deviock wood so seated round the confluence of various tracks we were lucky not to loose Anne to 3 mountain bikers. Then it was off through the wood with the signs of the mass of bluebells to come,out onto the farm track, with masses of primroses on each side, to Deviock Cross.
Then after a slight diversion trying to find the footpath through the woods it was a gentle climb up the meadow bedecked in flowers and with the sound of the children at the primary school, to Cardinham village. After exploring the church, lunch!
We then descended through the field with the cows and a bull, fortunately quite happy lazing in the sun. After visiting the Ladyvale Clapper Bridge it was back to the car park and the unanimous decision that it was time for Tea/ Coffee and cake from the café, and very good it was too.
Peter M

TWW 20th April 2021

 

Well, after the excitement of getting there (whose idea was it to close the road?!) 12 intrepid walkers (including one very welcome much missed friend) and 2 dogs set off.  Down the hill (never a very good sign at the start?) to the Coffin Stone and then to contour round Vag Hill, through the bronze age settlement to Eastern Coombe.  This was to indulge the leader in her current obsession with medieval longhouses, although the ruins here are probably 18^th Century based on a longhouse. In a ruinous state as was demolished by neighbours in the 19^th Century who were fed up with the owners “sheep stealing proclivities”.

Despite pleas for a coffee stop, denied as we had only been walking for 48 minutes, we continued on up the hill, past a very large hut circle and 2 more longhouses to the cairn on Yar Tor.  Coffee permission was then granted and time to enjoy the magnificent views.  On then to some welcome ‘down’ and ‘along’ to some more ‘up’ over the brow of far end of Corndon Down to reach the Pyramid stone.  More ‘up’, much groaning, but a welcome pause to enjoy a play with the rusting hay rake, usually buried in the bracken.  We didn’t break it honest!

Up to the first cairn and a stop for lunch with more wonderful views.  Final plod gently up to Corndon Tor and the final down past the memorial and money pit and back to the cars. A lovely warm, sunny day with hardly a breeze.  The moor is really dry and somewhat gorsey here.  Oh yes, and a lizard was spotted and it definitely did not come out of Charlie’s pocket!!

Jane

TWW 13th April 2021

 

On a sunny day with a chill wind the 2nd substitute leader led the hardy four out into the wilderness wandering out via a dry leat to reach the wet leat where it crosses Spanish Lake. A discussion to its origin did not reach a conclusion we just put it down to being an old Dartmoor name. An early coffee stop was called for so advantage could be taken from the cold wind.

Then it was off to Hen Tor where the views across the moor were magnificent with Brent Tor clearly visible, and then up through the tussocks to the trig point, passing three people walking in the opposite direction. Stella and Charlie disturbed a red grouse and also saw a common lizard, which seems to be common to all the walks currently - is Charlie carrying one round with him? We also passed a boundary stone which Phil subsequently identified as “Hen Tor Warren BS3”, a challenge for another day to find BS1,BS2,BS4 and BS5?

From the Trig Point, climbing finished, it was down to Shell Top for lunch, where the leader found a letter box, but shelter from the wind was hard to find and with clouds now forming everyone was grateful for a warm drink.

From there we continued on our downward way to Great Trowlesworthy and Little Trowelsworthy where we found the Flag Pole Block which has been abandoned  on the moor. it was agreed that sliced up it would make a good number of garden tables all we need is a volunteer with the appropriate tools to do the job for us. Raz?

There were more people about know as we made our way back to the cars via Trowelsworthy Warren and the Farm, which certainly has seen better days, to be greeted by a brief shower.

Peter M

TWW 6th April 2021

 

A Walk of all Seasons
Hands up who loves the four seasons? No, not those four seasons, the American rock band of the past, I mean the Dartmoor four seasons of course! Well, today they met us in the Forrest carpark Postbridge, our RV for today’s walk and we were all up for the weather challenge too!
Included in our seasons, there was an autumn chilling wind, winter sleet, snow and warm spring / summer sunshine who were our constant and alternating companions on the route that took in part of Belliver Forest, now occupied with very Christmassy looking conifer trees covered with the ever-increasing snow that was now coming in sideways, then it suddenly stopped, before we crossed the B 3212 to follow the raised gravel track and on to Powdermills and its granite block buildings built for a past munitions making era.
Leaving Powdermills behind we travelled on to the area of Littaford Tors, where we not only had warm sunshine and a bit of shelter, but it was where we topped up with a warm drink and snack to take us onward and upward to Longaford Tor and to the high route path across open moorland leading us towards Higher White Tor at an elevation of just over 500 feet in height, just enough height to ensure we didn’t get the full benefit of the sun in its battle against the northerly wind!
Following this route, we continued ever upwards through the now stinging, in your face hail, falling with evil intent to blind us, so with our heads now bowed to protect our eyes, hoods up were the order of the day which made us look like hunched monks on pilgrimage to a distant land. Thankfully, our land was only the next Tor, that being Lower White where we turned right and down to the bottom of Hollowcombe Bottom for our lunch stop where the sun warmed us up for a while!
Food finished, we descended to a point where we were able to cross the Cherry Brook near to and over an adjacent style spotted by an experienced ‘trail scout’ then up a steep path that lead eventually to Chittaford Down. However, getting there was a tricky bit of navigation for us all, crossing assorted high and undulating tussocks of moorland bog plants and grasses, some trying to trip the unwary walker. One small highlight of this area was the spotting of a Common Lizard, briefly seen exploring before the fleeting sun disappeared, forcing the small moorland resident to return under cover of its dried grass home.
After crossing a small feeder stream of the Cherrybrook, we were soon able to just see the distant buildings of Acherton farm and with adjoining Acherton cottage, a cottage that is available for hire monthly, apparently at a good rate too!
From Archerton, a new tarmac roadway flowed downwards to a galvanised farm gate on the left where we entered a field of sheep and some now well-developed spring lambs that Misty and Olive, our two accompanying dogs for the day wanted to say hello to, but with leads on this was not possible!
One further field to go from here and we were back to our start point having survived our version of today’s four seasons!
Charlie