Left downhill to the old railway and a very rare triangular water stone by the gatepost.. Into the woods to Devonport leat past a shiny new mast. The edge of the leat edged subtly by granite setts from the horse railway 1823. We returned now along the railway and descended to the bridle track leading to the waterfall .The brave and curious climbed the bank to see the Yelverton Reservoir which hides in plain sight on various O.S. maps. very overgrown and dangerously gloopy.
Now along to the Discovery Centre to see inside or to wander amongst stone artefacts salvaged from valley farms prior to Burrator's flooding. Many are incorporated into a section of the old Sheepstor Road, "Wembley Walk," 13 items in fact, including inscribed stones and archways from Longstone Manor and Roundy Park Farm dating back to the 17th century. Collected for safekeeping by George Shillibeer between 1914 and 1937. The Wembley name commemorates a trip for the dam workers to see the British Empire Exhibition at the Wembley Stadium 1924-25..
We followed the shoreline footpath to a sandy bay for our coffee break. Some wished to relax here for the whole day!! No time to pause longer, we trotted on over tinner's spoil heaps, past the weirs and left the path to find firstly the large County stone for Norsworthy Bridge and then around the bends and back on to the shore path to see one of 8 metal PCWW markers which predate the granite watershed boundary markers. On now to Narrator Farm and the WIFF stone and its incised cross as well as the upturned trough.
Tummies were rumbling by now so we kept up a good pace via a busy Norsworthy to Leather Tor Bridge. This was the last clapper bridge built on Dartmoor in the 1830s , replacing stepping stones and a ford from Bronze age times. Lunch stop in the sun and a photocall on the bridge.
The final stones beckoned, Leather Tor potato cave already well known but the fogou remained a brambly secret this time. Up on the Devonport Leat to follow along to the upper track towards Crossgate, stopping to scramble up to the stone cist and cairn. We then continued to follow the Devonport Leat with its distinctive granite lining to the the old Sheepstor Road and above to the disused railway track and Lowery road to the cars.
Over eight miles of hidden stones and there are many more to be revealed
Anne