WW 27th October 2021

 

It was a walk of a thousand eyes and some very nice granite stiles. As we took the footpath across the fields following Black Brook - we were followed by seven pairs of eyes. Spooky! 

Up from Welltown to join Church Road to find the footpath where once we gathered for a photo on a snow drift. Up and across the cycle track found us out on the open moor. Hundreds of eyes reflecting in our torches. Were they Halloween ghosts or just livestock sheltering from the wind? It was a lumpy bumpy walk down to find the old road track in the corner of the wall. What a beautiful footpath to guide people to Church. Wonderful old granite bridges over gullies and stiles up over walls. Then another little used path with wide granite steps took us back to join the road to the Pub open again after a kitchen update. A short but pleasant walk. We’ll come again in the daylight. 

Stella

TWW 26th October 2021

 

It’s amazing the difference 3 months can make!  This was the walk, Plan A, (in reverse) that was planned in July that eventually went to Plan C due to exceptionally hot weather.  No risk of that today – lots of lovely Dartmoor misty stuff, rain, and, oh yes a very faint and short but definitely there – sunshine!

A goodly number, we set out from Beccamoor Coombe (yes it is definitely called that), after a quick pasty count, and with the promise of no Long Houses on this trip.  Up over the wet slightly boggy Moor to the dew pond at Beccamoor Coombe dip.  Then wending our way down toward the Wedlake enclosure (Ok there was a mention that undoubtedly Wedlake farm had started life as a Long House), to follow the track up to Wedlake corner.  That stone was not a boundary stone but discovered later it was PTG1 – marking the extent of a sett granted to 2 Tavi men to quarry granite.  Then a scrabble around mine workings to find a slightly more sheltered spot for a cuppa and a donning of water proof trousers – as a precaution hopefully.

A trek up to the wonderful Langstone that loomed out of the mist at us then across to the circle, equally shrouded – at this point the trousers came into their own.  On and gently up the ridge to Roos Tor  - there are lovely views from here, really! Then on to Great Staple, that king of tors, before heading down to bypass the quarry and scurry into the Dartmoor Inn.  Pasties all ready for us but sadly no chips.

Well refreshed – it’s lovely to be able to have the pub lunch stop, sandwiches may have ended up a bit soggy! – then on for final meander along the leat and back to the cars.

Jane

WW 20th October 2021

 

We met in Bedford car park. Seven of us put up umbrellas and headed out for a very short walk in torrential rain to the URC Church in Russel Street to watch a film called incidentally, Thank You For The Rain.  It was made by a young Swedish women working for Christian Aid who wanted to show the human cost of climate change in Kenya.  Kisilu, a smallholder farmer filmed the life of his family and the devastating changes brought about by climate change. Long periods of drought followed by storms that destroyed his crops and house leaving his family with little to eat. He was an amazing ambassador for his community trying to educate his neighbours by setting up groups to encourage them to plant trees. He was taken to a COP meeting in Sweden only to be disappointed by the lack understanding and action of the world leaders.

I was left feeling shamed and embarrassed that we have so much and they are loosing what little they have. I guess we can only do what we can, recycling, eco this and that but it seems so little.

Hey Ho! We all went to the pub for a cheap Spoons beer and a jolly good chat and felt much better about it all.

Stella

TWW 19th October 2021

 

A touch of what is to be, weatherwise, I think. A challenge car wise just to get to Sandeman Bridge also.

Off we marched to the forbidden car park, and up one of the many tracks at Fernworthy; surprised there is room for trees. Shortly to come to a wonderful stone circle with accoutrements, known as Froggymead. You are not allowed to miss it, the ground was flat and well mown to show the stones at their best.

Surprise, surprise, we also gazed upon a strange dinosaury thing half hidden in the bushes, far more interesting! Thank goodness it was sleeping and we were able to creep by on our uphill climb unnoticed. Phew!!

On on to the edge of the forest where our coffee break destination was just visible in the mist, low cloud, fog, whatever! The bane of the Moor walkers life!

Down to the North Teign River and the Teignhead clapper (one of my favourites). Struggling against the wind and rain up the well-used farm track and another stone footbridge to the lonely Teignhead farm with its wonderful history. Just picture the pig lying under the kitchen table with the oil lamp on the top.

Tea was taken under the canopy of the large tree, before we retraced our steps to follow the forest boundary.

The trudge seemed endless until we came upon the Marine memorial, obviously a well thought of and respected RSM who died near this spot almost 20years ago.

Leaving the forest boundary and a well trodden path over Shovel Down and on to Kestor. Well, so I thought, wrong again. I was corrected by my trusty friends and Kestor was reached, alone and proud, for our lunch. Nothing to be seen of the wonderful scenery until as if my magic the mist parted and the sun shone briefly showing us the way to go.

Onto Middle Tor and down the valley towards the reservoir avoiding several bogs, over a couple of slippery stiles an a dodgy wall, crossing a windy nameless brook, we finally made it to reservoir path, lovely it was too, if only because we were nearly back to our cars!

PS Missed out on interesting artefacts, stones, etc so I shall do this walk again........................... But not yet.

Brenda

WW 13th October 2021

 

An evening of toads and satellites.

What a truly perfect evening to be out and about. With half a moon gazing down and the sun gently set. Out from the Yellowmeade track in the dimpsy to Four Winds and along the leat. Along, along to follow the just wonderful stone rows to where the sun had set. Round to neatly cross the Pila Brook and up to the railway. And all the time the stars kept popping out. And then a real treat as a satellite scooted over as we slowly made our way round the bend (ed. how appropriate) to the corbels for a nice cuppa. The bells of Sampford Spiney ringing out and more and more satellites zoomed above. A check, and it was Jupiter and Saturn almost in alignment with the Moon - a very very rare event. To follow the tracks and the toads to Foggintor and the tramway back to the cars.

A really fantastic evening for a nice gentle wander over a lovely part of the moor.

On to the Prince of Wales for a pint where it was even quieter than usual. We thought they were checking the light switches as it steadily got darker - but the secret was out as we left and the barlady locked up behind us!

TWW 12th October 2021

 

No Covid restrictions, no crowds of Grockles. At last we did it and what a wonderful day we had. A proper day at the seaside just like pensioners should. The sun shone and most of us found our way to the lovely little village of Pentewan. Which felt like a real lived in Cornish village. Although in the 1980’s a third of the houses in the village were holiday let’s or holiday homes so I guess there are many more now. In the past it had been a very busy harbour with, first a horse drawn tramway then a narrow gauge steam railway bringing China Clay from St Austell. There was a rolling stock of forty-two-wheeled wagons each able to carry four to five tons. The workman got one penny a ton for loading it onto the ships. 
A bit of a delayed start gave us time to enjoy coffee and cake at Netties - Little Bay Cafe. We were privileged to join in with her birthday celebrations. Even immortalised on her Facebook page. We set off at last. Up up up - Chat chat chat through the fields and woods with lovely views out to sea and surrounding countryside. On past the lost and found gardens, resisting the temptation to hop over the wall and join the paying visitors we went down down down through the woods to Mevagissy. Some of us spent a happy hour eating fish and chips and people watching while the more adventurous went on a boat trip. Wonderful! Then up up up and along the coast path back to Pentewan. 
Aren’t we the lucky ones!
Stella

WW 6th October 2021

 

The sort of thick mist and drizzle that only Princetown can throw at you. So a well trodden and familiar route was the order of the day. Out past the new distillery and across the road to find the path to Hart Tor. Down and over Hart Tor Brook to Cramber Tor, but the fairies were out having fun. No hairy stone by the track, then lots of patches of tussock and pits everywhere, but we finally found it and had coffee in the Lee of the rocks. Fortunately they don’t muck about with Trig points and we located that with relative ease, the same with South Hessary Tor and then it was back down the track past a very dark Plume for a pleasant pint in the Prince of Wales. Very good.

Mike

TWW 5th October 2021

 

An ominous drive to Meldon, heavy showers and spectacular rainbows, but the walk was completed without either.

So it was over the dam and along a contouring path above the valley to Meldon old quarry. The water was putting on an impressive display on the spillways of the dam. A quick pause by the quarry to look over the valley and wonder what the large number of brightly clad figures on the viaduct were up to. A steep climb up Longstone Hill to follow the track round to the wonderful Black Tor for coffee.
The intention was to follow the line of range poles down to the West Oakment. All went well to start with, but bracken, clitter and some amazing bonsai oaks were getting in the way of that plan. They were supposed to be firing on Oakhampton range but there had been no sound of gunfire so a bit of a trespass above the rocks to a track down, opposite Stenga Tor. A pleasant lunch in the shelter of Blacka Tor Copse then on to Vellake corner. There was some grumbling from the ranks about the climb up Homerton Hill but a lovely balcony track lead us to the footbridge over the stream and back to the cars.
Just right.
Mike