West Dartmoor walk, Pork Hill Circular. An easy three-and-a-half miles, taking in Pew Tor, home to the piskie king and passing the 16th century Windy Post Cross, a marker for an old track used by monks to cross the moor between Abbeys.
I was at Pork Hill car park (SX 531751) by 9am. If I wake up early I love being on the moors when not many people are about as it really enhances that feeling of getting away from it all, which is great if you need to de-stress!
I love this walk as it’s an easy three miles incorporating the beautiful Pew Tor, plus an old granite cross – both great places to sit and contemplate life.
Leave the car park behind you – there is a path that leads diagonally left, but ignore it as you come back on this one. After nearly half a mile you are at the top of a rise with granite wall bordered fields in front of you and Pew Tor on the horizon.
Now if you are a bird spotter there is a good place a few hundred yards to your right – a rocky outcrop where I’ve sat a couple of times and seen a sparrowhawk.
Bird watching aside, follow the path alongside the wall for a bit. Once you leave the wall the path can split into different directions, but as the tor is right in front of you it’s not really a problem. Just head for the tor and hop on and off different tracks. The tor is a-mile-and-a-half from the car park.
Pew Tor (SX 532734) has some interesting granite formations and is great to photograph and you can also just sit on top of it and enjoy the views over Tavistock and towards Brentor church. Though you may not want to linger too long as there is a Dartmoor legend about Pew Tor being the home of the piskie king and piskies can be mightly mischievous!
From Pew Tor you can see Feather Tor (SX 535741), so head there crossing a stream just in front of the tor, on a handy large rock. This is a small tor, but a pretty area and a nice spot for a picnic.
The path goes over the tor on the left and following the path will take you to a cross known as Windy Post Cross. This is a very old cross (possibly 16th century) and formerly a marker for the Abbot’s Way – an old track used by monks to cross the moor between Abbeys.
It’s also next to the Grimstone and Sortridge leat so you can balance your way over by the cross or walk a little further to a stone bridge.
The path is easily seen past the cross so follow it straight on and back to the car park.
The area by the car park is also reasonably level so if you are in a group of mixed abilities, this is an ideal spot for some to potter and enjoy the view from the car park while others can go on this short walk.
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• When walking on Dartmoor please ensure you take the right equipment with you, eg, waterproof, walking boots, water, a map, plus your common sense.
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