11 Aug 2011

The hills around Taw Marsh

Another great trip around the Taw valley.  We started from Sticklepath and after a quick stop for extra Quavers in the village shop we headed up through the woods.


When we left the woods the long pull up Colsden hill started. If you are thinking about doing this route I would probably do it in the opposite direction but we wanted to explore the hills on the eastern side.


We sat in a ring of stones near the summit of Colsden Hill to have our lunch before dropping down to Little Hound Tor and Hound Tor. Little Hound Tor is just a small rise in the ground with a couple of flat rocks breaking through.

As one of the things Will wanted to do was climb a few Tors we discussed whether Little Hound counts as a Tor. We decided as it had "Tor" in the name it must do. I might contact Lucy to check. By the end of the weekend we had climbed 7 Tors.

We continued south to Wild Tor for a scramble around the rocks before sitting out of the wind and finishing the remains of our lunch.

We crossed the stream to Steeperton Tor and then found a flat spot to camp near the head of the valley.  From the top of Steeperton Tor you can see to the villages and roads on the northern edge of Dartmoor and south to bleak centre.


After a good night we set off with hot chocolate in hand towards Oke Tor and Winter Tor. We arrived in Belstone in perfect time for Sunday Roast at the Tors Inn. Slightly reluctantly we set off down Belstone Cleave following the river to Sticklepath.