Dartmoor Photowalk 17 Scarey Tor and a Swordfish

Dartmoor Photowalk 17 Scarey Tor and a Swordfish

This week the weather was a bit more photo-friendly with some clouds in the sky but a forecast of rains in the afternoon. I packed my Fujifilm GFX 50S Digital Medium Format camera and headed for North Dartmoor up on to Belstone Common via Scarey Tor and the 9 Stones Circle then over to Higher Tor overlooking Taw Marsh before moving on to Winter Tor and back to the car. As usual I had my Fujifilm X-T2 to hand for those grab shots along the walk.

Scarey Tor with West Mill and Yes Tors in the distance.




Nine Stones Circle.




I parked at the top of the track that leads to Cullever Steps, the Black-a-Ven Brook runs down beside it to the steps.




It’s a short walk down the track to Cullever Steps then over the bridge and a track cuts off the main track very soon I was looking at Scarey Tor with Belstone Common/Tor in the distance.




I went further round Scarey Tor to get a shot with the GFX looking back towards West Mill and Yes Tors.







Once I was finished with Scarey Tor I headed for the Nine Stones Circle just off Belstone Common. Again I set up the GFX to get this shot.




I grabbed a shot with the X-T2 looking up towards Belstone Common/Tor.




It was then time to climb up Belstone Common and on to the Tor(s) there are 2 outcrops that make up Belstone Tor as well as one on the Common to the North of the main Tor. This one is the one on the Common, as with the other Tors around here they have lots of Clitter to navigate.




Once on top of the Common there are some great views and some really rocky outcrops.




From here it was over to Belstone Tor proper, 2 peaks make up this Tor but there is a good path between them. This is looking back to the first peak.







Did I mention it’s very rocky up there?







And there’s loads of Clitter.




The Sheep seemed happy enough though, this one posed for me while feeding her Lamb.




After Belstone Tor I headed for Higher Tor, on the way I had to cross The Irishman’s Wall, form here I could see Taw Marsh which was on my shot list for today.




Just over the wall there is a Logan stone which I thought was interesting enough to break out the GFX again.




While I was setting up to shoot this I saw a Swordfish in the rocks.




I had lunch here while scouting my Taw Marsh shot. After lunch I set up the GFX again for the Taw Marsh shot.




There is a great view of the Marsh from the side of Higher Tor.




Once I was done with the Marsh I headed for Higher Tor again, I was sure all through lunch and the Marsh shoot I could hear voices, I thought the Moor was getting to me




When I eventually got closer to the Tor I could see what the voices were, I wasn’t going Moor Crazy after all.




After Higher Tor I set off towards Winter Tor, a small Tor on the Southern side of Higher Tor that overlooks East Okement Farm and in the distance West Mill and Yes Tors.




From here it is a straightforward walk down to the track and back to Cullever Steps. This bridge is at the rear of East Okement Farm, private access to the farm.




As I headed back to the car I could feel the weather closing in, that forecast rain was once again chasing me. I looked back up towards Winter Tor and could see it coming.




It didn’t look any better over Belstone way either.




As I got back to the car the rain was just starting and when it came it really came, fortunately I was in the car by then dry.
Anyway, that’s all for this week folks, as always, comments welcome.

Tags: Landscape and travel Dartmoor Photowalk Scarey Tor Belstone Common Taw Marsh