Dartmoor Photowalk 18 Grimspound and Hookney Tor

Dartmoor Photowalk 18 Grimspound and Hookney Tor

This week the weather was once again photo-friendly with some clouds in the sky and no rain forecast. I decided to take my Bronica SQ-Ai out to Grimspound I loaded a 6x45 back with Fuji Provia 100F and fitted a masked screen so I could frame accurately. Although I love the original square aspect ratio I find that the rectangular 6x45 aspect ratio more fits the expanses of the Dartmoor landscapes. I use a M43 Leica D-Lux Typ109 as a framing device before setting up the big kit and to replicate the film shots in case I don’t get the film scans back in time for this blog (as is the case this week). As usual I have my Fujifilm X-T2 ready for those grab shots on the walk.

Hookney Tor.




Grimspound.




I parked at a parking area just East of The Warren House Inn, this walk is very easy to navigate as it is all along well worn tracks, first up is the view of Birch Tor above the old Vitifer Mine workings.




These mine workings were the first location on my shot list for the Bronica.







After here I headed off up the track and over to my second location which was Headland Warren Farm another Bronica location.




At the bottom of the track you can see straight up the farm valley, another Bronica opportunity.




Once finished at the farm I set off for Hookney Tor, I could see it clearly once I had cleared the valley.




There is a track that leads along the North side of the Tor towards Grimspound which for ease I took.




There came a point though where I needed to turn back on myself to get on the track up to the top of Hookney Tor, a very rocky track.




I took some shots of the top of the Tor with the Fuji.




There were a few Sheep up there with Lambs practicing their rock climbing skills.




The reason I was up there was to find a shot of Grimspound with Hameldown Tor in the background so I scouted with the Leica and found a composition so set up the Bronica again.




I then set off for Grimspound and eventually the Trig Point on top of Hameldown Tor, there were some Ponies around the Trig Point.







After having lunch amongst the rocks and Ponies I headed back down towards Grimspound with the intention of shooting the Pound with Hookney Tor in the distance again on the Bronica.




Whilst there I took the opportunity to look around the old Pound, it is well kept and access is very easy.







There are several small Hut Circles inside the Pound.







I set off back to the car following the same route that I had come out on (except I didn’t go back up Hookney Tor), on the way back I had one final shot on my list which was the Stone Row on Headland Warren, I had specifically brought along my 250mm lens for the shot.




Once I was done there I set off back to the old Vitifer Mine workings, as I crested the hill I could see back to The Warren House Inn where my car was parked, the track looked very steep and it was going to be the last mile of a 5 ¼ mile hike.




As I made my way back down the very rocky path to the mine workings I took this shot looking back the way I had come.




When I got sight of the mine workings again they had been occupied by Ponies and you know I can’t resist the odd Pony shot.




As I got closer I kept shooting.




This particular Pony just stayed and posed for me.




I finally left him in peace and headed up the track to the car, as I looked back I took one last shot of the area.




Anyway, that’s it for this week folks, as always, comments welcome.

Tags: Grimspound Historic ruins Hookney Tor Dartmoor Photowalk