Dartmoor Photowalk 37 Trowlesworthy Tors plus.....

Dartmoor Photowalk 37 Trowlesworthy Tors plus.....

This week I decided to re-visit the South Moor and get out to those Tors I missed last week, Little and Great Trowlesworthy Tors. I also set my sights on Shell Top and Penn Beacon since I was in the area. The weather was much better this week, no rain and very little wind but the skies were bright and hazy looking South but a bit better looking North. Once again I had my Fuji GFX 50S along with my Fuji X-T2.

Little Trowlesworthy Tor.




Great Trowlesworthy Tor.




I parked on the South side of the River Plym just beside Brisworthy Burrows and set off along the track to Trowlesworthy Warren House.




Just off the corner of the wooded outskirts of the farm there were some Settlements (they are a big feature in this area).




I stayed on the track until it crossed the Leat just below the “Pillow Mounds”.




On the way up there was more evidence of those Settlements.




I made my way up to the top of the Pillow Mounds through more scattered remains of earlier life.




This particular rock formation was interesting.




It had some odd marks on it, no idea what from though.




Before long I reached the top, there were some very interesting rock formations up there.










From here I could see the next objective, Little Trowlesworthy Tor.




Once up there I set about finding an artefact from earlier years (1820s I believe), it is reportedly a flagpole base that was carved out of a big granite rock intended for Devonport but never finished as the project was cancelled.




It wasn’t long before I reached Great Trowlesworthy Tor, from here I could see the blight on the landscape that is the China Clay Works.




I decided that I had enough time to press on to Shell Top and Penn Beacon so I made a B-Line for Shell Top (about 1 ½ miles as the Crow flies). About a third of the way over I encountered some dry Spagnum Bog, if we hadn’t had the recent drought this would have been impassable.




I picked my way carefully through it until I got to the worst of it.




Despite the recent drought this was not crossable and it was blocking my direct route, time for a bit of back tracking and a detour around the Bog.




Still heading for Shell Top, once I was back on firmer, higher ground I could relax a bit and take in the views, of that Clay Works. It is huge, here you can see Plymouth and the Sound behind it.




I reached Shell Top, it isn’t much to see but has splendid views from it’s summit. It was guarded by a lone Sheep.




Unfortunately not all the views are splendid.




It was now 12.30 so I decided to press on to Penn Beacon.




Penn Beacon has a Trig Point and a rather ornate Cairn.







I had lunch here looking out over Dendles Waste and Penn Moor.







After lunch having now covered 4 miles (of an original estimate of 6 round trip) I decided to take an easier route back via the Leat which has a track running alongside it for most of the way.




I came across a Boundary Stone (Plymouth/Lee Moor)







From there I was heading for some Stone Rows/Circles, looking back to the Boundary Stone the clouds were now building, I thought I heard distant thunder.




I found more Settlements along the way.







I followed the Leat under the Trowlesworthy Tors which were being guarded by a Highland Cow.




Having watched me for a while he (could be she) got bored and moved off, after one last look.




I found the Stone Row/Circles.










I continued to follow the Leat under the Trowlesworthy Tors.




Along the way I saw more Settlements.




I finally got back to the main bridge over the Leat on the track heading to Trowlesworthy Warren House, I could see last week’s Tor (Legis) in the distance.




I had one final diversion to make as I approached Trowlesworthy Warren House, I didn’t fancy arguing with this guy and by now there was no way I’d be able to outrun him. I figured discretion to be the better part of valour so I gave him a wide berth.




Once I got back to the car I changed my boots for wellies and went back to the river to shoot this bridge/waterfall. The river is very low at the moment so doable in wellies.

This shot is taken from the bank.




This one (which I prefer) is taken from in the river.




Total miles covered this trip were 7.53 all the detours had added about 1 ½ miles to the originally planned route.

That’s all for this week folks, as always, comments welcome.

Tags: 52 Challenge Dartmoor Photowalk Trowlesworthy Tors Dartmoor Shell Top and Penn Beacon Dartmoor River Plym Dartmoor