Tag Archives: Dartmoor

“Nature, passing nigh Cramber Tor, where old-time miners delved for tin, has found a great pit, filled the same with sweet water, and transformed all into a thing of beauty. Like a cup in the waste lies Crazywell ; and, at this summer season, a rare pattern of mingled gold …

Cranmere Pool – “A hundred years ago, this spot, so familiar to every Dartmoor wanderer today, was shunned as a place of evil omen, and not a moorman would willingly have braved the supernatural perils of the place alone.” – Eden Phillpotts, The Master of Merripit Farm. Cranmere Pool or …

“A heavy mist enveloped Dartmoor, and from Combestone Tor the great earth ridges swept southerly away all smothered in vapour. Below the broken rock-piles of the tor a steep hill fell sharply, and here nothing but a foxglove or two and a withered white-thorn rose stark against the dim wall …

Perched on an outcrop of rock overlooking Buckfast Abbey is the shell of what was the Holy Trinity Church. Visit here on a sunny day and you will find it one of the most serene and peaceful places. All you probably will have for company are the jackdaws who nest …

Walter Branscombe was Bishop of Exeter in the thirteenth century. One of his admirable traits was that he visited his flock no matter of their remoteness. On one summer’s eve accompanied by his servant he was returning from once such a visit on the north eastern side of Dartmoor. The …

Due east of the small moorland village of Drewsteignton lies Bradmere Pool, a large, tree lined, dark, foreboding place which covers about 3 acres. Today the pool is more commonly known as Bradford Pool but in the past it has been called both Bradmere Pool and Beechmere Pool. It lies …

Amongst other claims to fame the small rock pile called Bottor Rock is arguably the most eastern of Dartmoor tors. The small pile can be found just south-west of the tiny village of Hennock and stands at a height of 793 feet. If you read most of the topographical Dartmoor …

‘Blackingstone Rock or Blackystone, as it is always called… Being well placed, and having an elevation considerably over 1,000 feet, this pile forms another point from which a magnificent view is obtained. Like Hel Tor it is seen for many miles around, but according to tradition there was a time …

“Oh, yet, ye solemn Altars! while I feel The shadowy spells of power that round ye dwell.” J. E. Reade -1843 “On the left within a farm enclosure is Bel Tor, which although only a small pile, is sufficiently interesting to call for notice. A gate in the wall will …

‘Aaron’s knock Made his chock.’ There are hundreds of boundstones on Dartmoor which mark to limits of parishes, manors, mining setts etc., some are just plain pillars with representative initials carved into them whilst others have an actual name. To me these are the most interesting because somewhere there is …