Synopsis: A welcome return to Dartmoor after some time away. A pause for reflection whilst viewing the Ten Commandments on Buckland Beacon. Expansive views on the approach to Bonehill Rocks.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)A day for beautiful clouds, that’s how today seemed. A good deal of sunshine and yet a wafts of candy floss floating across the sky, which is actually what makes the perfect sky for taking photographs. The wind was very chill with temperatures not exceeding a cool 11°C all day, with the added pleasure of a hail shower whilst lunching at Bonehill Rocks.
Parked at Hemsworthy Gate - Rippon Tor in the background
Inspiration for this walk is derived from the walk Buckland Beacon from the excellent Divine Dartmoor Walks by Gillian Adams. Gillian’s described walk is however only a distance of 2 miles and I hoped to do a little more than that. I used the theme of Gillian’s walk to Buckland Beacon to start my walk, and from there I plotted a loop back to Bonehill Rocks, resulting in a total distance of 7.1 miles. Combined with a travel time by car from home of only 30 minutes, this was the perfect walk for today. I parked at Hemsworthy Gate, just below Rippon Tor, and set out across level moorland from there.
Buckland Beacon - expansive view across Dartmoor
On reaching Buckland Beacon what first struck me was the spectacular sweeping views of Dartmoor there are to be had from this high vantage point. What makes the views rather unusual is the diversity of what can be seen, in that open moorland, forest and fields are all visible from this one location. The views have a grandeur that the small outcrop of granite which caps the summit does not prepare you for.
Buckland Beacon - Ten Commandments
I sought out the Ten Commandments granite tablets just to the south of the beacon. The engraved words I found to be of the same colour as the surrounding granite so it was a little difficult to make out what was inscribed. I haven’t been able to make an exact transcription of what I saw but after a little Internet research I have attached to my photos in Flickr what I believe to be the approximate content of these stones. Quite who (or what) the intended audience of these words was I do not know. I felt the intended consumption to be ‘civilisation’, and yet out here amidst the wild Dartmoor hills, it is nature and not the supernatural that dominates.
Track descending to Ruddycleave Water
From the summit of Buckland Beacon I meandered my way through heather and gorse till I came upon the gateway to a track that would take me off the open moorland. The track was rather boulder strewn and hard going. The leafless trees that line the track a harsh reminder that winter is not long gone from here on Dartmoor.
Bowden
At the end of the track I crossed Ruddycleave Water, a small babbling brook of crystal clear water. Just up from the brook is the wonderfully rustic Bowden cluster of buildings. Built from granite they have the substantial look necessary to survive in the often bleak and desolate moorland landscape. Today it just looked rustic and picturesque bathed in sunshine.
Tunhill Rocks - natural cave in the rocks
From here I began a gentle ascent first along a track and then out onto open moorland once again. I was now headed for Tunhill Rocks. I came upon a small natural cave created from slabs of granite. If one had to hunker down in a storm, this would make as good a shelter as any one is likely to find here on Dartmoor.
Pil Tor
The upwards trudge continued, now in the direction of the rather unusual looking Pil Tor. I say unusual because it appears to have had a slice cut out of the middle of it.
Top Tor - a very young foal, quite unsteady on its legs
My next tor, visible a short distance away from Pil Tor, was Top Tor. I was most distracted by the tiniest of foals that could hardly walk. I think it had only just come into the world as it was most unsteady on its feet, and I think residue of the afterbirth was still visible on its coat. It blinked as if accustoming itself to the light. I was wary of alarming baby or mother, but I hung around for a bit and quietly snapped a few photos. I have to say this had more meaning for me than the Ten Commandments.
Bonehill Rocks
My final tor was just a short walk from Pil Tor and took me only a matter of minutes to reach it, if for no other reason than I was very hungry by now. With a stiff chill wind blowing I nestled down in the lee of Bonehill Rocks to eat my lunch. This is one of the tors that I’d occasionally bring my daughters to when they were young, as there are a lot of easy fun climbs on it.
That just about concluded my walk. From Bonehill Rocks I belted along a strip of moor following a road back to where I’d parked my car. The walk had served its purpose in giving me some exercise to keep me in trim for my upcoming big walk. Read all about that in a later post.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 7.1 miles
Moving Time: 2hrs 41min
Stopped Time: 18min
Total Ascent: 412 metres
Maximum Elevation: 432 metres
Buses: (none)
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