Walks 2016

2016 turned out to be another good year in which we managed to hold a full twelve walks without any being cancelled due to the weather conditions. The Christmas walk, on 8th January, was once again well attended by eighteen walkers, with Ann and Freddie (Ann and Colin's dog) joining us for the meal at the Warren House Inn. A few notable points from the year's walks include finding the William Donaghy Stone, below Hartland Tor, on the February walk and of which there is more information on the Research Notes page. None of us on the March walk will ever forget the sight of Colin laid out on the ground and fast asleep after consuming his lunch at Wooston Castle. Another couple of memories is of Peggy and her friendly Dartmoor Pony during lunch time at Vitifer Mine, also on the February walk, and some very inquisitive cattle looking down at us when eating our lunch at the Wellaby Gulf on the June walk.

User notes for viewing the walk Research Notes are shown at the foot of the page.

Friday 9th December 2016		Distance: 9.58 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David M.	Hemsworthy Gate, Top Tor, Bonehill Rocks, Chinkwell Tor, Natsworthy Gate, Jay's Grave, Cripdon Down, Swallerton Gate, Hound Tor Kist, Holwell Lawn, Hedge Down, Seven Lords Land Cairn & return.	On the roadside at Kitty Jay's Grave.	Dry with light cloud and a strong cool breeze.	Fieldfares, Jay, Kestrel, Magpie, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pipit & Raven.	Chris & Tim had to return early and left us on Cripdon Down. Colin & Freddie joined us by the road on Hedge Down.
Maurice
Bob W.
Glenn
Chris & Tim

Friday 11th November 2016		Distance: 8.94 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David & Peggy	Bennet's Cross, track to the north of Birch & Hookney Tors, West Coombe Farm, Lower Hookner Farm, Kendon Farm, Heathercombe, Heatree, Natsworthy Gate, Hameldown, Grimspound, Headland Warren Farm, Challacombe Stone Row, Vitifer Mine & return.	Inside the Natsworthy Gate, at the foot of Hameldown.	Cold start, warmer, dry and windless in the sunshine, with cloud starting to build p.m.	Blackbird, House Sparrows, Pipit, Raven, Snipe, Stonechat & Red Admiral Butterfly.
Maurice & John B.
Bob W. & Glenn
Dave B.
Colin
Sue S.

Friday 14th October 2016		Distance: 9.03 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David & Peggy	Car Park west of Whiteworks, Nun's Cross Farm, Crane Hill, Plym Ford, Great Gnat's Head, Ducks' Pool, Blacklane Brook, River Erme to Erme Head, Broad Rock, Calveslake Tor, Evil Combe, Eylesbarrow Mine, Nun's Cross & return.	On the banks of the Blacklane Brook, opposite Phillpott's Cave.	Misty with a few sunny intervals. Became warmer in the afternoon as the Cloud built up.	Raven, Snipe, Wheatear & Butterfly.
Maurice & John B.
Bob W.
John & Brenda
Colin
Dave B.

Friday 23th September 2016		Distance: 8.47 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David M.	Shipley Bridge, Diamond Lane, Corringdon Ball Gate, Wacka Tor, Three Barrows, Middlebrook Head, Knattabarrow Pond & return via the Zeal Tor Tramway & Hunter's Stone.	In clitter at Three Barrows, near the north-west barrow.	Mostly Sunny, light Cloud with a constant Breeze & a short light Shower a.m.	Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pipit, Raven, Skylark, Lizard, Dragonfly, Damselflies & Speckled Wood Butterfly.
Maurice
Bob W.
Dave B.
Sue & Val.

Friday 12th August 2016		Distance: 9.43 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David & Peggy	Okehampton Train Station, Fitz's Cross & Well, East Hill, Lower Halstock, Higher Halstock, Culliver Steps, Henry's Ford, East Mill Tor Target Railway, New Bridge, Row Tor Target Railway, West Mill Tor, Black Down, Anthony's Stile, Okehampton Army Camp & return.	Beside the Black-a-ven Brook at New Bridge.	Warm with sunny intervals and cloud increasing throughout the day.	Buzzards, Crows, Herring Gull, House Sparrows, Jay, Linnets, Pipits, Ravens, Skylark, Stonechat, Swallows, Wheatear, Dragonfly & Fish.
Maurice & John B.
Bob W.
Dave N.

Friday 15th July 2016		Distance: 10.60 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David M.	Wrangaton Golf Course, Ugborough Beacon, Spurrell's Cross, Three Barrows, Sharp Tor, Piles Hill, Butterdon Hill, Western Beacon, Cuckoo Ball and return through the Golf Course.	At the base of a Cairn on Three Barrows.	Cloudy, Cool & Breezy with light showers am, turning Humid during the afternoon.	Buzzard, Linnets, Skylarks, Stonechat, Wheatear & Yellowhammer.
Maurice & John B.
Bob W.
Dave B.
Sue & Val.

Friday 17th June 2016		Distance: 8.48 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David & Peggy	Scorriton, Scorriton Down, River Mardle, Ryder's Hill, Snowdon, Pupers, Crad Hole Ring (Hickaton Hill Settlement), Lud Gate & return via Combe.	Amongst the tinner's rubble in Wellaby Gulf.	Overcast and warm, with a persistent breeze.	Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Gulls, Jay, Pipits, Skylarks, Song Thrush, Starlings, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Wren and a Small Heath Butterfly.
Maurice & John B.
Bob W.
Colin
Sue S.

Friday 13th May 2016		Distance: 9.05 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
Maurice	Prewley Water Treatment Works road, Sourton Tors, Rattlebrook Peat Railway from Points to Peat Works, Bleak House, Green Tor, Ring Rock (Amicombe), Kitty Tor, Stenga Tor, West Okement Valley & return via Shelstone Tor.	In the lee of the Army huts at Kitty Tor.	Sunny, dry and warm with a persistent south-east breeze	Crow, Cuckoos (2), Pipit, Skylarks & Raven.
Bob W.
John & Brenda
Dave B.

Friday 22nd April 2016		Distance: 9.22 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
Maurice & John B.	Car Park on B3212 below Sharpitor, Routrundle to pick up old Railway Track, Yennadon Down, Burrator Halt, Burrator Reservoir Dam, Sheepstor Dam, Longstone Manor, Sheeps Tor, Narrator Farm, Norsworthy Bridge, Devonport Leat, Stenlake Farm and return.	Longstone Manor - on the Burrator Reservoir Peninsula	Overcast & Murky Day, with Rain at first and Light Showers later.	Canada Geese, Great Tit, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, Mallard, Muscovy Duck, Pied Wagtails, Pigeon, Raven, Robin, Rooks, Skylark, Swallows, Wheatear & White Geese.
Bob W.

Friday 11th March 2016		Distance: 8.00 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David & Peggy	Steps Bridge Car Park, Woods south of River Teign, up through Cod Wood, Coleridge Wood, Halls Cleave, Hitchcombe Wood, Wooston Castle, Seaman's Borough, Clifford Bridge, Dunsford Wood and return via Steps Bridge.	In the sunshine at Wooston Castle	Warm and Sunny - a very pleasant day!	Blackbird, Buzzard, Coal Tit, Dippers, Goldcrest, Robins, Song Thrush, Woodpecker, Wood Pigeon, Yellow Wagtail, & Grey Squirrel.
Maurice
Colin
Brenda
Chris

Friday 5th February 2016		Distance: 9.63 Miles
Walkers	Route	Lunch Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
David & Peggy	Postbridge, Hartland Tor, William Donaghy Stone, The Sheepfold, Stannon Tor, White Ridge Settlements & Stone Row, Water Hill Cairn, Vitifer Mine, Soussons Forest & return along the road.	Vitifer Mine.	Overcast with a continuous breeze and regular drizzly rain showers.	Crows, Golden Plover, Raven, Robin & Snipe.
Maurice & John B.
Bob W. & Glenn
Dave B.
Dave N.

Friday 8th January 2016		Distance: 4.48 Miles
Walkers	Route	Coffee Break	Weather	Wildlife	Notes
Colin	Bellever Forest Car Park, East Dart River, Bellever Bridge, Bellever Village, Bellever Tor, Krapp's Ring, return via the track through the Forest and the village to the Car Park.	Bellever Tor.	Bright, Sunny day, spoilt by one heavy rain shower on the return leg.	Chaffinches, Dunnock & Blackbird.	All except Glenn, Bob W & Maurice returned via the Lych Way Path, due to a heavy rain shower. Ann and Freddie joined us for the meal in the Warren House Inn.
David & Peggy
Maurice & Gill
Glenn, Bev. & Bob W.
Dave B. & Dave N.
Dick & Jenny
Sue S. & Val
Hywel & Sandra
Steve & Sue L.