reservoir car park. You can also submit photos from walk de139 Yes Tor, High Willhays and Black Tor from Meldon Reservoir via our Facebook Page. The reservoir sits behind this dam wall and extends to the foot of . Time was fading as it always does so I walked across the viaduct, wire mesh safety barriers prevent you from getting too close to the edge. Sorry, but your browser does not appear to be accepting our cookies. It's 621 metres or 2,039 feet above sea level. feet have not always followed the same paths, so worn routes have not been 3h 37m Moderate 4.6 (18) which protects some plant (water abstraction or whatever) but soon returns #1 Hi, We want to walk to Yes Tor and High Willhays starting from the car park at Meldon Reservoir. What's Nearby Accommodation Sourton Down Caravan & Camping Park . Surprisingly the water is bright green; not due to algae but due to the minerals in the rock in this former limestone quarry. . From where you have branched off, the We would love to see your walk photographs and pictures walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir. Yes Tor, which for many years was thought to be the highest point, and has an O/S pillar to prove it, was recently demoted in favour of the less spectacular High Willhays. From High Willhays we descended south to the West Okemont River and found our wild camping spot for the night nestled below Lints Tor. Meldon Reservoir and Black Tor is a 4.6 mile loop trail located near Okehampton, Devon, England that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Meldon Reservoir and Black Tor is a 4.6 mile loop trail located near Okehampton, Devon, England that features a lake and is rated as moderate. I had always imagined the walk to Yes Tor would be a battle against the elements, a challenge of man verses mire; boots verses bog. The highest point on Dartmoor is High Willhays Tor. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. High Willhays or, according to some authors, High Willes is the highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, at 621 metres (2,039 feet) above sea level, and the highest point in the United Kingdom south of the Brecon Beacons. We paid 3 per car for the day There was the very faint sign of previous passage to Yes Tor was for years thought to be the This strenuous 12km circular walk on Dartmoor's north moor, takes in the highest point (High Willhays) once again as well as a selection of fantastic Tor's (West Mill Tor, Yes Tor and Rowtor) and views of Meldon Resrvoir. % . %PDF-1.5 The more impressive, but slightly lower, Yes Tor is about 1km (58 mile) north along this ridge, which is known as "the roof of Devon".[6]. go4mailvariable=('walk_pics' + '@' + go4mailvariable) Copyright | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Statement, Find New Walking Friends & Walking Groups, Questions & Answers about Walking & Hiking, load all 24 walk photos from Walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir. High Willhays is the highest point in Dartmoor National Park and and the highest point in the county of Devon. Wistmans Wood is in the Dart river valley and has views of wild Devon that you wont find anywhere else in the country. As mentioned in all the walking guides, Yes Tor is not actually as high as High Willhays but the view is much better, and the top is more, erm, interesting shall we say. x.type = 'password'; recorded message giving availability. The path now starts to get very faint and to The reservoir is surrounded by steep sided banks covered with trees and gorse bushes. Can you swim in Meldon Reservoir? Tracks across High Willhays to Yes Tor. The lichens and mosses that drape the trees are nationally important and grow here in this unique clean air woodland. The time refers to a. The National Trust's Lydford Gorge, Devon, is the deepest gorge in the South West and has a spectacular 30m waterfall. A vast dam wall rises from the floor of the West Okement Valley. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A walk in Dartmoor National Park, Devon, South West England, South West England, Meldon Reservoir - Longstone Hill - Okehampton Army Firing Range - Yes Tor - High Willhays - Black Tor - West Okement River - Vellake Weir - Meldon Reservoir. Dropping down from the dizzy heights of High Willhays, a group of hikers could be spotted in the distance, making their own adventures, parallel to mine. after themselves. Your email address will not be published. The River Lyd rises at Lyd Head by Corn Ridge to the north of Woodcock Hill. Once over the dam we walked up hill and followed the track in an Easterly direction skirting the edge of Longstone Hill. 3h 47m Moderate 4.1 (23) Granite Way: Okehampton to Lydford Dartmoor National Park Length: 14.3 km Est. Trip.com () Trip.com 55% He suggested instead that the name derived from gwylfa, a watching place, noting its similarity with Brown Willy, the name of the highest hill on nearby Bodmin Moor, and suggested that a watch for beacon fires used to be kept here. For anyone unfamiliar with firing ranges, After the last Courtenay owner fell foul of Henry VIII in 1539, the castle declined into a ruin. [4], The Place-Names of Devon (1931) notes that the peak was named Hight Wyll in a document of 1532, and was known in 1827 as High Willows. With the last of my lunch filling my bellyand a healthy dose of wellbeing filling my soul it was time to head back towards Meldon Reservoir via a path along the banks of the West Okement River. As you get closer to the top, there is a Meldon Reservoir and Black Tor is a 4.6 mile loop trail located near Okehampton, Devon, England that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Meldon Dam Car Park: OS Grid Ref: SX 56154 91787 Longstone Hill: OS Grid Ref: SX 56942 90492 Yes Tor: OS Grid Ref: SX 58072 90155 High Willhays: OS Grid Ref: SX 58032 89217 Black Tor: OS Grid Ref: SX 56627 89490 West Okement River: OS Grid Ref: SX 56052 89827 Meldon Reservoir: OS Grid Ref: SX 55969 90842 Meldon Viaduct: OS Grid Ref: SX 56444 92302. Intermediate. }. As we ascended the rain clouds seemed to hang over our destination and were beginning to clear the higher we got, however just as we approached Yes Tor the weather came rolling in once more from Okehampton and we were seemingly chased by ominous dark clouds. 04:07. The gorge is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geology, flora and fauna. Here there are clear paths, at least in its lower slopes. The army military clear up route through the boulder field becomes clear. Head to the left of these and you will see the Continue from the trig. High Willhays 6 miles (9 km) Climb to the highest point on Dartmoor on this splendid circular walk in the Dartmoor National Park. Yes Tor is also known as an English Nuttall (237th highest in England, 412th highest in England & Wales). The track becomes grassy and Survey OL 28 - Dartmoor. . Intermediate. We continued along the path as it turned South and then East up the hill towards our first summit Yes Tor. simply follow the path round its right hand side back to the car park. large pile of stones ahead. The walk starts at the car park at Meldon Reservoir and takes you to the 621 metres (2,039 ft) summit via Longstone Hill and Black Tor. Then cut across boggy marsh . High Willhays and Yes Tor are the only summits in England south of Kinder Scout in the Peak District to rise above 2,000 feet (610m), apart from Black Mountain on the Welsh border. More than a stepping stone to High Willhays and Yes Tor, Meldon Reservoir is in high open moorland, almost 300 metres above sea level. I walked west to Black Tor, hoping to find a nice spot for lunch. Ordnance Survey Map However, the first topographical survey of the area carried out by Ordnance Survey suggested that High Willhays was 12 feet (3.7m) higher,[4] although the difference has now been measured at just 8 feet (2.4m). go4awalk.com and go4awalk.co.uk are registered trademarks of TMDH Limited. Tiny rapidly moving dots scoured the landscape in perfect harmony. back to Meldon Reservoir is very pretty. <> wide and there are shallow vehicle ruts. It was very wet underfoot and we saw many unprepared walkers struggling with inadequate footwear through bogs and over streams of water that wouldn't have been there during the warmer months. There is also a wonderful stretch that is great for swimming in the summer, pictured left. The reservoir is 900 feet above sea level and sits next to Meldon Quarry. It's easy to get to the start of this walk as it's just off the A30, a major road linking Exeter to Cornwall and going over the top of Dartmoor. 1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map(the ones with orange/yellow covers): 1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map(the ones with pink/magenta covers): Some Photos and Pictures from Walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir, West Mill Tor from Yes Tor with Okehampton and North Devon in background, High Willhays from the trig point on Yes Tor, The bridge at the southern end of Meldon Reservoir, . Photos cannot do the location justice. point and a radio aerial. they are not awash with unexploded munitions. As you get to the edge of the plateau, you will see three All following each other, like sheep do. If you're coming from the south, the A386 brings you here too. At the next fork (SX 568910), go left again. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. As I walked across the dam, water and machinery could be heard rumbling away deep beneaththe concrete superstructure. A vast dam wall rises from the floor of the West Okement Valley. Wistman's Wood is an ancient forest that has largely been left to grow wild, free of destruction, or shaping by humans or large animals. You need to head for the left All in all we had a very pleasant day and everyone agreed that it had been really enjoyable despite the rainy weather. The city of Exeter is the county town. They each have a certain attraction and charm, perhaps thats the engineer in me looking at things. Leave a comment. The military have been using Dartmoor for over 200 years and this walk is partly within a live firing range. As the army use the section of Dartmoor which includes High Willhays and Yes Tor it is worth checking the free phone number (0800 4584568) to see if it is in use. go4mailvariable='go4awalk.com' It didn't dampen anyone's spirits, indeed the children seemed to be happier in the rain than they had been on the warmer days out in the summer. 2020 by Mum on Dartmoor. At least = 660 pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).). If you need to buy any Hiking info, trail maps, and 55 trip reports from High Willhays (621 m) in the Dartmoor of United Kingdom. Hisnose sniffed the calm air and his eyes scanned the distant valley slopes. //-->, High Tagged: Black-a-Tor Copse, Dartmoor, Dinger Tor, Fordsland Ledge, High Willhays, hike, hiking, Lints Tor, Meldon, reservoir, walk, walking, Yes Tor. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. I'd seen a photo of Black-A-Tor Copse, 619 metres above sea level and High Willhays is. . Reservoir Car Park (Donations box). Fernworthy is a great place to Discover the Dartmoor Story. Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. you off. from. The summit of Yes Tor is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point. Cookies must be enabled for you to Log On successfully. Meldon Reservoir, Yes Tor, High Willhays, Black-A-Tor Copse and a dip in the West Okement. Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. It really was that easy. It has an ethereal feel about the place as though someone has dropped the elven forests of Middle Earth here in Devon. The walk starts from Meldon Reservoir. } The walk starts at the car park at Meldon Reservoir and takes you to the 621 metres (2,039 ft) summit via Longstone Hill and Black Tor. If 400 m. 410 m. Intermediate Hiking Tour From Parking. [7] Each of the outcrops displays lamellar bedding.[6]. 3.4 km/h. My first activation (last year) was using a 2m HT which does seem a bit like "cheating" so with good weather forecast this morning I drove for an hour from home to the Meldon Reservoir car park near Okehampton, Devon. view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click, If you need to buy any Willhays. Before Ordnance Survey measured accurately the heights of High Willhays and Yes Tor many people believed Yes Tor was the higher of the two, and it was only the local farmers and moormen that believed the contrary. RF2GJATBE - Panorama from High Willhays to Meldon Reservoir, Dam and Viaduct, Dartmoor Devon. Either distracted by food, weather or the MOD firing guns! I've been feeling rather overwhelmed this past couple of weeks with work and various life "stuff" so this camp was. All Rights Reserved. Now back at Meldon Dam, I followed a finger-post sign directing me north-east towards the viaduct. Half-Day Surf Experience in Newquay (1 x 2 hour lesson) - All Abilities Welcome. The reservoir is fed by West Okement River that continues north after the reservoir and runs through Okehampton, where it meets the East Okement River. Descent: There are a number of compulsory checkpoints at which all runners MUST give their number to the stewards. Thanks to Malcolm Oakley of South Downs Walking. Copyright | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Statement, Find New Walking Friends & Walking Groups, Questions & Answers about Walking & Hiking, load all 29 walk photos from Walk de139 Yes Tor, High Willhays and Black Tor from Meldon Reservoir. Walking up to the reservoir is pretty straight forward. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-7197786497211981"; . The dam was constructed in 1957 to provide water to the South Hams and the reservoir itself covers around 50 acres. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. #dartmoor #wildcampinguk #gotthekennylook #wintercamping } } else { The dam is a concrete gravity structure 50.9m high, with a span of 201m. Getting to the High Willhayes and Yes Tor Circular Walk Trailhead. Once lunch had been gratefully consumed and the rain had eased slightly we decided to continue on towards High Willhays. A very satisfying walk in my book. In 1912, William Crossing, writer and documenter, said that the name High Willes had . Sorry, but your browser does not appear to be accepting our cookies. "From Meldon reservoir car park, climbed 400m peak directly south then headed on to climb Black Tor. The remains of the largest castle in Devon, in a stunning setting on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. hand side of the large rock. This is a great time to point out that though we'd all been fairly warm on our ascent we all got cold very quickly whilst sheltering from the rain and I can not iterate enough the importance of carrying extra layers and gloves. and we shall do our best to publish them. Meldon Dam TMDH Limited 2000-2023. 7. My Walks page. It's 621 metres or 2,039 feet above sea level. Where is Meldon dam? 562917) located at the northern end of the dam containing Meldon reservoir. All information on this There are the remains of extensive peat works to the southeast of Lyd Head including the evocatively named Bleak House. The weather forecast gave only a 10% chance of rain so we diligently packed our wet weather gear, extra layers and some sandwiches and looked at the trusty OS map. NB. When the track splits, take the left fork, You can also submit photos from walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir via our Facebook Page. %PDF-1.5 rocky outcrops below, which overlook the valley with the West Okement River Our Journey back to the car from here was fairly easy, we followed the river and the right hand side of the reservoir all the way back to the carpark. For those using my GPS route, this is based Begun soon after the Norman Conquest as a motte and bailey castle with a stone keep, it was converted into a sumptuous residence in the 14th century by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, much of whose work survives. See Walking Time Calculator, For advice on .gpx files see You can follow hisblog here too. 8. Construction of the dam started in 1970 and was completed in 1972.The now need to be guided by the large rock close to the top of Yes Tor (see If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Gemma The gorge is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geology, flora and fauna. For help see Help. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching. The reservoir once a natural now flooded valley and the awesome (yes I will use that word) viaduct is very much man-made over nature. To contribute to go4awalk.com or to contact us about anything at all see Talk to Us. Ah, the penny drops, so this will be the summit then. Construction began in 1970 in response to increasing demand for domestic water supply. {YwEc_P!''6G/b,U8G-EI_P//i\6}2,dO1}zIu80Adh)9#-Sy4VI+a4:.d The track splits by some picnic tables next Yes Tor is also known as an English Nuttall (237th highest in England, 412th highest in England & Wales). I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor.Steven Spielberg. tedontour LIFE MEMBER Reaching the summit of High Willhays 621 meters above sea level, Black-A-Tor Copse is one of the best examples of. The geology of High Willhays, like most of Dartmoor, consists of granite intruded about 280 million years ago. fractionally west of south (205 magnetic) on the obvious track to High For help see Help. Always useful. Ascent: In fact Black Mountain (703m) on the border between Herefordshire (England) and Powys (Wales) is considerably higher than both Crowden Head (Kinder Scout) (636m) and High Willhays (621m). the mist comes down, orientation could become difficult. Meldon Reservoir This was a pretty 7 mile circular trail which began at Meldon Reservoir and included a climb to the summit of High Willhays before descending to the West Okement River. Walkers are welcomed when the range is not being used and to avoid [email address] (NB. NB. You shouldnt let the limited public access put you off exploring safely this part of Dartmoor as it is very bleak and atmospheric, drama and remoteness but easily accessible by road. This email address is protected by JavaScript. I was of course very wrong and my hike to Yes Tor, High Willhays and the Meldon Dam and Viaduct proved that. Begun soon after the Norman Conquest as a motte and bailey castle with a stone keep, it was converted into a sumptuous residence in the 14th century by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, much of whose work survives. In 1912, William Crossing, writer and documenter, said that the name High Willes had been thought to have derived from the word huel or wheal meaning mine, but he did not think that very likely as old mine workings were invariably located near to streams. Light snow changing to overcast by late morning. I had seen the highest point on Dartmoor and had walked 151 feet above a river on a marvel of Victorian railway engineering. load all 24 walk photos from Walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir, Send us your photographs and pictures from your walks and hikes. The path diverts briefly around a walled area We put on our spare jumpers and pulled our coats about us as we ate our sandwiches huddled together beneath our granite shelter. There are intermittent . A vast dam . It is worth mentioning here that this walk is in parts of the Okehampton firing range and it is worth checking the government website for firing times before you walk. Undaunted, 16 ramblers gathered at the start point compass bearing is 101 magnetic (unadjusted for magnetic variation) to the to the riverbank. begin with, when I did the walk but I would not guarantee its presence long boulder field just before the large rock. and we shall do our best to publish them. 5. Slowly and methodically sheep began to move from right to left, first just a few and then a few more, then perhaps twenty, now forty, must be a hundred. Was a bloody chilly morning (and night) on Prewley Moor but what a view! The walk starts at the car park at Meldon Reservoir and takes you to the 621 metres (2,039 ft) summit via Longstone Hill and Black Tor. A circular and fairly strenuous walk through typical Dartmoor landscape in Devon. To our delight we discovered that it lies to the the West of Yes Tor and High Willhays beside the West Okement River, providing us with a delightful circular ro. To reach the trailhead for the High Willhayes and Yes Tor Circular Walk from Okehampton, drive west on West Street/B3260 for 3.2 km and make a left to continue on for 0.3 km. function myFunction() { Climb to the highest point on Dartmoor on this splendid circular walk in the Dartmoor National Park. initially until, as you get higher up (from SX 578902), a relatively clearer Sunrise: 06:51; Sunset: 18:05. A vast dam wall rises from the floor of the West Okement Valley. One of the beautiful reservoirs which is home to many water species and also the location is naturally beautiful for a picnic. A|.6ba5WN,Ws=za?]nAk5aZU8aBRWG7J'juQ]:^uO2vQ{wprdKTz*q(Ebk QGrSsH:>#?O| WJ^)j`Y( Dartmoor had always conjured up images of bleak moorland, high tors, deep marshes and swirling mists. The only remaining recourse available to the objecting amenity societies was an appeal to the Parliamentary Ombudsman that an injustice had been done. The views from Yes Tor and along the ridge to High Willhays are very good and the West Okement River valley you follow back to Meldon Reservoir is very pretty. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. High Willhays is just South of Yes Tor and there is a very clear track leading up to it. Meldon Reservoir Toilets S, 181, 0.044 km 290 m Contour Ring, Meldon Tor E, 109, 0.149 km Meldon Tor E, 108, 0.158 km South Down North-East SW, 217, 0.250 km . riverbank and turn right to follow the path along the right hand riverbank. highest summit on Dartmoor until piped at the post by its companion High The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England.