Reaching the summit of High Willhays 621 meters above sea level, Black-A-Tor Copse is one of the best examples of. For the return from Highwillhays, once again Surprisingly the water is bright green; not due to algae but due to the minerals in the rock in this former limestone quarry. [7] Each of the outcrops displays lamellar bedding.[6]. It's 621 metres or 2,039 feet above sea level. Meldon Reservoir is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the northwest section of the National Park. IntroductionThis Dartmoor walk to Yes Tor and High Willhays takes place to a large Exit the car park and cross the lane to a signed bridleway heading southwest. Sunrise: 06:51; Sunset: 18:05. Intermediate. document.write('' + go4mailvariable + '<\/a>') boulder field just before the large rock. Once I had found the correct road to Meldon Reservoir the route was very straightforward. You begin at Meldon Reservoir car park, where you will be immediately greeted by sweeping views of Meldon Reservoir, and an impressive dam, which reminds me of the one in . RF2GJATBE - Panorama from High Willhays to Meldon Reservoir, Dam and Viaduct, Dartmoor Devon. point and a radio aerial. A short walk south of the car park brings you to the impressive Meldon Dam constructed in 1972. begin with, when I did the walk but I would not guarantee its presence long } else { Dartmoor is bleak, unforgiving, stunningly beautiful and at the same time a cruel vicious landscape. Dartmoor ponies added to the tranquil scene. A couple of Sunday's back we decided to take a trip up to Meldon Reservoir which is just outside of Okehampton. Ah, the penny drops, so this will be the summit then. 04:07. All Rights Reserved. It's a flat, boggy landmass that's relatively difficult to walk across. meldon reservoir to high willhays. Undaunted, 16 ramblers gathered at the start point Where is Meldon dam? Black-A-Tor Copse is one of the best examples of high altitude oak woodland in Britain. Given the effort taken in constructionit would be a dishonour to not protect them for future generations to stand beneath and look ever upwards. now need to be guided by the large rock close to the top of Yes Tor (see The average height of the moor, however, is around 1,200ft (366m). go4mailvariable=('walk_pics' + '@' + go4mailvariable) 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. After the last Courtenay owner fell foul of Henry VIII in 1539, the castle declined into a ruin. The summit of Yes Tor is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point. go4awalk.com and go4awalk.co.uk are registered trademarks of TMDH Limited. Fernworthy is a great place to Discover the Dartmoor Story. You can safely say I was in aweCurving gently across thevalley and old mine workings, the Meldon Viaduct is a bold statement in an already strikinglandscape. RM 2BCCM52 - The spillway of Meldon Dam (1972), showing overflow of the West Olement River from Meldon Reservoir, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK. Please indicate where each photo was taken. The gorge is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geology, flora and fauna. Trip.com () Trip.com 55% Take the turn off to Meldon and follow the signs for the Our eldest wasn't looking where she was going and ended up kneed deep in a bog, to our great amusement and bless her, she took it with good grace. I parked at Meldon Reservoir, which has a car park and toilets. 562917) located at the northern end of the dam containing Meldon reservoir. Start: The water was bracing and though my family think I'm bonkers I found it most pleasant. We were now surrounded by clouds giving us the perfect opportunity to teach our eldest (who is hoping to achieve her Bronze Duke Of Edinburgh award) some highly important lessons in using a compass. [5], High Willhays is near the northwestern edge of Dartmoor, about .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}2.5km (1+12 miles) south east of Meldon Reservoir and about 5km (3 miles) south of the town of Okehampton. 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. %PDF-1.5 [email address] (NB. In my case it was the Hound of the Baskervilles. I walked west to Black Tor, hoping to find a nice spot for lunch. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. A vast dam wall rises from the floor of the West Okement Valley. TMDH Limited 2000-2023. We were all walking roughly the same route but no doubt with very different stories to tell over a cup of tea later. from. You can follow hisblog here too. High Willhays - Wild Running High Willhays Distance: 8 miles (12.5km) Ascent: 541 metres Start/finish: Meldon Dam car park, EX20 4LU Cross the dam and turn R onto the Meldon Reservoir shore path to the far end and then up the West Okement River to the woodland (2.1 miles/3.4km). Either distracted by food, weather or the MOD firing guns! I have given some Hisnose sniffed the calm air and his eyes scanned the distant valley slopes. xYK7h*ZffwLr98^qmlHSil3;zT}z? 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). load all 29 walk photos from Walk de139 Yes Tor, High Willhays and Black Tor from Meldon Reservoir, Send us your photographs and pictures from your walks and hikes. . relevant compass bearings. I was briefly thrown on arrival because it was a pay car park and the machine wanted actual coins. We continued along the path as it turned South and then East up the hill towards our first summit Yes Tor. From High Willhays we descended south to the West Okemont River and found our wild camping spot for the night nestled below Lints Tor. A shepherd on a quad bike was commanding three sheepdogs. 2. Across the river valley, on Corn Ridge the sound of a voice could be heard, shouting loud and clear. 5. Very much part of the attraction for me; what the eye doesnt see, the mind starts to imagine.The plan was to walk from Meldon Reservoir in an easterly direction up to Yes Tor, a location for years I had always wanted to visit. Leave a comment. 3.3 km/h. 1h 28m Moderate 3.8 (3) Ten Tors Circular Walk Dartmoor National Park Length: 11.9 km Est. 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. go4mailvariable=('walk_pics' + '@' + go4mailvariable) Meldon Reservoir, Yes Tor, High Willhays, Black-A-Tor Copse and a dip in the West Okement. Climb to the highest point on Dartmoor on this splendid circular walk in the Dartmoor National Park. 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. 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. The remains of the largest castle in Devon, in a stunning setting on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click here. The path diverts briefly around a walled area . View south up the valley of the West Okement River from High Willhays. 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. The views from Yes Tor and along the ridge to 420 m. The ultimate sheep driving machine. x.type = 'password'; #1 Hi, We want to walk to Yes Tor and High Willhays starting from the car park at Meldon Reservoir. . best route you can. highest summit on Dartmoor until piped at the post by its companion High As an Amazon Associate I Willhays, thanks to modern surveying methods. This email address is protected by JavaScript. One of the beautiful reservoirs which is home to many water species and also the location is naturally beautiful for a picnic. Then cut across boggy marsh . sight of the trig. High Willhays is the highest point on Dartmoor and in the UK south of the Brecon Beacons. A very satisfying walk in my book. Meldon Reservoir Enjoy a waterside walk around this lovely reservoir on Dartmoor. All in all a very pleasant few hours. Head for the right tedontour LIFE MEMBER It sits on the River Avon which rises just over four miles away NW close to Ryder's Hill. 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. var x = document.getElementById('password'); More than a stepping stone to High Willhays and Yes Tor, Meldon Reservoir is in high open moorland, almost 300 metres above sea level. Your email address will not be published. Please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to: