More than a stepping stone to High Willhays and Yes Tor, Meldon Reservoir is in high open moorland, almost 300 metres above sea level. The path diverts briefly around a walled area It has an ethereal feel about the place as though someone has dropped the elven forests of Middle Earth here in Devon. However High Willhays is in an area of the northern plateau of the moor where the exposed rock has noticeably fewer of the large feldspar megacrysts that are typical of most of Dartmoor's tors. Stay on the right hand side of the river, in The reservoir sits behind this dam wall and extends to the foot of . Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yes Tor at 619m (2031ft). 04:07. Getting to the High Willhayes and Yes Tor Circular Walk Trailhead. Light snow changing to overcast by late morning. Easiest route From Meldon Reservoir, SX 562918 With that in mind, it is worth remembering that one should not NB. That'll be Shellstone Tor and High Willhays in the background. You can follow hisblog here too. IntroductionThis Dartmoor walk to Yes Tor and High Willhays takes place to a large Continue from the trig. High Willhays is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (166th highest in England, 289th highest in England & Wales) High Willhays is also known as an English Nuttall (228th highest in England, 397th highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (49th highest in England, 727th highest in the UK). I slotted in behind some granite and got scoffing . function myFunction() { summit. If you need to buy any Detailed maps and GPS navigation for the hike: "Yes Tor & High Willhays loop from Meldon Reservoir" 03:40 h 12.1 km komoot Discover Route planner Features Discover It is part of South West England, bounded by Cornwall to the west, Somerset to the north-east and Dorset to the east. The time refers to a. 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. photo) which will be ahead of you. 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. 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. The sharpness of the fractured rocks, the twists and turns of every footstep, water running from every crevice. Oakhampton Military Firing Range. June 30, 2022; this place is a shelter sheet music; hall and jordan funeral home obituaries . Find the perfect meldon reservoir stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. simply follow the path round its right hand side back to the car park. You can find more walks near these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select). MELDON RESERVOIR TO HIGH WILLHAYS VIA A ROUNDABOUT ROUTE START POINT: MELDON RES GRID REFERENCE: 562917 John Skinner had planned a route from Meldon Reservoir going upto the Moors via Okehampton Station but F&M restrictions put paid to that and he had to rejig the walk to avoid restricted areas. 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. It offers an excellent day out in Devon from kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding and sailing, to archery, climbing, fishing, walking and cycling. Half-Day Surf Experience in Newquay (1 x 2 hour lesson) - All Abilities Welcome. Bow before mighty Loch Meldon . High Willhays (/wliz, wlhez/ WIL-eez, WIL-hayz), or according to some authorities High Willes,[3] is the highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, at 621 metres (2,039 feet) above sea level,[1][2] and the highest point in Southern England. There are the remains of extensive peat works to the southeast of Lyd Head including the evocatively named Bleak House. Just as we reached the top of Yes Tor the heavens opened and so we took refuge under some rocks. If 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. 1h 28m Moderate 3.8 (3) Ten Tors Circular Walk Dartmoor National Park Length: 11.9 km Est. For the return from Highwillhays, once again RF P6219K - Evening light on Dartmoor, with views towards Meldon reservoir and over an old quarry site. RM 2BCCM52 - The spillway of Meldon Dam (1972), showing overflow of the West Olement River from Meldon Reservoir, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK. hand outcrop which is Black Tor. Railway stone. It is also possible to access the River Teign and surrounding area. Given the effort taken in constructionit would be a dishonour to not protect them for future generations to stand beneath and look ever upwards. % Yes Tor is also known as an English Nuttall (237th highest in England, 412th highest in England & Wales). A party of D of E students nearing the summit had the alternative effect, pleased no doubt to find the correct summit. I had seen the highest point on Dartmoor and had walked 151 feet above a river on a marvel of Victorian railway engineering. The views from Yes Tor and along the ridge to Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. Work your way to the right of this 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]. Construction of the dam started in 1970 and was completed in 1972.The s+-??|&xLj`wLpsQ!q~jJ&'y1}c89:g881i b50^y$8%!dTQ2$6{ Q% +*?q K.wmo$nR ( u(H:ZaRpS #[ ) ANA4SV,xJM2]FGVlP2#nD9mf@"Iv]>"0. The reservoir is surrounded by steep sided banks covered with trees and gorse bushes. Start by crossing the dam wall and taking the initial zig zag path up the hillside ahead. Meldon Dam 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. The walk also follows routes which are /* walks */ Nestled on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, is an idyllic location for a family day out, a special celebration, or a corporate event. Dartmoor had always conjured up images of bleak moorland, high tors, deep marshes and swirling mists. . There are a number of compulsory checkpoints at which all runners MUST give their number to the stewards. Discover the best hikes and paths to High Willhays in Okehampton Hamlets, West Devon. } else { It's a flat, boggy landmass that's relatively difficult to walk across. I had this notion that the northern landscape of Dartmoor was a fenced off landscape, uninviting to hikers. Please indicate where each photo was taken. untoward, do not touch it and report it. stony and bends round to the right. (281 magnetic). x.type = 'text'; The River Lyd rises at Lyd Head by Corn Ridge to the north of Woodcock Hill. The largest outcrop is crowned with a cairn. disappointment, a freephone number (0800 458 4868) is available, which has a 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. stream 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. Intermediate. Settling down on a flat slab of granite the wind died away to silence, no longer tugging at my collar. 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. 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. Nearby Dartefacts and Squares: 438 Less than 1 km High Willhays Ridge Ring/Bank (with Pool) SE, 136, 0.075 km SE, 136, 0.075 km William Crossing stated that High Willhays was the highest point in England south of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales,[4] but since then surveys have shown that Kinder Scout is also higher (albeit less prominent). Route: Meldon Dam car park to High Willhaysand back. 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 route encompassing the two highest peaks on the Moor (which many classify as mountains). Either distracted by food, weather or the MOD firing guns! All Rights Reserved. 3.3 km/h. Meldon Reservoir is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the northwest section of the National Park. . See Walking Time Calculator, For advice on .gpx files see We continued along the path as it turned South and then East up the hill towards our first summit Yes Tor. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. however. This descent was fairly steep, we were aiming for the Southerly most point of the trees, skirting the edge of the wood, meaning that a substantial amount of Bouldering was required. term. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Photo 6x4 South-east slopes of High Willhays Dinger Tor c2009 at the best online prices at eBay! The dam is a concrete gravity structure 50.9m high, with a span of 201m. A vast dam wall rises from the floor of the West Okement Valley. . Unlike sunsets that donthold his attention for long, this working landscape captivated him whilst I watched and ate my humble lunch. Ascent: View of north Devon from Yes Tor. Black Tor overlooks the West Okement River and this view offered peaceful shelter from the inquisitive autumnal wind, I remembered that same wind at Bignor and Chanctonbury Ring. Maximum daytime temperature: 3 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: -1 degrees Celsius. Overview to the riverbank. Im not afraid of heights so I did relish the occasional glimpse of the river some 150 feet below my boots, through gaps in the wooden decking. %PDF-1.5 High Willhays We eventually left the moorland passing through a car park and then had to climb uphill again to an old railway line and the Meldon Viaduct, We crossed the bridge and then made our way back to the car tired and happy after a successful hill climb. From there it was up to Yes Tor and High Willhays, where the wind really was blowing something. #1 Hi, We want to walk to Yes Tor and High Willhays starting from the car park at Meldon Reservoir. 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. Home; About; Program; FAQ; Registration; Sponsorship; Contact; Home; About; Program; FAQ; Registration; Sponsorship . We would love to see your walk photographs and pictures walk de139 Yes Tor, High Willhays and Black Tor from Meldon Reservoir. The city of Exeter is the county town. 12.1 km. You can also submit photos from walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir via our Facebook Page. Walking up Longstone Hill we saw our first signs of life. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Obvious paths on the lower slopes make pleasant walking but these become intermittent on the higher slopes, the wild ponies being the most likely creators of many. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching. Last ditch attempt to save Meldon Gorge. Leave a comment. Yes Tor is also known as an English Nuttall (237th highest in England, 412th highest in England & Wales). Meldon Reservoir is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the northwest section of the National Park. I settled there for 10 minutes and enjoyed the views over North Devon. You begin to question your judgement and route, if new to walking this area. 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 . reservoir car park. }. 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. High Willhays is 2037ft (621m). From High Willhays we descended south to the West Okemont River and found our wild camping spot for the night nestled below Lints Tor. Really hope you're all ok!! TMDH Limited 2000-2023. initially until, as you get higher up (from SX 578902), a relatively clearer I have given some The viaduct was opened in 1874 and is still standing proud in 2015. A very satisfying walk in my book. x.type = 'password'; . . Meldon Hill and Nattadon Hill are both popular with walkers, with a circular walk enabling you to take on both hills or each one independently. High Willhays despite the howling wind was sporting a rather fine cairn. Parking at Meldon Reservoir SX561 918 (a pay and display carpark) we headed out of the carpark and turned left along the footpath towards the Dam. recorded message giving availability. Tracks across High Willhays to Yes Tor. You can find more walks near these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select). Red-a-ven Brook and Yes Tor. 2. Devon is a county of England, reaching from the Bristol Channel in the north to the English Channel in the south. the PDF logo above to give a printable version of this walk without the Keep right for the next 1.3 km and turn right, where you will find the car park on the left in 42 m. Surprisingly the water is bright green; not due to algae but due to the minerals in the rock in this former limestone quarry. From Meldon Viaduct I retraced my steps back towards the car park at the reservoir. To contribute to go4awalk.com or to contact us about anything at all see Talk to Us. through the gate turn left to the reservoir dam. What's Nearby Accommodation Sourton Down Caravan & Camping Park <> (Guide Resolution = 300dpi. to the water (SX 562913).Take the left fork. This email address is protected by JavaScript. Sorry, but your browser does not appear to be accepting our cookies. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); See/ShowPassword 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. Enough time to glance at the map and plot a compass bearing west towards Black Tor, overlooking West Okement River. The track becomes grassy and "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. 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. Cookies must be enabled for you to Log On successfully. The route is beautiful with stunning views over the county from Yes Tor and High Willhays (the highest point) before a welcome descent to Black Tor and down Homerton Hill to the finish at Meldon reservoir. and we shall do our best to publish them. //--> That brooding sky. Sent to us by Andrew Ross, a viewer, this walk was a great day on Dartmoor. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yes Tor at 619m (2031ft). Meldon Reservoir on the northwest slopes of Dartmoor was the latest one, constructed in 1972. A walk from Meldon Quarry to High Willhays & return via Black Tor, Black-a-Tor Copse, The West Okement River & Meldon Reservoir The start is the car park and toilets (Grid ref. Arriving at the car park next to the stunning Meldon Reservoir at around 11am we sorted out our various bits of kit for the day's walk and headed off across the dam wall at the head of the reservoir. There is a large car park at Meldon Dam, with toilets and a map of the area. A vast dam . High Willhays is near the northwestern edge of Dartmoor, about 2.5 km ( 112 miles) south east of Meldon Reservoir and about 5 km (3 miles) south of the town of Okehampton. 7. When you get to the large rock, there is a Yes Tor is the one with the trig.