Mustard Seed Walks

27/07/2025

Mustard Seed Walks
Oke Tor, Cullever Steps, and Swim

START: Rowtor military road, Okehampton (GR - SX 597922, W3W whispers.perusing.starters)
DATE: Saturday 9th August 2025
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: From Okehampton head up past the station and on towards Okehampton military camp. When you come to a T junction turn left over a bridge and follow the military road up towards Rowtor. There are parking places on the right near the Tor.
DISTANCE: approx. 5miles
OVERVIEW: This will be a walk with an optional swim in the East Okement River towards the end of it - come prepared if you wish to swim! The walk will take us south along the military road and then up to Oke Tor. Heading north along the ridge we will eventually come to Winter Tor, descending to Cullever Steps. The swimming spot is very near this point, although prepare for it to be fairly busy as it is a popular swimming hole. A shortish walk will take us bak to our vehicles.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in. PLUS: swimming gear if you plan to swim!

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS
- For Dartmoor Outdoor Festival (DOF) Walks please visit and book through:https://www.dartmooroutdoorfestival.co.uk/ #/. My DOF walks are below.
- Sunday 31st August - West Dart Head walk - need to book through Dartmoor Outdoor Festival

THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" - Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

31/05/2025

Mustard Seed Walks - A Ring of Tors

START: Two Bridges Hotel (GR - SX 608750, W3W assemble.grades.growth)
DATE: Saturday 7th June 2025
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: Either: free parking in small parking area across road from Two Bridges Hotel, or in Hotel car park ( Payment to reception which is usually waived if you buy a drink on completion - ask on arrival)
DISTANCE: approx. 9 miles
OVERVIEW: Crossing the road we will walk through the permissive path through Beardown Farm and follow the Leat before ascending to Beardown Tors. From here we will walk to Lydford Tor and onwards to Devils Tor and Beardown Standing Man. The next section is tricky through peat hags to take us to Rough Tor. Descending to the West Dart River we will find a way across and visit the ruins of Browns House. A potentially damp path will take us up to a long ridge, visiting Lower White Tor, Higher White Tor, Longford Tor, Littaford Tors, and Crockern Tor. A short walk will complete our circuit. This is a longish walk, fairly tough going with a river crossing and some boggy ground - wet feet may result!

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS
- 9th August 2025 - Place TBD
- For Dartmoor Outdoor Festival (DOF) Walks please visit and book through:https://www.dartmooroutdoorfestival.co.uk/ #/. My DOF walks are below.
- Sunday 31st August - West Dart Head walk - need to book through Dartmoor Outdoor Festival
- Wednesday 3rd September - White Tor - need to book through Dartmoor Outdoor Festival.
THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" - Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

 Well, our bluebell walk turned out to be a walk with a friend as most of those booked on had to cancel at the last minute.  

19/04/2025

Mustard Seed Walks - Bluebells Walk - Holwell Lawn and Emsworthy Mire

START: Hound Tor Car Park (GR - SX 739792, W3W sugar.revamping.sponsors)
DATE: Saturday 17th May 2025
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: Hound Tor Car Park - free parking, no toilets
DISTANCE: approx. 6.5 miles
OVERVIEW: From Hound Tor car park we will skirt past Hound Tor and enter Holwell Lawn, where if the flowers are blooming for us we will walk through a host of blooming bluebells. We will then start a second loop through Emsworthy Mire, where we should spot more bluebells - but beware, mire can mean wet feet! Exiting the mire we will climb Top Tor and then begin a long descent to Bonehill Rocks. A pleasant stroll across Bonehill down will bring us to our final leg back to the car park.
INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1
FUTURE WALKS - Places TBD
- 7th June 2025
- 9th August 2025
THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" - Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

 After a spell of fine but coldish weather, the day of our walk had a forecast for rain.  Would it come before we finished the walk or as forecast during our walk?  We mostly stayed dry!

19/03/2025

Mustard Seed Walks - Railway Reminiscence Ramble

START: Leeden Tor Car Park (GR - SX 561708, W3W coping.breathing.fancied)
DATE: Saturday 12th April 2025
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: Leeden Tor Car Park - on B3212 between Yelverton and Princetown
DISTANCE: approx. 6.5 miles
OVERVIEW: We are delighted to have Simon Dell joining us again on this walk. Simon has a vast knowledge of Dartmoor and is a renowned story teller. From the car park we will walk down hill to pick up the disused railroad track to the west of Ingra Tor, following it towards Princetown. We will visit some corbels, beautifully made but surplus to requirements. Following the loop around King's Tor will afford us excellent views towards the north moors. The track will take us back to Swelltor quarry and then dropping down to rejoin our outward track. As we approach Ingra Tor will will climb up to it, and then we will walk to Leeden Tor before returning to the car park.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS - Places TBD
- 17th May 2025
- 7th June 2025
- 9th August 2025
THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" - Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

 It was a chilly wind that met us when we arrived at Burrator Quarry car park.  There were just the four of us booked on this walk, but to our delight, two more joined us in the car park.

16/02/2025

Mustard Seed Walks - Nun's Cross and Devonport Leat

START: Princetown Visitors Centre (GR - SX 590735, W3W clogging.riverboat.glee)
DATE: Saturday 15th March 2025
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: Princetown Visitors Centre car park - £4 per day - or find free street parking in Princetown.
DISTANCE: approx. 7.5 miles
OVERVIEW: The first part of this walk will be on easy tracks with a good surface, taking us past South Hessary Tor and on to Nun's Cross with open views all around. From Nun's Cross we will visit a tunnel where the Devonport Lead flows beneath the solid granite hill. We will follow the leat on reasonable tracks that curve west and north to the spectacular aqueduct over the River Meavy. There are plenty of mine workings here and some Bronze Age remains also. A climb up to Hart Tor will afford views of the upper Meavy Valley. Heading back towards Princetown there are places of interest to see.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS
- 12th April - Kings Tor & Leeden Tor

THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" - Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

 It was a chilly wind that met us when we arrived at Burrator Quarry car park.  There were just the four of us booked on this walk, but to our delight, two more joined us in the car park.

05/02/2025

Mustard Seed Walks - Venford Reservoir Circuit

START: Venford Reservoir South car park.
DATE: Saturday 15th February 2025
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: Venford Reservoir Car Park - south of the Dam on Holne side, a large free parking area. (GR - SX 688709. W3W: roaring.roughest.repeat)
DISTANCE: approx. 6 miles.
OVERVIEW: From the car park we will walk in a southerly direction across some pathless challenging ground then turning westward onto Holne Lee. This will lead onto a track that will take us to some disused tin workings. From here we will head in a generally northerly direction around the valley to arrive at Horn's Cross. We'll head towards the Holne Reave and then north to cross the road. This section will take past Bronze Age stone rows, field boundaries and at least one hut circle. Once across the road we will head downhill in a north westerly direction to pick up the pipeline path which will take us through an ancient forest complete with superb views of the River Dart. More ancient field boundaries will lead us back to the Venford Dam, the car park lying just across this dam.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS
- 15th March - Devonport Leat & Nun's Cross
- 12th April - Kings Tor & Leeden Tor

THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" - Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

 It was a chilly wind that met us when we arrived at Burrator Quarry car park.  There were just the four of us booked on this walk, but to our delight, two more joined us in the car park.

06/01/2025

Mustard Seed Walks - Burrator Reservoir Circuit

START: Burrator Quarry Car Park (GR - SX 549677. What Three Words: successes.month.remotest).
DATE: Saturday 17th January 2025
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: Burrator Quarry Car Park is a large free parking area.
DISTANCE: approx. 5.5 miles.
OVERVIEW: From the car park we will walk up onto the hill, ascending Yennadon Down until we reach a road. A short road walk will bring us to a track that we will take to Norsworthy Bridge. We will have to do a bit more road walking before we take a track to Sheeps Tor. We may either walk around the Tor or maybe go over it before walking to one of the two Burrator Reservoir Dams. A bit more road walking will take us back to the car park.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS
- 15th February - Burrator Reservoir Circuit
- 15th March - Devonport Leat & Nun's Cross
- 12th April - Kings Tor & Leeden Tor

THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" - Genesis 1:31 (The Message)

16/09/2024

Mustard Seed Walks - Huntingdon Warren Exploration - 23rd November 2024

START: Shipley Bridge Car Park (GR - SX 681630).
DATE: Saturday 23rd November 2024
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30 am.
PARKING: Shipley Bridge car park has toilets, a mobile tea shop and is a pay and display car park costing £4 for a day.
DISTANCE: approx. 8 miles.
OVERVIEW: From Shipley Bridge car park we will walk up the Avon Dam access road, looking at Brent Moor House on the way and thinking about its unusual history. Once at Avon Dam we will continue along the north of the dam, visiting some Bronze Age hut circles before joining the Abbots Way that will take us to Huntingdon Cross. Once there we will explore this area before walking back and seeing more Bronze Age settlements on Hickaton Hill.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Please let me know - only if you will be coming, thanks.

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - As usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS
- TBC

THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"Bring your melody, O mountains and hills; trees of the forest and field, harmonise your praise!"
Psalm 148:9 (The Passion Translation)

05/04/2024

Tomorrows Walk - 6th April - CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS - sorry

27/03/2024

HOUND TOR - moorland and country road ramble to Bowerman's Nose

START: Hound Tor Car Park - SX739792
DATE: Saturday 6th April 2024
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 11 am.
PARKING: Free car park at Hound Tor
DISTANCE: approx. 5 miles.
OVERVIEW: This shortish walk will be over moorland and down some country roads in a circular walk taking in Hound Tor, Southcott, Bowermans Nose and Kitty Jay’s Grave.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - A usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):
http://phils-notes.blogspot.com/?m=1

FUTURE WALKS
- 1st June 2024 - Bennet's Cross

THOUGHT FOR THE SEASON
"Bring your melody, O mountains and hills; trees of the forest and field, harmonise your praise!"
Psalm 148:9 (The Passion Translation)

 After a spell of sub-zero weather, the day of our walk was much more in line with what we would expect for a moorland day in January; cold, windy and threatening rain.

27/03/2024

Mustard Seed Walks - Bennet's Cross to Natsworthy Gate Circular Walk - Saturday 1st June 2024

NOTE: I have had to cancel our March walk as I have double-booked myself, sorry.

START: Bennet's Cross car park (GR SX681817) on B3212 just NE of the Warren House Inn. NB, there is another car park 250m NE if this car park is full.
DATE: Saturday 1st June 2024
TIMINGS: We will start walking at 10.30am.
PARKING: Free car park at Bennett's Cross
DISTANCE: approx. 7.5 miles.
OVERVIEW: From the car park we will walk along the Two Moors way over Birch Tor, then after crossing a road ascending to Hockney Tor. The route continues east to King Tor and beyond to a minor road which will take us down a hill into the hamlet of Heathercombe. We will pick up another branch of the Two Moors Way heading south until we arrive at Natsworthy Gate. We will then begin the return journey westward, walking up to a war memorial where an aircraft crashed during WW2, and then on to Hameldown Tor. We will descent to Grimspound Bronze Age settlement before continuing westward past Headland Warren Farm and into mining country with plenty to see. An ascent will take us back to the car park.

INFORMATION REMINDER:-

Gear to take - Waterproof jacket and trousers, spare warm top, hat and gloves, lunch and drink, sensible footwear - boots best, rucksack to carry it all in.

Dogs - Dogs are allowed, but on a short lead please.

Donations - A usual, I do not charge a fee or take expenses for my walks, but I would encourage voluntary donations towards two charities: Devon Air Ambulance & Christians Against Poverty.

Photos etc - I will now be posting photos etc on this blog (rather than Facebook):

 After a spell of sub-zero weather, the day of our walk was much more in line with what we would expect for a moorland day in January; cold, windy and threatening rain.