A grand tour of the listed tops of Dartmoor:- a second visit to the two Nuttall mountains of the region and thirteen new 500m+ Dewey tops, including two of the small group that top 600m.
A Dartmoor backpack had been on the radar for some time, our only previous visit being a day walk in 1995 for the two Nuttalls. A plot of all the tops on Memory-Map suggested a grandslam of the whole group totalling around 56 miles, an ambitious route for 3 days given the long drive there and back, but one that would take me through the wild and remote heartland and out to some of the distinctive tors for which Dartmoor is so renowned. It would have been more relaxed and comfortable over 4 days, but I had 3 and the forecast predicted fine dry weather in the south - the challenge was on.
The heartland of northern Dartmoor is a vast expanse of domed hills and sinuous valleys dotted with rocky tors, a landscape that can test navigation skills for the unfamiliar. On this backpack in clear and mainly sunny weather, I utilized my compass and scrutinized the map detail and contours extensively, far more than on any other trip for years.
The central region of the northern moor is also famed for its bogs, but the recent lack of significant rain was another enticement for this trip. I encountered only a handful of very brief boggy bits and most of those were not up on the high moor, in fact most of the moorland seemed parched - more of a soft crunch than a squelch.
Link:-
Full report & photos