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. The Minister's decision letter backing the Meldon reservoir was published in November 1968. Triangulation is basically a mathematical process of measuring angles to other locations that makes accurate map making possible. now need to be guided by the large rock close to the top of Yes Tor (see See this Tour and others like it, or plan your own with komoot! . . wide and there are shallow vehicle ruts. Just below Meldon Reservoir, the west Okement River flows down into Old Meldon Pond (also known as Meldon Pool), a glorious wild swimming spot secluded under the Meldon Viaduct. The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. View down to Meldon Viaduct. }. In a previous life I was fortunate to be able to work in a water treatment plant, so I have a good understandingof all that is hidden below. <> Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yes Tor at 619m (2031ft). which protects some plant (water abstraction or whatever) but soon returns Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. (Guide Resolution = 300dpi. [email address] (NB. As you get to the edge of the plateau, you will see three To close this message click anywhere outside this window. I have given some 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). There are a few very pleasant looking pubs on route in to Okehampton but I was not able to test them! More than a stepping stone to High Willhays and Yes Tor, Meldon Reservoir is in high open moorland, almost 300 metres above sea level. All in all a very pleasant few hours. The highest point on Dartmoor is High Willhays Tor. Devon is a county of England, reaching from the Bristol Channel in the north to the English Channel in the south. I had seen the highest point on Dartmoor and had walked 151 feet above a river on a marvel of Victorian railway engineering. 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. } else { particular ignoring several bridges, until you reach the reservoir, then #dartmoor #wildcampinguk #gotthekennylook #wintercamping A vast dam wall rises from the floor of the West Okement Valley. If Meldon Reservoir on the northwest slopes of Dartmoor was the latest one, constructed in 1972. The trees are gnarled and stunted growing through the moss covered boulders, which gives the woodland its magical appearance. I've been spoilt for choice lately with Dartmoor dams. Actually the top of Yes Tor was very pleasant for me, but if you want a quiet unspoilt area, then this isn't it. The remains of the largest castle in Devon, in a stunning setting on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. meldon reservoir to high willhays. 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. All in all we had a very pleasant day and everyone agreed that it had been really enjoyable despite the rainy weather. This National Nature Reserve of 170ha mainly consists of a model example of the upland heathland and has a wealth of moorland birds. 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. Just as we reached the top of Yes Tor the heavens opened and so we took refuge under some rocks. 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. Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yes Tor at 619m (2031ft). Please enable javascript in your browser preferences). Dartmoor is bleak, unforgiving, stunningly beautiful and at the same time a cruel vicious landscape. Fernworthy is a great place to Discover the Dartmoor Story. Across the river valley, on Corn Ridge the sound of a voice could be heard, shouting loud and clear. Ive been spoilt for choice lately with Dartmoor dams. 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. 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. Cookies must be enabled for you to Log On successfully. Hiking info, trail maps, and 55 trip reports from High Willhays (621 m) in the Dartmoor of United Kingdom. Wistmans Wood is in the Dart river valley and has views of wild Devon that you wont find anywhere else in the country. As an Amazon Associate I Find new walk companions for walks in South West England, Get Directions to the start of walk de177, More easy-to-follow circular walks in Dartmoor National Park, More easy-to-follow circular walks in The South West, More easy-to-follow circular walks in Devon. The undisputed highest point in Dartmoor and the South West. I slotted in behind some granite and got scoffing . It lies in some high moorland which can be bleak in bad weatherlovely in good. You can also submit photos from walk de139 Yes Tor, High Willhays and Black Tor from Meldon Reservoir via our Facebook Page. The reality on this grey but dry day was a walk around the edge of Longstone Hill, take an obvious path due west of Yes Tor summit and walk eastwards up to the top and take a photo or three. Meldon 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]. and we shall do our best to publish them. Please enable javascript in your browser preferences). It is part of South West England, bounded by Cornwall to the west, Somerset to the north-east and Dorset to the east. For the return from Highwillhays, once again Explore open moorland, dramatic tors and a Scheduled Monument: boasting a special combination of industrial heritage, wildlife and nature trails, Meldon is the perfect location to enjoy a unique day outdoors. After the last Courtenay owner fell foul of Henry VIII in 1539, the castle declined into a ruin. 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. The highest part of the moor lies in the northeast corner just south of the A30, where it rises to 2,037ft (621m) at High Willhays, seen from this walk. We were all walking roughly the same route but no doubt with very different stories to tell over a cup of tea later. Descend to the right of Black Tor to the NB. Please indicate where each photo was taken. 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. Xf0"LU|h0qlBITX1HGJTlQl4y5:K{^:H8UKDy++J RlbMF*fshY)W)\ZQ &%ItS=kCU5G6I]3fwd 8PKiBU,57x}P1@H4k&\zjIiV* NJ>@y]42Y&. Given the effort taken in constructionit would be a dishonour to not protect them for future generations to stand beneath and look ever upwards. 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). It really was that easy. reservoir covers some 57 acres. The highest point on Dartmoor is High Willhays Tor. Explore it on the map and plan your own route to High Willhays. Yes Tor is also known as an English Nuttall (237th highest in England, 412th highest in England & Wales). To get there, take the B3260 south west from See Walking Time Calculator, For advice on .gpx files see Trip.com 1 3392TWD Trip.com! 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. The lichens and mosses that drape the trees are nationally important and grow here in this unique clean air woodland. High Willhays is the highest point in Dartmoor National Park and and the highest point in the county of Devon. The ultimate sheep driving machine. (281 magnetic). Take the turn off to Meldon and follow the signs for the Bow before mighty Loch Meldon . extent across the Oakhampton Military Firing Range but do not let this put Apparently there used to be a circular walk around the reservoir but now only the path along the southern shore is open. Head for these and you will soon catch Surprisingly the water is bright green; not due to algae but due to the minerals in the rock in this former limestone quarry. Reservoir Car Park (Donations box). 15. } else { High Willhays is the highest point on Dartmoor and in the UK south of the Brecon Beacons. after themselves. 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. Undaunted, 16 ramblers gathered at the start point . Now back at Meldon Dam, I followed a finger-post sign directing me north-east towards the viaduct. A very satisfying walk in my book. % Explore open moorland, dramatic tors and a Scheduled Monument: boasting a special combination of industrial heritage, wildlife and nature trails, Meldon is the perfect location to enjoy a unique day outdoors. A shepherd on a quad bike was commanding three sheepdogs. 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. 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. Find the perfect meldon reservoir stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The remains of the largest castle in Devon, in a stunning setting on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. RM 2BCCM52 - The spillway of Meldon Dam (1972), showing overflow of the West Olement River from Meldon Reservoir, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK. 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. through the gate turn left to the reservoir dam. Only when beyond the false summit (the cairnvisible from the west) do you then see the trig point and radio mast. begin with, when I did the walk but I would not guarantee its presence long The River Lyd rises at Lyd Head by Corn Ridge to the north of Woodcock Hill. What's Nearby Accommodation Sourton Down Caravan & Camping Park It's 621 metres or 2,039 feet above sea level. 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. Construction began in 1970 in response to increasing demand for domestic water supply. The military have been using Dartmoor for over 200 years and this walk is partly within a live firing range. back to Meldon Reservoir is very pretty. A circular and fairly strenuous walk through typical Dartmoor landscape in Devon. damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it. The walk also follows routes which are Can you walk up 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. Yes Tor is also known as an English Nuttall (237th highest in England, 412th highest in England & Wales). High Willhays is just South of Yes Tor and there is a very clear track leading up to it. Black-A-Tor Copse is one of the best examples of high altitude oak woodland in Britain. 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. When was Meldon reservoir built? Ansum! One of the beautiful reservoirs which is home to many water species and also the location is naturally beautiful for a picnic. Your email address will not be published. Oakhampton Military Firing Range. xYK7h*ZffwLr98^qmlHSil3;zT}z? Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. 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. go4mailvariable='go4awalk.com' We stopped here a while and I decided that it was still just about warm enough for me to take an Autumn dip in the West Okement. function myFunction() { to the water (SX 562913).Take the left fork. Recommended. I was briefly thrown on arrival because it was a pay car park and the machine wanted actual coins. The Reservoir has a surface of more than 730 acres and is more than 130 feet deep, making it one of the largest inland waters in the South West. (Guide Resolution = 300dpi. Only two viaducts of this design remain in the UK and both are thankfully listed structures so hopefully we can enjoy them for many more years to come. Find new walk companions for walks in South West England, Get Directions to the start of walk de139, More easy-to-follow circular walks in Dartmoor National Park, More easy-to-follow circular walks in The South West, More easy-to-follow circular walks in Devon, See/ShowPassword Intermediate. point A walk in Dartmoor National Park, Devon, South West England, South West England, Meldon Reservoir - Longstone Hill - Yes Tor - High Willhays - Dinger Tor - Brim Beck - Kneeset Nose - Sandy Ford - West Okement River - Black-a-Tor Copse - Vellake Weir - 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. Really hope you're all ok!! Branch off to the left (SX 570905). It's 621 metres or 2,039 feet above sea level. Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yes Tor at 619m (2031ft). I parked at Meldon Reservoir, which has a car park and toilets. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The car park at the east end of Meldon Reservoir. The waterfall trail is a moderate circular walk of about an hour on a mostly one-way route. All rights reserved. From High Willhays we walked back down the West side of the hill towards Black-A-Tor Copse. Meldon Dam }. Then cut across boggy marsh . This Dartmoor adventure was far from over, I had one more ace up my sleeve; the impressive, the immense, the towering Meldon Viaduct. TMDH Limited 2000-2023. (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. Yes Tor is 2031ft (619m) and 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). 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. on the track recorded automatically as I walked so should be accurate. I settled there for 10 minutes and enjoyed the views over North Devon. Over 151 feet high in placesand now part of the Granite Way, a recognised cycle route. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dartmoor-firing-programme. //--> Work your way to the right of this The army military clear up (a pay and display carpark) we headed out of the carpark and turned left along the footpath towards the Dam. 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. All Rights Reserved. From Meldon Viaduct I retraced my steps back towards the car park at the reservoir. 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. Heheard them too. compass bearing is 101 magnetic (unadjusted for magnetic variation) to the All following each other, like sheep do. Littered with UXBs and danger! The summit of Yes Tor is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point. The River Lyd rises at Lyd Head by Corn Ridge to the north of Woodcock Hill. A party of D of E students nearing the summit had the alternative effect, pleased no doubt to find the correct summit.