Fox Tor and Childe's Tombe on Dartmoor

A finally managed to get to Fox Tor recently, my first visit, having negotiated around the edge of the infamous Fox Tor Mire (inspiration for Conan Doyle's 'Grimpen Mire').

An interesting feature of Fox Tor is the so-called "Mammoth's Skull" (Named as such by Eric Hemery).  It's actually two adjacent rock basins on a toppled slab, but looks at first glance like the eye sockets of a, well, mammoth:

Nearby is Childe's Tombe, supposed to mark the place where Childe, a Saxon Hunter, was stranded in a terrible storm.  In an attempt to survive, he disemboweled his horse and climbed inside.  Unfortunately it was not enough to save him.  Grim.

That's it for today, folks - enough of eye sockets, skulls and disemboweled horses...

Cold, Blue Sheep on Dartmoor

Fffreezing it was; the wind chill must have been -10°C.  Thought I could cross Fox Tor mire on frozen ground, how wrong I was.  Does that place never freeze fully?  The dogs were walking over the ice that was bending - the bog below was still liquid and doubly dangerous.

Having abandoned that walk I then trudged along the ridge to trip over Cramber Tor (not very impressive really).

Still, I saw some funky blue sheep, so that was worth while then:

Note the symmetry of the blue... (or is it just me?)

Dartmoor Tundra at Hollow Tor and North Hessary Tor

Dartmoor has changed its winter coat to white at the moment, and it is beautiful.

There is a fierce wind that gives a wind chill of about -9°C.  It blows the fine snow around into drifts and tapers.  For a while at least it looks like the arctic tundra it once was.

Snow at Last on Dartmoor - Belstone and Winter Awaits

A decent dumpette on the moors, together with a bit of sun; nothing could keep me away...

I managed to squeeze 5 miles on the snow before having to go to work.  Winter Tor in winter was the main draw, followed by Belstone Tors, Higher Tor, Scarey Tor.

The air felt surgically clean and bracing, with a cold wind that found the merest chink in my wool armour.

Winter Tor, Dartmoor in Snow

Snow Driven Rocks on Belstone Tors, Dartmoor

Backlit Snow at Cullever Steps, Dartmoor

BTW, why is it that my dog feels that he has to check out every scene I want to photograph by going ahead and leaving his stamp of paw prints and other bodily actions?  It's like he actually knows...

Great Links Tor and Arms Tor on a Sunny Dartmoor Day

I revisited Great Links Tor yesterday, on a clear winter day when the sun always reaches under your hat.

Great Links was as impressive as ever.

I also visited Arms Tor, among others on my walk. It commands a grand position over the western edge of Dartmoor, and it even has a cute rock basin at the top of one of its stacks.

Grey Wethers - Double Stone Circles on Dartmoor

Near Sittaford Tor, north of Postbridge lie two Bronze Age stone circles that sit adjacent to each other.  Erected about 3500 years ago, they were 'restored' in 1909 and many feel that it was not done well.

However, I have to say that they present an impressive sight and provoke many questions.  Excavations revealed a thick layer of charcoal indicating repetitive fires within them, probably part of a ritualistic ceremony performed by our ancestors.

Sharp Tors and Blunt Houses in Dartmoor's Wilderness

Trekked around Hare Tor, Doe Tor, Chat Tor and the rather splendid, if rather commonly named, Sharp Tor on Dartmoor.  Between the squalls and hail it was a nice day.

I then found the old Tinners' Building at Wheal Frederick on the Doetor Brook.

A beautiful place, very bleak but peaceful.  The ruins show a water-wheel pit and where the water was laundered into the biggest buddle I've seen.

Human history crumbling into the wild landscape.