Middle Dartmoor Walks.
Mary Tavy Church to Wheal Jewell Reservoir
Starts from: Mary Tavy church
Distance: 7.5 miles
Difficulty: A moderate part moorland part footpath part road walk.
Description: On this circular walk you will straddle the A386 visiting initially Gibbet hill on the west side and then Wheal Jewell on the east side. You will be quite close to the National Trust Lydford Gorge at one point which could be incorporated to make a full day out. (This is also walk 11 of my West Devon Way series of 15 walks.)
Mary Tavy to North Brentor and back via Gibbet Hill
Starts from: The very edge of Mary Tavy on the Brentor road.
Distance: 7miles.
Difficulty: Easy walk. Moderate if you walk up to the top of Gibbet Hill.
Description: See fine views of the church on top of Brentor which is the logo for the West Devon Way on this countryside and moorland walk. Go through the village of Brentor and walk to the top of Gibbet Hill that has a grizzly history.
Wheal Jewell Reservoir
Starts from: Bal Lane Mary Tavy
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy walk no steep hills but there is a ladder stile
Description: A gentle climb up from from Mary Tavy onto the moor to see Wheal Jewell Reservoir the header reservoir for Mary Tavy Hydro-electric power station. To then walk on down to the picturesque Hill bridge and walk by the leat that once took water to the Wheal Friendship mine. You may also see some magnificent ferns as you walk by the leat.
Cox Tor Circuit
Starts from: Car park on the top of Pork hill on the Tavistock to Princetown road.
Distance: 4 miles 3 if you take the short- cut back.
Difficulty: Easy moorland walk.
Description: A reasonably level moorland walk from the large car park below Cox tor. The walk takes you all around the base of the Tor returning via the Grimstone and Sortridge leat having looked down into Merrivale quarry.
Merrivale antiquities and quarries
Starts from: Four winds car park B3357 Tavistock to Princetown road.
Distance: 4.6 miles
Difficulty: Easy verging on moderate as there is a bit of moorland walking.
Description: A walk that will take you to see a stone circle a standing stone a double stone row and lots of hut circles where prehistoric man lived followed by a visit to some amazing holes in the ground. My favourite short walk.
Wistmans Wood Longaford Tor and Crockern Tor
Starts from: The quarry car park opposite the Two Bridges Hotel on the B3212 a couple of miles north east of Princetown.
Distance: 5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate.
Description: The walk starts by taking you up to Crockern Tor the site of a Stannary Parliament or meeting place back in the middle ages then onto Longaford tor and then down to Wistmans wood to see the Buller Stone which is on the edge of the wood. YOU MUST NOT ENTER THE WOOD.
Crock of Gold Cists Cairns and Cotton Grass
Starts from: Tor Royal Road Princetown on the way to Whiteworks. You could start in Princetown if you are doing the full walk.
Distance: 6 miles but a shortcut back 4.75 miles.
Difficulty: Moderate moorland walk that must be done in good weather conditions with clear views of the horizon.
Description: This walk will take you out to see some prehistoric (possibly Bronze age) burial tombs known as cists returning via the Conchies road pictured here. Can be a bit boggy in places but then it wouldn’t be Dartmoor.
Hexworthy a short walk
Starts from: The Sherbeton road leading out from Hexworthy PL20 6SD.
Distance: 1.75 miles
Difficulty: Very easy
Description: A very short walk but packed full of interesting things to see like a fairy bridge a ancient cottage a tunnel and a mine with a blowing house.
Merrivale and the Walkham valley
Starts from: The road by the Merrivale Inn between Tavistock and Princetown
Distance: 7 miles
Difficulty: It’s an easy walk. There is just one quite long hill but it is a disused road so quite firm under foot.
Description: A walk to explore the upper Walkham valley passing Hucken Tor and King Tor on your way out and Pew Tor and Vixen tor on your way back.