Ten Tors Training - Dartmoor 2

Having missed the first Ten Tors training session of the year on Dartmoor earlier in the month, this was my first visit to Dartmoor in 2014. We drove down on the evening of Friday 28th and after a brief stop at Exeter services as usual, we arrived at the hall in South Zeal and had our kit checked before planning our routes for the next two days.

Early the next morning we drove to Okehampton Camp and promptly headed off into the fog surrounding Yes Tor, once there heading back down and over the West Okement River to Sourton. We then headed south along once of the well established tracks to Great Links Tor, before heading down off the moor via Chat Tor, and to the right of Sharp Tor and Hare Tor to the Lane End car park. We then followed the road and paths to a footbridge over the Tavy, and then continued passed Standon Farm up to the top of Lynch Tor. After this we did the dreaded walk east to Baredown Tors, and then back, west to Little Mis Tor where we briefly met some of the staff. Following the poor advise of an ex-student who was helping, we then headed straight down the side of the valley and eventually managed to cross the river at the bottom and traverse the two barbed wire fences on some very boggy ground in which I went up to my waste, allowing us a supposedly quicker route to Great Staple Tor. Our final checkpoint of the day was, as usual, Black Tor, so to get there we headed down off Staple, crossed the road, and followed the dismantlement railway for most of the way before crossing a small area of open more to our campsite.
Once there, we met Mr Brewer and other members of staff who brought us away from our normal spot down to next to the Devonport Leat before leaving us to have our dinner and go to bed.

The next morning, after having breakfast and backing away our tents and kit, we headed north to North Hessary Tor and then followed the pass down one side, into Pricetown and passed the Plume and Feathers where the staff had been staying. After a quick chat with Mr Brewer we sped down the 'yellow brick motorway' to the Whiteworks at Peat Cot before going east and then north to the Prince Hall Hotel. Once there we crossed over the road and went up Bellever Tor where we met Mr Stuart and Mr Mason before descending the other side into Postbrige where we finished.