meldon reservoir to high willhays
Nestled in a valley beneath High Willhays, the 'roof of Devon' and the highest point on Dartmoor, lies a mystical ancient oak woodland packed full of wild beauty. High Willhays is the highest point on Dartmoor and in the UK south of the Brecon Beacons. var x = document.getElementById('password'); } else { 3h 37m Moderate 4.6 (18) High Willhays despite the howling wind was sporting a rather fine cairn. google_ad_width = 120; The reservoir is surrounded by steep sided banks covered with trees and gorse bushes. We continued along the path as it turned South and then East up the hill towards our first summit Yes Tor. 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. A vast dam . His instincts, his breeding told him this was something he could do, he understood this view. hiking equipment/clothing before your trip see the Hiking Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. Ordnance Actually the top of Yes Tor was very pleasant for me, but if you want a quiet unspoilt area, then this isn't it. It offers an excellent day out in Devon from kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding and sailing, to archery, climbing, fishing, walking and cycling. If tedontour LIFE MEMBER I rearranged a few flat pieces of granite, added a couple of stones and stepped back carefully, having made this part of the moor a few artificially inches higher. 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. Yes Tor is also known as an English Nuttall (237th highest in England, 412th highest in England & Wales). Home; About; Program; FAQ; Registration; Sponsorship; Contact; Home; About; Program; FAQ; Registration; Sponsorship . Yes Tor is the one with the trig. Thanks to Malcolm Oakley of South Downs Walking. on the track recorded automatically as I walked so should be accurate. Meldon Reservoir and Black Tor is a 4.6 mile loop trail located near Okehampton, Devon, England that features a lake and is rated as moderate. It's a flat, boggy landmass that's relatively difficult to walk across. The city of Exeter is the county town. Please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to: The city of Exeter is the county town. Then cut across boggy marsh . What's Nearby Accommodation Sourton Down Caravan & Camping Park Head for the right Can you swim in Meldon Reservoir? . This Dartmoor adventure was far from over, I had one more ace up my sleeve; the impressive, the immense, the towering Meldon Viaduct. High Willhays is near the northwestern edge of Dartmoor, about 2.5 km ( 112 miles) south east of Meldon Reservoir and about 5 km (3 miles) south of the town of Okehampton. To 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. Fernworthy is a great place to Discover the Dartmoor Story. Obviously if you do exceptionally come across anything 420 m. stony and bends round to the right. One of the beautiful reservoirs which is home to many water species and also the location is naturally beautiful for a picnic. RM 2BCCM52 - The spillway of Meldon Dam (1972), showing overflow of the West Olement River from Meldon Reservoir, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK. I'd seen a photo of Black-A-Tor Copse, 619 metres above sea level and High Willhays is. x.type = 'password'; All in all we had a very pleasant day and everyone agreed that it had been really enjoyable despite the rainy weather. which protects some plant (water abstraction or whatever) but soon returns A few hikers having a bite to eat out of the prevailing wind is normally a good clue too. go4mailvariable='go4awalk.com' Walkers are welcomed when the range is not being used and to avoid initially until, as you get higher up (from SX 578902), a relatively clearer After the last Courtenay owner fell foul of Henry VIII in 1539, the castle declined into a ruin. A couple of Sunday's back we decided to take a trip up to Meldon Reservoir which is just outside of Okehampton. The Minister's decision letter backing the Meldon reservoir was published in November 1968. High Willhays is the highest point in Dartmoor National Park and and the highest point in the county of Devon. Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk: The highest point of this walk is High Willhays at 622m (2041ft). From where you have branched off, the You need to head for the left There are the remains of extensive peat works to the southeast of Lyd Head including the evocatively named Bleak House. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching. You begin at Meldon Reservoir car park, where you will be immediately greeted by sweeping views of Meldon Reservoir, and an impressive dam, which reminds me of the one in . you off. I parked at Meldon Reservoir, which has a car park and toilets. High Willhays We eventually left the moorland passing through a car park and then had to climb uphill again to an old railway line and the Meldon Viaduct, We crossed the bridge and then made our way back to the car tired and happy after a successful hill climb. 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. summit. High Willhays and Yes Tor are the only summits in England south of Kinder Scout in the Peak District to rise above 2,000ft. The reservoir is fed by West Okement River that continues north after the reservoir and runs through Okehampton, where it meets the East Okement River. Once I had found the correct road to Meldon Reservoir the route was very straightforward. Meldon Reservoir is a reservoir in England and has an elevation of 912 feet. Dave my border collie sat still by my side, ears pricked upright in a state of alertness. Settling down on a flat slab of granite the wind died away to silence, no longer tugging at my collar. The weather wasnt set to change any time soon, grey lead sky but no mist or rain forecast, so plenty of time to explore beyond High Willhays. The geology of High Willhays, like most of Dartmoor, consists of granite intruded about 280 million years ago. Dartmoor is bleak, unforgiving, stunningly beautiful and at the same time a cruel vicious landscape. The track splits by some picnic tables next reservoir covers some 57 acres. Required fields are marked *. From Meldon Reservoir car park, climb the steps next to the toilets and Island in Meldon Reservoir. At least = 660 pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).). simply follow the path round its right hand side back to the car park. The reservoir sits behind this dam wall and extends to the foot of . All Rights Reserved. Construction of the dam started in 1970 and was completed in 1972.The reservoir covers some 57 acres. I've been spoilt for choice lately with Dartmoor dams. Littered with UXBs and danger! Gemma Parking at Meldon Reservoir SX561 918 (a pay and display carpark) we headed out of the carpark and turned left along the footpath towards the Dam. Undaunted, 16 ramblers gathered at the start point back to Meldon Reservoir is very pretty. however. A vast dam wall rises from the floor of the West Okement Valley. Trending; . The National Trust's Lydford Gorge, Devon, is the deepest gorge in the South West and has a spectacular 30m waterfall. From here the rocks forming the summit of High Willhays will be obvious lying a further kilometre or so to the east. Now dont imagine for one moment this would be an easy walk in thick mist, pouring rain, ice and hail. Given the effort taken in constructionit would be a dishonour to not protect them for future generations to stand beneath and look ever upwards. I was briefly thrown on arrival because it was a pay car park and the machine wanted actual coins. I had this notion that the northern landscape of Dartmoor was a fenced off landscape, uninviting to hikers. Hisnose sniffed the calm air and his eyes scanned the distant valley slopes. The trail is. /* walks */ Once over the dam we walked up hill and followed the track in an Easterly direction skirting the edge of Longstone Hill. 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. From there it was up to Yes Tor and High Willhays, where the wind really was blowing something. This site was designed with the . Meldon Reservoir is situated northwest of Yes Tor , and northwest of High Willhays . Yes Tor is 619 metres above sea level and High Willhays is 621 making them the highest summits South of the Peak District. 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. 6. Follow the track, pick my way around the granite boulders and arrive 619 metres above sea level. The highest point on Dartmoor is High Willhays Tor. var x = document.getElementById('password'); High Willhays Stone Ring Cairn Circle SE, 144, 3.192 km 620 m Contour Ring, High Willhays SE, 144, 3.194 km The viaduct was opened in 1874 and is still standing proud in 2015. We would love to see your walk photographs and pictures walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir. and we shall do our best to publish them. The walk starts from Meldon Reservoir. Please indicate where each photo was taken. Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yes Tor at 619m (2031ft). Meldon Dam Car Park: OS Grid Ref: SX 56154 91787 Longstone Hill: OS Grid Ref: SX 56942 90492 Yes Tor: OS Grid Ref: SX 58072 90155 High Willhays: OS Grid Ref: SX 58032 89217 Black Tor: OS Grid Ref: SX 56627 89490 West Okement River: OS Grid Ref: SX 56052 89827 Meldon Reservoir: OS Grid Ref: SX 55969 90842 Meldon Viaduct: OS Grid Ref: SX 56444 92302. See Help > FAQs - Logging On for details on how to enable cookies in your browser. Yesterday we decided we needed a Dartmoor fix. Yes Tor is 2031ft (619m) and The National Trust's Lydford Gorge, Devon, is the deepest gorge in the South West and has a spectacular 30m waterfall. Recommended. created. Which is exactly why I love it. . In my case it was the Hound of the Baskervilles. 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. Ascent: document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The car park at the east end of Meldon Reservoir. Ive been spoilt for choice lately with Dartmoor dams. The average height of the moor, however, is around 1,200ft (366m). Oakhampton Military Firing Range. The views from Yes Tor and along the ridge to Commercial quarrying (originally for limestone) started at Meldon around 200 years ago. 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. MELDON RESERVOIR TO HIGH WILLHAYS VIA A ROUNDABOUT ROUTE START POINT: MELDON RES GRID REFERENCE: 562917 John Skinner had planned a route from Meldon Reservoir going upto the Moors via Okehampton Station but F&M restrictions put paid to that and he had to rejig the walk to avoid restricted areas. The reservoir supplies water to north and west Devon, and is used for trout fishing. 8. 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. 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. The reservoir is 900 feet above sea level and sits next to Meldon Quarry. The lichens and mosses that drape the trees are nationally important and grow here in this unique clean air woodland. point heading For help logging on, see Help > FAQs > Logging On. function myFunction() { Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. Nothing too fancy, just a flat rock with a view. A very satisfying walk in my book. load all 29 walk photos from Walk de139 Yes Tor, High Willhays and Black Tor from Meldon Reservoir, Send us your photographs and pictures from your walks and hikes. It didn't dampen anyone's spirits, indeed the children seemed to be happier in the rain than they had been on the warmer days out in the summer. Please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to: