Action, protest, campaigns, demos and issues magazine features, photos, articles, stories photos of London, New York, Wales, England and photography features music, parties, clubs, events, records, releases drug information, harm reduction, no-nonsense guide punch a celebrity football, features, issues, cardiff city games, useless games and diversions technical info, web authoring, reviews and features site news, updates and urban75 blog urban75 community news and events urban75 bulletin boards join the chatroom search urban75 back to urban75 homepage
London features, photos, history, articles New York features, photos, history, articles Brixton features, photos, history, articles panoramas, 360 degree vistas, London, New York, Wales, England Offline London club night festival reports, photos, features and articles urban75 sitemap and page listing about us, info, FAQs, copyright join our mailing list for updates and news contact urban75
back to Devon, England homepage
A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
urban75 - featured pages

A walk in the rain around Princetown
Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way
(Photos/words © urban75, May 2007)

Despite the endless onslaught of rain from start to finish and freezing weather, we gamely managed to complete an eleven mile hike, enjoying ample alcoholic rewards in the pub on our return!

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
A group of die-hard walkers assemble outside the bunkhouse. Not all would make the journey!

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
A rainy view of Princetown as we set off. It was so cold we had to buy gloves from the visitor centre!

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
The walk started with a steep climb up South Hessary Tor to reach the site of the mast.

Built by the BBC in the early 1950s, the mast stands 198 (643 ft) tall.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
The wind was howling at the summit, with the rain pelting in horizontally.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
We briefly sheltered inside the entrance to the TV mast building and I took a shine to its Ye Olde Wooden Door with Ye Olde Knocker. The stone carving was pretty good too.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Standing in the rain.

The weather was do bad over the next three miles or so to Merrivale that several of our party threw in the towel and headed back to the warmth of the pub.

The rain was coming down so strongly that I couldn't even take any pictures as there was no shelter over the exposed moor.

top

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Thankfully - at just the right time - a pub came into view, and we headed into the Dartmoor Inn for warmth, beer and food. Lovely!

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
We rested here for 45 mins or so in the hope that our clothes might dry out.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
The pub had a bit of a fascination with jugs with hundreds of the things dangling from the roof.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Looking north of the pub with Merrivale Quarry in the background. The quarry opened in 1876 and closed as recently as 2003.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Old stone bridge.

top

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Looking back at Merrivale during one of the very few moments it stopped ruddy raining.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
We then headed south through a very pretty wooded valley.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Vixen's Tor.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
The route through the valley was incredibly green and covered in moss.

top

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Back on to open moor, and heading up to Ingra Tor to pick up the route of the abandoned Princetown Railway.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
By this time, the rain had gone up to 'eleven' and taking pictures became a risky business with the water being blown in from all angles.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
After several miles on the exposed and windy track, we were delighted to see some shelter ahead.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
We enjoyed a chocolate and stewed tea break under the bridge. As you can see, we were just a tad wet at this point.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Climbing towards Princetown.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Back on the march, past open moorland.

top

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
With a landscape this big and barren, the old railway journey must have been fantastic, especially in winter.

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Looking across the moors towards Yelverton

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Nearly home!

A walk in the rain from Princetown to North Hessary Tor, Merrivale and the Dartmoor Way, Devon, England, UK
Yes! The hardy travellers return to base!


« Devon photos home      Princetown old station »



» New York photos
» London features
» See all photos

DARTMOOR
» London-Plymouth
» Plym Valley
» Shaugh Bridge
» Across Dartmoor
» Princetown photos
» Plume of Feathers
» Dartmoor walk
Princetown walk
» Princetown station
» Over Dartmoor
» Plymouth

SOCIAL
» Prince of Wales
» Plume of Feathers

« Devon photos

EXTERNAL LINKS:
link to map Area map

post up your opinion on the bulletin boards!
write to usWrite to us
post on the bulletin boardsPost on the boards

copyright infoCopyright
informationCamera:
Ricoh GX100

urban75 - community - action - mag - photos - tech - music - drugs - punch - football - offline club - brixton - london - new york - useless - boards - help/FAQs - © - design - contact - sitemap - search