Out and About with Tavistock Ramblers
A high and mighty walk for late summer away from the crowds, with John Noblet of Tavistock Ramblers. It is 5 miles although it can be shortened if you wish. Although within sight of the highest tors of Dartmoor (and in the whole of southern England for that matter) this walk is remarkably level. Passing above Meldon reservoir and then crossing the dam the walk returns on the old London and South Western Railway line, now a recreational trail.
Park on the roadside 200m beyond a pair of cattle grids on the access road signed to Prewley water treatment works just off the A386 and close to the junction with the A30. SX544910, nearest postcode EX20 4HT
1. From the parking area bear right on the wide grassy path towards the left side of Sourton Tors. The lumps and bumps that you can see are the remnants of a short-lived 19th century ice-making venture. Go left at a cross track and continue towards a stone wall. Bear left, with the wall on the right, to reach a gate.
2. A wide track between stone walls leads past a line of trees with distant views of the highest points on Dartmoor. The closest, Yes Tor, is 619 m, or just over 2000 ft, above sea level. Pass through a second gate and continue ahead to a third. Don’t go through this gate but turn right just before it and walk alongside the wall. Go left around the corner and follow the path, which is a bit stony in places. When the path drops down to Meldon dam there are great views across the reservoir. Turn left on the tarmac lane for the short cut but otherwise go right and walk over the top of the dam.
3. Go left onto a path high above the East Okement Valley with distant views of the impressive iron lattice viaduct, built in 1874 - the only one of its type in the country. Bear left onto a wider track and down to a concrete bridge over the Red-a-ven Brook. The quarry on the right was for aplite, and the two buildings are the remnants of a forgotten industry for the manufacture of glass. (There is an information board about the history of the area in the car park behind the larger building.)
4. Go through the gate onto a quarry access road and then immediately right onto a footpath signed to Rock Park. Keep straight on at a fork (NOT left) to the top. Pass through two small gates and on to the trackbed of the old railway at the end of the viaduct. (To the right is an enormous quarry which, until it closed a few years ago, produced a very hard stone used as railway ballast. A few of the buildings remain).
5. Cross the viaduct but take time to savour the view. Immediately below is yet another quarry (this time for limestone) and two old lime kilns. From here it is a simple matter of following this shared path back to a gate by the cattle grid at the start of the walk.
Tavistock Ramblers have by now, hopefully, returned to near normal and have a programme of weekend and mid-week walks, which vary between short strolls to all day hikes, so visit the website to see the full programme. www.tavistockramblers.org.uk