Topsy's Dartmoor Rambles

Week 14.

This week with no live firing on Willsworthy Ranges I decided to go back in to get those 2 Tors that evaded me last time I tried, Sharp Tor and Chat Tor. The weather was a bit unpredictable so I just packed my Fuji X-T2s. A change in plam on the ground meant I changed my route to include Brat Tor instead od Doe Tor, as usual you can see the full story and photos in my Blog over on ePHOTOzine. https://www.ephotozine.com//user/topsyrm-149719/blog

My main priority were Sharp Tor and Chat Tor.

Sharp Tor.

View attachment 419439

From Sharp Tor there is a good view (weather permitting) of Hare Tor.

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Chat Tor with Lower and Higher Dunnagoats in the distance.

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River Lyd running high and the reason for the change in plan.

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New first stop, Brat Tor and Widgery Cross.

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That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
Are there three different Sharp Tors?
 
Are there three different Sharp Tors?
Yes, as far as I know personally. One is the one in my post on Willsworthy Range, another is over towards Dartmeet beside Yar and Corndon Tors the other is over by Piles Copse in the Ugborough area. I have been to them all in my Dartmoor Rambles.
6 according to Hemery. The tor namers weren't very imaginative, like the mountain namers in Scotland. If the description fits.....
I have no idea where the other 3 might be but am interested.
 
Yes, as far as I know personally. One is the one in my post on Willsworthy Range, another is over towards Dartmeet beside Yar and Corndon Tors the other is over by Piles Copse in the Ugborough area. I have been to them all in my Dartmoor Rambles.

I have no idea where the other 3 might be but am interested.
Those were the same 3 that immediately sprang to mind for me. I need to look the others up when I have time
 
I really like the Sharp Tor composition and it's great to see projects like this progressing
 
I just did a search on https://www.torsofdartmoor.co.uk/results_tors.php?tor_name=sharp+tor and found seven, not all are marked on the OS Map and some are called other things on the OS Map.

Sharp Tor (Castle Drogo) SX 7286 8986

Sharp Tor (Chinkwell) SX 7282 7807

Sharp Tor (Harford Moor) SX 6489 6172

Sharp Tor (Lydford) SX 5501 8485

Sharp Tor (Peter Tavy) SX 5248 7704

Sharp Tor (Tavy Cleave) SX 5540 8332

Sharp Tor (Yar Tor Down) SX 6865 7296
 
There are 2 River Darts in Devon too! One joins the Exe at Bickleigh about 400m below Bickleigh Bridge and the other is rather better known.
 
I just did a search on https://www.torsofdartmoor.co.uk/results_tors.php?tor_name=sharp+tor and found seven, not all are marked on the OS Map and some are called other things on the OS Map.

Sharp Tor (Castle Drogo) SX 7286 8986

Sharp Tor (Chinkwell) SX 7282 7807

Sharp Tor (Harford Moor) SX 6489 6172

Sharp Tor (Lydford) SX 5501 8485

Sharp Tor (Peter Tavy) SX 5248 7704

Sharp Tor (Tavy Cleave) SX 5540 8332

Sharp Tor (Yar Tor Down) SX 6865 7296
You know I've just had to go and check them all out, don't you? :LOL: Apart from the ones we're all familiar with the others are either called something else or not marked by OS but I do know them. Except the Castle Drogo one which is named but I don't know it 'cos I've never been there
 
You know I've just had to go and check them all out, don't you? :LOL: Apart from the ones we're all familiar with the others are either called something else or not marked by OS but I do know them. Except the Castle Drogo one which is named but I don't know it 'cos I've never been there
Me too and I've been to them all except Castle Drogo. (y)
 
There are 2 River Darts in Devon too! One joins the Exe at Bickleigh about 400m below Bickleigh Bridge and the other is rather better known.

I found out places names are not unique at all when as a young child I moved house to a different county........ then found my new school was in the next village just down the road, that had the same name as the village just down the road from the place we'd left.............. Confused, I was
 
Week 15.

This week with reasonable weather I decided to go back to the Birch Tor area to get those Tors that eluded me last month due to bad visibility so my priority for this walk was Shapley and Hookney Tors plus Chaw Gulley. I parked at Bennet's Cross Car Park again so my route took me up Birch Tor and along the Two Moors Way, as usual you can see the full story and photos in my Blog over on ePHOTOzine. https://www.ephotozine.com//user/topsyrm-149719/blog

First stop was Birch Tor, you can just make out The Warren House Inn (the white spec in the distance).

020 Birch Tor 05-8391 PS Adj.JPG

I then headed along the Two Moors Way to Shapley Tor.

005 Shapley Tor 02-8341 PS Adj.JPG

Then over to Hookney Tor.

009 Hookney Tor 02-8368 PS Adj.JPG

On the way back I went through Chaw Gulley.

016 Chaw Gully 05-8385 PS Adj.JPG

There is a Lone Tree at either end.

013 Chaw Gully 02-8380 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Used to have lunch at the Warren House Inn relatively often, until they tried charging £2.50 for a pint of orange squash... Never again!

Looking forward to getting up on the moor on the bike a bit more this year - weather permitting (so probably not Tuesdays!!!)
 
Used to have lunch at the Warren House Inn relatively often, until they tried charging £2.50 for a pint of orange squash... Never again!

Looking forward to getting up on the moor on the bike a bit more this year - weather permitting (so probably not Tuesdays!!!)
Ping me when you're out on your bike, I may be able to meet up. (y)
 
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Will do. I tend to stick to the Eastern side of the Moor but am happy to travel further into the wilds! Usual route is from Moretonhampstead to Two Bridges/Princetown then down past Huccabexworthy (!) to Buckfastleigh or Ashburton via Combestone Tor and Venford Reservoir.
 
Will do. I tend to stick to the Eastern side of the Moor but am happy to travel further into the wilds! Usual route is from Moretonhampstead to Two Bridges/Princetown then down past Huccabexworthy (!) to Buckfastleigh or Ashburton via Combestone Tor and Venford Reservoir.
Moretonhampstead seems to be half way between us so would probably make a good meet up point. I'm really only tied up Tuesdays and Thursdays most weeks. Once the weather has stabilised we ought to make a plan.
 
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Or the caff in Princetown, or Mr Jolly's in Bovey.

Time and place TBC!!!
 
There's also Ullacombe Farm's café a mile or 2 down from HayTor towards Bovey.
 
Some of the bikes are pretty cool (and some are all but unrideable - like the friction drive Shovelhead with the motor etc. in backwards!)
 
Week 16.

More changeable weather this week with the best of it around the Widecombe area so that's where I went. I first went to Bonehill Rocks and walked the ridgeline to Honeybag Tor then went around to Hemsworthy Gate to go up Top Tor to shoot across to Rippon Tor, Saddle Tor and Haytor Rocks, as usual you can see the full story and photos in my Blog over on ePHOTOzine. https://www.ephotozine.com//user/topsyrm-149719/blog

Bonehill Rocks.

001 Bonehill Rocks 01-8395 PS Adj.JPG

Hound Tor from Bell Tor.

008 Hound Tor from Bell Tor 01-8416 PS Adj.JPG

Honeybag Tor.

013 Honeybag Tor 04-8434 PS Adj.JPG

Bell Tor on the way back.

019 Bell Tor 05-8455 PS Adj.JPG

Rippon Tor from Top Tor.

025 Rippon Tor from Top Tor 01-2481 PS Adj.JPG

My favourite from the day, Rippon Tor, Saddle Tor and Haytor Rocks from Top Tor.

026 Rippon Tor, Saddle Tor & Haytor Rocks (PANO) from Top Tor 01-0847 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Week 17.

This week I decided to go out over to Down Tor Stone Row with my Bronica SQ-Ai loaded with Portra 160 plus my Leica M9s, as usual you can see the full story and photos in my Blog over on ePHOTOzine. https://www.ephotozine.com//user/topsyrm-149719/blog

Down Tor Stone Row (Bronica).

005 Down Tor Stone Row 03-000124760007 PS Adj.JPG

003 Down Tor Stone Row 01-000124760009 PS Adj.JPG

On the way to Down Tor is Snapper's Tor.

Bronica.

001 Miniscule Sausage Area 01-000124760011 PS Adj.JPG

Leica.

008 Miniscule Sausage Area 01-1000862 PS Adj.JPG

I did also go ovet to Combshead Tor to finish the film.

007 Combshead Tor 01-000124760005 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Week 18.

This week Tuesday was rained off, now I'm not afraid to go out in the rain but there'd have been no photos from my Photowalk so I went on Wwednesday instead but I didn't have as much time as usual so I stayed close to home. I decided to go around Sharpitor to Peek Hill and Lowrey Tor then back via Leather Tor to Sharpitor. I took my Fujifilm GFX 50S, as usual you can see the full story and photos in my Blog over on ePHOTOzine. https://www.ephotozine.com//user/topsyrm-149719/blog

The view from Little Sharpitor ove Swelltor Quarry & Kings Tor out to Gt * Middle Stape Tors.

004 Little Sharpitor 03-8475.JPG

Leather Tor from the lower slope of Peek Hill.

010 Leather Tor from Peek Hill Tor 01-8478 PS Adj.JPG

Burrator Reservoir and Sheeps Tor with Lowrey Tor in the foreground.

012 Lowery Tor 02-0873 PS Adj.JPG

The Top of Sharpitor.

019 Sharpitor 02-0890 PS Adj.JPG

021 Sharpitor 04-0894 PS Adj.JPG

I did do some Panos as I always do with the GFX but they are in the Panorama Thread. https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/lets-see-your-panoramas.707491/

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Week 19.

A film shoot this week with my Bronica SQ-Ai loaded with Kodak Ektar 100 up on Shelstone Tor above the West Okement Valley. I did also take my Fuji X-T2 for some digital shots, as usual you can see the full story and photos in my Blog over on ePHOTOzine. https://www.ephotozine.com//user/topsyrm-149719/blog

The Bronica setup (X-T2).

007 Shelstone Tor from Prewley Moor (Bronica Setup) 04-8524 PS Adj.JPG

The Shot.

008 Shelstone Tor from Prewley Moor 05-8525 PS Adj.JPG

On top of Shelstone Tor.

006 Shelstone Tor Top Yes Tor in distance (40mm) 03-000125800006 PS Adj.JPG

012 Shelstone Tor 04-2576 PS Adj.JPG

West Okement Valley.

017 West Okement Valley 02-2583 PS Adj.JPG

Looking Back towards Shelstone Tor (X-T2).

028 View of Shelstone Tor from Stream Head 01-8573 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Week 20.

This week was another film Photowalk this time to Legis & Gutter Tors unfortunately this time I don't have the scans back but as normal I shot duplicates on my Fuji X-T2s to use in my Blog which as usual you can see the full story and photos here https://www.ephotozine.com/user/topsyrm-149719/blog.

Legis Tor.

009 Legis Tor 03-2584 PS Adj.JPG

The Bronica Setup for a shot of Ditsworthy Warren House on the 250mm.

012 Ditsworthy Warren House (Bronica Setup) 01-8610 PS Adj.JPG

The shot (or at least a digital one taken at the same time).

013 Ditsworthy Warren House 02-8613 PS Adj.JPG

Gutter Tor.

022 Gutter Tor 07-2596 PS Adj.JPG

027 Gutter Tor Trig Point 01-2603 PS Adj.JPG

There was also a Lone Tree so I had to............

003a Lone Tree 01-8591 PS Adj B&W.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
I finally got my film scans back from last week, overall I'm dissapointed, the Bronica was having issues locking up so I lost 4 frames sorting it out. Then after changing Batteries I thought I was ok but the exposures were all over the place (not my metering BTW). I had 8 frames altogether that were salvegeable but 3 of those were badlyunder exposed (Ektar isn't good with underexposure), I think what was happening intermittently the Bronica was defaulting to 1/250thy when I needed 1/30th but I can't tell with the shutter noise between those 2.

Anyway I did salvage some, here they are.

Correctly Exposed.

001 Brisworthy Stone Circle 65mm 01-000126590003 PS Adj.JPG

Correctly Exposed.

002 Brisworthy Stone Circle 65mm 02-000126590004 PS Adj.JPG

Underexposed.

003 Legis Tor 40mm 01-000126590005 PS Adj.JPG

Underexposed.

004 Ditsworthy Warren House 250mm 01-000126590007 PS Adj.JPG

Underexposed.

005 Gutter Tor 40mm 01-000126590008 PS Adj.JPG

Correctly Exposed.

006 Gutter Tor 40mm 02-000126590009 PS Adj.JPG

Correctly Exposed.

007 Gutter Tor 40mm 03-000126590010 PS Adj.JPG

Correctly Exposed.

008 Gutter Tor Trig (Point) 40mm 04-000126590012 PS Adj.JPG
 
Week 21.

This week I had a short window between rain in the morning and Thunderstorms in the afternoon so I decided to stay close to home and do a short walk to get out and back dry (hopefully). I decided to go over to Black Tor just outside of Princetown and go down to Black Tor Falls on the River Meavy. I did think I might also go up to Hart Tor but the Thunderstorms put paid to that idea. I took my Fuji GFX 50S plus an X-T2, as usual you can see the full story and photos here https://www.ephotozine.com/user/topsyrm-149719/blog.

Black Tor Logan Stone.

001 Black Tor (Logan Stone) 01-2507 PS Adj.JPG

Black Tor.

006 Black Tor 05-8650 PS Adj.JPG

The River Meavy Valley.

015 River Meavy Valley 02-2531 PS Adj.JPG

Black Tor Falls.

017 Black Tor Falls 06-2544 PS Adj.JPG

Stormy Weather where I had just been shot from Peek Hill on the way home.

022 Storm Clouds 01-8671 PS Adj.JPG

That evening skies after the storms had passed through.

024 After the Storm 01-8674 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Week 22.

This week I took my Bronica SQ-B out loaded with Kodak Ektar 100 to get some shots of Vixen Tor via Cox, Roos and the Staples, I also took mt Fuji X-T2 to get some additional digital shots,as usual you can see the full story and photos here https://www.ephotozine.com/user/topsyrm-149719/blog.

Vixen Tor (Bronica).

011 Vixen Tor 80mm 02-000127150011 PS Adj.JPG


Roos Tor (Bronica).

004 Roos Tor & The Watering Hole 65mm 02-000127150004 PS Adj.JPG

Gt Staple Tor (Bronica).

009 Gt Staple Tor 40mm 03-000127150009 PS Adj.JPG

Lone Tree on Heckwood Tor (Fuji).

030 Lone Tree on Heckwood Tor 01-2622 PS Adj.JPG

Dartmoor Ponies (Fuji).

032 Spring Ponies 01-8745 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Week 23.

This week I decided to go up to Rowtor and East Mill Tor on the North Moor with the Fuji GFX 50S to get some Panoramas in that 65x24 aspect ratio that the GFX system has, as usual you can see the full story and photos here https://www.ephotozine.com/user/topsyrm-149719/blog.

East Mill Tor Panoramas.

008 East Mill Tor 02-0937 PS Adj.JPG009 East Mill Tor 03-0941 PS Adj.JPG013 East Mill Tor 07-0947 PS Adj.JPG

I passed the old Military Tank Range on the way to Rowtor, the old railway system is now just an artifact of the Military Training on Dartmoor.

017 Wickham Target System 01-0961 PS Adj.JPG

Rowtor.

021 Rowtor 03-0972 PS Adj.JPG023 Rowtor 05-0979 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
I was hoping to get to that area next week. First time on the moor since the op on my leg. When is the only day I'm free to go? Thursday. When is it forecast to pee down? Yep, Thursday. I'm really not liking the weather so far this year
 
I was hoping to get to that area next week. First time on the moor since the op on my leg. When is the only day I'm free to go? Thursday. When is it forecast to pee down? Yep, Thursday. I'm really not liking the weather so far this year
I hear you....... I've lost count of the thunderstorms I've had to run away from this year.
 
Week 24.

This week I took my Bronica SQ-B out to Black Tor near Okehampton loaded with Kodak Portra 160 to shoot the 3 main Stacks that make up the Tor. I did as normal take my Fuji X-T2 along for some extra shots to document the walk, as usual you can see the full story and photos here https://www.ephotozine.com/user/topsyrm-149719/blog.

Black Tor (Fuji).

018 Black Tor 11-2648 PS Adj.JPG

Film Shots.

006 Black Tor & Shelstone Tor 50mm 01-000127900006 PS Adj.JPG008 Black Tor 40mm 01-000127900008 PS Adj.JPG009 Black Tor (S)80mm 02-000127900009 PS Adj.JPG011 Black Tor (N) 40mm 01-000127900011 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Week 25.

This week I went out to East Dart Falls, I took my Leica M9s and Bronica SQ-B (with a 6x4.5 back) loaded with Fuji Provia 100F. I used the M9s to document the walk out and the Bronica for the main shots of the falls etc, as usual you can see the full story and photos here https://www.ephotozine.com/user/topsyrm-149719/blog.

Broadrun Rocks South on the way out.

007 Broadrun Rocks South 01-1000924 PS Adj.JPG

010 Broadrun Rocks South 04-1000930 PS Adj.JPG

The Bronica setup at the Falls.

018 East Dart Falls (Bronica Setup) 04-1000941 PS Adj.JPG

A couple of the film shots of the Falls.

018a East Dart Falls 40mm 01-000001 PS Adj.JPG019b East Dart Falls 65mm 10-000011 PS Adj.JPG

That’s all for this week folks, thanks for looking in and as always, comments welcome.
 
Lovely. I used to go there a lot when I had a local base and could get out for short walks but now I'm further away and do all day walks I don't really go there. I can however recommend the walk up to Whitehorse Hill and back down the river. Was out myself on Tuesday from Row Tor. Now it's too hot for a bit. I don't do heat
 
Lovely. I used to go there a lot when I had a local base and could get out for short walks but now I'm further away and do all day walks I don't really go there. I can however recommend the walk up to Whitehorse Hill and back down the river. Was out myself on Tuesday from Row Tor. Now it's too hot for a bit. I don't do heat
I've had East Dart Falls on my list for ages having never been before. TBH I understand why it is so popular but photographically there isn't that much scope. I was hoping to get more from the walk than I did, I was going to go back along the other side of the river and take in Hartland Tor but by the time I had faffed around finding shots of the falls with the Bronica I didn't have either the time or enthusiasm.
 
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