Devonport Leat from Leather Tor

DARTMOOR

WALK

Devonport Leat from Leather Tor

Saturday 24 April 2004

Having a few hours to spare I decided to explore Sharpitor and Leather Tor. I parked in the car park on the B3212 right next to Goadstone Pool which is just north of Sharpitor and headed off with no particular plan.

Sharpitor (410m) is easy to reach from the car park and is just as easy to climb which makes it a popular spot.

On the northern slopes of Sharpitor, there is evidence of settlements, cairns, cists and a stone row and to the south-west of the tor is Peek Hill which was the site of the RAF Sharpitor radio post and the location of a Royal Observer Corps underground monitoring bunker established to listen for nuclear tests during the Cold War. The bunker is now completely filled in.

I made my way down to Leather Tor. I prefer Leather Tor. It has a unique shape in the skyline with dramatic edges and the feel of an arête which is hard to find on Dartmoor. It also has some of the best views of Burrator Reservoir and the southern moor that can be found.

Below Leather Tor, I crossed a style and on to a track that takes you into a plantation alongside the Devonport Leat. There are three plantations here. Stanlake, Raddick and Norsworthy. To be honest, I am not entirely sure where one ends and the others begin.

I followed the track to Leather Tor Bridge and crossed it to continue up Raddick Lane. This was my first time in the lane. Usually, I would take the other track that runs parallel with the stream that once fed Newleycombe Lake and the tin workings.

Raddick Lane ends at the edge of Raddick Plantation where you will find a number of tracks heading off in different directions.

I continued east on to Crazy Well Pool and then headed north to meet back up with the Devonport Leat. I followed the leat along the contours of Raddick Hill until it tumbles down the steep slope towards the small aqueduct.

From the aqueduct there is an easy path to follow back to the bottom of Leather Tor but, instead, I opted to explore the field system and hut circles above the path and made my way back to the car by going around the top of Stanlake Plantation.

Devonport Leat in the Stanlake Plantation, maybe!

Devonport Leat in the Stanlake Plantation

David Welch – View Profile

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