An easy walk taking in an old railway track and some beautiful Dartmoor views
DISTANCE: nearly 3 miles (easy)
NEAREST REFRESHMENTS: Princetown or Yelverton
CAR PARKING: A car park at the base of Leeden Tor (SX 563708)
If you’ve had a large lunch and want a stroll then this is a good choice and there’s only hill!
Park in the area at the base of Leeden Tor (SX 563708), though you can’t see the tor from here. Follow a track north west, away from the car park and down a gradual hill which will link up with the old railway.
The dismantled railway used to be part of the old Princetown to Yelverton railway and further along you’ll pass the remains of a station, Ingra Tor Halt. The line was opened in 1883, and Ingra Tor Halt was later added in 1936.
The old track provides a level path around Ingra Tor. Keep on this track and you’ll cross a bridge, but look underneath to see an opening into the field on your left - this allows livestock to move around without getting onto the ‘track’.
While enjoying the views across to Kings Tor on your left, you’ll soon come to a large pile of stones on your right, and shortly after this is a small quarry. There is a short path up to have a look but there’s not much here apart from two large granite circles which were most likely crane supports. Opposite the quarry entrance is the old halt, but there’s not much to look at now.
Continue along the main track and enjoy the views until you reach a large stone bridge across it. Now go right and up onto the bridge for more views. There are some old railway sidings a little further along the main track which you can see from here. If you are a railway enthusiast you may wish to continue on to explore, otherwise keep the old bridge behind you and take the middle of the three paths you see in front of you.
Don’t worry if you take the wrong one as once you are over the next rise you will see Leeden Tor at the top the hill and yes this is the hill part!
Leeden Tor is once of the larger ones on Walkhampton Common and gives some lovely views towards Princetown.
Pick up a path behind the tor and walk past a few piles of granite, roughly south west, which will take you along and then down to the car park.
To view a Google map of the walk click here
Watch video highlights of the walk
© Gillian Adams 2011
For information on where to stay, eat and visit on Dartmoor, please see www.visitdartmoor.co.uk
To view my Dartmoor walks ebook click here, and my Dartmoor colouring book click here