An ancient burial ground, the Two Moors Way walking track and a unique waymarker cross, all with Dartmoor’s usual glorious views!
DISTANCE: 6.5 miles (moderate walking)
NEAREST REFRESHMENTS: Ivybridge or South Brent
CAR PARKING: Peek Moor Gate (SX 677593)
The day dawned bright and sunny and few friends joined me for this lovely jaunt on south Dartmoor. There’s room for a few cars at Peek Moor Gate (SX 677593). Head through the gate and follow the path along, next to the wall.
As you near Owley Corner you’ll see a lovely view in front you with Corringdon and Skitscombe Woods on your right. The path will take you along and up to the trees in the far distance which are at Glasscombe Corner (nearly a mile away).
The Glaze Brook is also on your right and will become more visible closer to Glasscombe Corner. There are also the remains of an old blowing house before Glaze Meet at SX668604 should you wish to take a look.
At Glasscombe Corner (SX663609) turn right and follow the wall along until you come to the Long Barrow (SX669613), sometimes referred to as Corringdon Ball chambered tomb. It was once one of the largest Bronze Age monuments on the moor, but time and damage have reduced it to what it is today.
Just past this old tomb is Ball Gate, old gateposts from the former Brent manor. These imposing gateposts on the edge of the moor make me chuckle as they seem out of place, yet somehow manage to blend with their surroundings.
With Ball Gate behind you head in the direction of 10 o’clock which will take you around the left edge of Brent Fore Hill, following the East Glaze Brook. It may be worth taking a compass bearing.
Again, the views from here back towards Corringdon Ball were lovely and we passed the ruins of an enclosure which was probably part of the remains from working tin ore in medieval times. We followed a track up towards the long boundary wall, which you should spot in front of you. Once at the boundary wall, follow it uphill until you reach the Three Barrows (SX653627).
There is also a trig point here and the views are very impressive - you can see for miles in all directions. Luckily we had picked a clear, if a little windy day. The Dartmoor Preservation Association undertook a project to restore a number of cairns on the moor and this was one of them, around 2007.
It’s also a lovely spot for a picnic, so after a little rest we left these Bronze Age burial chambers and took a path back down the hill, just to the right of the path we came in on.
This little path soon joins a larger one which is part of the Two Moors Way. This follows the route of a dismantled tramway across Ugborough Moor. There are many ancient antiquities here and if this is of interest you could spend a lot of time looking at the different crosses, stone rows, and cairns.
The track cuts a double stone row in half by Piles Hill but it is easy to miss (as we did!) as the stones near the track lie flat. After about 1.5 miles the track starts to curve around to the right towards Weatherdon Hill and there is a path to your left which will take you to Spurrell’s Cross.
Spurrell’s Cross (SX659599) was restored to this spot by the Dartmoor Preservation Society in the 1930s with a new shaft. It’s now minus one arm and marks the track between Owley and Harford, which used to form part of an old monk’s route across the moor. It’s design is unique for a Dartmoor cross in that the head and each of the arms has two bits of stone (spurs) projecting from them.
From here it’s downhill with views of the patchwork of Devonshire fields ahead of you. You will meet Scad Brook, and keep it on your left and head back to Owley Corner and from here, Peek Moor Gate.
View a Google map of the walk here
© 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