This walk is easy underfoot and takes in lovely views from Bellever Tor and also ancient remains including a cist and stone row.
DISTANCE: 3 miles (a good path up, could be a little soggier on the way back)
NEAREST REFRESHMENTS: Postbridge or Princetown
CAR PARKING: In Bellever car park (SX 646787)
Turn right on the main road just before you get to the main car park in Postbridge and then right again and you’ll find yourself in a small parking area on the edge of Bellever Forest.
This is managed by the Forestry Commission so it’s likely you’ll see signs of their work on this walk. They also have a couple of waymarked routes so for more information on those, visit here.
For this walk go through the gate to the left of the cars and start walking up this wide track on Lakehead Hill. The first bit is uphill, then it levels out. It’s a pretty straight track up until you emerge from the trees and it splits into two, so keep to the right hand one.
Bellever has plenty of burial cairns, hut circles and field boundaries and you may notice areas to the left and right of the track that seem to be small clearings. These are usually where the Bronze Age remains are though it’s not always obvious what they are. If you spot a nice cist and stone row on your right (over a stile) then save that one for the walk back.
Further along the track you’ll spot the tor and a smaller path off it. Then a boundary wall cuts across the path and from here is uphill to the top of Bellever Tor.
The tor is 443m high and there’s a trianglutation point on top of it. It is an interesting tor with a few granite stacks so lots of opportunities for great views in all directions. The Post Office stores in Postbridge do a lovely take out cream tea and this went down very well on top of the tor on a sunny day.
From the tor you’ll also have a good view of some of the route of the Lych Way. This is an ancient track that starts in Bellever and goes to Lydford, cutting through Powdermills and the Longaford Tors that are north west of you. The Lych Way, also know as the Corpse Road is the route the dead were taken for burial at Lydford. For Dartmoor residents, up until 1260 all burials had to take place at Lydford and for those on the eastern side of the moor, the 12 mile (19km) route started at Bellever. After 1260, permission was given by Bishop Bronescombe to allow burials at Widecombe.
Once you’re ready to head back, walk down the flank of the tor the way you came. There’s a lovely field system on your left, which includes two enclosures and it the field walls are make of rubble banks about two metres wide.
Once back at the boundary wall rather than take the path you arrived on, take the one to the left which will take you back down Lakehead Hill.
Keep and eye out for some wire fencing and a stile on your right, where you’ll find and impressive cist and stone row (SX 645775).
If the path has been muddy you may want to go back to the main track, otherwise keep going down on this grassy path between the trees and until you get to Kraps Ring, with a nice stone row on the way.
This is another old settlement unfortunately not too visible due to forestation but you can make out some hut circles and ruined enclosure walls. From there the path goes back into the trees and links to the main track a the very end and back to the car parking area.
For more information on the Bronze Age remains at Bellever visit here.
View a Google map of the walk here.
© Gillian Adams 2012
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