I went East.
Where to? To a place I usually went [North] West to get to, that's where!
I mean here;
What's that granite castle on the horizon?
Fur Tor!
Oh yes.
I took the 'short way'; from Lanehead. With the mere prospects of The Wall, two river crossings, oh and the Grumblies. This before the North West face of Fur Tor to get up.. Easy way? Hmmm.
But the weather was good, it wasn't too soggy underfoot, and well, I was itching for a yomp.
Tally-ho, what?
Looking back.
Where The Wall meets the Cleave
[plus Black Sheep!]
It's not that far..
I did not die on The Wall, though my legs felt like killing me well before the top.. Oh well. Up on the top bit it was much jollier, and didn't look any distance to go. [He said to himself with determined cheer]. Golden Plover were heard but not seen, which wasn't bad, either.
Looking back after crossing the Rattleford
That would be Tavy Cleave, there. If you don't fancy The Wall, that's how you get up onto t'Moor hereabouts. More on this later.
So, after heaving up out of the Rattle valley, I contoured around the south end of the famous Amicombe Hill. It was a bit soggy at first, but soon I got to the settlement, and then the nice grassy bit.
I stopped off to admire the view and see if anything felt like appearing [late Wheatears, that sort of thing] but no dice. Onward, crossing the tinners' moats to get to the ford where Amicombe Brook meets River Tavy.
Right. Now for The Grumblies. No, not a map name [all boring / absent], but a nickname for the peat bog between Fur Tor and the rivers. This is an interesting place to look down on from on high, especially when thepoor wretches 10TorsiesInTraining try following compass bearings instead of paths to cross it... o:)
Turns out, steeper and higher than The Wall. Plus clitter.
So, the north wind did blow and it was time for lunch. Find a nice little spot.
The peace was absolute. For a while.
Then.. Is that music I hear?
Oh dear... I would apologise, but that implies remorse. ;)
The sunny side of 300 head of coobeastie were driven over the Tavy from the west, most of which plonked down right where I was going to be heading. Joy. Well, could be worse.
As I started heading back, though, so did the three quads and 8 assorted dogs;
So by the time I got down to the bottom of the slope, there wasn't an animal in sight [even the sheep had been swept up]. Result. [Well, a lot better than being in the midst when they were moving]. Toddling back, I took a few more pictures
Things were going well and I thought to myself that it had been more than a decade since I'd been down in Tavy Cleave*, and it was a nice day, and quiet on top of it, and maybe it might be worth going thattaway?
After almost two hours of bogs and boulders [and more boulders] [and surprise holes], I finally reached the end of the gribbly bits and the start of the nice easy bit;
I toddled down to the bend at the mouth of the Cleave, and found a nice gorse bush to lurk beside.
Time for some life forms.
These were everywhere. Vast numbers.
So, what have I learned? The short way is not the easy way. Tavy Cleave, while very scenic, is Really Not Worth It - you can see it quite well from the top, thank you.
Still, I did it. Another [albeit quite small] bit crossed. I can now sympathise with [as well as snigger at] the poor unfortunates crossing the Grumblies. And it was a good yomp.
Be Seeing You...
[[*With hindsight, I might have thought a little more about why that was...]]
This is apparently a Tinner's Hut.
Built on a huge lump of Granite, so ???
I stopped off to admire the view and see if anything felt like appearing [late Wheatears, that sort of thing] but no dice. Onward, crossing the tinners' moats to get to the ford where Amicombe Brook meets River Tavy.
Shallow enough to stop and get arty
Right. Now for The Grumblies. No, not a map name [all boring / absent], but a nickname for the peat bog between Fur Tor and the rivers. This is an interesting place to look down on from on high, especially when the
Head straight to the Tor or follow the path off thattaway?
[Straight on puts you into a very deep hole, of course!]
So, Fur Tor.
Turns out, steeper and higher than The Wall. Plus clitter.
Made it.
So, the north wind did blow and it was time for lunch. Find a nice little spot.
No, it wasn't that far at all.
The peace was absolute. For a while.
Then.. Is that music I hear?
Dum dum-da-dum
dum-da-dum
dum-da-dum
Rollin' rollin' rollin'
Keep those quad bikes rollin'
Rawhide!
Oh dear... I would apologise, but that implies remorse. ;)
The sunny side of 300 head of coobeastie were driven over the Tavy from the west, most of which plonked down right where I was going to be heading. Joy. Well, could be worse.
As I started heading back, though, so did the three quads and 8 assorted dogs;
Head 'em up, moooove 'em out!
So by the time I got down to the bottom of the slope, there wasn't an animal in sight [even the sheep had been swept up]. Result. [Well, a lot better than being in the midst when they were moving]. Toddling back, I took a few more pictures
Unmapped stone row
Hut circle
Pole between fallen door posts
Things were going well and I thought to myself that it had been more than a decade since I'd been down in Tavy Cleave*, and it was a nice day, and quiet on top of it, and maybe it might be worth going thattaway?
Nameless Tor
and Mountain Sheep!
Very pretty
[can you see the path, though?]
Ambling down the Tavy.
[See those boulders along the near bank?
That's the path.
Yup.]
One of the friendly bits
Looking uuuup
Another pretty pool
The Tavy at Summer level
After almost two hours of bogs and boulders [and more boulders] [and surprise holes], I finally reached the end of the gribbly bits and the start of the nice easy bit;
There's always a leat.
I toddled down to the bend at the mouth of the Cleave, and found a nice gorse bush to lurk beside.
"Oi! That's my Gorse bush, matey!"
Decorative skies all day
Time for some life forms.
Kestrel
Collared Dove
Dung Roundhead
Young
Dung Roundhead
Old
Lilac Pinkgill
Bell-shaped Mottlegill
Panaeolus papilionaceus
Heath Waxcap?
[Somewhat damaged!]
So, what have I learned? The short way is not the easy way. Tavy Cleave, while very scenic, is Really Not Worth It - you can see it quite well from the top, thank you.
Still, I did it. Another [albeit quite small] bit crossed. I can now sympathise with [as well as snigger at] the poor unfortunates crossing the Grumblies. And it was a good yomp.
Be Seeing You...
[[*With hindsight, I might have thought a little more about why that was...]]
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