Hare Time. Pt.3, The Moor!

After a few days of drier weather, I finally decided it was time to get up on t'Moor and have a proper yomp. I'd had a few walks without side effects so I figured losing a month to plague and so on hadn't been that detrimental and I might as well do things properly.

20km with river crossings and lots of proper bog-hopping later... I'm still alive!!

 

Legs a little achey, but nothing unexpected.

Way up t'North

Start at Okie and head south. Follow the military tracks.

Thattaway

Target in sight. [Yup, that furthest highest hill {just}] Never mind the clouds, it's only hail.

Crossing the East Okement

It only hailed once, and not for long, really. :)

Get to the Pool Of The Crescent Moon, then find and follow the via obscurus et tormentum*. 

 

While you do, in the bit between the peat hags, watch where you're walking. There are some nasty holes.

A small puddle on the path?

Yikes.

Those stick things are a bit handy.

Anyways, follow the path to Cranmere Pool. Meet a couple arriving as you do, so don't hang around for photos. Instead, left hand down a bit and cross more peat bog [less hags, more verrrry deep pools], oh and Taw Head. While you do, look left and see if you can see this;

Ted Hughes' Memorial

No, I'm not giving any more directions. He'd want you to find it yourself.

One fairly gentle climb later and you've reached your primary destination;

It's very impressive.

The view, that is. 

Though that hut will always give shelter from the wind and at least a little shade. Very valuable things, those.

Ok, the view works

better with bins

Fur Tor!

Just a little zoom makes a difference.

With Hangingstone being one of the stops of the frothing hordes of 10Torsies [yeesh, more every year, and always without rubbish discipline; Full thigh pocket of assorteds picked up], I didn't tarry long, and headed to Designated Lunch Spot and all around Best Tor.

You know the one.

A little piece of Wild

Find a nice spot out of wind and in the view. Plonk behind down. Get little scope out. Enjoy leisurely lunch.

Company!

Golden Plover

[how many do you count?]

Lower down [sometimes];

Skylark!

Camo works better

in the grass

More lovely views, but no lovely Merlins [oh well].

Onward!

Tinner's Hut

Steeperton Tor

Steeperton Gorge

[Yes, granite-paved ford. Very fancy]

350m years before

Stonehenge...

;)

Oke Tor, for a coffee stop, a cower out of the blast, oh and - oh at last - a

Dartmoor Wheatear Yaaaaay!

::Waves arms Kermit-style::

Ahem.

Also,

"Put me in your blog

or I'll crap in your coffee!"

Ruthless operators, those Mipits.

Going thattaway

It was rather a lot of fun.

[You may be thinking this post a little light on details. It is, due to Reasons. Also, why tell you how many Golden Plover there were when you can have seconds of enjoyment counting them yourselves? They're all there, after all.   :) ]

156.

Be Seeing You...

[[* Don't worry, it doesn't Shine**]]

[[** This is not funny, btw.]]