A walk on Black Tor

Another trip to Dartmoor today, with the weather being so lovely, we couldnt miss the chance.
We drove to Black Tor, and after coffee and hot cross buns, set out over the moor. In the distance we could see Leather Tor, like a dinosaur on the horizon, and below the dark green belt of the plantation.

Black Tor is a large sprawling tor, with lots of interesting shaped stones
One of the large stones is a true logan, a rocking stone, that you can move yourself. It used to be thought that the Druids used these stones to mystify the inhabitants, but really they are freaks of nature, produced over tens of thousands of years, by the action of wind and weather on the structure of the rocks.

We carried on down the hillside, where we came across this iron boss

There are several in the area, and are the remains of a nineteenth century project to create a reservoir in the valley, which was evenually abandoned, in favour of Burrator. We set off again, noting the Hart Tor brook at the bottom of the tor, which we would be going too

But first we headed in the other direction to the aqueduct, which carries the Devonport leat

It tumbles and gushes down the hillside, falling evenually into the river Meavy at the bottom
The water is beautifully cold and a lovely peaty colour and runs through the old sluice gate

Later in the season Grey Wagtails nest in the crevices in the bridge, but its too early yet...

Having enjoyed the watery spectacle, we set off along the river bank, trying to avoid the pot holes, and scrambling over the tussocky heather banks...the water gushed and rushed over the mossy stones, foaming and gliding between the banks

The sun was warm, and it was lovely and peaceful as we steadily climbed uphill

Sunlight glinted on the water, and ahead sheep scrambled up the banks

The trees on the moor arent so well advanced as those in the wooded valleys, but cast elegant skeletal shapes against the blue of the sky

I noticed beside the bank this lovely old stone, which I thought was decorated with a lichen, but having looked a little closer, I realised it was a fossil, as I could feel the impression of it in the stone

Evenually we reached Black Tor falls, a lovely peaceful little spot, where we had a picnic, enjoying the warm sun, and the solitude...much refreshed we had a look at the ruinious buildings here, theres one each side of the river and are blowing houses, used by the tin miners to prepare and smelt the tin ore.

In the other one across the river was a mortar stone, used in conjunction with a pestle or stamps to crush the ore into a smeltable condition..

I love to find relics from the past, and wonder what the lives of these men was like, isolated from the rest of the world, I have no doubt they worked hard and probably drank hard at the many Inns scattered across the moor...

Having pottered around for a bit, we climbed above the falls, to look at the stone rows

There is a double and single stone row here, with a cairn, a burial place at the end of each..

Unfortunately, over the years the stone rows have been interfered with, and many of the stones are missing, but it was nice that there was something left..something to remind us that others have lived and died there, in that lovely peaceful part of the moor.

Having had a lovely walk, it was nice to come home to the house decorated up for Easter. As I was up early this morning, I went down to the little wood, and collected some lovely flowering cherry to hang my decorated eggs on. I made the chocolate Easter cake when I came home yesterday, the chicks being suitably googly eyed and frilly ruff necked..

The cloth was given to me by my Mother when we went home last week, a lovely vintage cloth she`d bought at a car boot sale

The embroidery is beautiful, and the colours lovely, I was very pleased to have such a pretty thing to use for Easter. I hope you are all having a lovely Easter.