This is a great walk to get away from everyone, an easy wander on the wild moors amidst old tin mines and Bronze Age monuments.

Even Dartmoor can seem busy at times, but you will see few people on this walk, which explores the wide expanse of moors in the south western corner of the park. 

We parked at the small carpark next to Ringmoor Cottage and headed off uphill on a bitumen road, with fine views over Sheepstor, the eponymous little village nestling in the folds of the valley and Burrator Reservoir.

The road ends at a large parking lot with an old scout hut. The army were out en masse as the rifle toting recruits jogged past on their final 30 mile yomp across the moors.

We set off on a good gravel road which vanished over the horizon. It was a steady but easy climb with the scattered stone remnants of Eylesbarrow tin mine near the top. This one was worked between 1815 – 52 and employed 60 men.

The path narrowed and levelled out a bit before dropping gently to Siward’s or Nun’s Cross which was probably a 13th century boundary marker. It is quite an impressive size although it has been broken and patched back together at some stage.

Just behind the cross is the rather austere Nun’s Cross Farm, now an adventure centre, which seems to be the fate of many isolated farmhouses on the moor. A Dartmoor foal was scratching itself on the fire assembly post and galloped off in alarm when he pushed it over.

We picnicked at the little granite slab bridge that crosses a leat below the house, just before a ford over the stream. The water appears to run in the wrong direction!

Our guide now said to pick a boulder straight ahead on the hill and indeed it was quite easy as there weren’t too many to choose from. The moor spread away to all sides, our peace only broken by the odd military helicopter.

We followed faint tracks and soon reached a large boulder with a little brass cross perched on top. Cattle grazed nearby as we walked down to Plym Ford, though we didn’t cross it but rather turned to follow another rough track which paralleled it and soon bought us to a ford by more tin mining ruins.

Now we followed the distinctive bank of an ancient leat round to Lower Hartor Tor, its jumbled rock an obvious landmark. We ate chocolate and enjoyed the view; a little below, the Plym joins Langcombe Brook at Plym Steps and a bustling little river is created, full of minor waterfalls and deep pools.

It was enchanting walking. Soon we emerged into a wide valley where a prominent grassy cairn, known as Giant’s Basin, was visible. The Drizzle Combe Complex is another one of Dartmoor’s great prehistoric Bronze Age sites.

Smaller stone strewn round cairns are found just above a massive menhir. At 4.2 m it is the largest one on Dartmoor; from there, long stone rows stretch away down the valley. We followed their general direction to the distant clump of trees which contains the rugged remnants of Ditsworthy Warren House.

The hatches are firmly battened down on this old house again which was first mentioned in 1474, though the present house is probably early 17th century. It has quite an intriguing history: it once housed the keeper of Ditsworthy Warren, England’s largest rabbit breeding enterprise! 

53 pillow mounds averaging 16m long, 7.2m wide and 1m high were built in stone – possibly from the Giant’s Cairn – and turf to house the rabbits.  The strange rectangular mounds can be seen to the other side of the valley below the house. The large walled enclosure behind the house contained the warriner’s dogs and was known as Kennel Court. Kennels are built into the high walls and the top stones overhang the interior so that the dogs could not escape.

The house was abandoned in 1947, but has since been used by the army. It’s most recent claim to fame is being the Narracott family’s farmhouse in the film Warhorse. It is certainly an atmospheric, isolated spot and the broken down buildings around it only enhance the desolation. 

Another chocolate stop and we headed on for the final stretch across the moor. Paddling over a boggy ford, we aimed for the right hand gate of  two visible on the skyline. A track from there led back to Ringmoor Cottage, an easy to find landmark with its surrounding copse.  Skylarks heralded the end of another great Dartmoor walk. 

NOTES 

Walk no 28 from Ordnance Survey Pathfinder Guide to Dartmoor. 9 miles/5 hours.  Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure 28 (Dartmoor)

Parking at Ringmoor Cottage (50°28′52.04″N 04°02′01.54″W), on the verges of the road above (50°29′09.2″N 04°01′40.85″W) or at scout hut (50°29′17.96″N 04°00′17.25″W). 

If parking at the latter, it is possible to take a track back due north from Ditsworthy Warren House and shorten the route by a mile.