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| Branscombe's Loaf |
Snow had arrived on Dartmoor a couple of days after Christmas, but I had yet to take a walk over the festive period thanks to a virus. When I got the chance, on the 28th, the best had gone, but there was still enough to make a short stroll up to Branscombe's Loaf worthwhile.
Normally, Prewley Moor can be a bit wet with plenty of stream hopping, but today the ground was firm and it made for easy going up to Sourton Tors.
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| Sourton Ice Works |
I was delighted to see that the 19th Century ice works were frozen over but still, I wondered why anyone would have seen this as a lucrative business.
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| Frozen |
Most of the ice was sold to fish buyers in Plymouth although some was sold for domestic use. A combination of unsuitable winters and finally the introduction of artificially produced ice heralded the demise of the icework in 1886.
Source: Historic England
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| Sourton Ice Works |
At Sourton Tor, I turned south-east to meet the disused tramways which would make my journey into the moor easier with gradual ascent to Corn Ridge.
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| Sourton Tors |
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| Great Links behind Corn Ridge |
Reaching Granate Tor, I spied a snow storm sweeping towards me from the west. I turned my back and pushed on for Branscombe's Loaf before the cloud would surround me.
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| Granate Tor |
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| Snow approaching fast. |
Sure enough, just as I reached this magnificent outcrop, the flakes began to fall and visibility disappeared. In all the excitement of the snow flurry, I was struck by the silence.
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| Branscombe's Loaf |
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| Branscombe in the snow video. |
It was quite cold now and the cloud cover encouraged me to make for lower ground, the inclination to head back for the car on Prewley Moor. However, no sooner had I dropped down some fifty metres, the cloud had rolled on, the snow stopped, visibility was good and I changed course for Corn Hole Rocks.
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| Ponies below Corn Ridge |
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| Corn Hole Rocks |
I love the amphitheatre that is Corn Hole. It is a grand view and the rocks are a good spot to stop and admire it, although the granite was a little too icy to linger long without insulation. As I looked down, I watched a flock of sheep being herded by quad bikes across the bowl, driven up over Shelstone Tor and down into the West Okement valley.
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| Sheep in Corn Hole |
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| Sheep stampede. |
Shelstone Tor was my next stop. Somewhat surprised to see a robin out here, hopping the rocks. It was nice to have company as I sat and sipped my hot Ribena whilst admiring a wintry Black Tor and the High Willhays ridge.
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| Robin atop Shelstone Tor |
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| Black Tor (Okehampton) and Black-a-tor Copse |
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| Shelstone Tor |
I now made my way back off the moor, across Corn Hole, taking one last look back at the ridge before I dropped down passed Prewley Farm. It had been good to experience a wintry Dartmoor, and I was thankful to have had the scene to myself.
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| Corn Ridge |
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