On the buses (and trains); Pt 3 Dartmoor
The third and final of my pre-holiday stone circling days out takes me southwest (10.6.2010). I had toyed with the idea of Exmoor, but public transport timetables don’t favour a day trip there. Instead I opt for Dartmoor, as Ivybridge is less than three hours away, letting the train take the strain. I have no real knowledge of Dartmoor, beyond primary school summer holiday visits with my grandparents, who lived near Exeter. Of these, I can remember ponies, clapper bridges and scrambling up some tor or other, but nothing more.
But I have a shiny new OL28, some highlighter pens and Burl’s paperback “A Guide to Stone Circles…” for company, as one should always have something sensational to read on the train. My pens are encouragingly overworked and by the time I reach Ivybridge, I have a plan of sorts that will take me (I hope) into the remote interior of the moor and the Dancers stone circle.
Ivybridge is nicely situated for an exploration of Dartmoor’s southern reaches. The moors themselves are viewed in close proximity from South Brent until the train reaches Ivybridge station, which is barely a quarter of a mile from the edge of the moors. I take the b-road north from Davey’s Cross and, after failing to find the Cantrell Stone Row, I am facing up-slope towards Western Beacon.
The OS map simply notes “cairns”, so I am a little unprepared for the number of cairns that are actually crowding the top of the Beacon. I pass what I take to be one next to the path on the climb uphill, but the better-preserved ones are out of sight until the top is gained. These are similar to the ones I am becoming used to from trips to the Brecon Beacons, proper rubble-constructed summit cairns. They are in pretty good condition, except one that has a mini-shelter built on its top (I learn from TMA when I get home that these cairns were restored after earlier walker-damage).
From the top of the Beacon, views open northeast to the higher Ugborough Beacon, also topped with assorted barrows, and north to Butterdon Hill, which is the site of my first Burl-guided sites of the day. The route to Butterdon is marked by a very handy row of post-medieval boundary stones, the first of which start in the midst of the Western Beacon cairns. At these southern reaches of the moors, there are a few folks about and although the sky is overcast, it doesn’t look like it will rain. Nevertheless, this is an expansive landscape and it’s reassuring to have a helpful navigation aid as I head downhill and northwards in the company of these markers.
The cairns at SX65435762 and SX65395762.
The stone on the far left is one of a series of (medieval?) boundary stones running from Western Beacon to Butterdon Hill.
The cairns at SX65455765 and SX65475768. Butterdon Hill and Ugborough Beacon are on the skyline behind.
Two of the larger cairns on the hill. The one on the right (SX65475768) has been vandalised since Lubin’s 2005 photos by the addition of a horrible walker’s cairn.
Looking north-northeast across the northern cairn to Butterdon Hill and Ugborough Beacon.
The northernmost cairn at SX65545773. As with many summit cairns, the full size of the original mound is much greater than the area of piled stones suggests – the area in the foreground reveals in situ stonework and gives a better idea of the original (massive) size.
As the ground starts to rise again towards Butterdon, I pass a taller boundary stone, marked on the OS as “Longstone”, while the trig point on the hill ahead is another visual prompt. The first Butterdon cairn is already looking like a monster, silhouetted on the skyline. When I reach it, I find a small triangular stone in front of it, but can’t work out if it “belongs” to anything else – perhaps it’s part of the boundary line, but it looks to be of a different character and I make out (I think) a low semi-circular bank that appears to incorporate the stone. Another, even bigger, cairn marks the northern end of the summit. This is a huge cairn, 30 metres across and still 4 metres high. From here there are excellent views all around, with every hill apparently topped by more cairns.
The approach to Butterdon Hill from Western Beacon, with the Longstone boundary marker in the foreground. The southern summit cairn is visible in the centre of the skyline.
Large summit cairn at SX655586. The stone in the foreground may be part of the boundary line running up from Western Beacon, but it may be part of another feature – see low bank in foreground and next picture.
Another picture showing the upright next to the cairn at SX655586. In this picture, there appears to be the remains of low bank running in a semi-circle and including the upright. Could this be part of a ring cairn or hut circle of some sort, which incorporated the upright?
The northerly summit cairn at SX655587. This is close to the southern end of the Butterdon stone row, and its stone circle terminus.
But the main draw for me is a cairn circle, which marks the southern terminal of the second-longest stone row on Dartmoor. It takes me a while to find the circle, even in low grass. Burl mentions that one of the stones is upright, but in fact all are fallen (although a couple are still – just about – leaning). There is the merest hint of the cairn mound in the centre and the stones are quite nice shapes, several tapering at what I assume was the top when they were originally erected.
The fallen cairn circle, lost even in low grass. Hangershell Rock can be seen in the middle distance.
Looking back to the nearby summit cairn. The remains of the cairn circle’s mound are in the centre of the picture, but difficult to see.
Semi-leaning stones on the NE side of the circle.
Anyway, I have found my first Dartmoor cairn circle and from here I can find the start of my first row. It heads roughly north, consisting of small (a foot or so tall) stones and crosses over a mile of moorland to a terminus on Piles Hill. On its route it passes the sandcastle-esque Butterdon Hill (north) cairn, which has gained its unusual look by excavation followed by a covering of turf. The direction of the row changes slightly north of this cairn, possibly suggesting that it was erected in more than one phase.
As the row starts to head up towards Piles Hill a taller and more modern boundary marker creeps in amongst the lower stones of the row. Further north Sharp Tor and Three Barrows are now in view, more hills topped with bronze age cairns. As the row approaches Hobajons Cross it still consists of very low stones, and the cross itself is merely a taller upright that has been christianised by the incision of a small cross near its top. It is possible that this stone was once the terminus of the row (see Jeremy Butler’s “Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities”). From here most of the stones are missing as the line of the row climbs Piles Hill to its leaning terminal stone (shown as “recumbent” on the OS).
Diminuitive stones at the south end of the row, with Butterdon Hill summit cairn behind. This southern end of the row is just to the west of the cairn circle.
Folllowing the row north as it approaches Butterdon Hill (north) cairn – on the right.
This attractive but damaged cairn reminded me of a sand-castle.
Looking west over the centre of the cairn, with Hangershell Rock in the middle-distance.
The hollowed out top of the cairn, looking south to the Butterdon Hill summit cairns.
Looking back southwards along the row towards the prominent Butterdon Hill summit cairns.
Looking south from Piles Hill back towards the two prominent Butterdon Hill summit cairns. Western Beacon with its cairns is further to the right.
Looking north towards Sharp Tor and Three Barrows. This stone, although on the line of the row, is a modern (19th c) insertion – it is much taller than the other stones in the row, which are graded. As the row would be difficult to trace in bad conditions, taller stones like this would have been added to clarify the position of the parish boundary, which follows the line of the row.
Hobajons Cross, a (lightly) christianised stone that may once have been the northern terminus of the row, which now continues further north to the Longstone on Piles Hill. The skyline is covered with bronze age cairns – on the extreme left is Ugborough Beacon, in the centre are the three Butterdon Hill cairns, to the right is Western Beacon.
When I approach the Longstone, a wild pony is having an enjoyable backside-scratch up against it. It think my arrival must have been a disappointment! This re-erected stone is over 2 metres high and is a big old lump, standing next to a much more modern boundary marker. From here there are extensive views across the moors.
When I arrived this lovely pony was having a nice time scratching his rear end on the stone.
Showing how much the re-erected stone is leaning (with excellent scale-providing pony).
The stone in its landscape, with cairn topped Ugborough Beacon (left) and Butterdon Hill (right) providing the backdrop.
There are two decent cairns on Piles Hill and one less certain one. The southern cairn is an unusual bell cairn, with a definite raised perimeter of approximately 30m diameter surrounding it. The central mound is very low however and is exceeded by that of the smaller northern cairn. The less-certain cairn lies a few metres further to the north-east and is a low green mound with no visible structural stones. Sharp Tor cairn, with typical walker-excrescence, is an obvious monument on the skyline to the NNW from here.
Approaching the southern bell-cairn from The Longstone.
The disturbed top of the southern cairn.
Section of the raised perimeter of the southern cairn, looking SSE towards Ugborough Beacon and Butterdon Hill.
The northern cairn, looking NNW to Sharp Tor. Three Barrows is on the right skyline.
The northern cairn, looking towards the southern bell-cairn.
The possible NE barrow, with the southern bell-cairn directly ahead and the northern cairn to the right.
But I press on, joining the Two Moors Way for a stretch following the route of one of the disused tramways that cross the moors, which makes for nice easy walking and takes me north across Ugborough Moor, past Three Barrows and the artificial lake at Leftlake Mires, created from an old quarry pit. This stretch also affords an excellent view across the Erme Valley to the west, where the tallest stones of Stalldown stone row and the Hillson’s House cairn can be seen on the hilltop. A little further on and the tramway curves round to the east – it’s here that I pass the last two walkers I will see today as I leave the metalled route and head north, straight across the grassy slopes of open moor towards Hook Lake. The near-circular settlement at Erme Plain can be seen across the valley and I try to work out where exactly the Dancers circle is above it, but it’s too hazy to see clearly, so I press on.
As I lose height another settlement comes into view ahead. This is Hook Lake settlement, surrounded by a low-lying rubble bank. There’s only one visible round house inside the settlement, the base of which was constructed from very large blocks. Other than this the interior of the settlement site is empty but for vegetation.
From here I have to negotiate the crossing of the River Erme, which although quite narrow and not very deep still involves a choice of slippery stepping-stones to get across without a soaking. Once on the other side, I’m climbing up again to yet another settlement (Blatchford Bottom) and then up to the Stall Moor stone row and cairn.
The cairn is large but ruinous, having been heavily dug into. It lies slightly to the west and uphill from the row, from where it commands good views over the Erme Valley and southwards towards the Dancers.
Looking south, along the row towards its terminus at The Dancers. The River Erme winds through its valley on the left, the angular Sharp Tor protrudes above on the left skyline.
Seen from the stone row, looking north.
I’ve joined the row less than a quarter of the way along its length from its southern terminus – it continues much further north, all the way up to Green Hill, making it the longest row on Dartmoor by some way. The stones of the row are miniscule to say the least, but there are a few notable individuals, such as a weirdly eroded one that stands more than twice as high as its neighbours, and a lovely row of three differently marked quartz stones next to a small brook that the row crosses. The stones get gradually bigger as they head south, where they disappear over the brow of the hill. By this point I am buzzing with anticipation as I have passed the furthest point out of my walk and am nearly at my main objective, tantalisingly close just over the ridge.
The row heading south parallel with the River Erme, just south of Stall Moor cairn.
This stone was notable for being quite a lot bigger than its neighbours, as well as weirdly eroded. Looking south towards The Dancers.
Three attractive stones in a row – white quartz in the foreground, the next one has a quartz band and the third is almost black. Stall Moor cairn can be seen on the near skyline.
Two distinctive stones, next to a white quartz stone (see other picture). The stone on the left has a quartz band, the other is almost black in colour. The black stone is next to a minor stream(not big enough to be shown on the OS 1:25000) that the row crosses between Stall Moor cairn and The Dancers stone circle.
The stones in the row get larger as they approach the southern terminus at The Dancers.
The southernmost section and terminus of the row, at The Dancers stone circle.
And here it is! The uprights of the cairn circle come into view – empty, miles from anywhere, this is a real treat of a circle. Some of the stones lean alarmingly, the ground is wet and muddy around the stones, but I’m grinning from ear to ear. Without doubt worth the effort of the long walk, the circle is a gem that I doubt has many visitors, except the cows that graze a little way off and pay me no attention at all. Coming to places like this makes the heart sing, makes me feel glad to be alive and all the transitory worries of life seem so far behind. After a good while spent circling the site, then sitting in the ring (devoid of much sign of a cairn, by the way) I am reluctantly reminded of the long walk back to Ivybridge and the further delights still to be had on the way and head off south. The stones hang crooked on the skyline behind me for a moment, before disappearing back into their timeless solitude. I hope to come back here again one day, for this is a wonderful circle.
Looking south down the Erme Valley.
The tallest stone, on the north side of the circle.
Looking eastwards. Knatta Barrow is (barely) visible as a small lump on the skyline.
Looking WNW towards Langcombe Hill.
After another of the Blatchford Bottom settlements, this one with a suspicious bullock keeping a wary eye on me, I start to climb again, this time up to Stalldown. As I reach the crest, the tips of the northernmost upright stones of the row come into view. This is the tallest of Dartmoor’s stone rows and the four uprights at the northern end are the tallest stones in the row. They are all about 2-2.5 metres tall and very shapely, leaning in slightly different directions, which makes for a very photogenic site. There are a couple more large stones lying fallen to the north, which may well have been part of the row – the northernmost is a large slab. What a lovely setting of stones this is, who could ask for more?
Following the row roughly south as it heads off the top of the hill, the stones become markedly smaller after those first few, and there is the additional treat of a small cairn- or kerb-circle adjacent to the row. Towards the south end of the row is a recumbent slab, which would have been much taller than its neighbours if erected and the final upright is a rounded, boulderish stone – it may be that the row continued beyond this point, but no uprights remain. Plymouth Sound emerges from the gloom to the southwest to show I’m heading in the right direction.
The northern end with four lovely standing stones, the largest in the row. A low cairn to the northwest of the row can be over to the right of centre.
Large recumbent slab just to the north of the last standing stone. Could this have been the terminal stone?
Shapely, tapering stone, third from the north end.
The northernmost, and tallest, four stones.
Looking north from the fourth stone from the north – from here southwards the stones are much smaller (although still large by Dartmoor stone row standards).
Middle section of the row, looking north.
Recumbent slab towards the southern end of the row. If this was ever erect, it would have towered over its neighbours.
The southernmost upright in the row.
As I reach the bottom of the hill, I’m into the best-preserved settlement of the day, a selection of variously sized roundhouses and larger enclosures. But I don’t stop for long as there’s still one more hill to climb and a stone row to follow.
Another round house, the foundations built from very large blocks.
The final row of the day climbs Burford Down, towards a visible terminal cairn circle at the high point of the hill. This last site pulls my tired legs onwards. As the row climbs the hill, I turn around for a last look towards Stalldown behind, what a wonderful landscape this is.
The terminal cairn-circle isn’t a match for the Dancers. There is a hollowed mound in its centre and many of the stones are missing or fallen, but this is still a grand enough way to finish the row.
Looking southwards along the row – the upright stones of the terminal cairn circle are visible on the horizon.
Looking eastwards across the cairn circle to the Tristis Rock.
The cairn, with the central cist. The Tristis Rock is on the left of the picture.
I head towards the Tristis Rock and there’s one last monument – a cairn-circle with the remains of central cist. And at this point my camera battery fails me – I’ve taken over 300 photos today, so it’s no surprise (and thank goodness for digital cameras)! After a quick scramble onto Tristis Rock for a final landscape viewing, I head south off the moors. A pleasant walk back to Ivybridge via Harford and Lukesland finishes off my aching legs and I’m relieved to make it back onto the train to head home. But what a day! Dartmoor has more than lived up to my hopes and expectations, packing in more prehistory per square metre than I would have believed possible. I will definitely be back for more.