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Fur Tor in the snow

This is almost a repeat walk of that reported for Flat Tor. The main difference is the snow and we walked back over Wildbanks Hill. This part of Dartmoor in the snow is simply glorious. You get a real feeling of isolation and the visual spectacle is well worth the extra effort needed to get out here. (As a contrast the last photo shows a shot of Brixham on the same day that this walk was taken.).
Start from Drift Lane SX 646788 at Postbridge and walk over Broadun to Sandy Hole Pass. Follow the East Dart upstream and just beyond the waterfall at Kit Rocks cross over the first stream, walk along the marshy ground beside the East Dart and then head up the Cut Hill streambed. Head up the east slope of Cut Hill - if you make for the line of the army warning poles then this gives you the easiest way up to the summit of Cut Hill. Then make for Fur Tor taking the track then traverses Cut Combe valley. To return from Fur Tor it is best to follow a compass course to Flat Tor since it is a pretty featureless (but direct) walk over the wet ground around South Tavy and West Dart heads. From Flat tor we walked due south over the water logged ground between the two Darts and then climbed up the slopes of Wildbanks Hill and then eastwards over the rough ground to Broadun. And thence back to Postbridge.
Walking in the snow is probably easier than most other times because the wet ground is usually firmer to walk over. Long grass (particularly around Cut Hill) is also far less of a hindrance than it is in summer. Nonetheless the dangers are fairly obvious. This can be a serious walk of nearly 10 miles. Allow at least 5 hours. The usual warnings about walking over Dartmoor must apply here. There is wet ground nearly all the way from Fur Tor to Wildbanks Hill and the ground is exposed and somewhat featureless. In poor weather this could get very challenging. A lot of the walk is within the Army ranges so watch out for warning flags.
 
The car park at Postbridge. The building is the National Park bookshop.
Sandy Hole Pass.
Sandy Hole Passage.
The East Dart
Looking over the East Dart valley from the southern slopes of Cut Hill.
Approaching Cut Hill.
The north view from the top of Cut Hill.
The Cut Combe valley in the snow.
Looking over towards Fur Tor from the west flank of Cut Hill. On the right is the Cut Combe valley.
Another view of Fur Tor from Cut Hill. The red and white pole is an army range marker. Okehampton range is on the right. Merrivale on the left.
About mid way between Fur Tor and Cut Hill.
The main block of Fur Tor with a surprising number of people sheltering underneath.
The westerly view from Fur Tor. Hare Tor is on the horizon.
Heading off on the trek from Fur Tor to Flat Tor. This is one of the most isolated parts of Dartmoor and normally is quite wet and awkward to walk across. In the snow progress is rather easier.
Looking down at Tavy Head.
The isolated plateau just above West Dart head.
The south view from Flat Tor. On the distant hillside you can see the distinctive shape of Rough Tor. The upper West Dart valley lies between.
Heading off towards Wildbanks hill from Flat Tor.
A picture of Brixham breakwater taken on the same afternoon that the above shots of Dartmoor were taken. This looks almost sub tropical in comparison to the mildly Arctic conditions on Dartmoor just 20 miles away.
 


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