All | Little | Shorter | Standard | Longer | Tors | Relics | History | Links | Panoramas | Home

 

Hucken Tor

Hucken Tor (SX 549739) is a rare type of tor since it is largely surrounded by trees and doesn't stand proud on some isolated windswept peak. Hucken Tor is a rather domesticated tor and the best time to see it is in the winter or early spring before the leaves emerge. Hucken may derive from "Hook in the Tor" which may have referred to a gated entrance to the many medieval enclosures that existed around the Walkham valley.
Park at Cross Winds car park - SX 561749. Take the westwards track that goes past the Merrivale monuments over Long Ash Hill and head down to the Two bridges - Tavistock road. Turn left by Hillside and follow the south track that follows the Walkham valley past Longash, through Hucken Tor and ends you up beside Daveytown. carry along the metalled road until you get to an extreme fork and take the left turn up the hill towards Criptor. From there you can climb up the hill to the Swelltor quarries, traverse the hill line to Kings Tor and then return back to the Cross Winds car park.
A reasonable walk of about 5 miles. No open moor or military ranges and about 1 mile on country lanes. No boggy ground but a bit of clambering over rocks is needed.
 
Looking south from the Cross Winds car park (SX 561749) over towards King's Tor.
The Asburton - Tavistock marker post of Long Ash hill. A number of these stones survive showing the line of an old packhorse track. Strangely, the last marker stone is at Swincombe Farm which is still some miles distant from Ashburton.
A smaller stone row.
The southern Merrivale double stone row on Long Ash hill.
What are they looking at?
This is it - a kist with a mutilated capstone. Someone has cut out a gatepost.
The southern Merrivale double stone row. We are looking at a small stone circle that is about central to the row.
Looking towards the start of the upper Walkham valley. The slopes of Great Mistor on the right with Roos Tor on the left.
Walking down from Long Ash Hill to the road that approaches Merrivale.
Another Princetown - Tavistock marker post.
Hillside with one of those rusty red barn roofs that are common over Dartmoor.
Longash. The grey building directly in front was originally a medieval longhouse.
The Long Ash brook as it hurtles down to meet the Walkham below.
Part of Long Ash wood. There are tales that wild cats lived in these woods in the 19th century.
Looking over the Walkham valley with Vixen Tor on the horizon.
The path that leads to Hucken Tor.
One of the central piles of Hucken Tor.
Hucken Tor with the gate that may have given rise to its name.
This is some kind of animal pen or pound that we come across just south of the Tor.
Daveytown.
The wooded Walkham valley which nearly obscures Vixen Tor from sight.
The path that leads from Criptor to Swelltor.
On the south slope of Swelltor looking SE over towards Leeden Tor on the horizon.
The great excavation inside Swelltor Quarry (SX 559732). We can see why a railway was needed to take away all the quarried granite.
Here we are on the line of the old train track. On the left are the remains of a platform for loading granite onto the trains.
A set maker's bank.
Remains of granite working on the ridge between Swelltor and King's Tor. Here we have a granite stone that's been broken and then left with two of the splitting wedges still remaining.
Walking along the ridge towards King's Tor.
Another example of granite splitting.
King's Tor.
We are heading back to the car from the slope of King's Tor. Great Mistor is on the horizon.
Looking back at King's Tor from Long Ash brook
 


All | Little | Shorter | Standard | Longer | Tors | Relics | History | Links | Panoramas | Home