Whitehorse Hill

Whitehorse Hill is one of the highest and most exposed places in North Dartmoor. Despite the appealing name it is a featureless windswept hill covered with eroded peat beds. The hill doesn't even have a tor - just a tiny cairn created from a few rocks of granite. Nonetheless, the isolation gives it a certain atmosphere and on a clear day the views are great. This walk allows us to see different types of Dartmoor habitations - peat cutters' shelters, a tinner's hut and 2 ruined farmsteads.

Park at Fernworthy Forest (SX 659839) and take the forest path to the moorgate at Long Ridge. Cross the Teign and head for Manga Farm and carry on walking up Manga Hill. From the top you make westwards for Whitehorse Hill via the head of Walla Brook. You can easily get to the top of Whitehorse via the peat pass. Then head along the ridge down to Quintin's Man. Head back towards Fernworthy via Great Varracombe and the ruined Teignhead farm.

This walk is fairly straightforward with little steep climbing - although some of the ground is quite rough. Allow about 3.5 hours at a reasonable pace.  Bad weather will make this walk a challenge. This walk was made after some weeks of dry weather which is why the grass looks so pale.

Some of the area lies in the army firing range.

	The start of the footpath  (SX 659839) within Fernworthy forest. The path to the moor lies behind the gate.
	A clearing inside Fernworthy Forest.
	A foxhunt taking place on Manga Hill near the remains of the old farmhouse.
	The Teign crossing at Manga Hole (SX 640848).
	The remains of Manga Farm (SX 639849). This isolated place has a lovely atmosphere but didn't last overlong as a going concern. Built around 1808 - by 1884 it was in ruins. The farm was a 3 roomed, single storey, thatched house with adjoining outhouses. In the photo we can see a turf house built up against the kitchen (on the right hand side). We can see the enclosed farm garden marked by the gateposts.
	Looking northwards along the newtake wall at SX 628855).
	The Upper Walla brook. This is often rather wet but after 6 weeks without rain then this is easy ground to cross.
	Another view of the Wall Brook with the distinctive shapes of Watern Tor on the horizon.
	Start of the peat pass leading up to Whitehorse Hill.
	The peat pass track.
	Whitehorse Hill (SX 618855).
	The cairn of Whitehorse Hill. In the background is the army post of Hangingstone Hill.
	The west view over the upper East Dart valley from Whitehorse Hill. Black Hill is on the horizon.
	The ruins of Moute's Inn (SX 618853) - a peat cutter's shelter. Probably about 200 years old.
	Another view of Moute's Inn.
	Walking along the ridge between Whitehorse Hill and Quintin's Man.
	The army observation sheds at Quintin's Man.
	The cairn at Quintin's Man.
	The view over Great Varracombe from Quintin's Man. Fernworthy forest is on the horizon.
	Looking up the Great Varracombe valley.
	This is what the OS map calls a tinner's hut (SX 628842) of medieval age. It lies beside Great Varracombe.
	Sittaford Tor from Great Varracombe.
	Approaching the ruins of Teignhead Farm (SX 635844). This farm was active from 1808 to 1939, requisitioned by the military in WW2 and was finally demolished in 1971. The site is now used a lot for camping out on. The farm was a substantial one of two storeys and 3 bedrooms. Quite a few families farmed it, but the isolation of the place was often commented on by contemporaries.
	An old trough.
	A slotted gatepost. These could originally have come from Fernworthy farm.
	The trackway leading up the old farm.
	A lone Shetland pony.
	The clapper bridge across the Teign at SX 639845.
	The Teign as it flows northwards towards Gidleigh Common from the clapper bridge.
	The gateway (SX 641843) leading back into Fernworthy forest.
	The NW view over the Teign from the Fernworthy gate. Manga Hill is on the left.