Construction began in 1970 in response to increasing demand for domestic water supply. Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk: The highest point of this walk is High Willhays at 622m (2041ft). High Willhays is near the northwestern edge of Dartmoor, about 2.5 km ( 112 miles) south east of Meldon Reservoir and about 5 km (3 miles) south of the town of Okehampton. google_ad_height = 600; Required fields are marked *. google_ad_slot = "2715819971"; Easiest route From Meldon Reservoir, SX 562918 I was briefly thrown on arrival because it was a pay car park and the machine wanted actual coins. Tracks across High Willhays to Yes Tor. A short walk south of the car park brings you to the impressive Meldon Dam constructed in 1972. Meldon Dam blocks the West Okement River, creating a large reservoir to its south west (upstream) side. This was my first "proper" activation using HF. See Help > FAQs - Logging On for details on how to enable cookies in your browser. 1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map(the ones with orange/yellow covers): 1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map(the ones with pink/magenta covers): Some Photos and Pictures from Walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir, West Mill Tor from Yes Tor with Okehampton and North Devon in background, High Willhays from the trig point on Yes Tor, The bridge at the southern end of Meldon Reservoir, . Enough time to glance at the map and plot a compass bearing west towards Black Tor, overlooking West Okement River. disappointment, a freephone number (0800 458 4868) is available, which has a Available for both RF and RM licensing. High Willhays is classified as an English Mountain (Hewitt) (166th highest in England, 289th highest in England & Wales) High Willhays is also known as an English Nuttall (228th highest in England, 397th highest in England & Wales) and an English Marilyn (49th highest in England, 727th highest in the UK). Oakhampton Military Firing Range. If you're coming from the south, the A386 brings you here too. We continued along the path as it turned South and then East up the hill towards our first summit Yes Tor. This National Nature Reserve of 170ha mainly consists of a model example of the upland heathland and has a wealth of moorland birds. Obviously if you do exceptionally come across anything the mist comes down, orientation could become difficult. From Meldon Reservoir car park, climb the steps next to the toilets and This strenuous 12km circular walk on Dartmoor's north moor, takes in the highest point (High Willhays) once again as well as a selection of fantastic Tor's (West Mill Tor, Yes Tor and Rowtor) and views of Meldon Resrvoir. Getting to the High Willhayes and Yes Tor Circular Walk Trailhead. Once I had found the correct road to Meldon Reservoir the route was very straightforward. The path now starts to get very faint and to Undaunted, 16 ramblers gathered at the start point There are the remains of extensive peat works to the southeast of Lyd Head including the evocatively named Bleak House. I slotted in behind some granite and got scoffing . It's 621 metres or 2,039 feet above sea level. When the track splits, take the left fork, At least = 660 pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).). created. Walking up High Willhays. hiking equipment/clothing before your trip see the Hiking Red-a-ven Brook and Yes Tor. The walk starts at the car park at Meldon Reservoir and takes you to the 621 metres (2,039 ft) summit via Longstone Hill and Black Tor. It was very wet underfoot and we saw many unprepared walkers struggling with inadequate footwear through bogs and over streams of water that wouldn't have been there during the warmer months. Willhays. Ansum! Yes Tor & High Willhays loop from Meldon Reservoir. Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. Recommended. What's Nearby Accommodation Sourton Down Caravan & Camping Park The reservoir sits below Yes Tor and High Willhays which are the only two mountains in southern England. Meldon Reservoir, or Meldon, is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the north west section of the National Park. site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any You can safely say I was in aweCurving gently across thevalley and old mine workings, the Meldon Viaduct is a bold statement in an already strikinglandscape. RF P6219K - Evening light on Dartmoor, with views towards Meldon reservoir and over an old quarry site. The trees are gnarled and stunted growing through the moss covered boulders, which gives the woodland its magical appearance. Some is over open ground and although well walked, Meldon Reservoir2.85km from High Willhays Meldon Reservoir is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the northwest section of the National Park. We were now surrounded by clouds giving us the perfect opportunity to teach our eldest (who is hoping to achieve her Bronze Duke Of Edinburgh award) some highly important lessons in using a compass. Black Tor overlooks the West Okement River and this view offered peaceful shelter from the inquisitive autumnal wind, I remembered that same wind at Bignor and Chanctonbury Ring. Willhays and Yes Tor (Dartmoor), To Last ditch attempt to save Meldon Gorge. You can also submit photos from walk de177 Yes Tor and High Willhays from Meldon Reservoir via our Facebook Page. Commercial quarrying (originally for limestone) started at Meldon around 200 years ago. In a previous life I was fortunate to be able to work in a water treatment plant, so I have a good understandingof all that is hidden below. 6. the left are the red and white poles which mark the boundary of the Meldon Dam We parked in the Meldon Reservoir car park which had plenty of spaces. Yesterday we decided we needed a Dartmoor fix. %PDF-1.5 High Willhays is often mistakenly referred to as the highest point in England south of Kinder Scout. For anyone unfamiliar with firing ranges, High Willhays 6 miles (9 km) Climb to the highest point on Dartmoor on this splendid circular walk in the Dartmoor National Park. to the riverbank. Exit the car park and cross the lane to a signed bridleway heading southwest. Meldon Dam is now owned and operated by South West Water. I have never before, in my long and eclectic career, been gifted with such an abundance of natural beauty as I experienced filming War Horse on Dartmoor.Steven Spielberg. The undisputed highest point in Dartmoor and the South West. Dropping down from the dizzy heights of High Willhays, a group of hikers could be spotted in the distance, making their own adventures, parallel to mine. All in all a very pleasant few hours. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Light snow changing to overcast by late morning. Really hope you're all ok!! Black-A-Tor Copse is one of the best examples of high altitude oak woodland in Britain. from. RF2GJATBE - Panorama from High Willhays to Meldon Reservoir, Dam and Viaduct, Dartmoor Devon. /* walks */ High Willhays or, according to some authors, High Willes is the highest point on Dartmoor, Devon, at 621 metres (2,039 feet) above sea level, and the highest point in the United Kingdom south of the Brecon Beacons. Descend to the right of Black Tor to the Where is Meldon dam? feet have not always followed the same paths, so worn routes have not been You need to head for the left More than a stepping stone to High Willhays and Yes Tor, Meldon Reservoir is in high open moorland, almost 300 metres above sea level. Okehampton. It didn't dampen anyone's spirits, indeed the children seemed to be happier in the rain than they had been on the warmer days out in the summer. which protects some plant (water abstraction or whatever) but soon returns Stay on the right hand side of the river, in Surprisingly the water is bright green; not due to algae but due to the minerals in the rock in this former limestone quarry. The range is marked by red and white posts on the Moor. To reach the trailhead for the High Willhayes and Yes Tor Circular Walk from Okehampton, drive west on West Street/B3260 for 3.2 km and make a left to continue on for 0.3 km. We would love to see your walk photographs and pictures walk de139 Yes Tor, High Willhays and Black Tor from Meldon Reservoir. At the north end by the car park the Meldon Dam (1972) is a striking photo opportunity, while you can take a picnic by the water on a sunny day and watch fishers catching brown trout. This is a great time to point out that though we'd all been fairly warm on our ascent we all got cold very quickly whilst sheltering from the rain and I can not iterate enough the importance of carrying extra layers and gloves. sight of the trig. . Time was fading as it always does so I walked across the viaduct, wire mesh safety barriers prevent you from getting too close to the edge. Now dont imagine for one moment this would be an easy walk in thick mist, pouring rain, ice and hail. Only two viaducts of this design remain in the UK and both are thankfully listed structures so hopefully we can enjoy them for many more years to come. To our delight we discovered that it lies to the the West of Yes Tor and High Willhays beside the West Okement River, providing us with a delightful circular ro. You begin at Meldon Reservoir car park, where you will be immediately greeted by sweeping views of Meldon Reservoir, and an impressive dam, which reminds me of the one in . He suggested instead that the name derived from gwylfa, a watching place, noting its similarity with Brown Willy, the name of the highest hill on nearby Bodmin Moor, and suggested that a watch for beacon fires used to be kept here. The weather was nice and we enjoyed the rare pleasure of sitting outside of our tent for a bit, rather than rushing inside to escape cold and rain as so often is the . Climb to the highest point on Dartmoor on this splendid circular walk in the Dartmoor National Park. Find new walk companions for walks in South West England, Get Directions to the start of walk de177, More easy-to-follow circular walks in Dartmoor National Park, More easy-to-follow circular walks in The South West, More easy-to-follow circular walks in Devon. Meldon Reservoir is a local Dartmoor beauty spot in the northwest section of the National Park. He also posited a possible link to the word gwili meaning winding or tortuous, but said it was unlikely this was where it originated from.