Trekking the Tors

I need something to do in 2024 that isn’t work, so I’ve decided to trek to as many tors as possible on Dartmoor.

Tors are essentially the ancient granite outcrops scattered across Dartmoor. Some tower imposingly across the moors, others are layers of rocks balancing dangerously, and others barely poke out of the ground. Two tors (and two of my favourites) reach the 610 m required to be a mountain. But depending on who you ask and what you include as a tor, there’s anywhere from about 100 to 1,000 tors on Dartmoor. The best list I’ve found is from Tors Of Dartmoor who list 917 tors.

I spent most of my teenage years hiking over Dartmoor as part of the Air Cadets, competing in the Ten Tors challenge, for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award, and as a family. It’s a magnificent, desolate, inspiring place and I miss it.

This year, I’m heading back properly. I want to cover at least 50 tors, rain or shine.

Mostly for my own benefit, and because now I type everything my handwriting has become scrawly, I’m planning on documenting my trekking here. I’m not a writer and my challenge is not unique. Loads of other people have done it and written about the tors far better than I ever could. I would like to take a photo or two, write a little about the tor, and the walk to it. I’ll probably note down the banal too - the nearest car park, the grid reference, that sort of thing. It may be of use to someone.

Anyway, that’s for next year.