A circular walk in the East Moor area of Bodmin Moor

A walk with friends in the East Moor area of Bodmin Moor. The weather was reasonable and by that I mean it was not lashing down with rain. It started off a little hazy but cleared up as the day proceeded. It's a part of the moor that I'm gradually growing very fond of. It has an isolated feel and is off the beaten track for many walkers and certainly an area by-passed by tourists. AS ever, a few photographs to accompany the description.

We started the walk at the Halvana Plantation, just down from EastMoorgate. A mixture of mature forestry and open moorland, the distance came in at 6.2 miles. The elevation profile is a little misleading as, apart from the last push to the top of Fox Tor, it didn't seem particularly hilly.

The Halvana Plantation has been here since the late 1920's/early 1930's and would be classed as 'mature coniferous woodland'. What is unusual is the fact that, unlike the dead undergrowth of most coniferous forests, here it is bedecked with moss and gives a glorious green.

Remember the Ents in Lord of the Rings? Here's one. Is it Treebeard?

Emerging from the plantation and looking towards Smallacombe Downs over the open moorland. Navigation is quite easy: head for the straggly trees to the left. It looks pretty featureless and, at one level, it is. But hidden amongst the lumps and bumps are Bronze Age hut circles and stone rows, evidence of granite works over the centuries, mediaeval villages etc etc. Lacking in topological features, perhaps, but a closer look reaps rewards.

Members of the group picking their way over one of the many small streams dropping down to a tributary of Withy Brook. It wasn't as wet as I was anticipating and it was quite easy to navigate a route without sloshing through mud and water.

An isolated farm called Rushyford Water, just up from Rushyford Gate. Mr Google failed me on this one and the only description I could find was that is was 'abandoned and unknown'. It has several walled fields associated with it and was obviously an 'intake' at one time. It isn't that big for a farmhouse and I'm wondering whether it was used seasonally, whilst animals were out grazing.  A sort of shepherd's hut? In the small outbuilding to the left, there is a small enclosed structure with no obvious function. It wasn't a fireplace but was it for storage? A well? A dog kennel like we see at Ditsworthy Warren?

Despite its small size, the main room of the 'house' had a sizable fireplace. It would have kept the place very toasty.

Looking from the 'front door' towards the north west (approximately) and Smith's Moor and Godaver Downs. Gradually the coniferous plantings are being replaced by native broad-leaved trees.

Just a frog.

A berry-covered hawthorn growing at the base of a beech and draped with hanging lichen.

Lots of evidence around here for granite working. Look closely and you can make out the drill marks on these pieces.

This part of Bodmin Moor is used extensively for grazing animals - sheep, cattle and horses. It's an area not widely visited - in fact, we've been here some four times and the number of people we've seen can be counted on the fingers of one hand - and that makes the cattle very curious and very wary. They soon move off if you get near them.

Work in progress? This massive piece of granite - it must weigh 1/2 ton or more - has been split but not taken away. Just imagine the effort that went into all the drilling and splitting. And all to no avail, as it remains where it was worked. No longer needed? I hope whoever did it got paid.

Looking back to whence we came as we head up Fox Tor. Featureless? Nah. We've just gone passed a few ring cairns and hut circles.

Heading up to the trig point on Fox Tor.

And here is the trig point. Apparently it's the 889th most visited trig point in the UK. Fancy that.

Not quite the Beast of Bodmin but a local inhabitant in his cosy den.

'His and hers' chairs with a view? I can imagine that this would be a great spot for taking in the sunset.

The merry band of walkers on top of Fox Tor. Although my hat looks as if it was modelled on that of a Papal Nuncio, it merely shows how strong the wind was. My setting out the camera for a remote shot is always cause for amusement.