ROUTE: Long walk. Start Burrator Inn. Finish Sharpitor Car Park. Distance 17km.
SITES OF INTEREST: Yellowmead 4-circle Cairn. Drizzlecombe Complex.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Walk originally based on the discontinued Transmoor Bus Service. Probably now possible starting from Plymouth to Yelverton or starting from Tavistock.
Burrator 2: Yellowmead and Drizzlecombe
Start at the crossroads by Burrator Inn. Take the Burrator Road south for approximately 1 km. Ignore the first major turn left, Iron Mine Lane, instead take the next turning left over the cattle grid sign posted to Burrator Reservoir. A short distance along this road climb the bank to the left to gain access to the old dismantled railway. Follow the old railway east and drop down the steep sloop to connect up with the road across Burrator dam. Cross the dam and continue along the road to Sheepstor Church.
In front of the church there is a stone cross on a three stepped pedestal. Walk through the grounds of Sheepstor Church. In the graveyard at the back of the church is a tomb to the Rajah of Sarawak - this oddity is well described on the Legendary Dartmoor site, see the link below. Exit the graveyard to return back on to the road. Turn right and a few yards along the road to the east on the right hand side is a medieval well. Reverse and continue back pass the rear of the church for another 100m and take the turning to the left up hill towards Sheeps Tor. The lane climbs steeply up hill on to Sheeps Tor.
The climb to the top of Sheeps Tor is very arduous and steep. For an easier route keep to the contours of the southern lower slopes to meet with a wall marked on the OS map to the south of Sheeps Tor. Follow this boundary NE to a point where it veers to a right angle in a south easterly direction as marked on the map. Follow this southward to find the Yellowmead 4-fold Cairn Circle. The area to the east of the Yellowmead circle can be quite boggy under foot - so stick towards the west of the route down.
From Yellowmead you can shorten the walk by 5Km by heading E and returning via Deancombe. Otherwise to include Drizzlecombe head south and follow the wall as it veers east and then follow it round as it veers sharply to the south-west. The terrain can get a bit boggy here so stick close to the wall. At the car park near the Scout Hut stick to Edward's Path south for 1.5 km to Ditsworthy Warren House. Take the path to the east through the grounds of Ditsworthy Warren House and 1 km on just above the River Plym on the south-eastern slope of Higher Hartor Tor is the Drizzlecombe Ceremonial Complex. From Drizzlecombe head back to the Sharpitor Car Park via Deancombe - the most direct route involves a short trek north-west across rough but relatively dry terrain.
Page last updated 22/8/11
