Hickaton Hill to Hameldown Beacon

We woke up to calm and sunny skies and after attempting to dry out the tent and our boots we packed up and moved on. As we contoured the hill some lovely patchwork fields came into view. I suppose our first real view of the trip so far! We headed towards the fields and down into valley crossing a pretty little stream.

On our way into Scorriton we had to stop to give way to some cows. We then ended up in a procession for the next two kilometres with the farmer in front, then the cows, then another farmer behind to chivvy them along, then us, then a car. It got even more complicated in the village as our procession had to navigate the bin lorry. Eventually after what felt like quite a long time we got to a T junction and the cows and farmers turned right whilst we turned left towards Holne.

The route got a little hillier from here, we passed through picturesque Holne and into Holne woods where we followed the River Dart for a while. After stopping to make use of the public conveniences at New Bridge Marsh we had the first big decision of the day, "Do we get an ice-cream from the ice-cream van?" It could possibly be our only chance for the whole day but in the end we decided it was too early and we hadn't earned it yet. New Bridge Marsh has lots of lovely picnic spots and a rather dangerous looking rope swing but we carried on up onto Aish Tor before stopping for lunch.

Continuing on to Bel Tor Corner we had another opportunity for ice-cream and this time thought we had earned it. The afternoon's walk consisted of small hamlets and pretty woodland before we had to decide whether to take the route passing through Widicombe in the Moor or to take the route which followed the ridgeline of the adjacent hills. We chose the ridge line and stopped to camp close to Hameldown Beacon.

I also learned today that Wuthering Heights is not set in Widecombe in the Moor. I think I have been getting the Kate Bush song confused with Widecombe fair… every day's a school day!