Dartmoor National Park lies wholly within Devon, and boasts some of the wildest upland moorland in Britain. The area’s long and varied history means there’s a wealth of intriguing sites and walking trails to explore here, from the Neolithic and medieval to the industrial and military. Dartmoor's highest tors are well worth the romp.
Dartmoor’s tors – the exposed knuckles of a vast, underlying granite pluton – each have a unique character, and waymark the moor for those familiar with their distinctive shapes. Of these, Yes Tor and High Willhays are the highest, and offer walking of a truly wild and remote kind.
Okehampton train station, which first opened in 1871, links the moorland town with London, Plymouth and Cornwall. The line ceased operating national rail services 100 years later, but reopened in 2021, creating a much-needed link to Dartmoor.
As well as summiting Dartmoor’s only official ‘mountains’ (peaks higher than 610m/2000ft above sea-level), this walk takes you to the blocky stacks of Rowtor and West Mill Tor, the low-slung slabs of Dinger Tor, and the wonderfully named Scarey Tor, returning you to Okehampton in time for your train home.
How hard is climbing Dartmoor’s highest tors?
DIFFICULTY: Medium | DISTANCE: 20km | TIME: 6 hours | TOTAL ASCENT: 569m
FITNESS: A fairly long walk with a big hill, reasonable fitness required.
TERRAIN: Surfaced, gravelly trails with some sections of rougher moorland path which can be boggy. The tor tops are rocky.
NAVIGATION: Trails are mostly easy to follow in good visibility. The open moorland sections and similar-looking trails make navigation harder in reduced visibility.
Where is the start of the walk?
Okehampton train station (at the start/finish) has a regular service to/from Exeter, and also a car park.
What's the best map for Dartmoor’s highest tors?
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CLICK HERE to view and download our digital route guide in OS Maps
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OS Explorer OL28 (1:25k)
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OS Landranger 191 (1:50k)
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Harvey British Mountain Map Dartmoor (1:40k)
Yes Tor and Hill Willhays circuit | Step-by-step route guide
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Walk south out of the station and turn left onto Klondyke Road, joining a bridleway and using the footbridge to cross the A30. Turn right at the next path junction, reaching the edge of Dartmoor and following the path uphill to reach Camp Road on a sharp corner. Join the road and follow it uphill, bearing left at the fork and following the road to a track junction and cattle grid at the edge of the military camp and open moorland.
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Turn left, crossing the cattle grid and bridge and following the road uphill. Carry on to a track junction and layby on the right at the edge of Okehampton military firing range. (This walk enters a live military firing area. CLICK HERE for up-to-date firing times. Red flags by day and red lamps by night indicate that live firing is taking place within the range boundaries, marked by red and white poles. When warning signals are displayed, do not cross the range boundary. Do not touch any military debris (it may be dangerous). Bear right here, following the track directly south towards Rowtor. You’ll pass an area used for trench practice for the Boer War here, after which the path becomes smaller. Continue across the moor, following the path up to the rocky summit of Rowtor.
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Continue following the path down the south side of Rowtor to reach a larger track. Turn right and continue to a junction below West Mill Tor – you can make a short out-and-back diversion to the top if you wish. Otherwise, turn left and follow the track south. Bear right at the next junction, curving to the right, crossing a ford and climbing to the saddle between Yes Tor and High Willhays. Turn right to reach the rocky summit of Yes Tor at 619m.
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Walk south from Yes Tor, heading downhill initially and then up to the slightly higher but less impressive High Willhays at 621m. Trend left from the rock at the far end, following a less defined path downhill and across the moor to the rocks at Dinger Tor.
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Facing the rocks, take a sharp left and follow the track, bearing right at the first fork and walking downhill and around a sharp left corner at a stream, following the track across a couple of track junctions to reach a left fork south of Oke Tor. Bear left here and climb up to Oke Tor’s rocky summit. Continue to walk east, following the track across a couple of track junctions to reach a left fork south of Oke Tor. Bear left here and climb up to Oke Tor’s rocky summit.
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Follow the ridge path to the right of the tor downhill. Pass Winter Tor on your left and bear left, following the track downhill into the East Okement valley. Bear right at the next track junction, before you reach the river, heading to the right of Scarey Tor to reach a track junction with the Tarka Trail. Bear left here, following a smaller path down the steep valley to the footbridge crossing the East Okement river.
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Cross the bridge and turn right, following the Tarka Trail and the Dartmoor Way down the valley. The path goes under the A30 and the railway and curves to the left, still following the East Okement river on your right. Continue on the path to reach Station Road, turning left and following the road back to the station.
What walking gear do I need for this route?
Here's a selection of the best walking gear selected by LFTO's testing team: Walking boots | Hiking daypack | Waterproof jacket | Walking trousers | Walking poles | Walking mid-layers | Base layers
Where can I eat and drink?
If you want to branch out from granola bars and homemade cheese sandwiches, The Bulleid Buffet, named after railway engineer Oliver Bulleid, is at the station. Or the Fountain Inn in Okehampton does traditional pub grub.
Where's the best place to stay?
Try the Fountain Inn or Appledore campsite. Or wild camp on designated moor. See here for options.
About the authors
Jen and Sim are experienced hillwalkers, trail runners and guidebook writers. They're passionate about exploring wild places with their young family, and have been writing route guides and gear reviews for LFTO for many years. Find out more about their adventures and their work at: jenandsimbenson.co.uk.
This route originally appeared in the March 2024 issue of Trail magazine. CLICK HERE to become a Trail magazine subscriber and get 50% off a whole year of digital OS Maps