Ter Hill

Ter Hill (SX 642 705) is one of the highest points of South Dartmoor. It is a rather bland hill with only three waymarker crosses to mark the nearby summit. However, the views from Ter Hill are excellent. Getting to Ter Hill is the good bit. One way is to follow the track of the Wheal Emma leat as it snakes up the Swincombe valley towards its source at Fox Tor Mire. Both valley and mire have their own rather special beauty. 

Park at Gobbet Plain (SX 647728) on the road from Hexworthy to Sherberton. You have two choices of route to start with. Either follow the track down to Gobbet tin mine, past the old Swincombe house and on to the small reservoir or else go up to Down Ridge and follow the channel of the old Wheal Emma Leat. If you take the first route then bad ground around SX 633719 will force you up the hillside to take the leat track. Whichever route you first took you'll now follow the leat up the Upper Swincombe valley until you get to the edge of the mire. From here it is easy to walk up the slopes of Ter Hill using the newtake wall as a guide. Make for Mount Misery corner. Find the other crosses and then navigate back down to Down Ridge. A compass is useful.

Although this walk isn't very long it covers some excellent and varied Dartmoor scenery. Allow 2.5 - 3 hours. On a clear summer's evening this walk is pure delight. No military ranges nearby.

	Offroad parking at Gobbet Plain (SX 647728).
	A clapper bridge over the dry Wheal Emma leat.
	A photo of the Swincombe valley just as the walk starts. We follow the leat channel on the left.
	A bridging stone carries a newtake wall over the leat as it leaves Deep Swincombe - SX 642720.
	The valley of Deep Swincombe. Rollo is standing beside the leat channel.
	The remains of an old hut circle. All around are the low lines of the extensive Bronze age reaves (or field enclosures) that this hut would have been just one part of.
	Wet ground just south of the reservoir. The wall carries on down towards the Swincombe. We follow the leat path on the left. You can see it stretch across the hill in the background.
	SX 628713 - looking down the Swincombe valley towards the reservoir.
	The first clapper bridge across the leat, with a newtake wall crossing the leat.
	The upper Swincombe valley. The fall of the river in the background is known as the "Boiler". Further behind lies Fox Tor Mire.
	The Swincombe river emerges from Fox Tor Mire.
	One of the tributary streams of the Swincombe with the remains of a clapper cart-bridge. In the background is Crane Hill.
	Fox Tor Mire - looking westwards. This is a very peaceful spot - SX 623709.
	The featureless rounded slope of Ter Hill.
	Looking down the Fox Tor farm newtake wall. This was built nearly 200 years ago.
	Mount Misery Corner- SX 637706. The views from here are splendid
	The Mount Misery cross marks out an old route across the moor between the abbeys of Tavistock and Buckfast.
	Another cross at SX 642708 near the summit of Ter Hill.