Willsworthy MOD Posts

The freehold of the Willsworthy estate was bought outright by the War Department in 1903 and a military training ground was set up. The new Willsworthy Range was marked out by setting up 46 substantial granite posts - or boundary posts - that have the WD (War Department) letters and number on them. On the whole the posts are numerically ordered. One of the posts (17) is missing and a number of them are now in private land. This walk includes some of these posts as a focus to the moorland, thus giving access into interesting parts of Dartmoor.

There are a number of ways in which this walk can be done. How we did it was park at SX 517832 and then head off to look for the marker posts around Willsworthy Camp. These are not all easy to find and can take time. Then head off to Wallabrook Head, Doe Tor and Deadlake. From here down to the Tavy is fairly straightforward but don't underestimate the ground. Cross the Tavy (if you can) and then head up to the exposed parts of the Meads and Standon Down. In poor weather this area will be challenging. Find the headstream of the Baggator brook (maybe not too easy) and then head back on down to find the rest of the posts.

This 10 mile walk includes two of the Dartmoor military ranges so care should be taken as to the best time of doing this walk. Weekends are usually ok. Some of the posts are in fairly inaccessible parts of Dartmoor and some of the undescribed posts are now in private areas and shouldn't be accessed without permission. Regardless, the described posts in this walk will give the determined walker a reasonable Dartmoor challenge. It goes without saying that map, compass and appropriate clothing are crucial for this walk. This is a major walk.

	Post 2 - SX 517832 - Okehampton - Tavistock roadside
	Post 4 - SX 522834 - Prescombe Corner
	Post 5 - SX 522836 - Soundscombe Head
	Post 6 - SX 521837 - near Soundscombe Foot.
	Post 7 - SX 520838 - Soundscombe Foot. This marker is a bit hidden.
	Post 8 - SX 521839 - Beardon Gate
	Post 9 - SX 521839 - Beardon Gate
	Post 10 - SX 524841 - Lissicombe Head
	Post 11 - SX 524841 - Lissicombe Head
	Post 15 - SX 541849 - Doe Tor Bottom near Tavistock water intake. Needs a little searching for.
	Post 16 - SX 544848 - east of Doe Tor
	Post 18 - SX 544845 - Wallabrook Head
	Post 19 - SX 551845 - cairn north of Hare Tor
	Post 20 - SX 555846 - Deadlake Head. This is an isolated place to place a stone. Note the stone lying on the ground to the right of this picture. You can make out the cruder letters WD (with no stop after the W and no underline) and with no number. This stone was discovered in 1988 and is a mystery.
	Post 21 - SX 561840 - Deadlake Foot. Next to a stream and easily found.
	Post 22 - SX 566832 - Western Redlake Foot. Another easily located stone.
	Post 23 - SX 565828 - half way up Western Redlake. Pretty isolated and not so easy to find.
	Post 24 - SX 565825 - near Western Redlake Head. Check out to find - not easy.
	Post 25 - SX 565817 - near Baggator Brook Head. Very isolated but not difficult to find given it is on the edge.
	Post 26 - SX 563817 - near Baggator Brook Head
	Post 27 - SX 562815 - near Baggator Brook Head. This stone is fairly well hidden.
	Post 28 - SX 555808 - NW South Common Plantation. Back down off the moor and into farmland.
	Post 29 - SX 549811 - NW Corner Baggator Woods
	Post 33 - SX 546820 - Tavy left bank
	Post 34 - SX 544820 - Tavy right bank