TORS OF DARTMOOR

a database of both lesser- & well-known rocks and outcrops

Home Search Map The East Access About Team Social Blog

Little Bee Tor

Littlebee Tor, Little Be Tor, Little Be-Tor, Bee Tor

There appears to be a little confusion regarding the exact location of this tor. In 'High Dartmoor' Hemery (1983) discusses the site of 'Little Bee', in response to a reference by John Lloyd Warden Page of 1889 and deduces that the tor is most probably the small southerly pile of the Littaford group at SX 616 768. However, on page 117 of his 'Guide' Crossing (1912) disputes the authenticity of the name 'Little Bee', suggesting that its inclusion on maps has been an error and as a result has been perpetuated largely through ignorance.

Despite this criticism, we are willing to support Hemery's assertion that the separate and compact pile approximately 250 yards north of the newtake wall and about 200 yards south of the main Littaford outcrops, is the tor in question. When viewed from either the south or south west the tor formation is impressive. Two large outcrops greet the walker when heading north across the Longaford ridge from Crockern and these form the southern face of the tor, the tallest of which measures approximately 20 feet in height. These weathered and cracked rocks form several small caves in their midst and to the west nearby, the rubble of a third outcrop lies. The summit of this tor offers fine views of the West Dart to the south west, as it winds beneath Beardown Wood and to the east Bellever Tor is visible. The highest point of the tor is marked by a small propped logan type rock beyond which, a few feet to the south, there are three good examples of miniature rock basins in the flat topped rocks of the outcrop.

According to Bound (1991) an ancient map of the County of Devon by Donn (1795) shows the name 'Longbetor' where he considers Littaford Tors are now known to exist. This name lends further support to the notion of there being a 'Little Bee Tor' (or 'Be Tor') in the area. In addition, Ringwood (2013) writing much more recently concurs with this and says that the tor is; "The lowest of the Littaford Tors." Therefore the most likely site would seem to be the aforementioned first cohesive group of outcrops north of the newtake wall, high above the West Dart, as they are sufficiently detached from the main Littaford piles to warrant a separate identity.

icon
icon
Little Bee Tor
The map above is not a navigation tool and we recommend that the grid reference shown below is used in conjunction with an Ordnance Survey map and that training in its use with a compass is advised.
Grid Ref:
SX 6162 7690
Height:
450m
Parish:
Dartmoor Forest
Tor Classification:
Spur
Access:
Public
Rock Type:
Granite
Credit:
William Crossing
Reference / Further Reading:
Eric Hemery: High Dartmoor
William Crossing: Guide to Dartmoor
Ken Ringwood: Dartmoor's Tors and Rocks
Tim Jenkinson: Lesser Known Tors and Rocks of Dartmoor

Please Support Us

We are proud to see the names of lesser-known tors are now being used more commonly on other websites and whilst this is to be encouraged we do request that, should you wish to use the information on this page, you provide a backlink to the website as reference, by copying the relevant address:

https://www.torsofdartmoor.co.uk/tor-page.php?tor=little-bee-tor

Please also consider a small donation to the upkeep of the site; any contribution goes toward the fees to keep the database online and any costs incurred when undertaking research such as subscriptions to online archives.