Little Staple Tor

Little Steeple Tor, Staple Tors

Little Staple Tor is a largely ruined granite tor above Merrivale on the valley side. Knocked out of prominence from its much more impressive neighbours there is still a good view from here out to Plymouth Sound, and you're likely to have it all to yourself. The tor is situated amid the old workings from quarrymen who cut stone in the area; Merrivale Quarry is to the east.

The tor boasts a fantastic rock basin, with a small drainage slot meaning that however much water it collects, it will never fill up completely. First mentioned by Lloyd Warden Page in the late 19th century, the basin measures 77cm X 64cm and some 10cm deep. It is embellished with stonecrop and is a remarkable feature.

Hemery says of the tors lining the Walkham Valley; "The ridge of great tors along the west side of the river's middle reach begins just north of the B3357 with Little Staple Tor (1,256 feet), the ruin of its weathered cone resembling a broken causeway..."

Little Staple 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 5386 7537
Height:	380m
Parish:	Whitchurch
Tor Classification:	Valley Side
Access:	Public
Rock Type:	Granite
Credit:	William Crossing Ordnance Survey
Reference:	Ordnance Survey Maps Eric Hemery: High Dartmoor JLW Page (1889): An Exploration of Dartmoor and its Antiquities with some Account of its Borders

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