TORS OF DARTMOOR

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Meldon Tor

South Down Spur

At the northern end of South Down, just above the Meldon Dam wall, there is its most spectacular section; a spur that has been separated from the rest of South Down, by the access road to Meldon Reservoir. This provides an opportunity to see the geology of the spur with a huge exposed section just before you cross the dam wall.

On the summit of the spur, there is exposed rock, albeit very low. From this vantage point, you see further exposure across the down as it drops then rises in a south-west direction.

Whilst the outcrop on the summit of the spur is of little merit, its better outcrops jut from the steep slopes above the West Okement, the remnants of a huge ravine. To reach them is difficult and not recommended, especially when they are best viewed from both the dam and the opposite slopes.

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Meldon 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 5630 9175
Height:
260m
Parish:
Okehampton Hamlets
Tor Classification:
Spur
Access:
Private (but accessible)
Rock Type:
Metamorphic
Credit:
Paul Buck
Reference / Further Reading:
Paul Buck: South Down

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