TORS OF DARTMOOR

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

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Pil Tor

This area of what Eric Hemery (EH) calls the 'eastern highlands' is home to some impressive tors and rocks that are so frequently visited and viewed by the masses who ramble in these parts. Perhaps the grandest tor is Pil Tor which, whilst not presenting as a particularly impressive tor from afar, boasts many features that are worth exploration.

The tor is set just a stone's throw from Top Tor but its appearance is quite unlike it; instead of irregular blocks Pil Tor presents as a classic avenue tor where the core of the tor has been eroded away. This has left two main ridges of rock that are noted for their pronounced horizontal joints. The northern of the two is taller, its north side hiding caves and crevices where the walker may find refuge during strong winds or rain coming from the south.

EH also adds; "A rock-basin has formed on the summit, and I have a note that in 1956 I noticed a slab of the tor in which a millstone had been partly cut. A prehistoric reave-wall connects the two rock ridges of the 'avenue' at each end, thus forming an unusual enclosure, although at the eastern end only foundation traces remain."

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Pil 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 7348 7596
Height:
425m
Parish:
Widecombe in the Moor
Tor Classification:
Summit Avenue
Access:
Public
Rock Type:
Granite
Credit:
William Crossing
Ordnance Survey
Reference / Further Reading:
Ordnance Survey Maps
Eric Hemery: High Dartmoor

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