TORS OF DARTMOOR
a database of both lesser- & well-known rocks and outcrops
Rough Tor Rock The name for this distinctive upstanding rock was introduced in Dartmoor News by Paul Rendell and sits halfway down the slope from the summit outcrop 'Rough Tor'. Shortly after some felling had taken place in Roughtor Plantation, Rendell, accompanied by Keith Ryan, went out together to record the locations of all of the outcrops they could find.  Rough Tor Rock is an isolated feature that resides just above one of the logging tracks. A blog post by Ryan suggests that its stature could rival Cuckoo Rock, which sits on the opposite side of the Deancombe Valley, but in truth it is far inferior. It is roughly 12 feet tall, making it shorter than that Rock, but it is also unusually triangular when standing at its base.  Whilst it has been afforded its own identity, Rough Tor Rock is essentially just a part of the great sprawling rock field below the humble Rough Tor, which were the area clear of trees would offer tantalising views across the valley from its many boulders and rocks.  Prior to becoming a plantation, Rough Tor was mined for tin at Rowter (or Great Roughtor) Mine, dating from the early to mid 1800s. Today, adits can be discovered on the hillslope, but these are not fenced off and the steep gradient and uneven, rough slope makes any exploration a potentially hazardous one. To visit Rough Tor Rock, it is recommended that you drop down from Middle Rough Tor where you will come to the top of the Rock.
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