TORS OF DARTMOOR
a database of both lesser- & well-known rocks and outcrops
West Yarde Rocks North Bovey Wood lies about half a mile to the south-west of the village on the lower north-east flank of Easdon Hill. In that part known locally as West Yarde taking its name from the nearby farmstead, is a small rockpile that was first noted by Paul Rendell in the 1990s. It seems that Yarde was also once a popular meeting place for local huntsmen and their foxhounds in the early 1880s with notification of the events being duly recorded in various newspapers of the time.  Although the rocks reside in a private woodland they are accessible with a permissive path cutting through, one that is regularly used by villagers to exercise their dogs via a gated entrance just off the road known as Yard Hill above Bovey (Blackaller) Bridge. Once inside and heading south after little more than 100 metres along the track there are above and to the right in the trees, glimpses of a small stack and other shadowy boulders set on the slope, but in the summer months these are likely to be hidden from view.  To reach the rocks a short excursion up the slope is necessary and after ducking under the branches here on closer inspection there is an interesting cluster of vegetation-covered rocks. The main outcrop is best seen from the lower side where it reaches about 2 metres in height and there are other smaller moss-covered rocks scattered around. Please be warned that although the rocks here are relatively easy to reach, they are still set on private land and will therefore require permission to visit. 
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