A Dartmoor walk that includes the most north-easterly summit in the National Park which offers some fine views especially to the north. The route needs careful navigation at the start and in poor weather you need a good sense of direction and compass skills.
Calculated time: 3h50[?] 
Distance : 10.49km
Vertical gain : 356m
Vertical drop : 352m
Highest point : 545m
Lowest point : 194m 
Difficulty : Average
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Area : Dartmoor 
Location : South Tawton
Starting point : N 50.724684° / W 3.910974° (D/A)The start is the car park (grid ref. SX651934) at the southern end of South Zeal village. Exit the car park and turn right along the road. Take the first road on your right and continue until you reach a crossroads.
(1)Go straight on at the crossroads. You are now on a signed bridleway walking west. Bear right at the first junction and continue ahead to a 'cross-roads' with a footpath on your right (grid ref. SX645931). Ignore the track heading south and continue in westerly direction to reach a T-junction (grid ref. SX643930).
(2)Here bear left and continue between walls to reach open country. Passing a number of smaller enclosed fields on your left take the slopes of Cosdon Hill rise to your left. Take the path (one of many on this hill) making a beeline for the summit and the Beacon with its trig point (grid ref. SX636915).
(3)The onward route heads just west of south and you should take the easiest path making for the summit of Little Hound Tor (grid ref. SX632899) passing a shallow col before reaching the highest point. Descend south to a junction of bridleways (grid ref. SX632896) and an adjacent stone circle.
(4)Here turn sharp left and follow the clear bridleway as it heads northeast across the moor. The route passes through a walled section with small enclosures to your left before crossing a short area of open moorland. The way ahead then passes between walls again.
(5)At a junction (grid ref. SX645929) bear right to reach the crossroads at grid ref. SX645931 encountered on the outward route. Turn right here and follow the outward route back to the car. For the return, retrace your tracks back down the river bed, turn right at the cross-roads, and then continue on this track (past where you originally met it) until eventually joining back to the way marked footpath. At a cross-roads (Grid ref SJ237476) bear left and you should recognise the path that led to the stile at the beginning of the walk. Follow the original path back to the car park.(D/A)
Waypoints :
D/A : km 0 - alt. km 0 - Car park in South Zeal village
1 : km 0.49 - alt. km 0.49 - Crossroads - go straight on
2 : km 1.03 - alt. km 1.03 - T-junction - bear left
3 : km 3.45 - alt. km 3.45 - Summit of Cosdon Hill
4 : km 5.41 - alt. km 5.41 - Stone circle - sharp left
5 : km 9.42 - alt. km 9.42 - Junction - bear right
D/A : km 10.49 - alt. km 10.49 - Car park in South Zeal village
Cosdon Hill or Cosdon Beacon is the most north-easterly of the high Dartmoor hills and as one might expect provides some excellent views. This route is mostly easy to follow although careful navigation in the early stages of the walk through a maze of lanes does require care. It is also worth noting that in poor visibility good map reading and compass skills are necessary.
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Global average : 4/5
Number of opinions : 1
Description quality : 4/5
Routemap quality : 4/5
Walk interest : 4/5
Global average : 4 / 5
Date of walk
: 27/10/19
Description quality
: Good
Routemap quality
: Good
Walk interest
: Good
Enjoyed this walk. Views spectacular. Steep at start but a great walk. Do a little research on area and what you see from the top. Look at info in carpark. Local pub good. Great location to plan other walks from. Navigation at start of walk needs good skills compass and map work or possible rrevision as signage has changed and other footpaths need marking or photographs adding. Great quickish walk on good weather days
16.68km
+534m
-528m
6h00
Difficult
Starting point in Belstone - Devon A demanding Dartmoor walk that requires careful navigation and preferably good weather. The route uses a section of the Tarka Trail, visits some ancient monuments and visits the summits of a number of granite tors.
23.79km
+551m
-551m
8h05
Difficult
Starting point in Devon A circular walk in the east of Dartmoor following roads and paths, including sections of the Two Moors Way. The walk includes a mix of open moorland, footpaths and quiet roads where the farming hinterlands meet the moor. Except for the section north of the road near the Warren House Inn, all the paths are well-trodden and waymarked. There are some steep sections. Apart from the high moors, this walk is fairly sheltered from the prevailing SW winds.
11.59km
+267m
-269m
3h55
Average
Starting point in Lydford - Devon The wild open speces of Dartmoor can be appreciated on this walk. The route takes you past a number of rocky tors, visits an area used for peat cutting and follows a section of the Rattlestone Peat Railway. All in all a walk full of interest.
3.78km
+138m
-138m
1h25
Easy
Starting point in Peter Tavy - Devon A circular walk with beautiful views over Dartmoor Tavy Cleave
19.74km
+605m
-606m
7h05
Average
Starting point in Devon This is a circular walk that combines moorland, streams and woodland on Dartmoor, passing the dramatic Hound Tor and iconic Bowerman's Nose and including opportunities for refreshments at the half waypoint. It is a good length with some steep hills for some hearty exercise and is mainly off-road, taking advantage of well-marked footpaths and tracks. You could start the walk at Lustleigh or Manaton if you prefer, and there are various short-cuts available if you wish to shorten the walk.
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
