Drizzlecombe Menhir and the Giant's Basin

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Dizzlecombe Menhir, the tallest standing stone on Dartmoor, stands within the Giant's Basin, which also has Bronze Age Stone Row, with Cairns, Hut Circles, and Settlements. The route will then meet up with an old miner's track, which leads back to the start.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.30 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 105 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 98 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 386 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 288 m
Downloads
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Photos

The track leading down to the scout hut and the start
View over open moorland

Description of the walk

Start: At a small parking area that is very popular with both walkers and off-road cyclists; get there early. >>>

(S/E) From the parking area, head west back the lane to a dirt track, heading left, southeast. Follow the track all the way out to Ditsworthy House (1), keeping to the track on the north of the farm, the higher side. The track will lead down towards the River Plym. The track will cross a ford, a feeder stream for the river, which can become wide during wet weather. It may mean going off the app route to find a suitable crossing point upstream, before returning to the track. The track will divide, keep left, and the right will go to the main river. At this point, the track will turn to a moorland route, which means confirming guidance from the app. The route follows a north-easterly direction, and looking ahead, the menhir should be visible, subject to visibility. Continue heading to the menhir and stone rows.

(2) The route continues in a north-easterly direction, passing through Stone Age Settlements. The route continues up the hill to where it levels out. There is no real check-off point, so use the app at (3) to change direction, heading northwest.

Escape Route: If, for any reason, this point is missed, going past (3), head northwest to meet the well-defined linear feature, turning left and heading in a westerly direction.

The moorland will drop into a small ravine, cross the stream, and meet up with the defined track.

(4) Turn left and head in a westerly direction, down to the trees and the scout hut, cross the ford, again possibly of app, but the start is visible (E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 291 m - Scout Hut car park
  2. 1 : km 1.54 - alt. 310 m - Dittsworthy Warren House
  3. 2 : km 2.83 - alt. 338 m - Stone Row
  4. 3 : km 3.37 - alt. 386 m - Left turn on the route
  5. 4 : km 4.05 - alt. 366 m - Track
  6. S/E : km 5.3 - alt. 291 m - Scout Hut car park

Notes

Before the walk

  1. Ensure the walk matches your needs and skills.
  2. Check the weather forecast.
  3. Be prepared with suitable clothing and footwear.
  4. Personal medication
  5. Consider something to eat, and always keep hydrated; take a drink.
  6. Use the Visorando app, download the walk to your mobile. Consider a battery backup and or a printed route.
  7. Let someone know where you are. The app has a share route function, ‘Share my Location’.
  • Parking: Vehicle parking - There is a small vehicle parking area at the start
  • Timing: The estimated time allows for extra time, when appropriate, for exploration and personal pace.
  • The Route: Follows tracks where possible, but will have some open moorland navigation, via the app or other
  • Accessibility: This route has been assigned "Moderate" due to an open, moorland section. The stream crossings are either forded or by boxing.
  • Escape Route: Is a route that either leads to a place of safety or a shorter route back to the start.- used in the event of an occurrence, whether physical or natural.
  • Boxing: Leaving a planned route, through the app, to find a suitable crossing point, then returning to the intended route, via the app

Start: This walk's starting point, - W3W >>>

During the walk

  • The Route: Where applicable, keep to the defined paths
  • Follow the Country Codes: The Countryside: Respect its inhabitants, and other Countryside users
  • Leave no trace: leave only footprints, but take away great memories
  • Farmland: Leave gates as found. Be mindful around farms, be cautious of farm animals, and go around, not through, herds or flocks. Keep off the field where crops are growing, stay on the path. Farmers do have special powers regarding dogs worrying, even on open-access land.
  • Dogs: Keep under control, and bag it and bin it, don't sling it.
  • Self-care: Know your own limitations; walking is an adventure and can involve risks. Be responsible and know when to turn back, rather than get into difficulties
  • First Aid: Treat blisters before they occur,
  • Groups: Walking within a group? Start together, keep together, end together.

Enjoyed the walk:

  1. Where you can: Support the local economy: have a pint, a pasty, or a cuppa.
  2. Feedback from this walk: Please leave your thoughts

Report any findings; see app ' ! '

Worth a visit

Along the route

  • Ditsworthy Warren House, a former moorland farmhouse, where rabbits were reared in the warrens for meat and fur.
  • Dizzlecombe Menhir and Stone Row. The tallest Menhir on Dartmoor, standing at 4.5m (Menhir, a standing stone - Cairn, an ancient burial mound)
  • The Scout Hut, an outdoor centre, is now used for Naval recruit training

Nearby

  • Burrator, Sheepstor
  • Return by Ringmoor Cottage, the views are worth the detour

Other walks in the area

Walking Norsworthy Bridge to Down Tor

Visorando member
Norsworthy Bridge to Down Tor
↔2.46 km ↗+121 m ↘-121 m ◔1h 05 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Walkhampton (Devon)
A walk up to Down Tor, with views over Burraton Reservoir, following a well-used trail up to the tor, and to be rewarded with the view, especially as the sun sets, reflecting off the water. Although this walk leads up to the top of the tor, there are opportunities to go off route to head north, down the hill to the river, and then follow that downstream to the start.

Walking Burrator Reservoir

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Burrator Reservoir
↔11.29 km ↗+247 m ↘-248 m ◔3h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Walkhampton (Devon)
A circular walk around Burrator Reservoir, through woodland trails, and up to Sheepstor Tor, the high point of the area, through some "Bluebell woods" (when in season).

Walking Norsworthy, Down Tor, and Cuckoo Rock

Visorando member
Norsworthy, Down Tor, and Cuckoo Rock
↔5.65 km ↗+143 m ↘-143 m ◔2h 00 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Walkhampton (Devon)
Norsworthy Bridge at the end of Burrator Reservoir has many moorland walks leading off. This walk leads up to Down Tor, and then walking on to the Down Tor Cairns, Stone Row, Stone Age Enclosure, and the Menhir, before leading to Combshead Tor and Cuckoo Rock. The trail then leads down to a forestry track, which leads back to the start.

Walking Norsworthy Bridge, Older Bridge, Eylesbarrow Tin Mine (disused)

Visorando member
Norsworthy Bridge, Older Bridge, Eylesbarrow Tin Mine (disused)
↔13.85 km ↗+229 m ↘-232 m ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Walkhampton (Devon)
Burrator Reservoir, on the Western fringes of Dartmoor National Park, is a local beauty spot in itself, which has many guided routes through the trees and water line. This walk follows a well-defined track up onto the higher moors, then makes its way back on another well-defined path, through the village of Sheepstor, and finally follows the lane around the Reservoir, passing many interesting artifacts along the way to see and wonder.

Walking Yealm Steps, a Dartmoor waterfall, and the old China Clay Works

Visorando member
Yealm Steps, a Dartmoor waterfall, and the old China Clay Works
↔14.60 km ↗+345 m ↘-338 m ◔5h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Shaugh Prior (Devon)
This route leads out over open moorland, climbing to a high point with far-reaching views over south Devon. Not far from where the River Yealm rises, it tumbles over a series of moorland rocks forming steps down the valley, and although still a young river, the water cascades over the rocks. During heavy rain, the runoff from the surrounding moorland awakens the stream to an impressive waterfall. The route back passes many Stone Age Settlements, Stone Row (optional), and the 'moonscape' of the now disused China Clay Works.

Walking Shavercombe Falls, a Dartmoor Waterfall

Visorando member
Shavercombe Falls, a Dartmoor Waterfall
↔10.17 km ↗+187 m ↘-188 m ◔3h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Shaugh Prior (Devon)
Shavercombe Falls is a small but pretty waterfall at the head of a valley. This route up the River Plym passes many remnants from the past, often overlooked due to a lack of awareness, from the unusual landscape along the way to unusual place names.

Walking Cadover, Ditsworthy Warren House, and Ringmoor Down

Visorando member
Cadover, Ditsworthy Warren House, and Ringmoor Down
↔9.13 km ↗+126 m ↘-125 m ◔3h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Shaugh Prior (Devon)
This is a walk up and along the river Plym, leading to Ditsworthy Warren House. A remote, now disused farm. The house was used during the filming of War Horse, a film directed by Steven Spielberg. Around the area, there is still evidence of old mine workings and Rabbit Warrens. Then walking across Ringmoor Down, across old field systems, and then onto Brisworthy Plantation, before meeting the country lanes back to the start.

Walking Black Tor Falls, a Dartmoor Waterfall, and nearby Bronze Age Stone Row

Visorando member
Black Tor Falls, a Dartmoor Waterfall, and nearby Bronze Age Stone Row
↔4.21 km ↗+53 m ↘-61 m ◔1h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Walkhampton (Devon)
Dartmoor, as many rivers rise high up on the moors, they cascade down through the moors and valleys. There are not many waterfalls on Dartmoor that can be accessed so easily, but this route offers a short, easy access route to a popular waterfall on the River Meavy, and it also has the added attraction of a nearby Bronze Age Stone Row and Cairn.

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