Last Updated on 19th October 2026
Breathtaking scenery, six tors, ancient settlements, disused railways, and lots of places to stop for refreshments (bring your own). This 12-mile hike starts and ends at Leeden Tor car park. Along the route are Devonport Leat, Norsworthy Bridge, Nun’s Cross and Farm, Princetown and the Dartmoor Way – High Moor Link.
I set out on a Trail Magazine hike off the Ordnance Survey (OS) site. Well, let’s just say that I am likely the first to actually walk it! I wasted so much time back-racking to get down safely from Leather Tor, and had to shorten parts of the walk for time management.
So, this is my version. All but the track between Sharpitor, Leather Tor and east to Stanlake Plantation is my traced walk. This is explained below.
Download my traced Leeden Tor Circular hike GPX file to load into a mapping app or device. See my article, Top Tips: Mapping & GPS for Hiking, for further information.
The GPX suggests this is 10.5 miles. I think it’s more like 12 miles – 26,000 steps for Mr Average Bloke. There’s rough and boggy terrain with plenty of challenging ups and downs. The weather can change in an instant and, as I experienced, the wind can be relentless – even when it’s nice and calm on lower ground. In winter months, it gets mighty cold, and there aren’t many daylight hours. So, please take all the right precautions. Read my article, A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking and Long Walks, for great advice for seasoned walkers too.
Leeden Tor Car Park
I arrived at 9.30am on a mid-October weekday, and this small car park was already filling up fast. There was a minibus full of young people preparing for a hike (to the left of the framed picture), and it is also a popular doggie-walk location. If it’s full, this walk can be started at Norsworthy Bridge car park.
Head off SSW, keeping Sharpitor to the left. After following the Trail Magavine’s track, going due south and straight up Sharpitor, I soon realised that the track had been plotted with very little thought. That bus full of young’uns were romping up the hill on a much better track to my west, while I tripped over too many rocks!
Having followed their better judgement and joining the more appropriate SSW track (updated in my traced GPX), I circled the south side of Sharpitor, heading to Leather Tor. Foolishly, still following the Trail Magazine route.
Leather Tor
The route I was following was a SSE direction, hugging the east side of Leather Tor. Although the photo opportunities were amazing, the route is downright dangerous! I found myself weaving my way down the craggy rocks, and then bracken-covered rocks, to finally get it into my head that this plotted route was nothing more than an idea!
I eventually reached a beaten track that follows the barbed fence along the Stanlake Plantation woodlands. After getting home and studying the map and aerial view in detail, I altered my traced GPX to what looks like a much better ascent from Leather Tor.
Continue circling south of Sharpitor to head ENE and reach a boundary wall. Follow the wall down and then head east at its end, down the steep slope to the woodlands. The aerial view suggests that there is a cutting through the woods that picks up the public footpath that runs along Devonport Leat. Failing that, a beaten track can also be seen that hugs the edge of the woodland. It continues southwards to merge with where my traced route continues, ESE of Leather Tor.
Devonport Leat
At this point the Leat looks more like a small river, but much of it is a purpose-built granite channel dating from 1795 to serve Plymouth Dock (later named Devonport Dockyard). This is one of two important leats serving the Plymouth area, the other being Drake’s Leat, built in the 1500s. When Burrator Reservoir was completed in 1898, and Plymouth expanded through the 1900s, priorities changed. Nowadays, both leats flow into Burrator.
The OS map suggests a footbridge over the leat, more or less where I picked up the track by the fence. I did see a gate in the fence from higher ground. I walked north to locate it, but, being behind schedule, I gave up and continued south to the Leat.
This is a beautiful area with the sound of fast-flowing water in wooded surroundings. On the left is a gated structure. On the right, there appears to be a natural crossing point with a boulder on either bank. I found that the one on my side was just a bit too slippery to risk jumping on my own with all my gear. So, near the gate structure, I clambered down the bank to some nicely placed stepping stones and small rocks on either side. Top marks for looking silly, even better marks for playing it safe!
Follow the Leat for a short way to reach the split in the path heading SE through Blowing House woods.
Norsworthy Bridge
The footpath opens out to the picturesque woodland river and bridge scene at Norsworthy. This area attracts lots of visitors all year; it’s a beautiful spot. Continue over the road to the car park.
As mentioned, this could be the starting point if Leeden Tor car park is full.
With the car park area to the left, look to the easterly uphill track. I’ve been here before and remembered Middleworth Farm. Follow the track to the disused farmhouse (may have been a barn). There is a picnic bench, which makes for a fantastic spot for a break. The farmhouse is one of many victims of Burrator Reservoir and was abandoned around 1900, when the reservoir consumed large areas of land.
Track back, hopping up onto the grassy moor above the path. Where the bracken to the right thins out, circle NE and then east to head up the hill to Down Tor. Not far up the hill is an outcrop of rocks on the right, unnamed on OS maps.
Down Tor & Stone Row
The walk continues to an area of significant historical importance. Keeping Down Tor to the north on a somewhat rocky path, the trail emerges onto open moorland, and the Stone Row comes into view.
There is much discussion about the name – once called the Down Tor Stone Row. It is located on Hingston Hill and comprises 350m of 161 stone pillars and a cairn, dated to 4,000 years ago. It runs from the cairn, comprising the highest stone, in the SW, with graduating stones to the NE. The cairn is a prehistoric burial mound or cist, marked by a 26-stone circle. There is a triangular stone at the NE end. Many of the stones had fallen by the late 1800s. Thanks to Robert Burnard, they were restored to their original settings in 1894.
Continue on the Nun’s Cross.
Nun’s Cross & Farm
Half a mile or so past the Stone Row, the path starts to rise uphill. A tree overlooking what appears to be a low, horseshoe-shaped wall comes into view. I think this may be one of the tunnel structures excavated for Devonport Leat to improve the flow from one of its sources to the south of Nun’s Farm.
As the path wends its way up and around, Nun’s Cross and Nun’s Cross Farm come into view.
Nun’s Cross, or rather Siward’s Cross, dates from Anglo-Saxon times, 1240, and Earl Siward. It stands on the monastic trail, the Abott’s Way, a medieval route for monks travelling between Buckfast Abbey and Tavistock Abbey.
Nun’s Cross Farm started life in the 1870s, hand-built by John Hooper for his wife and two children. Around 1900, a later tenant, Edward Worth, converted the house into a cattle shed and built the 3-bedroom house, flanked by a fir tree on either side, as seen today. By 1940, farming life was abandoned due to the harsh living conditions on the open moor (one of many climate changes we’ve forgotten about). Today, Kelly College manage the building as a bunkhouse for Ten Tors and Duke of Edinburgh outdoor activities.
Our route turns north from Siward’s/Nun’s Cross.
Hessary Tors & Princetown
About a mile or so along this made-up path (workmen were concreting and rolling a section of it on my visit), is South Hessary Tor at 450m above sea level. The outskirts of Princetown come into view, with North Hessary Tor and the transmitter mast atop looming overhead.
South Hessary is of course prehistoric in geology, but it has quite a colourful past. Read more about South Hessary Tor, with its two stone mounds and avenue between them. There has been a transmitter on North Hessary Tor since 1955, erected by the BBC.
Princetown isn’t as old as I imagined. It was founded in 1785 by Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, secretary to the Prince of Wales, and after building Tor Royal Farm in the late 1700s, he named the settlement Princetown in honour of him.
One of the prominent buildings seen approaching Princetown is Dartmoor Prison. It has been empty for several years due to radon levels. The prison is another of Tyrwhitt’s developments to relieve hulks (prison ships) off Plymouth. It was completed in 1809, housing Napoleonic and later American prisoners of war. Those prisoners were used to build St Michael’s and All Angels Church, the only church in England built by POWs.
Our route leads to the centre of Princetown. There is a range of refreshment outlets here, including the historic Plume of Feathers (predates the prison) and the Rambler’s Rest, Prince of Wales and the Old Police Station Tea Rooms. The Dartmoor Visitor Centre is well worth it if time permits.
Turn left onto Plymouth Hill and head out of town. About 100m after the cattle grid, pick up with the Dartmoor Way on the right.
The Dartmoor Way
Being on the high moor, the route along this disused railway has stunning scenery. The going is fairly easy, with the track mostly level with slight gradients. This is part of an 84-mile loop, incorporating the old railway (closed in 1956), the Abbots Way and some rugged moorland tracks. Read more about the Dartmoor Way from the Dartmoor Visitor Centre.
Look out for settlements and old tin working along the Way. After a mile or so, this route veers off SW as a shortcut to link up once more to the Way. King’s Tor is to the north. This walk can be extended by staying on the Dartmoor Way to circle the tor.
At the point where the track rejoins the Dartmoor Way, look south to see Leeden Tor. The route veers to the east and then around to the SW. There is a disused bridge ahead. I’m not sure what this was used for. There are no tracks marked on OS to suggest it was a path or another rail track. There was a great deal of quarrying activity during the 1800s, so it is likely that a small horse-drawn rail track ran overhead.
Continue to Ingra Tor, after which the route sweeps around to the south. After about 600m, the path passes Routrundle Farm. I was lucky to see the farmers rounding up their sheep. I’ve often wondered how they get them off the moor. With three dogs and a few quads, they soon had the sheep on the Way, heading towards me. I got to the track heading SW before they reached me.
The track is a grass route uphill and back to Leeden Tor car park. Take a moment to look back at the stunning scenery, rounding off a great day’s walking.
Although this didn’t get off to a good start for me, I enjoyed the day. Let others know about your knowledge and experiences of this area – leave a comment below.
