Far from the fleshpots of Bovey Tracey, the hustle of bustle of Bonehill, and the Hound and its infamous Basket Meals lie - across the western 'Janner side' of the moor - two tors with an altogether different character and feel. Whilst they are far from remote, Combeshead Tor and Down Tor offer a sense of seclusion that is hard to find further to the east, and offer one of the best circuits that Dartmoor - and arguably the UK - has to offer.
It says a lot when even the drive-in makes an impression, going down narrow lanes that seem to lead to nowhere, yet eventually land you at the head of the valley, just beyond Burrator reservoir. It's a scenic spot, and a lovely place for a picnic, which is - more often than not - what the vast majority of people are there for. It's just a lovely place to be…
Whilst you can start at either of the two tors, I've always opted for Combeshead first, simply because that way I've got the furthest walk-in out the way. It's a nice walk-in too (or at least it is if you're into that kind of thing), running up old tracks past abandoned buildings, that eventually lead you up onto the edge of the moor. A short, sweaty blast up the hillside leads you to the first boulder - home of the eponymously named Sharp Arête. This is a great place to warm-up, with various eliminates existing in/around it's neighbouring (and similarly appropriately named) Sloping Arête.
n.b. throughout this article I've outlined a small selection of classics which could constitute the building blocks of a circuit, but there's plenty of other problems en route, so just keep your eyes peeled and give whatever you like the look of a go - these are just some that I'd recommend
Penny Orr on the appropriately named 'Sharp Arête' at Combeshead Tor
Beyond this it's up to you where you head next, as there's a whole hillside of boulders to play about on, but there are two logical options: up the hillside towards the circuit's biggest boulder (Cuckoo Rock) or traverse the hillside to find one of the area's finest problems (Proof of Concept). You can obviously do both, but one of the greatest challenges you'll face throughout a day out at Combeshead Tor is skin loss, hence if you are to survive the day with your tips in tact, it could be worth skipping the occasional problem - if only to save yourself from yourself.
Whilst meandering up the hillside, the logical conclusion to your time at Combeshead is the magnificent and photogenic Hanging Flake boulder. Hanging Flake itself is one of the classics of the crag and Flake Crack is similarly fantastic. On the back of the boulder Problem 87 is worth seeking out.
From here, it's time to go off-piste and blaze over towards your next objective - Down Tor. Whilst this area lacks the same level of consistent quality, it has its own charm, and one which lends itself towards a more relaxed approach. It's not necessarily about the individual problems; it's about having a walk around, seeing something you like, then throwing your pad underneath it.
Leave a little in the tank though, because on the way back down to the car you pass what is arguably Down Tor's finest: the Whale Back Boulder. It features the appropriately named, but inappropriately graded 6b Arête, which has to be one of the finest of its grade around (whatever that may or may not be).
Guidebook - The Climbers' Club Guide to Dartmoor is without doubt your best bet, although Javu has list of the problems and their locations.
Pubs - The BMC's Dartmoor Access Rep Will Hornby says "The Royal Oak at Meavy offers excellent refreshment and good food" - what better recommendation could you need than that?!
Other Areas - For more information on the other areas throughout Dartmoor take a look at James Clapham's fantastic and thorough article. There's absolutely loads to go at and - if your skin hasn't worn through to the bone - some that are a walking distance from these two areas too.
Comments
Lovely to see this written up (although long may the crowds go to Bonehill!) - this area was my favourite bouldering ground when I was living in Plymouth in the 90s.
The No match for climb id:250817 at Down Tor was so named because it was considered to be technically British 6b at the time - it was considered to be at least as hard as the Hanging Flakes (f6B) at Cuckoo Rock.
Many of these problems long predate bouldering mats - so the landings used to be considerably worse than they are now.
Steve