A walk kindly supplied by John Partridge Classic walks on Dartmoor

Classic Walks on Dartmoor.
Volume One. Stroll B.

Shaugh to Dewerstone.

1/2 hr. Easy stroll.
Start point Shaugh Bridge. Grid Ref 534 636.

Shaugh Bridge is a local beauty spot on the south west of the moor to the south of Burrator reservoir.

There is a small car park and bus stop beside the bridge at the bottom of the hill at Shaugh Prior.

From the car park beside the long hill leading up to Shaugh Prior, there is an old large granite set of walls for the main carpark. From the car park, walk away from the road, north west to the wooden bridge which is hidden from the carpark, just upstream of the road bridge.

The old bridge, mentioned as 'ponta de Cada worth' in 1281, was damaged and replaced with the present bridge in 1823.
The River Plym or Plymma, is from the Celtic word, pilim 'to roll'.
Further upstream on Dartmoor, the Plym was also known as the river Cad, a Celtic word for skirmish, at Cadover Bridge.

Over the wooden bridge, follow the path to the right to take the old cobbled quarry track up the hill. Half way up before the first bend is a small signposted path to the right.

To the rocks.

Follow this path around the side of the hill, at a constant height to the river, to reach the Dewerstone area of large rocks.

Eventually the path reaches a large rocky outcrop with an upper and lower path leading around it in the upstream direction. There is also another path veering uphill to the left, away from the main climbing area.

On the other side of the rocky outcrop lie the steps down to the open area under the main climbing faces.

From here, there are a few routes radiating upstream and uphill, but making a route up the river to Cadover is very difficult.

This is a very fine short stroll through the woods, and the path is very clear.

There are four mainrock outcrops, the Dewerstone, Devils Rock, Needle Buttress and further upstream and set back a little, Raven Buttress.

The more popular routes up the climbing face include 'Climbers Club' (with variations) ,'Central Groove' and 'Mucky Gulley'.
Layout of the main climbing faces.

The following is a description of three of the many climbs. DO NOT attempt these, they are here just to show where the routes are. Always begin climbing only with a qualified and experienced climber.

Pinnacle Buttress
37m difficult.
Start up chimney, Right to foot of buttress Tend Right, to reach ledge, below pinnacle, take bounding ridge Right, to top.

Central Groove.
55 m. Mild Very Severe.
Steep 5m wall start at base of main groove. Awkward stance at 15 m - thread belays. Up groove to exit Right, on sharp edge holds to good belay. Avoid overhang on Left to upper top of meadow. Finish with the 6m chimney.

Climbers Club Direct.
50 m Very Severe.
Start 6m right of central groove, to overhang and crack above to flake which is reached across wall (XS move) Join Ordinary route. Follow groove to overhang, surmounted on left. and belay.
Chimney up groove to follow Climbers Cub ordinary route to top.

The return route of the stroll is back the same way back to the bridge.

For those seeking a more adventurous path, then continue up the granite path, up to the top, and the Iron Age fort, then take the right hand rough path around the top of the rocks, and if very careful, to scramble down around Raven Buttress. Seen from across the valley.
In 1960, a climber found a cup sized Bronze age drinking vessel near here.

At the top of the hill, here are the remains of a small iron age fort, or perhaps a fortessed farm from about 800 to 400 BC.

To the top of the Hill.

For a longer walk, stroll up the cobbled track from the foot bridge, past the turn off to the Dewerstone rocks, and continue up to the left turn at the top of the cobbled track, this leads onto the tramway. Underfoot can be seen the granite rail sleepers as this winds its way past a curving pinnacle rock on the left, then turn right and slightly downhill,

Part way down the slope is a track running up to the right. This is a distinctly straight and even uphill incline which was where two wagons were used on ropes to lower the granite blocks from the upper quarry onto the lower levels. The central part of this inclined track is wider to allow the two wagons to pass by each other.

At the top can be found the remains of the cabe brake housing and its central winch drum which was used to slowly let the laden wagon down the hill. This consisted of two drums and a central pair of band brakes to balance the wagons but this has since rotted away, leaving just the central shaft and a few retaining bands.

Beside the ruin is a level track, with a discarded dressed stone on the side, leading across to the quarry itself and its extended spoil tip.
Just beyond the quarry is a small foot track to the left of the main track, leading up through the trees to the top of the Dewerstone Tor.

There are fine views at the top and is the site of a Bronze Age farmstead or settlement towards Wigford Down. The surrounding field wall can still be seen and as such, may also have been fortified.

The rocks have a few inscriptions including one to Caringdon who died on 2nd Sept 1830.

The return is away from the quarry, to the south east, to carefully pick the way down through the rocks, trees and roots to the top of the climbing rocks.
Keep clear of any steep rocky edges.
The tracks lead down, veering to the right and will pick up the other main track which leads back to the bend at the top of the cobbled track and thence back to the start.

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