Guided walks
Bronze Age Burials
Two circular walks, one to Whitehorse Hill and the other to Cut Hill, the locations of remote Bronze Age stone graves, known as cists.
The Whitehorse Hill cist was excavated in 2011 to reveal exquisite contents preserved in peat for millenia. It was not certain that the stones on Cut Hill were a cist until they were excavated in August 2024. Pieces of shaped and cut wood were found within the stones, and the remainder of the contents were removed for painstaking analysis, with the full findings yet to be revealed.
Both cists came to light as the peat they had been buried in eroded, as a result of historic peat cutting. Dartmoor’s degraded peatlands are now being restored and we can inspect some of this work en route.
These are fairly challenging walks made worthwhile by their remote peatland beauty, the stone rows and other prehistoric monuments we pass, and, if we are blest with fine weather, stunning views across the north moor.
“Magnificent hike...It was a real thrill to see the site of the Whitehorse Hill cist, which I had wanted to see for years...Thank you again for such a marvellous day on the moor.”
— Mike Stannard
Information
Date
Wednesday 6 August Whitehorse Hill
Wednesday 20 August Cut Hill
Time
9am — 5pm for both walks
Start point
6 August: Batworthy on the Moor TQ13 8EU, near Chagford. Grid reference SX662866. What3Words ///dwarves.songbook.rewarding. There is limited parking at the end of the public road, where we will meet. There is plenty more space for parking a minute’s walk back down the road.
20 August: National Park Visitor Centre car park, Postbridge PL20 6TH. Grid reference SX646788. What3Words ///exhale.finishers.bravery. £5.30 parking fee payable only in cash or RingGo code: 57406.
Distance
Both walks are 11 miles
Walk difficulty
Fairly strenuous. The ground is uneven and boggy in places with patches of tussocky grass.
Equipment
Come prepared for all weathers, with waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, warm layers, sunhat, walking boots, packed lunch and snacks.
Children
Suitable for 16 years and over; must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
Dogs
No
