81-579: The River Sig is a 2.4 mile long river on Dartmoor in the county of Devon , England . It is a tributary to the River Lemon which it meets at Sigford . The river starts from marshland just to the south of Saddle Tor and the B3387 road on moorland, near Bag Tor Mire. It then flows south east, leaving the moor into forest before the Langworthy Brook joins from the right bank. It passes to
162-477: A first aid kit ; they also collect drinking water from the moor and use water purification tablets. Each team has a nominated team leader, who is responsible for ensuring that the team's route card is stamped at each tor. All the teams start at 0700 on the Saturday from an area of flat land next to Anthony Stile, close to Okehampton Camp on the northern edge of Dartmoor. They stand in a semicircle and set off when
243-408: A Silver or Bronze route previously. The organisers stress that the event is not a race – although teams often compete to see who can finish first – but a test of endurance, navigation and survival skills , because of not just the distances and the challenging terrain, but potentially also the weather; conditions on Dartmoor can vary considerably and change suddenly. In 1996, for example,
324-472: A break from the rain, but this brought near-freezing temperatures across the whole moor. Throughout Sunday the weather worsened again. Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School 45 mile team S1915 were the first team to make it across the finish line on the Sunday morning at 9:20. Teams often choose odd dress code for crossing the finishing line. School uniform, kilts, miniskirts and Chinese dragons have all featured in
405-480: A cannon fires. They have 34 hours to visit each of the ten tors on their route in the correct order. Teams must not pass through a checkpoint between 2200 on Saturday and 0600 on Sunday morning; nor may they pass the eighth tor until the Sunday. Those on 35 mile routes must camp at one of the manned tors on their route, while 45 and 55 mile teams may camp anywhere on the moor (minimum of 1km away from any checkpoints). Teams must arrive back at Anthony Stile by 1700 on
486-490: A clear blue sky, but cloud obscured the tops of * West Mill and * High Willhays even then. Cloud and a fresh breeze built up through the day, but by 17:50, a blue sky was breaking through. Sunday was very similar with the first finishers (M1306 - Downend Scouts, at 08:35 Route M listing, 2011 ) walking in under a blue sky, but again the cloud gathered through the day. Notes from the Event . The largely overcast and cool weekend
567-472: A manned Tor, before being escorted off the moor by the military the following day. (61% finished Complete, + 25% with fall-outs) From 2008, the event was much changed, with different routes and use of the moor to help bird conservation in the nesting season . Steeperton Tor and Hare Tor were dropped from the Tor list, and the pass from Dinger to Kitty Tor known as "Death Valley" was zoned off limits. Each team
648-514: A more complete list see List of Dartmoor tors and hills . The high ground of Dartmoor forms the catchment area for many of Devon's rivers. As well as shaping the landscape, these have traditionally provided a source of power for moor industries such as tin mining and quarrying. The moor takes its name from the River Dart , which starts as the East Dart and West Dart and then becomes
729-621: A mysterious pack of " spectral hounds ", and a large black dog , among others. During the Great Thunderstorm of 1638, the moorland village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor was said to have been visited by the Devil . Ten Tors Challenge Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike in early May, on Dartmoor , southwest England . Organized by the British Army , starting in 1960, it brings together teams of six young people, with
810-658: A number do not. However, this does not appear to relate to whether or not there is an outcrop of rock on their summit. The tors are the focus of an annual event known as the Ten Tors Challenge , when around 2,400 people aged between 14 and 19 walk for distances of 56, 72 or 88 km (35, 45 or 55 mi) between ten tors on many differing routes. The highest points on Dartmoor are on the northern moor: High Willhays , 621 m (2,037 ft), ( grid reference SX 580892 ) and Yes Tor , 619 m (2,031 ft), ( grid reference SX 581901 ). The highest points on
891-477: A number of migrant species, like the pied flycatcher , the wood warbler or the common redstart . Mammals found here include otters, hazel dormice and nearly all of the UK's 16 bat species. Three rare species: the barbastelle , and the greater and lesser horseshoe bats are of particular importance. The upper reaches of the rivers are spawning grounds for Salmon and trout ; Palmate newts , frogs and toads breed in
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#1732797691296972-472: A person's feet. Quakers result from sphagnum moss growing over the water that accumulates in the hollows in the granite. The vegetation of the bogs depends on the type and location. Blanket bog , which forms on the highest land where the rainfall exceeds 2,000 millimetres (79 in) a year, consists mainly of cotton-grass ( Eriophorum species), sedges ( Carex and Rhynchospora ), Bog Asphodel and Common Tormentil , with Sphagnum thriving in
1053-700: A river in England is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dartmoor Dartmoor is an upland area in southern Devon , South West England . The moorland and surrounding land has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Dartmoor National Park covers 954 km (368 sq mi). The granite that forms the uplands dates from the Carboniferous Period of geological history. The landscape consists of moorland capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors , providing habitats for wildlife. The highest point
1134-646: A selection of four routes of between 7.5 to 15 miles (12.1 to 24.1 km), both on road and cross-country. Many military units and civilian groups provide support for this event and the Jubilee Challenge, including the Royal Wessex Yeomanry , Exeter UOTC , 243 Field Hospital RAMC , 6th Battalion The Rifles , two Sea King HC4 helicopters from 848 Naval Air Squadron , 39 (Skinners) Signal Regiment , two Gazelle helicopters from 7 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers), Bristol UOTC, and
1215-918: A single river at Dartmeet . It leaves the moor at Buckfastleigh , flowing through Totnes below where it opens up into a long ria , reaching the sea at Dartmouth . Other rivers flowing from Dartmoor include the Teign , the Taw , the Tavy , the Avon , and the Lyd . Some of the rivers in Dartmoor have been dammed to create reservoirs for drinking water , including the River Avon and the South Teign River (Fernworthy Reservoir). Much more rain falls on Dartmoor than in
1296-437: A species found nowhere else in the world. The South West Peatland Project aims to restore around 300 hectares of Dartmoor's peatland through collaboration with Dartmoor National Park . Preserving these peatlands will help mitigate climate change through sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. More generally, Dartmoor aims to be carbon negative by 2045. The majority of the prehistoric remains on Dartmoor date back to
1377-598: Is High Willhays , 621 m (2,037 ft) above sea level. The entire area is rich in antiquities and archaeological artefacts . Dartmoor National Park is managed by the Dartmoor National Park Authority , whose 22 members are drawn from Devon County Council , local district councils and Government. The Dartmoor Commoners' Council exists to create and enforce regulations regarding commoners' rights. Parts of Dartmoor have been used as military firing ranges for over 200 years. The public
1458-419: Is associated with the Dartmoor pluton as with other such plutons . Measurement of the anomaly has helped to determine the likely shape and extent of the rock mass at depth. Dartmoor is known for its tors – hills topped with outcrops of bedrock, which in granite country such as this are usually rounded boulder-like formations. More than 160 of the hills of Dartmoor have the word tor in their name but quite
1539-524: Is at least five times as frequent. On the highest ground, in the north of the moor, the growing season is less than 175 days – this contrasts with some 300 days along most of the south coast of the county. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds and a large proportion of rainfall comes from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. The wettest months are November and December and on
1620-430: Is believed that they would have had a conical roof, supported by timbers and covered in turf or thatch. There are also numerous kistvaens , Neolithic stone box-like tombs. The climate became wetter and cooler over the course of a thousand years from around 1000 BC, resulting in much of high Dartmoor being largely abandoned by its early inhabitants. The earliest surviving farms, still in operation today, are known as
1701-467: Is granted extensive land access rights on Dartmoor (including restricted access to the firing ranges) and it is a popular tourist destination. Dartmoor includes the largest area of granite in Britain, with about 625 km (241 sq mi) at the surface, though most of it is under superficial peat deposits. The granite (or more specifically adamellite ) was intruded at depth as a pluton into
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#17327976912961782-603: Is possibly a surviving fragment from the earliest Neolithic woodland clearances. It is home to exceptional epiphytic mosses, liverworts and lichens. Nearly 50 species of moss and liverwort are found in the wood along with 120 types of lichen , including Smith's horsehair lichen, speckled sea-storm lichen and pendulous wing-moss. Over 60 species of lichens grow on the exposed surfaces of the granite tors, including granite-speck rim-lichen, purple rock lichen, brown cobblestone lichen and goldspot lichen and many rare lichen grow on rocks exposed by mining that are rich in heavy metals . On
1863-450: Is remote from many sources of light pollution . However, in recent years, LED street lights have caused more light pollution to be spread onto Dartmoor. Along with the rest of South West England , Dartmoor has a temperate climate , which is generally wetter and milder than locations at similar height in the rest of England. At Princetown , near the centre of the moor at a height of 453 metres (1,486 ft), January and February are
1944-503: The Ancient Tenements . Most of these date back to the 14th century, and some even earlier. It was not until the early Mediaeval period that the weather again became warmer, and settlers moved back onto the moors. Like their ancient predecessors, they used the natural granite to build their homes, preferring a style known as the longhouse ; some of theses are still inhabited today, although they have been clearly adapted over
2025-483: The Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 much of it has been designated as access land , which, although it remains privately owned, has no restrictions on where walkers can roam. In addition to this access land, there are about 730 km (450 mi) of public rights of way on Dartmoor, and many kilometres of permitted footpaths and bridleways where the owners allow access. Because of the 1985 Act, Dartmoor
2106-427: The marsh fritillary butterfly, southern damselfly, narrow-bordered bee hawkmoth and bog hoverfly . Areas of bracken are home to the high brown fritillary and pearl-bordered fritillary . Insects found in the heathlands include the emperor moth , green hairstreak and the bilberry bumblebee . The old oak woodlands have a distinctive group of insects including the blue ground beetle and Heckford's pygmy moth ,
2187-479: The moors topped with granite tors are the most iconic part of Dartmoor's landscape, only about half of Dartmoor is actually moorland. Equally important for wildlife are the blanket bogs , upland heaths and the oak woodlands, which are all of global importance. Dartmoor is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) with four habitats ( Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix ; European dry heaths ; Blanket bog s and Old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum in
2268-542: The 2,400 young participants hiking to checkpoints on ten specified tors . The majority of entrants are schools, colleges, Scout groups and Cadet squadrons from South West England , though groups from across the UK have regularly taken part, as have teams from Australia and New Zealand. However, from 2012, only teams from the South West of England are eligible to take part, due to the large numbers of entrants. Teams of six are required to visit ten specified tors ; on
2349-837: The 50th anniversary of the Ten Tors event. To mark the occasion the Duke of Edinburgh visited the event on Sunday morning to speak to finishers and present some with the commemorative 50 years medals. It also marked the first year that teams carried a GPS tracker which enabled the organisers and team managers to track the participants' progress directly. The first finishers were 20th Torbay Explorer Scouts (Joshua Owen, Matthew Ryder, Luke Hayward, Jacob Shah, Paul Moroz, and William Fordyce) and King Edward's School Bath (Robert Wilcox, James Plumstead, Benjamin Smith, Edmond Venables (son of Stephen Venables ), Jonathan Tracy, and Mark Humphreys) who walked over
2430-464: The British Isles ) being listed as primary reasons for the selection of Dartmoor as a SAC. In addition the area has a population of the southern damselfly , which is also a primary reason for its selection along with populations of Atlantic salmon and otter being qualifying reasons. Wistman's Wood is one of the old sessile oak woods that contribute to the listing of Dartmoor as a SAC and
2511-552: The Dartmoor Rescue Group. The first ever Junior Army Team from Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Armoured Corps JLR RAC finished the Gold Course with 24 minutes to spare, despite several of the six-strong team having severe foot injuries. They were cheered home by an honour guard of Royal Marines and Paratroopers who walked with the boys over the last mile. Tavistock Times reports "Hurricane Force" winds during
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2592-524: The MoD does not notify the public of this in advance. Some "challenge" and charitable events take place with assistance of the military on Dartmoor, including the long established Ten Tors event and the more recent Dartmoor Beast. The disused Rippon Tor Rifle Range was built to train soldiers during the Second World War, and remained in use until its closure in 1977. Throughout human history,
2673-537: The National Park are Ashburton (the largest, with a population of about 3,500), Buckfastleigh , Moretonhampstead , Princetown , Yelverton , Horrabridge , South Brent , Christow , and Chagford . For a full list, expand the Settlements of Dartmoor navigational box at the bottom of this page. Dartmoor is known for its myths and legends. It is reputedly the haunt of pixies , a headless horseman ,
2754-531: The Sunday, having visited all ten tors on their route in order, to qualify for a medal and complimentary pasty. Teams that finish the challenge as a complete six also receive a certificate. The first Ten Tors Expedition took place in September 1960, with around 200 young people taking part. By 1980, the numbers had grown to more than 2,600. To protect the environment, the numbers are now limited to 2,400 individuals: 400 teams of four to six teenagers. The Army uses
2835-512: The Ten Tors record for earliest complete team home was broken by R1809, Dartmoor Plodders, with a time of 08:19. This stood until 2009. (52% finished Complete, + 29% with fall-outs) In 2005, one of the original teams from the 1960 Ten Tors took part in the event, which was held on 14–15 May in particularly adverse weather conditions: constant rain on the Saturday, combined with a bitter wind, leading to an unusually high number of retirements. (76% finished Complete, + 17% with fall-outs) In 2006,
2916-784: The acidification of the soil and the accumulation of peat and bogs . After a few thousand years, the mild climate deteriorated. This left these areas uninhabited, and, consequently, relatively undisturbed to the present day. The highly acidic soil has ensured that no organic remains have survived, but the durability of the granite has meant that the remains of buildings, enclosures and monuments have survived well, as have flint tools. A number of remains were "restored" by enthusiastic Victorians and, in some cases, they have placed their own interpretation on how an area may have looked. Numerous prehistoric menhirs (more usually referred to locally as standing stones or longstones), stone circles , kistvaens , cairns and stone rows are to be found on
2997-502: The best places to cross by Dartmoor Mountain Rescue. Some young people stayed at river crossings for a number of hours, selflessly helping others to cross whilst putting their own chances of finishing on hold. Especially on Saturday, navigation became extremely difficult as fog and mist reduced visibility to as low as 10 metres: a few less experienced 35 mile teams did not even make their first tor. The weather lifted overnight and gave teams
3078-525: The buildings themselves and its physical location. The Dartmoor landscape is scattered with the marks left by the many generations who have lived and worked there over the centuries – such as the remains of the Dartmoor tin-mining industry, and farmhouses long since abandoned. See Industrial archaeology of Dartmoor . Over half of Dartmoor National Park (57.3%) is private land; the Forest of Dartmoor being
3159-511: The centuries. Many are now used as farm buildings, while others have been abandoned and fallen into ruin. Some way into the moor stands the town of Princetown , the site of Dartmoor Prison , which was originally built by Isbell Rowe & Company, Plymouth, for prisoners of war from the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 . The prison has a reputation for being escape-proof, due to both
3240-402: The chancellor of the high court, ruled: "In my judgment, on the first issue set out at [14] above, the claimants are entitled to the declaration they seek that, on its true construction, section 10(1) of the 1985 Act does not confer on the public any right to pitch tents or otherwise make camp overnight on Dartmoor Commons. Any such camping requires the consent of the landowner." A protest against
3321-407: The coldest months with mean minimum temperatures around 1 °C (34 °F). July and August are the warmest months with mean daily maxima not reaching 18 °C (64 °F). Compared with Teignmouth , which is on the coast about 22 miles (35 km) to the east, the average maximum and minimum temperatures are 3.0 °C (5.4 °F) and 2.6 °C (4.7 °F) lower respectively, and frost
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3402-410: The death was halted for the case to be considered for criminal charges. Several other groups were also evacuated by helicopter after weather conditions on Dartmoor deteriorated. The event itself was abandoned at 21:30 on Saturday 12 May 2007, halfway through, due to severe weather conditions; the decision was influenced by the high drop-out rate of 15% on Saturday. Participants spent the night camped at
3483-635: The distress whistles of another team which had two of its members trapped chest deep in Raybarrow Pool . After calling in the Dartmoor Rescue Group and helping the other team, X2414 walked in at 17:19, almost twenty minutes after the close of the event - this would normally debar a team from receiving their awards. The Director Ten Tors, Brigadier Piers Hankinson, met the team at the finish and presented Kingsbridge with their gold medals. The event weather, following days of heavy rain,
3564-415: The end of the day the number of people who would not complete had increased to over 500. (81% finished complete) The first team to finish was the 35 mile CCF team from Churcher's College, Petersfield, Hants. They came over the line at 8:24 am and was a mixed team: Olivia Hart, Francesca Hussell, Jerome Greig, Ben Kelson, Edward Rodge, and Owen Tutt, around 45 minutes ahead of all other teams. In
3645-612: The event as a large scale logistics training exercise. Until 1967, the event was organised by the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals . This responsibility passed to Headquarters South West District, and in 1986 to 43 (Wessex) Brigade , the regional Headquarters of the Territorial Army in the South West. Since 1977, an additional event, The Jubilee Challenge, has been held for young people with physical or learning disabilities. This involves
3726-578: The event was held over the weekend of 13–14 May, with high temperatures on the Sunday resulting in several cases of dehydration. On Sunday 4 March 2007, Charlotte Shaw was swept away by the rain-swollen Walla Brook near Watern Tor , while training for the event. The rest of her group raised the alarm using a mobile phone , but despite her being evacuated by a Royal Navy helicopter within 20 minutes, she died later that night in Derriford Hospital , Plymouth . In December 2009 an inquest into
3807-566: The event was struck by a heavy snow storm, leading to some teams still being out on the moor a day after the event was due to have finished; while in 1998 temperatures reached 26 °C (79 °F). Participants arrive at Okehampton Camp on the Thursday or Friday before the hike, watch a safety briefing video and have their equipment checked, a thorough process known as scrutineering. Teams must carry all their food, clothing, tents, stoves, fuel, navigation equipment, maps, emergency rations and
3888-520: The event. A cold northerly wind on the Saturday of the 1996 event turned to rain and snow overnight. This continued through Sunday, accompanied by fog and driving wind. Requests from Tor party commanders, two of whom had their tents destroyed, added to pressure to abandon the event, and there was a mass evacuation of the moor on the Sunday afternoon, the first time the event had been terminated early. Fifty-one teams completed their routes, but no record remains of their success. Ten Tors, A History Ten Tors
3969-411: The finish line, The Maynard 35-mile team, got back to camp at 10:20, setting a new time record for the school. The Maynard 45-mile team also completed the challenge in a respectable time, finishing at 13:59. The 2012 event was notable for the selfless efforts of one team, X2414 Kingsbridge Community College (55), who were on schedule to complete their route shortly after 16:00 when they diverted to answer
4050-596: The highest parts of the moor the average annual total rainfall is over 2,000 millimetres (79 in). This compares with less than 800 millimetres (31 in) in the lower land to the east around the Exe Estuary , which is in the rain shadow of the moor. Due to the influence of the Gulf Stream snowfall is not common, though due to its high altitude it is more vulnerable to snowfall than surrounding regions. Between 1961 and 1990 Met Office data shows that there
4131-506: The integrity of the moor; however, the cost of compensating companies for these licences, which may not have been granted in today's political climate, could prove prohibitive. The military use of the moor has been another source of controversy, as when training was extended in January 2003. The national park authority received 1,700 objections before making the decision. Objectors said that Dartmoor should be an area for recreation, and that
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#17327976912964212-631: The landscape has been exploited for industrial purposes. In recent years, controversy has surrounded the work of industrial conglomerates Imerys and Sibelco (formerly Watts Blake Bearne), who have used parts of the moor for china clay mining. Licences were granted by the British Government but were recently renounced after sustained public pressure from bodies such as the Dartmoor Preservation Association . The British government has made promises to protect
4293-450: The last kilometre of the course side by side, despite a failure in the alarm of the QEH team, delaying the team by a full hour. The first 35-mile team to cross the finish was Churcher's College, Hampshire, getting back to cap with a record breaking time of 09:21 on the Sunday morning. This was also the first all-boy team to cross the finish, and second overall. The first all-girl team to reach
4374-512: The late Neolithic and early Bronze Age . Indeed, Dartmoor contains the largest concentration of Bronze Age remains in the United Kingdom, which suggests that this was when a larger population moved onto the hills of Dartmoor. The large systems of Bronze Age fields, divided by reaves , cover an area of over 10,000 hectares (39 sq mi) of the lower moors. The climate at the time was warmer than today, and much of today's moorland
4455-486: The line together at 7:37 to break the record for earliest finishers by 40 minutes, and also finishing four and a half hours ahead of any other team on their route. This also meant the scout group had crossed the line first for three consecutive years. Notable other finishers were the 'Denbury Boys' who, made up of men who completed the first ever Ten Tors, successfully completed the 35 mile event. (81% finished Complete, + 14% with fall-outs) The 2011, Challenge started under
4536-592: The major part of this, owned by the Duke of Cornwall . The Ministry of Defence owns 14% (see below), 3.8% is owned by water companies (see Dartmoor reservoirs ), 3.7% by the National Trust , 1.8% by the Forestry Commission and 1.4% by Dartmoor's national park authority . About 37% of Dartmoor is common land . Dartmoor differs from some other National Parks in England and Wales , in that since
4617-502: The moor. The most significant sites include: There are also an estimated 5,000 hut circles still surviving although many have been raided over the centuries by the builders of the traditional dry stone walls. These are the remnants of Bronze Age houses. The smallest are around 1.8 m (6 ft) in diameter, and the largest may be up to five times this size. Some have L-shaped porches to protect against wind and rain; some particularly good examples are to be found at Grimspound . It
4698-525: The new restrictions, led by local storyteller Martin Shaw, was held in January 2023. However, on 31 July the ban was overturned by the Court of Appeal. There is a history of military usage of Dartmoor dating back to the Napoleonic Wars . Today, a large British Army training camp remains at Okehampton — also the site of an airbase during the Second World War. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) uses three areas of
4779-448: The northern moor for manoeuvres and live-firing exercises, totalling 108.71 km (41.97 sq mi), or just over 11% of the National Park. Red and white posts mark the boundaries of these military areas (shown on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale maps). Flagpoles on many tors in and around the ranges fly red flags when firing is taking place. At other times, members of the public are allowed access. Blank rounds may also be used, but
4860-450: The numerous small pools. Two shrimp species can be found on Dartmoor: fairy shrimp that can be found in temporary pools, and, in underground streams, very rare cave shrimp. The world's largest land slug, the Ash black , is also found. Reptiles include common lizards and adders . The farmland in the wet valleys around the edge of the moors is the most important habitat for insects, including:
4941-522: The past. However, this year, the Launceston College 45 mile team decided to cross the line in brightly coloured morphsuits . Whilst the rain was beginning to lash down and the traditional Dartmoor high winds persisted, the team sacrificed their finishing time (12:15) to show the spirit and good humour that makes Ten Tors. The finishing gate was left open for an extra 45 minutes. By 11:00 on Sunday morning, over 300 people had dropped out, and by
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#17327976912965022-679: The previous 15 years teams are noted as stopping at their second Tor onwards. In 2011, the first teams to stop reached their fifth Tor before doing so. It was also the 60th anniversary of Dartmoor as a National Park so everyone received a participant certificate. (75% finished Complete, + 17% with fall-outs) The first team to reach the finish line was the Torquay Boys' Grammar School 45-mile team, who reached camp at 8:56 am. They were soon followed by both Torbay Explorer Scouts and Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School 45-mile team, who performed an excellent display of sportsmanship by finishing
5103-572: The rule change was broken with a time of 08:17 by 20th Torbay Explorer Scouts. For the first time, an all-girls team from Torquay Grammar School for Girls also broke the record for successfully completing the 35-, 45- and 55-mile events consecutively and with the same team members (Tamsin Owen, Joyce Nie, Francesca Hill, Amelia Skerritt, Rebecca Stanley, and Hannah Short). There were fewer dropouts than in other years in almost perfect weather conditions. (79% finished Complete, + 14% with fall-outs) 2010 saw
5184-441: The southern moor are Ryder's Hill , 515 m (1,690 ft), ( grid reference SX 660690 ), Snowdon 495 m (1,624 ft), ( grid reference SX 668684 ), and an unnamed point, 493 m (1,617 ft) at ( grid reference SX 603645 ), between Langcombe Hill and Shell Top. The best-known tor on Dartmoor is Haytor (called Hey Tor by William Crossing), 457 m (1,499 ft), ( grid reference SX 757771 ). For
5265-464: The story of a man who was making his way through Aune Mire at the head of the River Avon when he came upon a top-hat brim down on the surface of the mire. He kicked it, whereupon a voice called out: "What be you a-doin' to my 'at?" The man replied, "Be there now a chap under'n?" "Ees, I reckon," was the reply, "and a hoss under me likewise." Dartmoor is popular with local astronomers because it
5346-416: The surrounding lowlands. As much of the national park is covered in thick layers of peat (decaying vegetation), the rain is usually absorbed quickly and distributed slowly, so the moor is rarely dry. In areas where water accumulates, dangerous bogs or mires can result. Some of these, topped with bright green moss, are known to locals as "feather beds" or "quakers", because they can shift (or 'quake') beneath
5427-480: The surrounding sedimentary rocks during the Carboniferous period, probably about 309 million years ago. It is generally accepted that the present surface is not far below the original top of the pluton; evidence for this includes partly digested shale xenoliths , contamination of the granite and the existence of two patches of altered sedimentary rock on top of the granite. A considerable gravity anomaly
5508-775: The top of each tor is a checkpoint. Each team is required to visit all of the specified checkpoints in order. Up to two members per team may fall out during the Challenge; teams falling below this number could merge in earlier years, while later rules required a badly reduced team to forfeit. There are 26 different routes over three different distances, lettered from A to Z, using a total of 19 different manned tors: 12 Bronze (Junior) routes of 35 miles (56 km) for those aged 14 to 15 years; 10 Silver (Intermediate) routes of 45 miles (72 km) for those aged 16 to 17 years; and 4 Gold (Senior or Arduous) routes of 55 miles (89 km) for those aged 18 to 19 years, or 17-year-olds who completed
5589-531: The training disturbs the peace. Those who objected included the Open Spaces Society and the Dartmoor Preservation Association . During her lifetime, Sylvia Sayer was another outspoken critic of the damage that she perceived that the army was doing to the moor. The designated Dartmoor National Park area has a resident population of about 33,000, which swells considerably during holiday periods with incoming tourists. The largest settlements within
5670-438: The upland heaths heather ( ling ) and bell heather are common along with western gorse . In dry grassy areas tormentil , heath bedstraw and heath milkwort are all common. Cross-leaved heath and purple moor grass grow in wetter spots and in the boggy areas many different species of sphagnum and other mosses can be found, along with liverworts , Hare's-tail Cotton-grass , round-leaved sundew and bog asphodel , and in
5751-420: The valley bottoms, many different sedges , bogbean and pale butterwort all grow. A large variety of bird species can be found on Dartmoor including ones that have declined elsewhere in the UK, such as skylark and common snipe ; some are even rare nationally, such as the ring ouzel and the cuckoo . There are internationally important populations of meadow pipit and stonechat . Woodland birds include
5832-534: The west of the village of Sigford before flowing into the Lemon, and therefore, indirectly flowing into the Teign . The River Sig and the River Lemon spring within 5,000 feet of one another. 50°32′58″N 3°43′32″W / 50.5495°N 3.7255°W / 50.5495; -3.7255 This Devon location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to
5913-561: The wettest patches. The valley bogs have lush growth of rushes , with sphagnum, cross-leaved heath , sundews and several other species. Some of the bogs on Dartmoor have achieved notoriety. Fox Tor Mires was supposedly the inspiration for Great Grimpen Mire in Conan Doyle's novel The Hound of the Baskervilles , although there is a waymarked footpath across it. Sabine Baring-Gould , in his Book of Dartmoor (1900) related
5994-417: Was almost perfect walking weather - of the 390 teams which started 374 (95%) walked over the finish line, and of those finishing teams 316 (81%) walked in with all six team members. Over the last fifteen years of the event, this is the highest percentage of both Finishing and Complete teams. Sixteen teams either retired (just 7, less than 2%) or were 'crashed out', but even here the statistics are impressive – in
6075-409: Was an average of 20 days when snow fell on the moor, and over 40 days a year with hail, which is as high as anywhere else in the country. This results when cold polar maritime air that has travelled over a large expanse of warmer ocean is forced to rise over high country. When average temperatures at Princetown between 1961 and 2000 are compared, the average annual temperature in the decade 1990–2000
6156-496: Was cancelled in 2001 due to the foot and mouth epidemic , but went ahead the next year. (69% finished Complete, + 21% with fall-outs) For the second year in succession the Plymouth DofE Award 45 team took the honour of leading the teams over the finish line, at 08:49 ( Ten Tors Teams, 2003 ), improving on their time of 09:23 in 2002 ( Ten Tors Teams, 2002 ) (75% finished Complete, + 17% with fall-outs) In 2004,
6237-419: Was cloudless, sunny, and warm with 100% visibility. Notes from the Event, 2012 (23% of participants did not finish) The 2013 event went down in Ten Tors history as one of the most miserable. Organisers said that if the weather had come a day earlier then the event would have been cancelled. Swollen rivers from rain over the previous weeks meant that river crossings were hazardous; teams were offered advice on
6318-401: Was covered with trees. The prehistoric settlers began clearing the forest, and established the first farming communities. Fire was the main method of clearing land, creating pasture and swidden types of fire-fallow farmland. Areas less suited for farming tended to be burned for livestock grazing. Over the centuries these Neolithic practices greatly expanded the upland moors, and contributed to
6399-474: Was largely unaffected by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 , which established similar rights in other rural parts of the country, until 2006, when the 2000 Act opened up much of the remaining restricted land to walkers. In January 2023, in a high court judgement in a case brought by landowner Alexander Darwall , the right for members of the public to wild camp on Dartmoor was lost. Julian Flaux ,
6480-408: Was permitted only four training walks on the north moor. A review of these changes is scheduled for 2011 . The 2008 event was a total contrast to the previous years, with temperatures in the low 20s Celsius, and participants dropping out because of dehydration rather than hypothermia. (80% finished Complete, + 13% with fall-outs) In 2009, the Ten Tors' record for the earliest complete team home since
6561-438: Was up by 0.2 °C (0.4 °F) and the late winter temperature increased by 0.5 °C (0.9 °F). Because of Dartmoor's height and granite geology, it experiences strong winds and has acidic soils. In consequence it has been subject to very little intensive farming , and all these factors combine to form the basis of the important ecosystems found here. The landscape is one of granite with peat bogs overlying it. While
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