Dartmoor & Exmoor
Black Hill
584M
1916FT
About Black Hill
A broad, peat-heavy shoulder in the remote North Moor, this summit sits in some of Dartmoor's most challenging terrain. Lacking a rocky tor at its crown, it offers a desolate, windswept character where navigation is tested. From here, the horizon is dominated by the jagged profiles of High Willhays and Great Mis Tor.
Key Statistics
Rank
8th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Dartmoor
Prominence
?
23
Nearest Town
West Devon
Geology
You are walking on a solid foundation of granite. This hard rock formed when a massive pool of molten stone cooled slowly deep underground.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SX604846
Latitude
50.6444°N
Longitude
3.9757°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is a straightforward descriptor derived from the Old English 'blæc', referring to the dark, sodden peat and heather that blanket the plateau, appearing starkly black against the sky in wet weather.
- •Situated within the Okehampton Firing Range, the hill is strictly inaccessible when the military is training; walkers should always check the live firing notices for the North Moor before setting out.
- •To the north, the view drops toward the desolate depression containing Cranmere Pool, famous for being the 19th-century birthplace of 'letterboxing', the precursor to modern geocaching.
- •Unlike the iconic granite tors found elsewhere on Dartmoor, this is a 'tor-less' summit, characterized instead by high-altitude blanket bog and complex peat hags that make for slow, heavy-going progress.
- •Should you find yourself here on a misty day, the primary landmark will likely be the specific shade of brown currently soaking into your gaiters.