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.

• •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.