Dartmoor & Exmoor
Blackingstone Rock
355M
1165FT
About Blackingstone Rock
Rising sharply above the eastern fringes of Dartmoor, this massive granite tor offers a straightforward scramble thanks to steps cut into the rock. The summit provides a commanding vantage point over the Teign Valley and towards the distant, bulkier silhouettes of Haytor and Rippon Tor to the south.
Key Statistics
Rank
70th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Dartmoor
Prominence
?
54
Nearest Town
Lustleigh
Geology
You are standing on a massive outcrop of granite, formed from a pool of molten rock that cooled and hardened deep underground.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SX786855
Latitude
50.6565°N
Longitude
3.7188°W
Did You Know?
- •Folklore suggests the tor was created during a stone-throwing duel between Arthur and the Devil, with Blackingstone and nearby Heltor Rock being the final landing spots of their massive granite missiles.
- •Climbing the steep northern face is made considerably easier by a set of sturdy metal steps and handrails, allowing walkers to bypass the sheer rock face and stand atop the outcrop safely.
- •The summit plateau features several deep rock basins; while 18th-century antiquarians once believed these were carved for Druidic rituals, they are actually natural hollows formed by the chemical weathering of the granite.
- •Looking westward, the view opens up across the rolling farmland of the Teign Valley toward the high moorland spine, with the distinctive peaks of Great Mis Tor often visible on a clear day.
- •Despite its formidable appearance from the road, the walk from the nearby car park is short enough that you’ll likely spend more time admiring the view than actually catching your breath.