Cosdon Hill [South Tawton Common]

About Cosdon Hill [South Tawton Common]

Dominating the northern skyline of the moor, this massive, rounded dome offers a strenuous pull from the village of Sticklepath. The broad, grassy summit is crowned by ancient cairns, providing an exceptional vantage point over the Taw Valley towards the jagged granite ridges of Belstone Tor and the symmetrical cone of Steeperton Tor.

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Did You Know?

• •Historically recorded as Horesdon and Cawsand, the name likely derives from the Old English 'Cosa', a personal name, combined with 'dun', meaning hill or down. For centuries it served as one of the county's primary signal stations, giving rise to its alternative name, Cawsand Beacon.
• •The summit is a significant archaeological site, featuring a triple stone row and a massive Bronze Age cairn that was famously repurposed as a fire beacon to warn of the approaching Spanish Armada in 1588.
• •It has served as a vital navigational landmark for centuries, cited as one of the key boundary points on the 1240 perambulation of the Forest of Dartmoor, which defined the limits of the Royal Forest.
• •Looking south and west, the view captures the wilder heart of the northern plateau, specifically the military observation posts on Oke Tor and the sharp, rocky profile of Higher Willhays, the highest point in Dartmoor.
• •While the ascent from the Taw valley looks like a straightforward grassy stroll from a distance, the terrain has a habit of revealing several demoralising false horizons before the true summit cairn finally appears.