Cox Tor

About Cox Tor

Rising above the western edge of the moor, this rounded, grassy peak offers a distinct character compared to its rocky neighbours. Unlike the granite stacks nearby, its summit is largely green turf, providing a grandstand view over Tavistock, the Tamar Valley, and the distant Cornish peaks of Bodmin Moor.

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Did You Know?

• •The name likely stems from the Old English 'cocc', a reference to the black grouse (blackcock) that were once common in the heather here, or a derivation of 'cop', meaning a rounded head or summit.
• •While most Dartmoor tors are defined by weathered granite, Cox Tor consists of volcanic greenstone and 'killas' rock, which produces a more fertile soil and the distinctive short, sweet grass favoured by grazing ponies.
• •The summit is crowned by a large Bronze Age cairn, part of a wider prehistoric landscape that includes the nearby stone circles and rows at Merrivale.
• •From the summit trig pillar, walkers can clearly identify the village of Peter Tavy below, the pointed silhouette of Brent Tor to the northwest, and the high Cornish peaks of Brown Willy and Rough Tor on the horizon.
• •It is one of the few summits on the moor where you can achieve a genuine sense of height and tor-bagging credit without ever having to touch a piece of granite with your hands.