High Willhays

About High Willhays

As the highest point in Dartmoor and the highest summit in southern England, this broad, windswept ridge offers a wilder character than its more dramatic neighbour, Yes Tor. The summit is marked by a modest cairn on a granite outcrop, providing far-reaching views across the Bristol Channel to the Welsh mountains.

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Did You Know?

• •The name likely derives from the Old English 'heah', meaning high, and 'willa', meaning a spring or well, reflecting the damp, boggy nature of the surrounding moorland. Some interpretations suggest 'hays' refers to an ancient enclosure or hedged area on these high slopes.
• •It holds the title of the highest point in Dartmoor and the highest summit in England south of the Peak District, beating its twin peak, Yes Tor, by just a few metres.
• •The hill lies within the Okehampton Battle Camp firing range; hikers must check the Ministry of Defence firing times before visiting, as red flags or lights indicate live ammunition exercises are in progress.
• •From the summit cairn, on a clear day, the view extends northwards across the rolling Devon countryside to the distinctive profile of Exmoor and beyond to the peaks of the Brecon Beacons in South Wales.
• •It is almost always climbed in tandem with Yes Tor, linked by a high-altitude ridge that represents some of the most remote and expansive terrain found in the South West.
• •Despite its status as the highest peak in the region, it is frequently upstaged by Yes Tor, which looks considerably more impressive from the valley and actually has the decency to look like a mountain.