Dartmoor & Exmoor
Hendra Downs [The Beacon]
369M
1211FT
About Hendra Downs [The Beacon]
Situated near the settlement of Codda, this windswept Tump offers a straightforward ascent through rough, high moorland. While often overlooked for loftier peaks, the summit provides an exceptional vantage point to study the profiles of Brown Willy and Rough Tor, set against the expansive, rolling plateau of the northern moor.
Key Statistics
Rank
66th Highest in Region
Parent Range
England
Prominence
?
92m
Nearest Town
Codda
Geology
You are walking on solid granite from the Bodmin Intrusion. This rock formed from a massive pool of molten stone that cooled slowly deep underground.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SX196792
Latitude
50.5846°N
Longitude
4.5497°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Hendra derives from the Cornish 'hendre', meaning 'old farm' or 'winter homestead', while the suffix 'The Beacon' identifies its historical role in a network of signal fires used to communicate across the upland.
- •The summit offers an excellent perspective on the granite-strewn landscape to the west, most notably the distinctive rocky tops of Rough Tor and the long ridge of Brown Willy.
- •Archaeological remains, including prehistoric hut circles and field boundaries, are scattered across the lower slopes, providing evidence of a time when this high ground supported a more permanent population.
- •It is a hill for those who prefer their views without a crowd; you are far more likely to encounter a stray sheep or a hovering buzzard than a fellow hiker.
![Hendra Downs [The Beacon]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Hendra_Downs_-_geograph.org.uk_-_699840.jpg)