Higher White Tor

About Higher White Tor

Situated in the heart of central Dartmoor, this broad granite ridge offers some of the moor's finest prehistoric vistas. Characterised by extensive clitter slopes and a prominent summit tor, it provides a rugged yet accessible ascent, often bagged alongside neighbouring Lower White Tor and the distinctive, pointed peak of Longaford Tor.

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Did You Know?

• •The name serves as a descriptive marker to distinguish the tor from its slightly lower neighbour to the south. The 'white' element likely refers to the pale, bleached appearance of the weathered granite and quartz when caught in sunlight against the darker surrounding peat and heather.
• •The summit ridge is home to a significant Bronze Age ritual site, including a notable long cairn measuring approximately 40 metres in length. This ancient burial mound aligns with a series of prehistoric monuments that populate the high ground between the West Dart and Cherry Brook valleys.
• •The summit offers a commanding view of the central moorland plateau, specifically looking south toward the distinctive 'beehive' shape of Bellever Tor. To the west, the lonely standing stone of Beardown Man is often visible, set against the backdrop of the remote Cowsic valley.
• •Many walkers approach from the site of the 19th-century Cherrybrook Powder Mills. From here, a steady climb leads to the 'Lydford Boundary' wall, a substantial drystone structure that runs directly over the tor’s eastern flank, serving as a reliable navigational handrail in the frequent Dartmoor mists.
• •The granite here is the same weather-beaten grey as every other tor in the national park; the hill only earns its 'white' title during a heavy January blizzard, an event which usually renders the tor itself entirely invisible to the sensible walker.