Roos Tor

About Roos Tor

Sitting on the western edge of Dartmoor’s high plateau, this granite-topped Tump offers a rugged, boulder-strewn landscape. It is frequently visited alongside the nearby Staple Tors. The summit provides clear, earned views across the Walkham Valley toward the massive bulk of Great Mis Tor and the distant Tamar Bridge.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Roos' likely derives from the Brythonic or Old Cornish word 'rhos', meaning a moor, heath, or promontory, reflecting the ancient Celtic influence on Dartmoor’s topography.
• •The tor sits within the Merrivale Range, one of the Ministry of Defence’s live firing areas; walkers must check the published firing times, as access is restricted when red flags are flying.
• •A well-regarded circular route connects the tor with its southern neighbors, Great Staple Tor and Little Staple Tor, which are famous for their dramatic, weather-worn granite stacks and 'cheesewring' formations.
• •Looking west from the summit on a clear day, the distinctive sharp profile of Brentor Church is visible, perched alone on its volcanic plug against the backdrop of the Cornish border.
• •Several granite boundary stones marked with a 'B' can be found in the vicinity, used historically to demarcate the edges of the Manor of Brentor even in this seemingly trackless terrain.
• •Despite the wild appearance, the area around the tor is dotted with Bronze Age remains, including nearby stone rows and kistvaens that suggest this was a significant ritual landscape thousands of years ago.