South Hessary Tor

Rising gently above the village of Princetown, this granite tor offers an easy introduction to Dartmoor’s high moorland. Following the historic Abbot’s Way path, the approach reveals expansive views of the South Moor’s rolling peat bogs and the distinctive, towering radio mast atop its sibling, North Hessary Tor.

• •The name Hessary is likely derived from the Old English word 'haese', signifying a tract of land covered in brushwood or shrubs, which once characterised the local vegetation.
• •The tor serves as a prominent landmark on the Abbot’s Way, an ancient cross-moor track used by medieval monks travelling between the prestigious abbeys of Buckfast and Tavistock.
• •A granite boundary stone stands near the summit, marked with 'WP' to signify the border between the Forest of Dartmoor and the Parish of Walkhampton.
• •From the summit rocks, the view south-west extends toward the distant shimmering waters of Burrator Reservoir, while the massive granite bulk of Great Mis Tor is visible to the north-west.
• •It is one of the few places on the moor where you can contemplate the bleak majesty of Dartmoor Prison while remaining entirely certain you are on the right side of the wire.