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Tors

Dartmoor Tors

The massive granite tors that top the moorland peaks are a small part of the very long and still unfinished story of our Earth's history. The granite on Dartmoor is the visible part of a massive subterranean lump of the stuff stretching along the entire length of the South West peninsula, which breaks the surface at certain points (Bodmin Moor, Lands End etc) and stretches to the Scillies and beyond. Geologists call these lumps "batholiths", and ours is about 300 million years old. At first, it was buried completely by a huge mountain range, where it was a molten intrusion into the lower parts of the overlying mountains.

In time (millions and millions of years) the mountains have eroded and sea levels wobbled up and down until the old hard heart of the mountains is now exposed to the elements on a pleasantly remote upland in a temperate climate, to be enjoyed by the likes of you and me.

That's what tors are geologically speaking, but they are also great places to picnic or to climb up or to act as waymarkers for walking tours. The most famous, and perhaps the most glorious of them all, is Haytor, which is easily reached, and not too difficult to mount for those agile enough to do so. There are plenty more though, and the shapes wrought by the wind and rain turn all these granite stumps into classics of natural sculpture.

Each year dozens of young people take to the moor for the Ten Tors Competition - a seriously tough test of stamina and spirit, which is of great personal value to participants. For more detail on geology try Fossil Walks - Dartmoor.

For more general information, visit Dartmoor National Park Authority