Ausewell Wood, Buckland Beacon and the Commandment Stone

6 February 2024

This is my first tor bagging since 2022! Although I walked on Dartmoor in 2023, I didn’t bag any new tors on the LDWA list. Actually it’s getting more difficult as before today I’ve already bagged 233 of the 371 tors on the list and many of the remaining tors are on private land. However, a notable omission on my list was Buckland Beacon. It is said to have one of the best views from anywhere on the moor and is also famous for the huge granite slabs carved with The Ten Commandments and more. The second attraction of this area is that it is near Ausewell Woods – these woods were private land and the tors only accessible with permission of the landowner. However, the land has recently been taken over by the National Trust and the Woodland Trust and made publicly accessible. Some parts are out of bounds during the ground bird nesting season from the beginning of March, hence my decision to visit in early February.

It didn’t take long to reach Ausewell Rocks from the small car park. The tor consists of three huge rock piles surrounded by a lot of undergrowth and views are partly obscured by the surrounding trees.

I descended to the main path and noticed two further piles of stone, which are actually Bronze Age Cairns. From here I found vague paths through the wood heading in the direction of Hepstock Rock. This tor isn’t included on the LDWA list although it is huge; however it’s difficult to appreciate the size since it’s on a very steep hillside and cloaked with trees and bracken.

As I walked through the woods, I spotted some enormous ant hills. The National Trust website explains that these are nests of southern red wood ants. The site also explains that the wood is a rare area of temperate rain forest; as such the moisture is perfect for molluscs like the ash-black slug which is the largest slug species in the world, although I didn’t see any.

I managed to navigate on to the track passing just above the top of Raven Rock, a place where the views would have been amazing if the weather had been better. I descended along the track and noticed a lower track doubling back which I followed in the hope of seeing Raven Rock from below. Unfortunately there was some forestry or path work with a large works machine blocking the way so I wasn’t able to walk back far enough. However I did have the impression of towering rocks in between the trees ahead of me.

I made a circuitous exit from the woods, with some views of Buckland Beacon where I was going next, passing near Hepstock Rock and Ausewell Rocks again.

I reached the open moorland by going through a gateway opposite Welstor Lodge and climbed up on a track and a path. I didn’t see any ponies but the quantity of faeces on the ground suggested that they are often in the area. I headed towards my grid reference for Welstor Rock East but turned back on reaching some dense gorse growing on loose stony ground. I didn’t want to be prickled or, even worse, to put my foot into a rocky hole.

I re-joined the main path and reached the rocky outcrop Welstor Rock West which isn’t surrounded by gorse.

From that point, I climbed over a stile to reach Buckland Beacon. it was very windy and I had to take care not to be blown off my feet. Unfortunately the views were all quite hazy today. However it was easy to find the commandment stones. These comprise two huge granite slabs with carvings, commissioned by the Lord of Buckland Manor in 1928 to celebrate Parliament rejecting the adoption of a new Book of Prayer. The most recent restoration of the lettering in 2016 cost £16,000 funded jointly by the ‘Dartmoor Communities Fund’ and the ‘Moor Than Meets the Eye’ project.

It is a very exposed spot and it must have been a difficult job for the stonemason carving such a long inscription in all weathers high on the moor.

I returned towards the road but was tempted back to try to get through the gorse and close to the Welstor Rock East as it looks so distinct and easy to reach from below. However I was thwarted again by the terrain and eventually made my way back to my car in the new car park area at the edge of Ausewell Wood.