Brick Tor

I’ve been looking forward to visiting this place since seeing Michael (MyDartmoorWalks)’s blip of it back in November. I’ve headed up that way on a couple of occasions but the conditions didn’t seem right especially when it was blowing so hard I’d have probably got blown to Moretonhampstead or beyond.
 
It’s known as Rippon Tor Rifle Range and it is an amazing structure built for training our troops during the last half of WWII. It does seem out of place amongst the native granite of the moor but I imagine the War Department found it quicker and easier to ship the bricks in and get them laid rather than go through the more lengthy process of getting contractors in to use local stone. Brutal and ugly though it is, there is something about the place that I found quite fascinating and the wildlife seems to like it here as well. I saw two buzzards waiting in the trees for the day to warm up enough for them to fly. I saw a Stonechat and various robins, blackbirds and little things that moved too fast for me to identify.
 
It was a beautiful sunny day and the frost was thick in the shadow of those great buttresses as I imagine it will all day. I’ve added an extra and there are several more shots here.
 
   
I'll be out thisevening for the first Commitments rehearsal of the year, it’ll be good to see everyone.