East Mill Tor, Belstone, Dartmoor National Park
East Mill Tor is a series of rocky outcrops on a broad spur of moorland shaped by the East Okement River and Black-a-ven Brook. When you're walking Dartmoor's north moor, East Mill Tor can appear a little isolated. Walkers tend to follow the army roads east and west of the tor on their way to higher destinations such as Okement Hill and Cranmere Pool. In addition, because East Mill Tor is in the shadow of Dartmoor's highest ground at Yes Tor and High Willhays, it can be easy to pass by without exploring the outcrops. As you would expect given its location, the views from up top are magnificent. There are also disused army buildings/structures on the tor which are interesting to see.
Note that in his work 'High Dartmoor', the Dartmoor expert Eric Hemery writes the 'spelling 'Mill' used by OS and most modern writers is incorrect: there are no mills on or near the Dartmoor tors, and this is the tor of Middle Hill, its name contracted to 'Mil' as in the case of the middle tor between Sharp and Bel Tors (Double Dart). The spelling used here is found consistently in the writings of Rowe, Crossing, Eden Phillpotts and St Leger-Gordon. The prefix 'East' distinguishes it from that other, greater middle tor, W. Mill Tor, one mile to the north-west between Yes and Rough Tors'.
We've positioned East Mill Tor on Google maps so zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location.
To visit for the first time, we'd recommend heading for Okehampton and then Okehampton Camp. Follow the army ring road across Moor Brook towards Rowtor. Either leave your vehicle at the large car parking area below Rowtor or push onto the limited parking area at the end of the road by East Okement Farm. From either direction, follow the army roads until they meet Black-a-ven Brook north west of East Mill Tor. Paths rise to the outcrops. The highest outcrops are at the southern end of the tor. You can walk over the outcrops and connect with the army ring road that climbs to Okement Hill. East Mill Tor is in open access land so, clearly, you can wander to its outcrops from other directions.
West Mill Tor is to the north west.
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