Skir Hill, Hexworthy, Dartmoor National Park
Skir Hill is up there on the list of the most unlikely places you'll find yourself in Dartmoor National Park. Remote and with few obvious points of interest on it, Skir Hill also isn't on one of the many modern recreation paths or ancient travel routes that criss-cross the moor.
If you're walking in this area, you're more likely to be exploring the stone crosses on the Buckfast to Tavistock Monastic Route, including Skir Ford Cross south(ish) of Skir Hill on Down Ridge, or skirting Skir Hill's south side whilst walking the Sandy Way just above the intimidating Aune or Avon Head Mires.
Connecting these two routes by walking over Skir Hill is one way to experience its remoteness. You pass through an old mining landscape as a bonus.
We've positioned Skir Hill on Google maps so zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location.
To visit, we'd recommend starting from the car parking area by Combestone Tor. Wander up to Horn's Cross and then follow the ancient Buckfast to Tavistock Monastic Route to Skir Ford Cross. Cross Skir Ford and yomp up to the flat top of Skir Hill. Continue south to pick up the Sandy Way. Walk east and then north back to your starting point at Combestone Tor. Refer to the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map for detail. Note that it gets very boggy in this section of the National Park so we'd suggest you explore Skir Hill after a spell of dry weather.
Alternatively, wander up from Hexworthy. It's a stiff climb up Down Ridge to Skir Ford and Skir Hill. You can also climb up Down Ridge to Ter Hill and its crosses before looping around Skir Hill to access the Sandy Way.
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