Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (1), Lustleigh, Dartmoor National Park

Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (1), Lustleigh, Dartmoor National Park

Walk Dartmoor's many wooded valleys and it can be difficult to find a viewpoint. Given how beautiful these places are, this can be an immensely frustrating experience. Thankfully, in Lustleigh Cleave, there is a line of rocky outcrops high up the north valley wall. Some of these outcrops, such as Sharpitor, Harton Chest and Raven's Tor, are marked on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map. Others, including Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (1) and Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (2), are unmarked. If you like a spectacular view, we'd recommend walking to these outcrops. When visiting, however, be very careful as they are exposed, high up and potentially very dangerous. Specifically, the outcrops are slippery after rain.

We've positioned Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (1) on Google maps so zoom in on the 'Satellite' setting to see its location. As is the case with all the natural features in Lustleigh Cleave, you can walk in from all directions.

For your first visit, we'd suggest starting from Hammerslake above Lustleigh in the Wray Valley. Waymarkers point you up a sunken path in to woodland. The path rises to Sharpitor as marked on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map. On top of the broad ridgeline that runs along the top of Lustleigh Cleave, the path trends north west to Harton Chest. Just beyond Harton Chest, you can pick your way down through the trees to Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (2) and then on to Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (1), but we suggest you continue on the path north west until you exit woodland and hit an area of moorland with gorse and bracken. There, you'll see animal and human tracks running down the valley wall in to Lustleigh Cleave. These tracks are not particularly obvious but they run through the bracken until they converge on a single track that takes you down in to the woods. You'll see Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (1) ahead of you. It's a cluster of slabs of rock high above the valley floor. Walk out on to these slabs for amazing views.

Bovey Valley runs south east through Lustleigh Cleave to the Bovey Valley Woodlands. Beyond these are South Devon and the coast. Trendlebere Down arcs to high moorland. South to south west are Hound Tor, Hayne Down and Bowerman's Nose. The white church tower is Manaton. The mass of moorland behind is Hamel Down. Again, an amazing sight.

Once you've finished enjoying the view, walk back in to the woods. You'll see a track running east through the trees to Lustleigh Cleave Lookout Rock (2). Given how close it is, it's worth a look.

Note that from this first lookout, you can follow a steep track down to Horsham Steps and Foxworthy. It connects with the main Lustleigh Cleave path that runs diagonally between Hammerslake and Foxworthy as marked on the Ordnance Survey Explorer OL28 'Dartmoor' map.