Lane End to Kitty Tor and the WWII crash site
Start: Lane EndTerrain: tough and remotePractical information
Time and distance
7.40am start. The recorded route was 11.18 miles; total duration was not recorded.
Terrain and difficulty
Hard, remote moorland with steep climbs, rough grass, rocks and tussocks. Navigation around the crash site requires care.
Useful kit
Sturdy boots, waterproofs, warm layers, food and water, paper map and compass plus offline navigation.
Safety note
Allow extra time for searching, avoid disturbing wreckage or the memorial, and do not rely on phone signal on this remote route.
The route
Barry and I started from Lane End car park at 7.40am, beginning with the steep climb to Ger Tor before continuing over Hare Tor, Sharp Tor and Chat Tor. After a brief breather, we set off across the rough ground towards Bleak House—formerly Dunnagoat Cottage, built in 1879.
The ruin made the perfect place for a twenty-minute tea and snack stop. Refuelled, we continued towards Kitty Tor, where the real searching began. Finding aircraft wreckage among miles of grass, rocks and tussocks felt rather like looking for a needle in a Dartmoor-sized haystack.
After thirty minutes with no luck, we did the sensible thing: stopped for another cuppa. We then retraced our steps and, just when it seemed we might be searching all day, there it was—the unmistakable metal wreckage lying among the grass.
Finding the memorial stone was the next challenge. It involved a long, very steep climb up the valley. We eventually reached the top completely knackered, paused for five minutes to remember how breathing worked, and then began one final search. This time it did not take long. We found the memorial and took a quiet moment to reflect on the story behind the wreckage.
It was a demanding day over wild ground, but the history, the sense of discovery and the open Dartmoor views made every hard-earned step worthwhile.
