TORS OF DARTMOOR
a database of both lesser- & well-known rocks and outcrops
Great Rock Giving its name to the wood here Great Rock is a quite magnificent cluster of huge vegetation-covered outcrops hidden in the trees above the public footpath that threads its way from Hennock to Beadon Bridge. Its appearance is extraordinary and resembles a gigantic mushroom when viewed from below. Standing atop the Rock reveals an unexpected pale face that rises above the treeline; one can only imagine its projection out over the steep valley prior to afforestation.  It is one of the grandest tors in the far East on account of its bulbous shape. Location details for the Rock were first supplied by Mike Brown (1995) in his Gazetteer, which was extremely helpful as he was the first author to mention features on East Dartmoor, areas that had been previously overlooked by commentators. Great Rock is also well represented on OS Maps in comparison to the nearby outcrops that fail to appear.  The name is also linked to the nearby iron mining operations of the mid to late 19th Century and early 20th Century when Great Rock Mine was functional and several adits can still be found across the hillside, and it is for this reason that the visitor is advised to keep to the marked public footpath to avoid the danger. 
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