High Willhays
622m (2041ft)
Dartmoor, Devon, England
High Willhays is the highest point in Dartmoor National Park and and the highest point in the county of Devon.
High Willhays is often mistakenly referred to as the highest point in England south of Kinder Scout. In fact Black Mountain (703m) on the border between Herefordshire (England) and Powys (Wales) is considerably higher than both Crowden Head (Kinder Scout) (636m) and High Willhays (621m).
You can find High Willhays & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See High Willhays and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Map:
See High Willhays and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 6ml (9.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,188ft (362m) |
| Time: | 3½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Okehampton Camp - Anthony Stile - Black Down - Red-a-ven Brook - Okehampton Army Firing Range - Yes Tor - High Willhays - West Mill Tor - Okehampton Camp
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 6.25ml (10km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,621ft (494m) |
| Time: | 4 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Meldon Reservoir - Longstone Hill - Okehampton Army Firing Range - Yes Tor - High Willhays - Black Tor - West Okement River - Vellake Weir - Meldon Reservoir
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.5ml (15km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,687ft (514m) |
| Time: | 5 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Meldon Reservoir - Longstone Hill - Yes Tor - High Willhays - Dinger Tor - Brim Beck - Kneeset Nose - Sandy Ford - West Okement River - Black-a-Tor Copse - Vellake Weir - Meldon Reservoir
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged High Willhays
Darren Mortimer walked up High Willhays on August 20th, 2024 [from/via/route] Walked this with Michael,Zoe & grandkids from the army base. Very windy but worth it. [with] Son,Daughter in law and grandkids [weather] Sunny & very windy
hannah1507 climbed High Willhays on April 30th, 2023 [from/via/route] From Okehampton [with] Lilly
Glen Hutton bagged High Willhays on April 18th, 2023 [weather] Sunny / Windy - Zeke saved my life & charged at a Ram
Caroline Winter hiked High Willhays on May 2nd, 2021 [from/via/route] Meldon CP, reservoir, Yes Tor, High Willhays, Black Tor, river/reservoir [with] Becky [weather] Excellent views. Warm & sunny - First walk away out of lockdown. Tent frozen on awakening, but sunny all day on Dartmoor. Early arrival at CP recommended, as no room on our return from walk. Highlight was the wild ponies & foals, which were within touching distance. Pleasant & not a challenging walk. Can extend distance by walking to viaduct
Kevin Foster summited High Willhays on August 16th, 2020 [from/via/route] Yes Tor. [with] By myself. [weather] Cloudy light rain but clearing later in the afternoon - Not much to this one & only marginally higher than Yes Tor but still Devon's highest top & all that. Views were good to the south & west across the wilderness of Dartmoor. Highlight was the descent on the approach to Black Tor came across some wild Dartmoor ponies. They even posed to have their photo taken.
Jacob Everitt conquered High Willhays on September 25th, 2020 [from/via/route] Okehampton Camp - Yes Tor - High Willhays - Okehampton Camp [weather] Sunny intervals & strong NW wind
Oliver Hunter scaled High Willhays on May 13th, 2006 [from/via/route] 6¼ mile walk from Meldon Reservoir, over Yes Tor, High Willhays & Black Tor. [with] Me, Kat, Leon, Chris & Kate. [weather] A bit misty but got some views from the tops. - Found a lovely waterfall to sit & have lunch by.
Dale Tyler walked up High Willhays on April 16th, 2017 [from/via/route] Via the West Okement & Black Tor, from Meldon Reservoir - then on to Yes Tor [with] Kerry & Richard [weather] Lovely day, great visibility
David Wand climbed High Willhays on August 13th, 2000 [with] Gayle and the girls [weather] Rained in the night but dry for the walk & a light breeze
Mark Davidson bagged High Willhays on June 13th, 2008 [with] Theresa [weather] Clear & Sunny - Met a load of Army guys in the way down who looked less than chuffed to be there. One of them looked like Gary Lineker!
Stephen Reader hiked High Willhays on September 21st, 2016 [from/via/route] Meldon Reservoir & Yes Tor [with] Bev & Afia [weather] Cloudy
Christine Shepherd summited High Willhays on July 25th, 2016 [from/via/route] Walked from Okehampton Military Camp using walk de149 [with] On my own [weather] Fine to start with turned drizzly but still clear enough to see the way. - One of the easiest 2000ft Mountains to bag.
Janet Wells conquered High Willhays on August 5th, 2009 [with] Jim
Pauline Styles scaled High Willhays on September 11th, 2015 [from/via/route] From the military road [with] Jersey Jane and Jane and Greg [weather] Windy with a short shower - Climbed Rowtor & then had lunch at High Willhays after starting out late at 12 o'clock. Then we went on to Yes .tor.
Mark Nattrass walked up High Willhays on August 31st, 2015 [from/via/route] Meldon Reservoir - Yes Tor - High Willhay - Black Tor [weather] Low cloud, mist
Ben George climbed High Willhays during 1992 - Estimated date
Glenn Radford bagged High Willhays on April 22nd, 2014 [from/via/route] Oakham Camp [with] Sarah Will and Alex [weather] Dry Light wind
Graham Coules has hiked High Willhays [from/via/route] Meldon Reservoir, Tes Tor Black a Tor Copse [with] Dale [weather] Cloudy
Ray O'hara summited High Willhays on February 24th, 2013 [from/via/route] Meldon Reservoir - Yes Tor - High Willhays - Black Tor - Meldon Reservoir (Walk de139) [weather] Mostly overcast, with cloud well above the summits at all times. Ground frozen with a few patches of snow. Occasional strong winds. - Just hit the summit of High Willhays & a gust of wind grabbed my waterproof map case & swung it round clouting me in the eye. It briefly dislodged my right contact lens & split in two my left one. Had to descend back down only seeing out of one eye. The route along the west bank of Meldon reservoir has been blocked by the land owner from the far end of the stone bridge at the south end of the reservoir. In theory you should now return along the east bank to get back to the starting point.
Andy Richards conquered High Willhays during August, 2011 [from/via/route] Meldon Reservior to High Willhays then returned by Yes Tor [with] Becky and the woof woofs Guinness and Rover [weather] Cloudy & dry
Tomasz B, John Cuthbert, James Penkethman and Matthew Thomas have all walked, climbed & bagged High Willhays.
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