DARTMOOR. Skis on at Belstone Services on the A30, as all the usual walkers' carparks for the moor snowbound. Skied along Tavistock road for few hundred metres, then straight up to Sourton Tors, into the snowbowl below Corn Ridge, traversed to Great Links Tor more or less following line of old peat railway. Return by same route, with some playing around in the snow bowl.

Overcast and mist at first, with sharp snow shower, clear and sun later.

Deep powder had firmed overnight. Short shower as we left added an inch of fresh to give near perfect nordic touring conditions. Normally on Dartmoor only a few small areas of short-cropped grass are skiable (and then only every 5 years or so) with the few inches of cover which is usually the most we ever get. This dump has buried the deep tussocky grass which covers most of the moor, and has opened up virtually the whole moor for nordic tourers. Nothing like this since (probably) 1978-9.

Chris & Teresa