Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Hound Tor – Jay's Grave Bridleway loop from Haytor Rocks

Hound Tor – Jay's Grave Bridleway loop from Haytor Rocks

Hard

riders

Hound Tor – Jay's Grave Bridleway loop from Haytor Rocks

02:09

26.2km

630m

Gravel riding

Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: March 23, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment in which cycling is not permitted

After 10.5 km for 187 m

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

389 m

Haytor Vale Climb

Highlight • Natural Monument

The Haytor Vale climb heads from Bovey Tracey up to Dartmoor but of course can also be descended the other way.

It is sheltered down in Bovey Tracey but you can except the wind to pick up once you reach Dartmoor. It's long, at 3.6 miles and an average of 6%.

The Tour of Britain has finished at Haytor Vale, most recently in 2013 when the stage was won by Adam Yates. In 1979 the National Hill Climb Champs were held there and if you fancy your own go, Mid Devon Cycling Club hold an annual hill climb race here.

Tip by

6.00 km

Hound Tor

Highlight • Viewpoint

Hound Tor is thought to be the inspiration of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novel 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'. The granite outcrop is said to look like dogs peaking over the top of the rocks, hence its name.

On the south east side, there is the site of a deserted medieval village which was abandoned in the late 14th/early15th century.

Tip by

7.06 km

Jay's Grave

Highlight • Historical Site

Kitty Jay is said to have been a servant girl at one of the nearby farms. Her lover betrayed her, distancing himself from her when they found out that she was pregnant, rather than taking responsibility and marrying Kitty. In despair, she hanged herself in a barn. In those bygone days suicide victims weren't buried in the churchyard, instead they were buried at the edge of the parish.

So here lies Kitty Jay, and you'll notice that there are normally fresh flowers and often gifts left on her grave. No one knows who replaces the flowers so regularly.

Tip by

7.06 km

Jay's Grave Bridleway

Highlight (Segment) • Historical Site

Jay's Grave is named for the grave of a girl who committed suicide at the eastern end of the trail. Mysterious flowers are still laid there, although no-one claims responsibility. Some believe the grave is haunted as a result.

From a mountain biking perspective the trail is an ancient sunken road which has been rendered straightforward by sanitisation, but at least it's a (rare in these parts) trail which doesn't head sharply up or down!

Tip by

10.6 km

Grimspound Bronze-Age Settlement

Highlight • Historical Site

Grimspound is situated on one of the highest points of the moor. Once home to dozens of people and their livestock, the eerie setting was where Sherlock Holmes spent the night in the novel, the Hound of the Baskervilles. The remains of these 24 stone roundhouses date from the late Bronze Age (about 1450–700 BC).

Tip by

13.3 km

Ruins

14.0 km

Scenic Traverse in Dartmoor National Park

Highlight (Segment) • Natural

Gentle downhill traverse with enough spice for everyone to have fun!

Tip by

17.4 km

Widecombe Rocky Singletrack

Highlight (Segment) • MTB Park

Worth doing in either direction. Widecombe side is loose boulders near the bottom and rutted track near the top. Far side is narrow rocky single track. Do-able on a gravel bike if you're brave, probably more fun on a mtb.

Tip by

23.6 km

Hemsworthy Gate

Highlight • Viewpoint

A spectacular rolling road section along here from Hay Tor to Hemsworthy Gate and from Hemsworthy Gate towards Widecombe, with smooth tarmac and incredible moorland views.

The gate refers to the cattle grid and stone wall near the road junction for Widecombe, Bickington and Hay Tor.

Tip by

26.2 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

15.0 km

6.60 km

2.89 km

1.10 km

569 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

10.6 km

9.35 km

6.21 km

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (480 m)

Lowest point (240 m)

Weather

Saturday 9 May

18°C

7°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 27.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Hard

5.0

Granite & Gears: Princetown & Burrator Loop

03:40h

45.2km

650m

Hard

4.8

Castle Drogo and Fingle Bridge — Exeter gravel routes

04:46h

55.0km

1,000m

Moderate

4.8

Topsham to Woodbury Common — Exeter gravel routes

02:32h

30.1km

340m

Hard

Killerton, Ashclyst and East Hill — Exeter gravel routes

06:31h

84.3km

990m

Hard

Haldon, Mamhead and Dawlish — Exeter gravel routes

05:14h

68.7km

610m

Hard

5.0

Haldon Belvedere and the Estuary — Exeter gravel routes

05:17h

68.2km

890m

Hard

5.0

River Otter and Common — Exeter gravel routes

05:05h

67.4km

760m

Hard

4.8

Fingle Bridge – Wray Valley Trail loop from Bovey Tracey

02:56h

48.2km

510m

Hard

5.0

South Hessary Tor – Two Bridges Stone Bridge loop from Princetown

02:03h

30.0km

500m

Hard

4.1

Rixdale Road – Haldon Forest MTB Skills Park loop from Haldon Forest Park

03:42h

46.2km

900m

Moderate

4.3

South Hessary Tor – Burrator Reservoir and Dam loop from Princetown

01:30h

22.1km

330m

Moderate

Blackhill Quarry Trail – Hawkerland Bridleway loop from Exmouth Community College

02:00h

24.3km

380m

Hound Tor – Jay's Grave Bridleway loop from Haytor Rocks

Haytor Vale Climb

Hound Tor

Jay's Grave

Jay's Grave Bridleway

Grimspound Bronze-Age Settlement

Scenic Traverse in Dartmoor National Park

Widecombe Rocky Singletrack

Hemsworthy Gate

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️