The weather forecast for Easter Sunday was promising - no chance of rain before lunch, and very little afterwards. This proved accurate, and a sunny day was enjoyed by the 13 ramblers and friends who joined the six-mile walk from Pork Hill, east of Tavistock. Although the easterly wind brought no rain, it was, however, very strong, and if anything grew stronger toward the end of the walk.

 The walk commenced on an approximately southerly heading for a ¾ mile, before turning sharply north east, and heading for the saddle between Barn Hill and Feather Tor. This point is marked by a two-metre high granite cross known as Windy Post or Beckamoor Cross. It is well preserved, but exhibits a pronounced lean to the west.

Just beyond the cross is a leat junction; the northern branch served the medieval manor houses of Grimstone and Sortridge, while the southern branch supplied the village of Sampford Spiney. The latter branch is partially blocked by a stone slab with a hole in it, called the Bullseye Stone. If desired, the bullseye could presumably be closed completely; however, one member of the Rambling Club recalled that blockages of the bullseye were never intentional, and would oblige the huntsmen of Sampford Spiney to come and unblock it.

A good, though distant, view of the notorious Vixen Tor (out of bounds to ramblers, and scene of the occasional mass trespass) was available from the leat.

The walking group contoured northeast and northwest around Barn Hill, then ascending Little and Middle Staple Tor, stopping for coffee at the latter. Having enjoyed the views and refreshments, the group continued at first parallel to the trackway from Merrivale, before joining it at the saddle point between Cox Tor and Great Staple Tor. The trackway is sometimes called the Quarrymen’s Way, and connects Merrivale and Peter Tavy. Stone hut circles can be seen from the path, which are part of a (most likely Bronze Age) settlement of 16 huts.

Soon after the settlement, the walk route bore to the left and uphill, heading towards Harragrove Farm. The walkers took advantage of the shelter afforded by gorse and hedges to stop for lunch. Ascending back up to the western flank of Cox Tor, a hairy caterpillar was spotted, believed to be a tiger moth caterpillar. Not many birds could be heard over the roar of the wind, so the only birds identified were a wheatear and one or two crows on the way back from Cox Tor to Pork Hill, asserting themselves against the strengthening wind with some difficulty.

Pork Hill was probably a welcome sight for the walkers, partly because the wind was picking up, but mainly because of the ice-cream van which was patronised by many.