Hound Tor

Any fans of Sherlock Holmes out there? Yes, we thought there’d be one or two. With the great news that Benedict Cumberbatch will return as Sherlock in an upcoming special and fourth season, let’s take a moment to celebrate one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creations.

This week our photo is of Dartmoor’s Hound Tor, which is said to be Doyle’s inspiration for the Hound of the Baskervilles. First recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ‘Hundatora’, this rocky outcrop is thought to have taken its name from the word ‘hound’. Why? Well, the true reason is, of course, buried in history, but some suggest that the shape of the rocks can resemble hounds from certain angles, while others favour the myth that a huntsman and his pack of hounds were turned to stone by a displeased witch.
 
Whatever your beliefs, with a medieval village close by, ancient graves and endless folklore surrounding it, this is truly a stunning and inspirational location. With close road access and ever changing lighting on the moor, there aren’t many better places to take your camera, even if just to recapture that feeling of ancient history… and get that little bit closer to Sherlock.
 
Photograph by Stephen Curry.
Words by Stephen Curry.


Photo of the Week. From: http://www.pocketfulofrye.co.uk/hot-topics/hound-tor