Pennine Way: Hadrian’s Wall

Monday 22nd April 2019

Having stayed overnight at the Youth Hostel at The Sill: National Landscape Discover Centre, I caught a bus back to Greenhead where I had left the Pennine Way the previous day and resumed my walk along the trail, which now coincided with the Hadrian’s Wall Path. I had walked along Hadrian’s Wall in 2006 during a holiday in Northumberland when, without planning to do so, I spent two days walking beside the wall and thoroughly enjoyed it so I was looking forward to retracing my steps. My first stop was Thirlwall Castle, which is medieval rather than Roman, however it has been built with stones pinched, or you could say, recycled from Hadrian’s Wall. The castle itself is now in ruins and it seemed to me that the Roman stones have been re-used again on the nearby farm houses. The weather for this walk was amazing with almost cloudless skies and a brisk wind, which made for easier walking than in the heat of the previous day. After coming back down from the castle I crossed the Tipal Burn and climbed a grassy hill to reach the beautiful Walltown Quarry that is now a country park. While quarrying was being carried out this section of Hadrian’s Wall was tragically destroyed and the rock underneath extracted, however eventually wiser heads prevailed and the neighbouring sections of the wall survived.

Originally the Pennine Way had to go around the quarry but now I had a lovely walk across the park before climbing up to the rim of Walltown Crags where I joyously found my first sign of Hadrian’s Wall amongst fabulously craggy terrain. This is probably the best preserved section of the Roman wall with parts more than six feet high, but is sadly short-lived as another quarry soon intervenes though with a satisfying cliff edge walk around it. Beyond the quarry there is hardly any trace of the wall for several miles, however the Whin Sill escarpment that the wall was built upon is still evident and this ridge provides tremendous walking even without the accompaniment of the Roman wall. The ridge provided me wth many ups and downs along the Pennine Way as I battled against a strong wind until I reached Great Chesters where the remains of Aesica Roman Fort provided me with sufficient surroundings to have my lunch before once again I set off into the wind. Soon I found another travesty where a quarry destroyed the wall, but beyond is a well-preserved Milecastle and more of Hadrian’s Wall above Cawfield Crags.

The delights continued as the trail passes over Winshield Crags and Peel Crags where the provision of a car park has made this section very popular with many of those people completely disobeying the signs requesting that we help preserve the archaeology by not walking on top of the wall. I don’t understand people. Beyond the Sycamore Gap the Pennine Way passes over the top of the tall escarpment of Highshield Crags with the lake of Crag Lough far below the cliff edge. I had a wonderful walk on the edge of the crag that once again made me think this would be a great ridge walk even without the occasional added interest of the Roman wall. After climbing up to the top of Hotbank Crags I passed the point where the Pennine Way parts company from Hadrian’s Wall and, with a last treat of Hadrian’s Wall on top of Housesteads Crags, I reached the remains of the Roman fort of Vercovicium, better known as Housesteads. Wainwright recommended a visit to Housesteads Fort despite it not officially being on the Pennine Way and even included the mile and a half diversion in his total mileage.

I passed there in 2006, but didn’t visit it, because I had visited the fort many years ago as a child, so I didn’t bother visiting it again now. Instead I turned around and took a path that is a short distance south of the wall along the course of the Military Way, a Roman road constructed to provide quick passage for the troops between the various forts and milecastles. When I reached the point where the Pennine Way turns north I passed through the gap in the wall and headed north onto Ridley Common, however it wasn’t long before I turned off the Pennine Way and took a footpath west. I was mindful of the fact that the following morning I would have to retrace my steps from Once Brewed along the wall back to the point where the Pennine Way turns north and I didn’t want to have to do all of those ups and downs again, so the Military Way seemed an easier alternative. This footpath took me to Hotbank Farm, which would enable me to bypass Hotbank Crags the following morning, although it is debateable whether this would actually make much difference.  

The Military Way provided me with a relatively easy route back to The Sill after a very tiring, but tremendously enjoyable and satisfying walk. It had not felt as hot as the previous day due to the brisk wind but with sunny weather all day I was able to make the most of the fabulous Hadrian’s Wall that was just as good as I had remembered it being in 2006. The Whin Sill ridge is great to walk upon and it is this that truly made this the great day that it was.

Pennine Way: Alston to Greenhead

Sunday 21st April 2019

When I walked part of the Pennine Way in 2009, from Gargrave to Haltwhistle, on the last day I came off the Pennine Way half way between Alston and Haltwhistle. Ever since then, I have wanted to return so I could complete the Pennine Way and last Easter I finally had the opportunity. After spending the night in the beautiful market town of Alston I set off bright and early in excellent weather and headed off along the route of the Pennine Way that I had taken previously, however I don’t have much of a memory of that grey, overcast day and my blog entry for that walk indicates I thought it was rather boring and tedious. I couldn’t remember which way to go despite having done the walk before so I had to rely on my map and the signposts as I walked through fields, past Harbut Lodge, over the road and onto the open moor of Park Fell. I don’t like crossing farmer’s fields as it feels like you’re intruding, so you have keep precisely to the path and this isn’t always clear. There is less pressure on open country where I could just relax and enjoy the walk while crossing the delightful Gilderdale Burn and around the mound that is the remains of the Roman Fort of Epiacum, now known as Whitley Castle.

Eventually I reached Lintley Viaduct that used to carry the railway line to Alston over the Thornhope Burn and below that there is now beautiful woodland that had also entranced me in 2009. From the viaduct the path drops down to the banks of the River South Tyne where celandines and wild garlic decorated the scene. I stopped beside the river to take some pictures in the gorgeous landscape where one feels compelled to stop and relax even though I had many miles to walk this day and couldn’t really afford the time to stop. Eventually I tore myself away and came into the village of Slaggyford where I had left the Pennine Way before to walk along the bed of the old railway, now the route of the South Tyne Trail. It is a shame that I came off the trail at that point as just after Slaggyford the Pennine Way crosses the Knar Burn in fabulous surroundings where an impressive viaduct looms overhead and celandines and wood anemones covered the woodland below. This is a beautiful spot and it was tragic that I had missed it in 2009 while at the top of the viaduct, but this delight was short-lived and now the walk deteriorated as I crossed many fields to eventually reach the grouse moors of the Knarsdale Estate.

The scenery was now much less interesting as I followed the route of the Maiden Way, an old Roman road, along the edge of the moor where the only respite was when I crossed the Glendue Burn in lovely surroundings despite the road being close by. Since it was now past noon I stopped to have my lunch beside the stream before setting off once again for the tiring slog north across tough moorland with no sign of a footpath to aid my progress. The only good thing was after the hot summer of 2018 the ground was still quite dry and not too boggy, but the heat on this day was beginning to wear me out and made the walking particularly tiring. Near Lambley I had to start taking bearings, aiming for High House on the horizon before dropping steeply down to cross the spectacular valley of the Hartley Burn where, after a pause to catch my breath and gather some energy, I headed up dreary, grassy fields to Ulpham and soon I was on a dull, monochrome, grassy moorland heading towards Blenkinsop Common.

There was no sign of a path across the boggy moor and soon I lost all traces of the correct route, however the Pennine Way at that point comes alongside a fence so I simply had to turn towards the west and beside the fence I found the path heading north. On finally reaching the far side of the moor I found a stile on the edge of Black Hill looking out over the Irthing valley where I was able to descend onto a clear track and turn right eventually coming upon an even clearer track that led me onto the A69 road. At this point I could have turned right heading straight into the small village of Greenhead, however although I seriously considered this I eventually decided to stay on the Pennine Way for a little longer to reach the Vallum ditch that lies just south of Hadrian’s Wall. The Pennine Way follows this across Haltwhistle Golf Course to reach the B6318 road where I finally left the trail and took the road south into Greenhead where I waited for a bus that would take me to Once Brewed where there is a youth hostel at The Sill landscape discovery centre.

The second half of this walk was very exhausting as I tried to make my way across featureless moorland in unseasonably hot weather covering more miles than I would have liked at this stage in my holiday. The best bits of the walk were when I was beside water, crossing the many deep-cut streams that flow into the River South Tyne, or beside the great river itself. At these points wild flowers abounded and delighted my soul, while sadly there are hardly any wild flowers on the high moors. I had restarted my trek along the Pennine Way and by the end of the week I would have finally completed it and satisfied my decade-long desire.

Nentdale and the South Tynedale

Saturday 20th April 2019

In 2009 I walked the middle section of the Pennine Way from Gargrave, on the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, to Haltwhistle and then two years later I did the southern section from the start in Edale to Gargrave, but in all the years since I’d never done the final section from Hadrian’s Wall to the end of the trail just over the Scottish border. Last Easter I thought it was about time I completed the Pennine Way, so I caught a train back to Haltwhistle, however technically I had come off the Pennine Way half way between Alston and Haltwhistle in the village of Slaggyford. Therefore I thought the best plan would be to return to Alston and start the Pennine Way from there, so when I got off the train in Haltwhistle I caught a bus to Alston in amazing weather as Britain enjoyed hot, sunny conditions for the Easter weekend. I had already wasted most of the day travelling to Alston and it was now 1.30 in the afternoon, so to fill the rest of the day I came up with a couple of short walks to explore the area. I found one on the website for the Westmorland Gazette claiming this was one of the best walks in Cumbria, which considering that includes the whole of the Lake District is praise indeed.

I took a lane out of Alston to the River Nent following this lovely rock-filled river in a shallow valley, although I must say it is not in the most spectacular scenery, though blissful in the sunny weather. The delightful celandine decorated the landscape while the sweet garlic smell of ramson filled the more wooded areas. The sights and smells of spring are intoxicating to me and keep me going right through the rest of the year. Eventually the valley opened out and I reached a minor road where I had considered continuing up the valley all the way to Nenthead, and then climbing over Alston Moor down into Garrigal before following the River South Tyne all the way back to Alston, but I did not have the time for this rather ambitious walk, or the energy, and I thought it was a little too hot for something so tiring. Instead I followed the Westmorland Gazette’s directions climbing up the road towards Blagill and taking a bridleway through Corby Gates Farm that would take me back to Alston slowly descending back into the valley. At Corby Gates Farm I came across a locked gate and just as I was looking at my map to determine where I should have gone, a farmer shouted the correct route to me from the other side of the field.

Slowly, and rather sheepishly, I returned to Alston, but I had only spent an hour on that walk so I set off again following a footpath south part way up the eastern side of South Tynedale. This was not the most exciting path, but ahead, on the horizon, I could see Cross Fell teasing me in the sunshine. On the two previous occasions that I have been over Cross Fell, the highest point in the Pennines, the weather was poor which gave me no views, so I had considered starting the Pennine Way even earlier, in Dufton, on the other side of the Pennines. However, a lack of accommodation in Dufton or trains up the west coast had prompted me to start in Alston instead, which would provide me with easier days later in the week, but I couldn’t help thinking I could have been going over Cross Fell in this weather. A highlight of my walk south was crossing Nattrass Gill, which is a lovely, deep, wooded ravine that was covered with wild garlic, which smelt divine and doesn't need to be in flower to be delightful. Afterwards I had doubts on the route firstly while crossing a golf course and again at High Scilly Hall where I had no idea where the path went and may have trespassed into their garden. Eventually I found the path that led me steeply down to the Pennine Way and the river at the bottom of South Tynedale.

I was now back on the route that I had taken in 2009 and after a quick look up and down the river headed north along the Pennine Way very quickly getting lost again, which required another farmer to put me right. The Pennine Way comes away from the river and I didn’t, so I had to backtrack onto the trail and follow a rather tedious route through many farmers’ fields until eventually I arrived back in Alston. This afternoon walk was merely a warm up to stretch my legs before resuming my trek along the Pennine Way the following day. The weather was tremendous, but a little too hot, which left me very tired at the end of it. The walk was very challenging navigationally as I seemed to frequently go the wrong way or be unsure of the correct route which ultimately required the stern, but helpful, directions of two different farmers. I didn’t find the paths well signposted and so I hoped that the Pennine Way would be easier to follow on the coming days while making my way north towards the Scottish border.

Little Hart Crag and High Pike

Saturday 21st December 2019

The previous day I had completed all of the fells that I had planned for this holiday, which left me with an open choice of where to go for my final day in the Lakes. When I saw the weather forecast indicated light winds I decided I would try to climb some of the high fells north of Ambleside so I wouldn’t have to travel anywhere since that was where I was staying. I had enjoyed good, calm weather the day before and based on the forecast I thought the weather for this walk would be similar, but as I left the youth hostel it was a grey, misty day with rain at first, and though this soon stopped the poor weather continued all day. After passing through Ambleside I walked up to Sweden Bridge Road and out of the town on an enclosed lane that is typical of the Lake District. Behind me the view opened out over Ambleside with Windermere in the misty distance while over the wall to my left Rydal Water could just be seen past the wooded surroundings of Rydal. Soon the track passed into beautiful woodland with the Scandale Beck running at the bottom of the valley until eventually I came out of the wood not from from High Sweden Bridge that is described by Wainwright as “one of Lakeland’s most iconic stone bridges”. Despite this I had never seen it before as I had not previously been in this valley.

Scandale is a wide, secluded valley that has recently been planted with hundreds of trees, which I have seen the National Trust do in many other parts of the Lake District. The weather was not great as I made my way up the valley with light rain passing through and clouds hanging low overhead. As the end of the valley approached, the steep ridge of Bakestones loomed oppressively ahead, but fortunately my path took gentler slopes into the clouds and eventually reaching the top of Scandale Pass. I have descended to this pass many times before when crossing between Red Screes and Little Hart Crag, but never before have I taken the paths up to it. When I was last there in 2018 I bypassed the summit of Little Hart Crag, but now I diverted up the windswept, craggy terrain to the summit. After bagging the top I returned to the main path and turning right followed the fence posts that lead towards Dove Crag, however I wanted to take the path up Bakestones. In 2016 while on the Bakestones path I noticed that the path is not clear (the Walker’s Edition of Wainwright’s guide describes it as “intermittent”) so in view of the poor visibility I stayed on the clear path until the terrain steepened.

At that point I turned south keeping to the foot of the rising ground following sheep trods and turned uphill only after I had passed the faint Bakestones path, but taking my own route up Scandale Head. I failed to see the tall Bakestones cairn in the mist, and eventually discovered the now clear path above the cairn which led me to the ridge wall, lined with snowdrift, coming down from Dove Crag. It was bitterly cold at this point with rain and wind coupled with snow on the ground that made the conditions really tricky as I wrapped up against the harsh weather and carefully made my way beside the wall through the snow south. Soon, as I descended, the conditions eased and eventually I reached the cairn at the top of High Pike where I was able to stop and have my lunch. After High Pike the ridge steepens with rocky ground to negotiate, which I found to be a little tricky in the wet conditions. When a sudden upthrust of rock appeared through the mist I realised I had reached Low Pike, so I climbed up to reach the small cairn that marks the top. Continuing down the ridge I came upon a wide marsh where a small sign helpfully warns of a deep bog and recommends keeping to the wall, though this was just as wet.

Even though I had now fallen below the clouds the views were pathetic, but at least the path improved as it diverted around the rock step on Sweden Crag with a good surface underfoot that took me past the turning to High Sweden Bridge and all the way down until eventually I crossed Low Sweden Bridge. Passing through Ambleside I finally returned to my car exhausted after a walk that had required careful concentration to navigate complex terrain in poor weather conditions. There was no chance to relax and enjoy the walk as I had been able to do on the previous two days, but it was still satisfying to have managed to complete the walk despite the weather. Even though this was a very short holiday in the Lake District, it once again reminded me just how much I love this place and why I had gone out of my way to get up there.

Kentmere Pike, Tarn Crag and Grey Crag

Friday 20th December 2019

Despite misty, heavily overcast conditions on this day, there was no rain and hardly any wind, which made for a surprisingly good walk. On coming up to the Lake District I had forgotten that I had originally also wanted to go up Kentmere Pike, so when I realised I made a hasty change of plans to include it even though I could have ignored my original intentions, but that would have ruined what I have planned for the future for no good reason. Driving up the narrow road through the water-logged Kent Valley I parked near the church in the tiny village of Kentmere and set off down the road across the river and up to Green Quarter where a path heads across the slopes of Green Quarter Fell. Soon I was so hot I had to take off several layers before venturing across the saturated fields. I took this path in 2004 coming down from the Kentmere Round and now I was going in the other direction while reflecting on the fifteen years that have passed since. I was much younger then, but I have climbed many mountains since and in many ways experience is far more valuable than youth.

The view was limited due to low cloud, however in better weather there must be a fine view, and I had no wind, which felt rather spooky as I walked across the boggy fell as there is almost always at least a breeze on a hill. When I reached the top of the pass I crossed the wide byway and took the path beside a fence, initially passing through bogs before tackling the glorious rocks up Wray Crag and into the clouds. At the summit of Shipman Knotts I found no cairn, however Wainwright informs us the highest point is the other side of the wall on the middle of three rocky knolls, however there is no way over the wall. I did find that three stones have been positioned on the western side of the wall opposite the highest point, which the latest edition of Wainright’s guide, the Walker’s Edition, indicates is intermittent with the stones sometimes being used to repair the wall (and the stones could also have been taken from the wall). Having climbed high there was now a cold, but light wind as I continued north across more mundane, grassy terrain, and as I couldn’t resist the temptation I diverted up to the top of Goat Scar, even though I couldn’t see anything from there in the mist.

From the cairn at the top of Goat Crag I returned to the fence and followed it up the broad grassy slopes of Kentmere Pike all the way up to the summit where a trig point confidently marks the top, although this is disputed by a cairn on the other side of the wall. Having achieved my goal for the day before noon I was now left with a choice of what to do next, but with relatively good, meaning calm, weather I felt I had to take advantage and bag the two fells that I had planned for the following day. These would involve a descent east into Longsleddale, but with snow patches on this high fell and steep crags lining the valley that could be dangerous in these misty conditions. Wainwright mentions a route off Kentmere Pike down Steel Rigg, but only recommends it in clear weather so I decided I would use the security of a wall to descend to the disused Wrengill Quarry. After crossing the Wren Gill I climbed up to an old pipeline and followed that keeping well away from the quarry workings until I reached the clear track over Gatescarth Pass. I had stunning views back up towards the snow-speckled ridge over Harter Fell and down the valley to the distant green fields of Longsleddale.

With a fleeting threat of rain in the air I had my lunch before setting off through the horrendously boggy Brownhowe Bottom while behind me Harter Fell began to emerge from the clouds. The boot-sucking bogs continued all the way up to the top of the pass where I turned right and headed south towards Tarn Crag. Half way up I turned around and saw that both Harter Fell and its neighbour across the Gatescarth Pass, Branstree, which I had climbed the day before, had appeared from the clouds and was producing a stunning sight. Continuing up I eventually reached the distinctive survey pillar that was constructed by the Haweswater Reservoir engineers and sits just a short distance from summit of Tarn Crag. Returning to the fence I could see that the clouds were continuing to lift and afforded me with views east along snow-lined grassy ridges and across Greycrag Tarn. Crossing this marsh with dry feet was going to be a challenge and despite keeping to the fence I had many wet moments to contend with, especially one towards the end when I appeared to be walking on water, upon a thick matt of moss that vibrated and rippled under my feet.

Finally I was across to the far side of the marsh and started climbing into the thickening clouds at the top of Grey Crag. I had previously climbed these fells on the eastern fringe of the Lake District in 2010 in weather that was no better than on this occasion and just as then I was rather thankful to get off these dreary, boggy fells and down increasingly steep terrain until I finally reached the old quarry road at the bottom of the valley. With the weather worsening I climbed through misty rain over the pass from Sadgill to Kentmere, ignoring the turning at the top of the pass onto the Green Quarter path that I had taken on my way up, and continued along the byway to Stile End taking the road from there back to Kentmere. This was an exhilarating walk in weather that was usually pleasantly calm, despite low cloud, even though the ground was horribly wet underfoot. It was most satisfying to have completed all the fells that I had set as my target for this holiday and still have another day left when I could do anything I wanted.