Chosen for Easter Sunday to have some peace, successful, as no-one seen on the hill at all, and no footprints in the snow. We saw this little known and lesser named hill from Ingleborough’s summit previously, so decided to take a look. As the wind was the easterly beast (2018), we struck north up the track from Halton Gill, to turn westwards on the four mile hill ridge at the summit. The marked path across “Great Pasture” we knew to be nebulous from previously, hence going up the good track. The ridge path is to the north of the wall. This looks easy going, although our track was obscured by snow. You pass the summit trig point of Horse Head, 605m, over the wall, and have to negotiate one barbed wire fence where a double wall/fence marking on the map leads north. After that there is one other non-barbed wire fence.
In the mid-ridge depression there are numerous Norway Spruces springing up, mainly of the same age, which we initially thought were of natural rewilding, but as they were localised in the depression and all of an age, it appears that this is a man made phenomenon. Not exactly rewilding as the Christmas tree is usually planted.
The summit plateau (there is no true summit, although supposedly 603m), is on limestone, with grassy hammocks, easier than the preceding mile of minor peat groughs, and the best view is from the Trig point at the west end of the ridge: the Three Peaks dominate south and west. From here strike east-south-east across easy grassland to the plantation at Cosh Beck Head, and a gate at the north of it. The Cave and potholes are easily gained through and south of the gate. A poor track to start doesn’t improve, crossing the Cosh Beck twice and leading to the renovated house at Cosh. A signed path leads beyond the house down to the beck, to cross it where a landslip blocks it. After the next small gate it disappears, so it’s best to climb the slope and follow the gates/stiles, crossing the Beck again north of Foxup on a bridge, not a ford. A track leads to the road, where a path on the south bank leads more pleasantly to the road from Stainforth to Halton Gill. This makes an 8.7mile walk, with only 1300ft of climbing, and is rougher in the valley than the top.
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