• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hugh Stewart

  • Home
  • Books
    • Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations
    • Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route
    • Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain
  • About Hugh
    • Author
    • Orthopaedic Surgeon
  • Walking Blog
  • Contact

High Green Field Knott, upper Littondale.

By Hugh Stewart April 2, 2018 Leave a Comment

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.

Halton Gill from the Horse Head Track
On the Horse Head Track
Small Norway Spruces on the ridge, with Pen y Ghent beyond
Pen y Ghent from the summit
View of Ingleborough from the Trig point
Cosh House
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: horse head.gpx

Filed Under: Walks

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Post Categories

The Latest Comments

  • Hugh Stewart on Ambleside Grasmere circular via Loughrigg.
  • Monica Placzek on Ambleside Grasmere circular via Loughrigg.
  • Dave Burch on Caton Moor circular.
  • Richard Kenyon on Troughton Beck, Langdale.
  • John Bush on Caton Moor circular.

Enjoying the Blog Posts?

If you are enjoying my content please consider supporting my passion by purchasing one of my books. Many thanks, Hugh.

Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

View Book

Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

View Book

Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

View Book

Footer

Open Access Land doesn’t exist, it’s “open roaming with limited access”.

I have written extensively about the difficulty in accessing "open access" land in my "stations" walks book, and here is some more!On a recent walk up to Wolfhole Crag on the Forest of Bowland fells, a good route seemed to be via Mallowdale Pike, but there is no legal access to the access land

Continue Reading

Malham Tarn and More

Actually the title is misleading, but kept as it sounded good; the walk goes round the "moor" north of the Tarn and only back along its north bank, and includes the wonderful boardwalk near the Tarn for a floral treat. It has 7.6 miles of limestone scenery, completely avoiding the crowds around the

Continue Reading

The middle Pap of Jura – Bienn an Oir

This route has been written about many times, but as we disagree with the Cicerone guide's recommended route and this was the first eight mile plus mountain walk I'd done in 18 months, we thought it worth a celebratory shout. Why just the middle Pap? Because it's the easiest as you might imagine,

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2022 · Hugh Stewart All rights reserved. · Website created by LeePritchard.com