Sunday 29 January 2017

Nabbing Nuttalls in the North Pennines

I almost didn't come over to the Pennines today, the reports said Hartside Pass was barely passable last night which was key for access to todays hills. I set off with a plan B, but could see as I approached Penrith on the M6 that the road wouldn't be so bad. There was a bit on the road both sides of the pass....just adds to the fun!
Over into Tynedale and Alston, then through Nenthead and over to the isolated settlement of Coalcleugh where I parked for the first hill.

The cloud was down as I parked at Coalcleugh...perhaps Coldcleugh today! The first hill would be The Dodd, this was the easiest way up todayI thought. I knew there was a fairly obvious bridleway up to the broad ridge.

Sure enough it was actually made clearer with the scattering of snow. The gate is just coming into view. Last time I was hereabouts I was on the mountain bike in summer 2015. A report of that day can be found here  looks a bit different!

I followed the wall Northwards eventually arriving on the edge of the summit plateau, and coming across this unusual ruinous structure...probably something to do with the mines?

The plateau was this kind on going....slow!

The summit of The Dodd is unmarked as far as I could tell. These coordinates are correct and there was nowt to be seen.

Of course as is the way with these things, the top cleared once I was almost back.

A short drive onto Carrsheild Moor and time to set off up Killhope Law.

This is a new track, made for access to a row of Grouse butts. A mixed blessing I suppose?
It did make the ascent very easy, and the view back down West Allendale were excellent.

However once on the ridge I was in the cloud again with an odd flake of snow. The map shows an aerial on the summit of Killhope Law. I guess the snapped post on the left is all thats left of it?

A short distance to the East is this grand cairn....visited for completeness.

Back to the car the same way, over to the West The Dodd was still clear of cloud.

I drove down into east Allendale passing through Allenheads, visiting Northumberland briefly. Leaving the car on Allendale Common I headed off East towards Middlehope Moor.

The top of Middlehope Moor has a small cairn, I was pleased that the ground was frozen hard across here it would be very wet underfoot otherwise.
A good day, not a single person seen on the hill.



2 comments:

  1. OS got it wrong about the mast on Killhope Law. There's no mast and vever has been - but there is a Very Big Stick. Its been there a very long time and lines up really nicely with a straight bit of parish boundary on hills to the North-West. I suspect that that is what it's for. The cairn is the site of a Napoleonic beacon, apparently.

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    1. Thanks for that info Mike. The "big stick" has been snapped as in the pic. I was impressed with the cairn mind!

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