Marilyn 283
White Hill is a moorland undulation, and my walk was only 4km there and back, and not particularly interesting today, especially with hazy conditions, but it has a respectable height of 544m., and views would be extensive on a clear day. It is worth going there from the north for the the drive on what must be one of the wildest roads in England running 20km or so from High Bentham to Slaidburn.
Along with the trig point the summit sports a stone built tower. This was one of several, including Cragg Hill above Long Sleddale which I visited a few months ago. The towers were built for sighting purposes in the construction of the amazing aqueduct from Haweswater to Manchester between 1934 and 1941. The Haweswater valley and its village were flooded and dammed to provide water for Manchester 75 miles away (crow flight).
When I arrived there was one car parked. I met one other couple on the way to the summit. My return to the car coincided exactly with the occupant of the other car who had walked a circuit on the eastern side of the road to take in the trig at Bowland Knotts.
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| The route to the summit - following the fenceline of the old county boundary |
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| Part of the tower and the trig |
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| The tower |
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| Ward's Stone |
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| I had to be up early to take the car to Morecambe for door lock attention from where I drove to do this walk. This is sunrise from my living room window. Ingleborough is silhouetted at left end of the skyline (worth clicking to enlarge) |
This is the second highest summit in the Bowland Fells. I've climbed it several times, always from Croasdale to the south, not knowing it was a Marilyn. Shame you had poor visibility as the view NE across the A65 gap is stunning, with the Yorkshire three peaks in your face. I agree about the road - use it to get over to the Ingleton area regularly. Don't try it in the winter after snow - scary!
ReplyDeleteBC - Looks like it's worth another visit. I'd like to go to Bowland Knotts as well on the other side of the road..
ReplyDeleteShamefully, I don't know this area Conrad. I've done a Clougha Pike - Ward's Stone circuit a few times, but little else. Clearly something I need to remedy.
ReplyDeleteBeating the Bounds - well, i reckon that is a plus for list ticking -getting you to interesting places you wouldn't have otherwise found.
ReplyDeleteReflect! Is the reader's intellect enhanced or his/her fancy tickled by being told White Hill was "not particularly interesting today".
ReplyDeleteWhereas in trawling down your captions I come upon "to Morecambe for door lock attention" - potentially novel yet crammed into six words. I know the aim is to write about the bracing outdoors but it is not absolutely obligatory all the time. Your thoughts may wander while raw winds strip the flesh from your cheek-bones; the chances are your vagrant thoughts may be more diverting than a non-existent view.
You might, for instance, describe your reaction to non-existent views (or more interestingly the philosophy you have developed to compensate for them). By which I mean something other than trying to re-create that which you cannot see. This must have happened many times to you and if you have devised such a mechanism it may help others if you pass it on. And if you haven't, ask yourself why. Is a shrug of the shoulders enough?
I needed to resort to the medicine cabinet after reading the last comment, Conrad. Keep it simple, my aging brain seems to tell me. You are getting quite addicted to this Marilyn bagging lark, aren't you?!
ReplyDeleteRR - ok.
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Phreerunner - worry not. It is only my older journalist brother trying to guide me, and I have lived with that these past 73 years. His comments are constructive, and I value that, and I do take some of it on board.
For the moment I am just mopping up the Marilyns that are within driving distance of home. After that we'll see.
Haha, yes Conrad - I realised what was going on. Roderick clearly thinks you have a higher class of reader than some of us. Or is he trying to gain you a higher class of reader? And I do realise the his comments are to be valued!
ReplyDeleteMy apologies to you and Phreerunner. My comment suffered from over-compression, rendering it virtually incomprehensible. The point I wanted to make was this: Anyone who climbs mountains in the UK can expect, quite often, to be denied a view from the top. Obviously this is not the only reason for making the ascent (as many lay people often believe) but it is moderately important. By now this must have happened to you many times. I assume you are disappointed but have learned to be philosophical about it. But is this a big adjustment or a small one? If you knew there would be no view might you not start off? Is the ascent alone intrinsically rewarding?
ReplyDeletePhreerunner and RR - see next post.
ReplyDelete