For newcomers

At the bottom of each post there is the word "comments". If you click on it you will see comments made by followers, and if you follow the instructions you may also comment and I always welcome that. I have found many people overlook this part of the blog which is often more interesting than the original post!

My blog nick-name is SIR HUGH. I'm not from the aristocracy - my middle name is Hugh which relates to the list of 282 hills in Scotland compiled by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891. I climbed my last one (Sgurr Mor) on 28th June 2009

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Thursday, 28 January 2016

Bigland Barrow (Outlying Fells)

Another impulsive departure for a three hour weather window. I'm becoming impressed with the accuracy of our forecasts,

Wainwright says:

"...this is only really a very miniature fell. How are the mighty fallen, that we should be nowadays content with such! Remember when we used to trot up Great Gable? However, old age can't be helped (damn it) so..."

Well! It was no pushover at five miles with 600ft. of ascent, with a gale blowing and paths gloopy-slip-slidy with mud, and tracts of hard going through trackless heather and dead bracken. However, the views were rewarding, and this was certainly a worthwhile outing.

The summit has the remains of a wartime look-out post constructed from slabs of concrete with a rusted iron step-ladder which I mounted with care in consideration of the howling wind. Wainwright's drawing indicates a full roof, but half has now disappeared, goodness knows where considering its weight and size. I researched on the Internet but could find no more about this structure. My father served at a Royal Observer Corps post on Otley Chevin during the war with comfortable live-in arrangements manned by several men on a rota basis; I guess this Bigland structure was a spartan version for the same organisation.

Photography was compromised by high wind - I couldn't hold the camera still, but here are a few shots.

Union Jack (upside down - broad white should be at top) on the temporarily closed Swan Hotel which was flooded by Desmond so maybe that's the reason?

Quirky private post box at bottom of someone's drive 

Gloopy paths

A tricky stile, twas the same on the other side

The look-out tower on Bigland Barrow

Unnamed tarn near the summit



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