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Round Barrow, Codhill Heights
A Bronze Age burial mound and possible territorial marker. A large standing stone can be seen on the left. The has been excavated and is capped by a modern cairn. It stands on a slight rise, with a prominence of a mere 12m, on a ridge of Gisborough Moor, overlooking Sleddale.
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Stone Age rock art or a gamekeeper taking pot shots?
Another gloomy day, dry but poor visibility. I came across this large sandstone boulder on Ingleby Moor pitted with small holes, particularly on the north-east face. Stone Age rock art? Or a gamekeeper taking pot shots? Google comes up with a clue. There is an assumption among the rock climbing fraternity that they’re bullet holes.…
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The Pepperpot, Bridestones
Of the fascinating sandstone columns and rock outcrops that are known as the Bridestones, the Pepperpot is perhaps the most photographed. The Bridestones are the last remnants of a Jurassic sedimentary rock layer deposited some 150 million years ago that have been eroded over the millennia by wind, frost and rain. The name is not…
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Winter sun on Roseberry Common
The middle slopes of Roseberry Topping might appear natural but it is sensitively managed. if left to nature’s own devices succession would occur leading to an expansion of the mature acidic oaks of Newton Wood. A semi-open woodland is an essential habitat for several species of birds, whinchat and tree pipits, ring ouzels have been…
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Round Barrow, Live Moor
A new plaque has been fixed to a stone by the National Park asking visitors not to disturb the Bronze Age burial mound on Live Moor near Whorlton. Not to remove or add stones to the cairn. The custom has developed amongst walkers and ramblers to add a stone or two to piles of stones…
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First Footing
New Year’s Day and back home in the Cleveland Hills after a pre-dawn dash from the Lakes. This from Cockshaw hill above Gribdale Terrace and Howl Road. Roseberry in the distance. A reasonable morning. Cloudy but dry. An old Yorkshire saying is that the weather until March is governed by that on the first three…
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Little Langdale
At a mere 211m height Great How is a small pimple of a hill but with super views of Little Langdale which position at the junction of several packhorse routes from Ravenglass, Whitehaven, Keswick and Ambleside led to a busy valley. But, as well as farming and quarrying the slate in the hills, one particular…
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Susanna Beever Drinking Fountain
An intriguing elaborate drinking fountain at almost the highest point on the Coniston to Hawkshead road. A Grade II listed building it is made of local slate and has two sections with a central pillar. The left-hand bay is a horse drinking trough with the inscription above: A RIGHTEOUS MAN REGARDETH THE LIFE OF HIS…
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Hodge Close Quarry
Sometimes I forget that the Lake District is largely a manmade environment. This is Hodge Close, a spectacular hole in the ground the result of quarrying for slate. It is said to be 100m deep of which a half is below the level of the pond. An overnight dump of snow making the whole scene…
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Thirlmere
I’ve never been down to the shore of Thirlmere, never really had much to do with the valley, in fact, just the occasional fell or orienteering race from Steel End Farm. I’m usually whizzing by on the A591 heading for Ambleside or Coniston. Thirlmere is a reservoir, manmade in the 19th-century to provide water for…
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