Wild Boar Fell and Funny Cairns

[DaveB1]

This is the first walk I've posted although am an avid reader of everyone else's exploits on the site. So a bit of history. I'm allowed out every other Sunday as the dearly beloved works. Jim and Mick and occasionally Jerry get released too and we've been walking together for over three years now. We're based in Bury and Blackburn which is very handy as most of the English and Welsh Hills are about two or less hours drive away. We do Scotland when we get a weekend pass! I'm a bagger of Wainwrights and any other type of hill too! and whether they like it or not so are Jim, Mick and Jerry. They seem happy to let me plan and do the lions share of navigation and to be frank I enjoy that bit.
Sunday was the first time we've been out this year and at last the weather forecast was good . Frozen ground equals slightly different Yorkshire Dales hills as otherwise a complete bogfest. So it was picking Mick up at 7.30 Jim at 8.00 and off to Garsdale. Arriving at 915ish and trying to work out where we should park we eventually found the passing place at SD776922 and got kitted up. It was cold!
The route was easy especially as I'd read this site and found a walk by tango in Dec 2010 follow a wall/fence to Tarn Hill Fell then to Knoutberry Haw

The wall to Tarn Hill Fell looking back to Garsdale

take a bearing to Stone Rigg and then off up Swarth Fell and on to Wild Boar Fell retracing our steps to Swarth Fell Pike and pick up the road to the car.
This is exactly what we did! The ground was frozen solid and easy walking, Tarn Hill Fell has, as the names suggest 'Tarns' with some funny cairns next to them,

Funny Cairn with Mick (L) and Jim (R)

Knoutberry Haw just has a funny name and a trig point! great views to the Howgills and every where else too!
Navigation was easy as we could see for once and a good time to practice. Got to Stone Rigg and then to SD747945 for a bite to eat

On the way to Lunch!

Icicles any one?

before the slog up on to Swarth Fell.

Mick slogging it up to Swarth Fell

More cairns and a clear view of Wild Boar Fell,

Wild Boar Fell from Swarth Fell

didn't hang around as the wind was dropping the temperature despite the sunshine. Wind behind up Wild Boar Fell, Jim was leading and took us via the obvious path to 'Cairn Heaven' near to the steep drop of the North Eastern face. Couldn't help wondering there were so many cairns, must have been a 'cairn building' championship

Cairn Building Championship

at one time. Once we finished gazing at them we realised the summit was still 400m away so headed for that. Couple of photos and off back to Swarth Fell. The rest of the trip was a steady walk along the fence line past the wall junction

On the way down

End of the day

and on down to reach the road wandering back along it as the first stars or planets appeared,

The final pic!

past the only lighted house in the valley and back to the car.

[SusieThePensioner]

Enjoyed reading your report, glad you had such good weather and excellent photos

[DaveB1]

Thanks for the comments Susie, I'm just a novice at the reports but I'm going to persevere. Winter is definitely the best time for the Dales unless you're a wellie maker!

[L-Hiking]

I'm just a novice at the reports but I'm going to persevere.

The last time I went up there it was wall to wall bog Somehow I managed to keep fairly dry until my darling wife slipped and dragged me down with her as we decended Swarth Fell

Cheers Dave keep submitting the reports

LH