From Boar to Baugh in December Splendour

[The English Alpinist]

This walk is preceded by 'Nine Standards Rigg in December Splendour'
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=110622&p=462186#p462186

Pendragon Castle [see footnotes].

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Following on from the trio of Hewitts on my Nine Standards Rigg walk of the previous day, here I endeavoured to claim another trio in the same general territory on the Cumbria-Yorskshire Dales borderline. Now, as then, I enjoyed the glorious blue skies and sunlight of an English midwinter (it does happen!). Arguably, these are the perfect conditions in which to enjoy the high moorland of these parts, although even colder might have been better so as to freeze the boggy ground competely. There is of course much to be said for strolling along in T-shirt and shorts on a sun-baked midsummer day, but in this age of global warming that might be tantamount to wishing away the delightful moisture and peat which is our primeval heritage. The first peak of the day, Wild Boar Fell, was of a more rocky and shapely character in any case, and the squelch experience only began to set in on passing on to the other two.

Wild Boar Fell dominating the valley of Mallerstang.

Ascending Wild Boar.

From Wild Boar Fell plateau, looking east across Mallerstang.

The 'stone men' of Wild Boar Fell [see footnotes].

Looking back along the fell edge from the cairns.

Wild Boar Fell summit, 2,323 feet (708m).

Wild Boar Fell would make for an ideal, introductory experience to fell-walking away from the bustle of the Lake District. Far less people come here - indeed I had overlooked the region all my life, despite it being only 30 miles from me - yet its shape and summit have features of interest, and in the views there is a grand perspective on Lakeland to the west, the Yorkshire Dales to the east and the Pennines to the north. For a starter (or finisher) one can pay a visit to the ruin of little Pendragon castle, and imagine how dramatic this would have looked in the 13th century (the valley is remarkably unpopulated even now). The fell itself, despite looking like a 'peak' from below (reminding me of Dow Crag near Coniston somewhat), is broad and flat-topped and contains a fine example of the seeming obsession of this region: cairns! A cluster of these occupy one corner of the expanse, whilst the summit proper with its trig point is about half a mile away, entailing weaving a route across a bit of quagmire to get to it. If blanketed in mist, this plateau would offer another type of fine experience - some atmospheric compass-work to find your way off again.

The Howgill Fells to the west.

The Lake District mountains loom miles further west beyond the Howgills.

Terrific spectacle of low level cloud today.

View back to Wild Boar from Swarth Fell summit, 2,234 feet (681m).

The trend of the rest of the day was for the underfoot experience to decline as much as the views excelled. Reaching Swarth Fell entailed dipping into a sponge of a col, but I found I was rewarded with an excellent view back on Wild Boar Fell as well as being able to gaze over a blanket of miies of ground mist to the landscape south and west: It struck me (with a touch of smugness, I admit) that I was enjoying these supreme clear views whilst simultaneously my home worid just 30 miles away was spending the day in fog. Winter or not, it's good to get out - sometimes!

To this point I'd made good time, but the separation between Swarthe and my final objective of Tarn Rigg Hill was wider, deeper and rougher. I squished my way down to Rawthey Gill Foot, an amazingly remote-feeling place when you consider it is really not that far from civilization (including no less a wilderness-taming thing as the M6). Whilst the ascent of Tarn Rigg (part of what is, overall, Baugh Fell) I suspect is rarely done from here, the celebrated Pennine Journey footpath follows the course of the gill which cuts a narrow channel through the landscape. Unfortunately, I had to leave it for a slog up trackless moorland which induced a lot of sweat, not to mention a touch of anxiety; that feeling, you know, when a much-desired landmark - West Baugh Fell Tarn in this case - just never seems to come, and its very existence seems in doubt.

The long rough dip from Swarth Fell to Baugh Fell.

Rawthey Gill Head, between Swarth and Baugh Fell.

West Baugh Fell Tarn.

A zoom on Arnside Knott (the sea of Morecambe Bay must have been lurking beneath that cloud.

Approaching Knoutberry Haw in the late afternoon sun-drenched conditions in mid-December.

The tarn did exist, and I can report is drinkable, but my fatigue levels were building and I did not like the thought of running out of daylight before getting down, headtorch or not. However, the atmosphere of golden late afternoon winter sun on broad and bleak ridge-walking does not come often, so I tried to relish it along with the views right out to Morecambe Bay. The gradients now were undemanding, although the ground from Knoutberry Haw - the proud possessor of Baugh Fell's trig point but not the highest point for Hewitt-bagging purposes - to Tarn Rigg summit required some arduous bog-hopping. Technically 'East Baugh Fell', this my third and final Hewiit was finally bagged, and I was now concerned with at least getting the raw moorland part of my descent over with before darkness fell.

Despite the lack of path down, I had the thrill of passing through a dramatic set of cairns on this north-eastern flank of Baugh Fell. My investigations have yet to reveal why these things have been built, at a spot called 'Grisedale Pike' (not the, obviously). My toils were not over once down for darkness had fallen, and after having my leg plunge to the thigh in a peat-crevasse I had a dank experience of skirting a little wood. Then I found the torchlight did not illuminate far enough ahead to be sure which way paths were leading. Exasperated when one did a U-turn on me, I gave up and just ploughed a direct line over pitch-dark bogland relying on torch and compass, and even using the moon to reassure me of a straight line! Aside from attaining solid tarmac, my reward was, as yesterday, celestial wonders in the form of three planets.

Knoutberry Haw, part of what is broadly Baugh Fell.

Tarn Rigg Hill/East Baugh Fell, at 2,224 feet (679m) the official Hewitt point.

The dramatic cairns as I descend in the fading light of East Baugh Fell.

Jupiter (the higher) and Venus, with Saturn in between but too faint to show in the photo.

Pendragon Castle: https://www.visitcumbria.com/evnp/pendragon-castle/

Why is Wild Boar Fell so-called and what's with all the cairns? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Boar_Fell

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

Fantastic photos!

Wild Boar Fell is in distant view (and looks good) from my wife's parents' house, but I've never ventured to it - this has inspired me to give it a go.

Tim

[The English Alpinist]

It's well worth doing,although I've possibly had a bit of selective memory about the boggyness of it, The ascent was a bit wet, plus I had a touch of difficulty hitting the supposed access point. It might be better to make your way up from Pendragon castle itself, and get the full experience of walking the ridge from the north.

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

It's well worth doing,although I've possibly had a bit of selective memory about the boggyness of it, The ascent was a bit wet, plus I had a touch of difficulty hitting the supposed access point. It might be better to make your way up from Pendragon castle itself, and get the full experience of walking the ridge from the north.

Yes, I think I would do it as a there and back from Pendragon Castle, which is a fantastic place with a name to match.

Wainwright, I recall, mentioned the bogginess of Baugh Fell, which has put me off it. He did not like bogs - he turned moaning about them into an art form, in his Pennine Way Handbook.

But, although all your photos are excellent, my favourite is the zoom of Arnside Knott in a golden glow from Baugh Fell. It may be soggy, but what a viewpoint.

Tim

[jmarkb]

Wild Boar Fell is definitely worth a visit - there is a good shortish round from Cotegill Bridge: https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walk-1160-description

Baugh Fell on the other hand has everything that is wrong with Pennine Hills - flat- topped, featureless and boggy!

[The English Alpinist]

'Wild Boar Fell is definitely worth a visit - there is a good shortish round from Cotegill Bridge: https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walk-1160-description'
Ah yes that looks like a very good way to do it.