The Pennine Way-an Old Man, and an Industrial Wasteland

[trailmasher]

Knock Fell and Backstone Edge.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

As we set off from the village of Dufton in Cumbria the weather was dry and cloudy with a barely visible sight of the sun, but a quite obvious and unashamed strong cold breeze which chased us out of the car park and onto the road where we turned right then left and made our way to the gap between the two houses facing us and which is the start of our Pennine Way journey to Knock Fell and beyond.

The west leg of the Pennine Way from Dufton Village.

Passing between the two buildings we proceeded down the enclosed lane for a few metres before turning off to the left to pass through a small broken gate stile from where we followed the narrow path which is made up of old stone paving slabs similar to the ones that have been used to civilise the Pennine Way between Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell. This section of path is lined by overhanging tree branches which are in need of a good trim to make the going a little easier on anything above shoulder height.

The paved way through the trees.

As we get to the end of this paved stretch of path the way is now reduced to a dirt path running through long grass and under trees before meeting the well made farm track which is called Hurning Lane and will take us past Coatsike Farm when it returns to a grass covered bridle path with various kinds of trees aligning both sides of it. Just as we had got through the gate leading onto this bridle path we heard the sound of agitated cattle and then we saw a couple ahead of us who had a dog which had obviously upset the cows that had calves with them. The couple picked up speed and made it to the next gate leaving the irate cattle behind with us stuck and nowhere to go only whence we came. We couldn't get around them so hearing the sound of shouting and espying a Land Rover in the next field we hung about hoping that the irate cattle would come to the attention of the farmers. Our luck was in.

The irate cattle.

After they had attended to their sheep they came our way and led the herd away allowing us to pass in safety. It's not as though we are frightened of cattle but being wound up by a dog makes them unpredictable. It was only a couple of weeks ago that a lady on holiday in this area and who hailed from Cheshire was trampled by a herd of cattle under similar circumstances and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Anyway, we are now past the multi-legged obstacle and continue on our way passing through another three gates before reaching the termination of the lane and the abandoned farm of Halsteads.

Passing by the derelict farm we go through an old metal gate and continue along the bridle path which now runs through open countryside and along the base of Cosca Hill with Dufton Pike towering above us, and it, on our right. The path drops down to cross Great Rundale Beck by way of a small stone slab bridge…

The ford at Great Rundale Beck.

before starting on its steady climb still on the good, wide path whilst passing through another gate to now cross over the small run of water by the name of Small Burn. Halfway along this field the bridle path runs out and is reduced to what would be in wet weather, a bog.

This part of the path is soft and peaty and evidence of its vulnerability to the wet weather are the piles of banded up old stone paving slabs waiting to be laid - similar to the ones between Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell - from this point and all the way up to the footbridge which crosses the ravaged looking Swindale Beck.

Stone slabs-heather and the upper reaches of Swindale Beck.

On the east side of the beck there is the west face of Scald Fell with its disused dam above the old hush. Once the water was released from the dam it washed away any top soil on its way down and hopefully - for the miners anyway - revealing any veins of minerals which may prove to be a viable asset to the mine owners. This process is called 'hushing'.

To the west the rough fell gently slopes down to Knock Ore Gill and the site of the old Knock quarries whilst away to the south the back of Knock Pike and Flagdaw can be seen.

Knock Pike and Flagdaw from Swindale Beck footbridge.

Following the soft path and piles of stone paving slabs whilst passing through a wonderful carpet of purple heather we arrived at a stone step stile which would take us over the intake wall and to the bridge over the beck. This was to be the last wall we would see for quite some time as we are now on the open fells proper. After crossing the bridge the path now begins to climb quite steeply north east for a short while as it follows the course of Swindale Beck which is now fed by Waterchannel Sike and Knock Hush. A couple of cairns are passed and there are quite large patches of the local grey rock in abundance whilst on the near skyline a pair of curricks which mark our way forward can be seen.

The two curricks on the ridge of the Pennine Way.

From the curricks Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell are plain to see with the sun making the 'golf balls' on Great Dun Fell look like giant pearls.

Looking to Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell.

The view back looking over the Eden Valley is wonderful with the different coloured patches of the fields, harvested or otherwise, whilst the Lake District mountains can be seen way in the background.

A view over the Eden Valley and Knock Pike.

The path remains in good condition. Grassy and dry, making for easy going up the steady climb as Knock Old Man appears on the next visible skyline directing us on our way in no uncertain terms. Another large patch of stones appear hosting a large shelter cairn and this is where we stop for our first break of the day.

The view across Waterchannel Sike.

Fed and watered we set off once again to pass alongside Knock Hush which is a rocky channel on Green Fell Spring and was once used for hushing with the water from the now disused and hard to find dam that was at the head of a feeder water run that is on the left hand side of the main path. Knock Hush was cut to direct the water straight down into Swindale Beck with the results of which can be seen today.

Knock Hush.

Above the Hush the going is still easy with a final short, sharp climb up the side of Green Fell to reach the large square currick of Knock Old Man.

Knock Old Man.

From here once again the views are expansive. In fact, although there are lots to see, apart from the cairn and currick there is nothing really to focus on as we are surrounded north, east, and west by miles and miles of open moor with the Eden Valley and the Lake District mountains in the far distance as we look south. From the currick it is just a few metres to the summit and cairn of Knock Fell.

Knock Fell summit cairn with Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell behind.

The couple with the cow upsetting dog was parked up having a meal break whilst sitting on the large pointed cairn, so after a short chat we left them to head off east across the rough grass and stones towards a metre high currick sat amongst a small limestone boulder field…

A currick with Knock Fell summit left and Great Dun Fell and Cross Fell in the background.

before turning south and heading off across the rough landscape of High Scald Fell with its grass, bilberry, heather, peat hags and groughs which necessitated quite a fair bit of meandering to find a dry way through them. Despite them we made our way past the head Middle Grain avoiding the cairn on the unnamed patch of high ground and continued steadily downhill heading towards Great Rundale Tarn and the Shooting Box which is sat at the side of it. A descent of around120 metres was made from Knock Fell to the tarn.

About halfway between the cairned high ground at 716 metres and Great Rundale Tarn we came across the remains of a crashed aircraft. There is quite a bit of it lying around and after some research I found a snippet of information but it is limited and I never thought to take a grid reference of its position.

Site of the plane crash.

This is what I found out about the plane:-

Hurricane V7534 near Great Rundale Tarn, north of Appleby in Westmorland.
On 18th July 1941 the pilot of this aircraft was undertaking a training flight when the aircraft flew into high ground near Great Rundale Tarn, to the North of Appleby in Westmorland. The pilot was sadly killed in the accident. Nothing else is known of the accident at present.
Pilot - P/O John Kenneth Roberts RCAF (J/5140), aged 19, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Buried Fairfield Churchyard, Buxton, Derbyshire.

John Roberts was born on 29th December 1921. Nothing more is currently known about him.

Leaving the aircraft debris behind us we continued wandering around the natural peaty hazards until finally reaching the Shooting Box by the tarn.

Great Rundale Tarn and the Shooting Box.

The tarn was formed as a water source for Threlkeld Side Mine and looking at the ditch alongside the old mine access road probably fed into Great Rundale Beck to increase the flow as it ran downhill past the mine workings.

Threlkeld Side Mine was owned by the London Lead Company who did much to improve living conditions and amenities for the local villages in the immediate area.

Situated in the higher part of Rundale Beck they were part of the London Lead Companies leases and were worked by that company for lead between 1821 and 1873. Barite production commenced in 1882 and continued until 1897. In more recent times Sanbar minerals worked the dumps in the 1980’s. Of the two mines, Dufton was the more productive, working a number of veins where mineralisation was predominantly in the form of small flats containing galena, barite and aragonite, the later reported by Davison and Thompson as occurring as Flos-Ferri and of a fine fibrous type. They also report sphalerite and smithsonite although other references suggest there is no zinc mineralisation here. Mineralogically it is known for a reported single barite crystal weighing 50 kilos and occasionally smaller ones up to about 20cms do come on the market. Unlike other mines on the escarpment, barite crystals from Dufton often have complex multi-terminated crystals.

The old mine access road terminates at the Shooting Box where there were three 4 x 4 motors parked up and when we heard gunshots the reason for them being there was obvious. We turned down the rough road for a few metres and before tackling the south face of Backstone Edge we had our second break of the day.

The climb up the side of Backstone Edge is pathless with plenty of heather and long tussocks of grass. There are plenty of groughs on the way up but they have all been regularly filled by peat to form a solid bridge across them with the water building up into pools between them. It looks like they have been formed to allow access for the shooters quad bikes and we gratefully employed them ourselves on our journey upwards to finally arrive at the small pile of rocks which formed the cairn at 699 metres. Further south there stands an OS column which at 692 metres is some 7 metres lower than the actual summit. Once again good views are in evidence.

Backstone Edge summit cairn.

After enjoying the views for a while we retraced our steps to make our way back down to the mine road which is wide, stony, and quite steep in places requiring care so as not to slip on the loose material underfoot. Initially the road is enclosed within the confines of Backstone Edge and High Scald Fell but soon opens up onto the devastation caused by years of mining and the more recent works of filtering out any worthwhile minerals from the previously mined waste material. As the corner is turned the full extent of the damage caused to what must have once been a lovely river valley with its views over Dufton Pike and the Eden Valley hit us full in the face and came as quite a shock to see it left in this state.

Threlkeld Side above Great Rundale Beck.

Photographs don't portray the extent of this industrial devastation left in the wake of yet another large corporate company interested only in profit and gain. Well yes, the London Mining Company improved the conditions of the nearby villages, but let's not forget that the villages were also the source of labour for these mines so it paid them to provide better living conditions for their workers but obviously they weren’t prepared to spend cash on repairing the damage done to the surrounding countryside.

Looking around as we walked down the road the evidence of many old workings, buildings, levels, wide now grassed over tracks, and signs of hushing are scattered and scar the sides of the valley.

The old mine road leads to Dufton Village.

A few metres past an old mine entrance on our left we came across an old ore drying kiln which was used for drying out the mined material so that it would be lighter and therefore reduce haulage costs imposed by the railway companies.

Looking back past the old ore drying kiln.

Looking back to the old Threlkeld Side Mine workings.

As we got lower down the valley we began to leave the destruction behind us and the valley bottom and sides was once again becoming green with a large number of trees being planted amongst the areas of the dreaded bracken. The lower we get the easier the landscape gets on the eye, and as it opens up before us the smile returns to my face as we once again get back to the unmarred countryside.

Great Rundale Beck and Dufton Pike.

I look across the valley and cast my eyes on the intake wall that runs up the hillside between Brownber Hill and Rossgill Edge and marvel at the time, effort, and skill it must have taken to build it working in the confines of the narrow gully it being over 150 metres of a climb from the valley bottom to the col. This is the same wall that is passed through whilst walking up the Pennine Way on our journey to here.

The intake wall between Brownber Hill and Rossgill Edge.

This old road is followed all the way back to Dufton Village passing below Bluethwaite Hill and the east side of Dufton Pike. Once Dufton Pike has been left behind and the old corrugated shed passed the road is now enclosed between dry stone walls, occasionally wire fencing, and in some instances is tree lined and brings us back to the start of the Pennine Way and the gap between the houses once again then finally the car park.

Dufton Village green and drinking fountain.

This has been a good day for walking. A cloudy start but warm and turning sunny as the day moved on but with quite a cool breeze that could only really be felt when stopping for a breather. E found it a bit of a mission tramping through the rough moorland terrain but there wasn't really all that much of it considering the distance travelled. The paths have been good. Soft in places but not boggy and the only wet spots was in the rough between Knock Fell and Great Rundale Tarn but even those were quite easily got around.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Another fine report, there is good walking to be had around the North Pennines. A few interesting points as well, being a dog owner I'm less than keen on cows, I do wonder however just why the situation was allowed to occur when a lane which is a public footpath is just about blocked with cows? Surely the farmer has a more suitable enclosure where they can be kept apart from walkers (and dogs) for the benefit of all concerned. I have walked that way myself when coming down from Cross Fell et al. but fortunately the bovines were in the fields and off the path. If they were just about blocking the lane I've no idea what I'd have done following a 22km walk on a red hot day. There was another incident with cows at Hartsop in the Lakes where a left to wander herd trampled some unfortunate walkers. Once again the cows are allowed onto public footpaths with little thought of consequences. As for the mining it's an all too familiar tale, living on a coast blighted by industry, landowners have exploited land for profit for centuries and continue to do so (see grouse farming), makes the blood boil but what can you do?

[Broggy1]

Nice report.

Must admit that I don't especially mind the mine route up Threlkeld Side - it's no worse than many areas of the Lakes and Wales - but I can certainly see how it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Not surprised you gave the cows a wide berth and I must echo johnkaysleftleg about how they ended up on a public footpath (especially one as well used as the PW) in the first place.

I recently came across a bull on a public footpath in the Forest Of Bowland. Yes it was probably tame but no way was I taking a chance and a backtrack was quickly done.

[trailmasher]

Another fine report, there is good walking to be had around the North Pennines. A few interesting points as well, being a dog owner I'm less than keen on cows, I do wonder however just why the situation was allowed to occur when a lane which is a public footpath is just about blocked with cows? Surely the farmer has a more suitable enclosure where they can be kept apart from walkers (and dogs) for the benefit of all concerned. I have walked that way myself when coming down from Cross Fell et al. but fortunately the bovines were in the fields and off the path. If they were just about blocking the lane I've no idea what I'd have done following a 22km walk on a red hot day. There was another incident with cows at Hartsop in the Lakes where a left to wander herd trampled some unfortunate walkers. Once again the cows are allowed onto public footpaths with little thought of consequences. As for the mining it's an all too familiar tale, living on a coast blighted by industry, landowners have exploited land for profit for centuries and continue to do so (see grouse farming), makes the blood boil but what can you do?

Thanks for your comments Anthony. That stretch of path is the only bit that is not fenced so maybe the farmer has his own agenda regarding walkers across his land . I acknowledge that there are many industrial sites in the LD but this one and maybe Greenside Mine - albeit it has been tidied up a lot - must be two of the worst cases. Having lived and worked in the North East for a few years I can only sympathise with you for having to constantly live with it .

[trailmasher]

Nice report.

Must admit that I don't especially mind the mine route up Threlkeld Side - it's no worse than many areas of the Lakes and Wales - but I can certainly see how it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Not surprised you gave the cows a wide berth and I must echo johnkaysleftleg about how they ended up on a public footpath (especially one as well used as the PW) in the first place.

I recently came across a bull on a public footpath in the Forest Of Bowland. Yes it was probably tame but no way was I taking a chance and a backtrack was quickly done.

Your comments are much appreciated Broggy, thank you . As I mentioned to Anthony the lane is unfenced for just that short stretch I love the rugged look of the countryside and don't mind old quarries, workings, etc but it would be good if some of the profits was put back into a bit of tidying up and sympathetic landscaping

[ChrisW]

Lovely looking wasteland that TM Really enjoyed this, it's so nice to see home from afar, especially when it looks this good.

It's great that you looked up the plane crash site details and in doing so added a little more to the memory of John Roberts who no doubt deserved better than he got.

[trailmasher]

Lovely looking wasteland that TM Really enjoyed this, it's so nice to see home from afar, especially when it looks this good.

It's great that you looked up the plane crash site details and in doing so added a little more to the memory of John Roberts who no doubt deserved better than he got.

Thanks Chris and nice to hear from you again . The hills around here are littered with plane crash sites and mostly due to inefficient instruments giving out wrong readings and the aircraft crew were too young and brave to have life ended like this How's your Sarah getting on with the injured ankle?

[Alteknacker]

....makes the blood boil but what can you do?

Make them an offer they can't refuse....

[ChrisW]

How's your Sarah getting on with the injured ankle?

Still hobbling mate, she's walking on it now and having physio twice a week with resistance exercises every evening. She's desperate to be able to get out before the autumn colours come and go (it's usually pretty quick around here) I'm not sure she's going to make it

[Gordie12]

Great place to meet grumpy cows!!

Having done the Pennine Way in June I found this really interesting. When doing the PW my focus was on the mileage, ascent, managing the blisters etc and I didn't really read up on the countryside I was walking through.

Those stone slabs before the bridge were there in early June, I was expecting them to be in position by now.

This brought back really happy memories........................then I remembered the never ending 7 miles from Greg's Hut to Garrigill which felt like the longest 7 miles of my life.

[trailmasher]

Great place to meet grumpy cows!!

Having done the Pennine Way in June I found this really interesting. When doing the PW my focus was on the mileage, ascent, managing the blisters etc and I didn't really read up on the countryside I was walking through.

Those stone slabs before the bridge were there in early June, I was expecting them to be in position by now.

This brought back really happy memories........................then I remembered the never ending 7 miles from Greg's Hut to Garrigill which felt like the longest 7 miles of my life.

Thanks for your comments Gordie12 and those slabs could have been done with being down before winter . Re the 7 miles, I did Blencarn to Garrigill and would agree that the length from Greg's Hut to Garrigill is purgatory. I felt as though I was walking on hot coals after a couple of miles on that stretch

[daddo63]

Hi,
I came across your report as I'm planning on going up that way this weekend to visit the scene of 7 aircraft crashsites in the area that I know about, including the Hurricane at Great Rundale Tarn. The photo you have posted is actually wreckage from Gloster Meteor WD778 that crashed to the north of Great Rundale Tarn in 1954 ,I've been to that crashsite twice before. The description of the location you gave as being about halfway between the 716 cairn and the tarn is intriguing however as that is about where the Hurricane crashed but your photo is definately the Meteor.
Theres also a Vickers Wellington about 2 miles to the north east of Great Rundale Tarn, a Halifax and a Spitfire near Great Dun Fell and a DH60, Avro Anson and Lockheed Hudson on or near Cross Fell, all of which I'm hoping to find this weekend in what could turn out to be bit of a challenging Walk.
best Regards
Gary

[trailmasher]

Hi,
I came across your report as I'm planning on going up that way this weekend to visit the scene of 7 aircraft crashsites in the area that I know about, including the Hurricane at Great Rundale Tarn. The photo you have posted is actually wreckage from Gloster Meteor WD778 that crashed to the north of Great Rundale Tarn in 1954 ,I've been to that crashsite twice before. The description of the location you gave as being about halfway between the 716 cairn and the tarn is intriguing however as that is about where the Hurricane crashed but your photo is definately the Meteor.
Theres also a Vickers Wellington about 2 miles to the north east of Great Rundale Tarn, a Halifax and a Spitfire near Great Dun Fell and a DH60, Avro Anson and Lockheed Hudson on or near Cross Fell, all of which I'm hoping to find this weekend in what could turn out to be bit of a challenging Walk.
best Regards
Gary

Hi Gary,
Thanks for putting me right on that one as when I was reading up on it I presumed it was the one that I found . In 2014 I dropped off the top of Little Dun Fell to Blea Crag where there is a stainless steel plaque fixed to a large rock in commemoration of the deaths of 8 airmen whose Wellington bomber crashed due to flying too low during the 2nd World War. I haven't got the grid reference now but I have been to it twice and the rock is identified - or was - by a small cairn of stones on it. You have probably been to it before but if not good luck in finding it. If I remember correctly it is near the bottom of the rocky area of Blea Crag and not too far from Middle Tongue Beck. In fact the plaque can be seen shining in the sunlight from the beck. Good luck on your quest

[past my sell by date]

Nice report from a nice area. Been there many times and once found a nice chunk of Galena around the workings .
My favorite walk there is High cup Nick from Harbour Flatt, down the Pennine way, turn R to go past the winery, cross the road, and head down through the fields and woods to Flakebridge and back to the start. The woods around Flakebridge are wonderfully diverse and the bluebells there have to be seen to be believed.
If you want to see the most awful mining wreckage the Coniston copper mines have it all. Huges quantities of rotting cable, stanchions etc. and even an upturned truck all of which need clearing away, but also a lot of interesting machinery that should be salvaged and put in a museum - most of it is cast iron so not too badly corroded. I looked into organising a party of volunteers at one time, took a mass of detailed photos and sent them to the Natonal park. They said some money was going to become available, but nothing happened - I guess it was about the time "Bonkers" Brown ran out of cash. In the end I lost interest

[trailmasher]

Nice report from a nice area. Been there many times and once found a nice chunk of Galena around the workings .
My favorite walk there is High cup Nick from Harbour Flatt, down the Pennine way, turn R to go past the winery, cross the road, and head down through the fields and woods to Flakebridge and back to the start. The woods around Flakebridge are wonderfully diverse and the bluebells there have to be seen to be believed.
If you want to see the most awful mining wreckage the Coniston copper mines have it all. Huges quantities of rotting cable, stanchions etc. and even an upturned truck all of which need clearing away, but also a lot of interesting machinery that should be salvaged and put in a museum - most of it is cast iron so not too badly corroded. I looked into organising a party of volunteers at one time, took a mass of detailed photos and sent them to the Natonal park. They said some money was going to become available, but nothing happened - I guess it was about the time "Bonkers" Brown ran out of cash. In the end I lost interest

Thanks for that pmsbd and I also have done the Flakebridge walk at bluebell time and are indeed a sight to behold . Re Coniston, I once came down the old tramway/cable way and that was full of interest but a rough walk down and it would take quite a bit of money and time to sort out that area Once again thanks for your comments and interest