Englands Newest Mountain

[GBrooks]

Parking on the side of the Outhwaite road at the track junction I followed the road to Outhwaite then took the filed path over to Haresceugh. Passing the remains of the castle crossing another field brought me onto the old road to Alston from Kirkoswald, now part of the coast to coast off road route. This was followed up crossing the minor road at Selah bridge and the main Hartside road before arriving at the bikers café at the top. Crossing the road again a gate gave access to the moor. A faint path follows the fence up to wards Black Fell crossing over at the start of the wall section. Faint paths wet under foot continued along till the trig point on the top of black Fell was reached.. A stile allowed me to cross over onto the ridge towards Thack Moor. Again faint paths and quad bike tracks allowed for slightly easier walking across wet ground in places. Stiles allowed easy access over all the stone walls. Eventually the top of Thack Moor was reached with its trig point. The track back to the car can be seen snaking up the fell and so cutting down to the track and down home.

[colgregg]

Thack Moor is one of four North Pennines Hewitts left to do. The Hiil reminds me of the day my Brother and I set off from Hardside to a there and back to Black Fell and Grey Nag. on our way back we could see another walker coming towards Black fell from Thack Moor (prior to it's promotion to Hewitt status) on meeting The conversaion went something like this.
Him : "Hi Are you going to Grey Nag?
Us ; We've already been there"
Him "Oh! I didn't see you did you walk the ridge (pointing West to thack Moor)
Us: "That's not Grey Nag, thats Grey Nag" (Pointing North to Grey Nag)
Him:" ******************************** " as he gets his map out and we confirm he's been on the wrong hill.
As he'd had enough walking for the day he said he'd bag it the following day and headed back to Hartside cursing his poor navigation and leaving us totally bemused as to how someone so experienced could have made such a basic error in clear conditions on a route which simply involves following a fence. Of course he's had the last laugh as his error now means he can tick of Thack Moor as done from the comfort of his armchair.

[Crib Goch]

Having completed the English Nuttalls ( and hence Hewitts) some time back it was alarming to hear that a new one had been added. Where could it be? To find it was local to me was good, and that I had already done it was even better - and not by accident like colgregg's man.
A few winters ago on a freezing cold day, with the ground frozen solid I bagged Black Fell from Hartside. It isn't far so I extended the walk to Thack Moor because I liked the look of it. Probably more deserving of Mountain status than many Pennine tops, it is quite prominent as you drive towards Hartside from Penrith.