Middlehope Moor from Cowshill Village.

[trailmasher]

Middlehope Moor.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

This was to be a tag on to the Killhope Law walk as it was done only 4 days after I went out on my own, but due to my generous nature with the keyboard and camera I have decided to submit this as a separate entity. E is feeling better now and wanted to go to Alston to browse around a shop that was closed on her last visit to there with a friend. The shop, well it's called 'Mellow Yellow' and brings to mind either that 60's rock star, Donovan, or the notice that they have in the toilets at the Black Sail Youth Hostel, if only the owners knew.

I was originally going to continue from Killhope Law and carry on to Middlhope Moor but didn't fancy the 3 mile trudge across the moor to get there or the long walk back up from Cowshill to the Killhope Cross, but on reflection it may have been a better and easier option than following the boundary ditch back to the cross .

To take advantage of the location we decided that we would drive just that little bit further to the village of Cowshill and make our way to the top of Middlehope Moor by way of the Weardale Way which in total is 46 miles long but we are only going to be on it for maybe 3.5 kilometres or 2 miles in old money.

This walk will be a starter for E after being bad for a week as it's only about 8 kilometres - 5 miles - and with only around 290 metres of height gain should be steady enough.

After stopping at Alston for a cup of coffee and a slice of toast we continued on to Cowshill in Weardale and sits just off the main A689 road. We parked up near the bottom of the village on a fairly large stoned up car parking area which is just below the vicarage. There is another car park just a few metres down the road on the left, a posh one as its laid with tarmac but it is located just a short distance up the road that leads to Copcleugh yet another old mining area.

Leaving the car park we went back to the road and turned right for a short distance before then turning left between two buildings, across another road where there is a fingerpost pointing the way to Burtree Fell and is 2.5 kilometres hence.

The Weardale Way at Cowshill.

I think that is the first time that I have seen kilometres on a fingerpost. Anyway the wide track starts off fairly steep and coated in loose stones…

A steep and stony start.

before we reached a more stable area that was easier to walk on. The very good track makes for a very steady climb up the fell side as we passed a couple of lone houses under the mixed cloud and sunny skies. The temperature isn't too bad just now but is lessened by the cool breeze that accompanies us and not making up its mind which way to travel.

On the straight and narrow road to Burtree Fell.

After a while we arrived at an old iron gate…

The old iron gate on the Weardale Way.

on the other side of which the track is now deeply rutted and would take us over Poppet Hill.

From the iron gate the track deteriorates.

It continued like this for a while before easing into a wide grassy track running alongside a wire and post fence both running into the distance as far as the eye and the views would allow. The views have opened up and we can see Burnhope Reservoir with the Burnhope Seat set of hills ranging behind it.

Looking back into Weardale and Burnhope Reservoir.

Burnhope Moor Reservoir and its surrounding fells.

More or less west we can see the now post less Killhope Law but all in all the views are very similar to what can be seen from the report on The Dodd and Killhope Law.

After a short while of walking on this track we arrived at section of wooden fencing acting as a sliding gate…

The sliding gate.

over which we climbed to land upon a continuation of the grassy track but with the fence now on our right. Up to the old iron gate the track has been dry but from thereon it has got progressively wetter underfoot. Well after a time of steady and easy walking we arrived at a gate stile complete with way marker that we passed through and immediately turned from our northward journey to an easterly one following a faint path of sorts that passed between the wire fence and the old dry stone wall that has appeared on our left hand side.

Through this gate.

And then follow the wall.

Middlehope Moor ahead.

The path gets a bit sunken and damp but the walking is still easy as we leave the wall and head off across the mix of short heather and grass to arrive at the small pile of stones that marks the summit of Middlehope Moor at 612 metres in height.

Middlehope Moor summit cairn.

A view across Burtree Fell.

Looking towards Middlehope Moor OS column.

From the summit we had planned to return by way of crossing over the head of Sedling Burn so leaving the cairn in peace we continued east and having to climb over another fence that is just a few metres away from the cairn. From this fence the going is not so much hard as wet, very wet and some fancy footwork is required to maintain semblance of dryness although wearing gaiters do help to alleviate the worst of it. We was going to follow the fence around but decided that as the OS column was so close that we would make our acquaintance with that also. The column is sat on a bit of high ground and is surrounded by a some rocks that are there probably to help stabilise the ground and save some of the effects of erosion around it.

Middlehope Moor OS trig Column.

If we hadn't have been going this way I don't think we would have made a special journey over to see the OS column but we were so we did.

There are no paths across the moor from here.

Leaving the concrete pillar behind we turned off down and west to reach the fence or more like the remnants of it as there is only a broken line of rotten and leaning posts left on display.

Our way down to the head of Sedling Burn.

The head of Sedling Burn.

We followed this south on the west side of the burn for a good few metres before having to move over to the east side where the going was easier and also because originally we was going to follow the track down over Sedling Fell to Sedling Vein and then the old mine workings just below Copcleugh and then back to the village. Plans change due to a variety of things and this one did as we couldn't locate the bridleway, the breeze had got stronger and colder so E was feeling the effects of that, we needed food and drink and there is more chance of shelter lower down as its wide open up here.

We dropped down until finding a sheltered spot by the burn with seating arrangements sorted with a couple of handy rocks which we used as we sat looking down the valley towards the village and Burnhope Reservoir with its backdrop of high fells.

Another view into Cowshill Village.

Break over we continued down and across to bring us to the head of Burtreepasture Vein and the washed out mine workings on the opposite side.

The washed out mine workings opposite the Burtreepasture Vein.

From here we made our way down towards the intake walls and passing through a gate…

Looking into Copcleugh from the intake wall.

made our way past the house at Copcleugh, some old buildings and alongside the lower reaches of the burn that shows evidence of old mine workings/buildings in and above it but now all but collapsed and washed away by neglect and countless floods.

Copcleugh.

As we continued forward we saw a fingerpost pointing the way to the foot of the bridleway that we couldn't find at the top, we passed a couple of small commercial buildings, the official car park, and finally the main road that we followed back to our car.

This has been a steady little walk of only about 8 kilometres, 294 metres of height gain, done in 2hrs of good mixed weather that included a cold breeze and a threat of rain as we arrived back at the village.

The village of Cowshill.

All in all a good mix of a day with E getting to her shop for the day which has a small front but the insides of the Tardis, and both of us getting a walk in to a new top from a new to us area.

[ChrisW]

Lovely shots of home TM and great to see E out there with you again in good weather (albeit a bit chilly here and there) I've got family over for a few weeks so no hills for me for a wee while...though the grandson makes me feel like I've climbed a mountain every day

[trailmasher]

I've got family over for a few weeks so no hills for me for a wee while...though the grandson makes me feel like I've climbed a mountain every day

Thanks for your comments Chris and E is getting around a bit more now maybe it's as well you have the grandson to keep you busy and may help to keep the legs hill fit until you can get out again

[johnkaysleftleg]

Looks a nice little wander on a fine day TM

[trailmasher]

Looks a nice little wander on a fine day TM

Aye, it's good enough for a short stroll JK and easy going all the way and one that Hughie would enjoy also

[MiniRambo]

Another good report TM . You must have covered nearly every blade of grass in northern England by now!

[trailmasher]

Another good report TM . You must have covered nearly every blade of grass in northern England by now!

And every bog, hag, grough I see that you have posted your first one for a while good to see that you're still up and running I'll check it out now