Permission to walk on the Warcop Ranges, please sir.

[trailmasher]

Little Fell and Mickle Fell - route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

It was in December of 2015 that I asked Chris if he would like the chance of picking off the big hill of Mickle Fell that is in the middle of the Warcop Training Area Ranges and because he is interested in the military - must be the uniform - and is always trying to get a good photo of low flying combat planes on training flights he readily agreed.

Part of the Ranges can be walked on non-firing Sunday afternoons but we wanted more time to take a more leisurely pace on our way there and back. Once a month and usually the last weekend the Ranges are - unless the flags are out - non-firing days and are open to the public with limitations. There are a number of bridleways running through the Ranges all marked with the standard type route marker posts and arrows and are well used by members of the public.

However, to gain access to Mickle Fell a permit is required from the M.O.D. Range Officer at the Warcop Training Camp in Cumbria and it is one of these that I applied for, asking permission to access the fells during the Christmas holiday period when the Ranges are closed between the 24th and 31st December, but I didn't receive a reply to my request.

On the 5th January 2016 I sent in a second request and a few days later a nice lady - Sarah - phoned me up, asked a couple or three questions that seemed to satisfy her and on the 15th January the required permit arrived along with other bits and pieces of paperwork indicating that the weekend dates of the 28th or 29th May were to be covered by the permit. Enclosed in the small pack was a Safety Brief that indicated that there are only two permissive routes to Mickle Fell, one from the south and the B6267 Brough to Middleton-in-Teesdale road following the fence from the road to the summit and the other one begins at Maize Beck in the north and again following the fence which would require either a long walk in from either one the villages of Murton or Hilton or parking at Cow Green Reservoir. Prior to setting off on the walk onto the Ranges a phone call must be made to the Warcop Guard Room and likewise once the Ranges have been exited. Also any visible ordnance should not be approached or touched.

There is a bit of conflicting information in the paperwork as it also says that any of the bridleways, tracks, or footpaths may be used but due to the area being a Site of Special Scientific Interest - SSSI - and especially as it's a grouse moor, dogs are not allowed into the area. As is the way of the world and people we did see three walkers accompanied by a dog roaming around on the fells.

The 28th May has arrived and Chris is back on shore after his regular two weeks holiday off shore on the gas rig. As usual he's bright and early on a promising looking weather day and although it's sunny the unusually heavy haze is taking toll of the distant views as we parked up at the north end of the village of Hilton. The car park is a fairly large area just through the wall and at the end of the tarmac with the backdrop of Mell Fell with Delfekirk Scar prominent as it rises in the north.

As we were starting at Hilton instead of one of the two permissive routes suggested in the paperwork and following the fences, it was with some trepidation that I phoned up the Guard Room at Warcop to let them know that we were about to start the walk from Hilton. I hoped that the guard would be alright with this starting point and had everything crossed as I spoke to him. The man was a diamond as I explained our intentions and route and suggesting that we may take in Little Fell also if that wasn't a problem. He just explained that it was a grouse moor and didn't belong to the M.O.D as they just had a license to use it for their war games. Don't touch anything you shouldn't, stick to the paths, be careful, what is your car registration number, phone us when you get back to the car, and have a good day, was all he said as he probably went back to his cup of tea and game of cards with his mates as they worked on this sunny bank holiday weekend. We thank you sergeant.

As it happened we met four other people on Mickle Fell who had also started their walk from Hilton, so Warcop must be no stranger to a start from there. I feel easier now.

We left the aforementioned car park and after a bit of waffling about which gate to go through - there are two, both with red flags - we chose the one on the right that takes the higher path running alongside Scordale Beck.

The way into Scordale.

Roman Fell was towering over us in the south as the track that we were on drops down to meet the stony track that runs alongside Scordale Beck. It's a pleasant walk as we passed the yellow gorse and an abundance of flowers of all colours, shapes, and sizes, and even from here we could hear the haunting cry of the unseen curlew as it flies around somewhere in the nether. We are now inside the army firing ranges.

Scordale Beck with Roman Fell right and Little Fell left.

It's very peaceful as we walked alongside the beck and the track stretched out far in front of us as it bent around slowly to the northeast to eventually disappear into the craggy sided confines of what used to be Scordales massive mining area. We passed a footbridge spanning the beck. A footbridge that was just wide enough for the passage of one person at a time, is most likely one that was built by the military but does link up the footpath that runs from Murton village to the one that runs over Christy Bank and then through to the B6267 Brough to Middleton-in-Teesdale road.

Footbridge over Scordale Beck.

Just past the footbridge is where the path/bridleway begins its journey climbing southeast as it works its way alongside Swindale Edge and above Swindale Beck.

The path rising above Swindale Beck.

Looking to Great Carrath from Swindale Beck.

The path is wide and green as it climbs gently up the fellside and we were nearly smothered by the bulk of Roman Fell towering above us on the opposite side of the beck. The sides of the narrow valley are scattered with large amounts of grey rocks that most likely are the left over's from the mining days of old. We came across a sign post with the picture of a spade, red circle, and red line crossing the spade on it which warned that digging was not allowed.

Digging is not permitted.

After about 15 minutes of walking the green track it suddenly reduced itself to the usual narrow through grass type of path that now boasted a marker post indicating the way to go. It was at this point that Chris spotted a small deer on the fellside just above us. It didn't appear to have seen us as it slowly descended the fell to our right and then disappeared from sight but within seconds it came bounding back up the fell and vanished over the skyline. We thought that maybe someone was walking behind us and scared the deer but we didn't wait around to find out as we had work to do getting up the hill. I have walked around the hills in this area many times and it is the first time that I have seen a deer never mind even a sign of one so it appears that the military manoeuvres' don't phase these animals at all or they wouldn't continue to use it as a grazing ground.

A deer just above Swindale Edge.

We arrived at a second marker post that is sited at the top of the rather steep sided gully that contains Siss Gill with no obvious path now to follow.

Old mine workings in the ravine of Siss Gill.

However, there is a path leading off to the northeast alongside the top edge of Siss Gill but as we followed it and the higher we got the path lost distinction and at one point was all but a faint mark through the grass. The views are expansive to west, north, and east looking across the wide open moorland with nothing but the sound of the curlews and the odd singing of a skylark to break the silence. In front of us we can see Little Fell and further over to the right the slightly higher bump of Mickle Fell. To the south are the twin tops of Roman Fell and Tinside Rigg

We saw a small number of sheep as we ascended, and the path also made another appearance as we neared the top of the gill. It was about this point where we saw the only piece of ordnance of the whole walk and that was a shattered, rusty casing with a ring of black rubber around it.

Old bit of ordnance at Siss Gill.

We did as the man at the guard room advised and just looked and not touched as we gave it a decent amount of room to just get on with its self.

The gill is now running out of steam as we neared its head and over to our left - west - peeping over the top of the fell we can see the pointed top of Murton Pike and the large round stone structure of Standards Fold sitting just above us at the 638 metre contour. As we continued upwards over the easy grass covered slopes we are now following a quad bike track that is leading us towards a small stone covered bank from where it was but a few minutes more to the summit of Little Fell. The top of Little Fell is covered in nothing but rough green grass apart from where the small summit cairn of stones sits on a mound of deep moss.

We are surrounded by large expanses of open moor, and to the north we can see the hazy shape of Mickle Fell and its large cairn looking too far away for comfort.

Little Fell top with Mickle Fell behind.

As we walk on from the summit we can see the rough and rocky eastern face of Scordale and Murton Pike to the west, whilst further round to the northwest we can also see the shape of Murton Fell. Apart from the old piece of shattered artillery we have seen no signs of any other ordnance lying around.

Passing a small tarn we began the walk down the pathless ridge as it went northwards down and into a vast hollow of grass and dark brown and black peat hags. In the distance lies Mickle Fell, but what lies in between us and it is enough to break a man into a quivering, sweaty wreck who wonders if he has done the right thing by coming up here, or as it is now, down there. Chris and I stop to try and work a way through this maze before us and decide that is impossible from where we were and let's get down amongst it and face what meets us.

Mickle Fell beyond the peat hags.

As we proceeded down the ridge things and the outlook were looking increasingly in our favour as the ground was a lot drier than had appeared from higher ground. Upon reaching the low ground we proceeded to wend our way through the hags and groughs with the wet ground being down to a minimum due to the abundance of recent dry weather that we have been blessed with. About a third of the way through we decided to tuck into a sheltered peat hag and have a bite to eat and drink.

Whilst having this time of peaceful repose and repast we noticed a series of small dams that contained much dark brown, thick sludge that is obviously a product of the ground that we are currently adorning.

Who's for a dip then?

It was also obvious to see that they were manmade and there to literally dampen the spirit of soldiers in training for their chosen profession. Bad enough doing the summer rounds of this lot in daylight never mind on a wet night of manoeuvres in winter. There are also a series of what looked like compacted rolls of hessian forming dry passages through some of the peat bogs that are still full of water.

Bog trotter's delight.

Strangely though, we can see no signs of past activity anywhere around this area. No boot marks are in evidence in the damp peat, no practice shells, no shell craters, nothing to indicate that this is an army training area apart from the bog snorkelling channel and hessian walkways.

Once we were about halfway across the 'break a man's spirit zone' we looked back to Little Fell that from where we were looked just like a long flat topped bank of grass and nothing like the side that we had not long ago climbed up from the south. To the north the rounded mound of Mickle Fell is becoming clearer and looking more rugged in appearance as grey rocky patches now appear on its south face whilst the ground beneath our feet is getting decidedly better and easier to walk on. Just to make sure that we didn't fall foul of any really bad ground we made our way slightly over to our left whilst keeping to the better looking higher ground. In the distance we could see a currick on the skyline and it is for this that we made our way. Within two minutes of this slight change of direction we realised that we had done the right course of action as we came across a wide green track that was running towards Mickle Fell. We were surprised at finding this track as we couldn't even see it from the heights of Little Fell. It isn't marked on the OS map but that is to be expected as it is on M.O.D. land and neither is it the path that runs up Scordale as that one runs up to Scordale Head and then on to join up with the Pennine Way and on to Cow Green Reservoir. No matter, we'll use it.

Now we are really striding out on the good track and before too long we are passing the previously seen currick that sits near the shelters both of which are sited on Arnside Rake, an area of stone covered ground that overlooks a small unnamed tarn and the 767 metre high ground of Meldon Hill to the northwest.

The shelters on Arnside Rake.

As we proceeded along the track Cow Green Reservoir begins to appear in the haze over to the north whilst our new best friend does a bit of a swerve as it lines itself up with the west ridge of Mickle Fell.

Mickle Fell.

The climb up the ridge is gentle and easy enough as we passed a number of shake holes and then a patch of stony ground that had a white plastic tube lying on the rocks with a currick sat like some overseer watching over it from behind and a little higher up. From the currick the ground levels out somewhat to reach a stony bank followed by the fence and hollow of King's Pot. From here we had wide open though still hazy views to the south over the rough ground that accompanies the route up from the B6267 road.

A few more metres and we were standing at the large stone built cairn that we could see from what seemed earlier so far away across very rough ground.

Chris at Mickle Fell summit cairn.

One side of it is sort of scooped out to form a small area of shelter and it also has the remnants of a blue flag stuck in it. We also wondered that as the track came right up to the top whether Mickle Fell was used as an observation station for the instructors whilst the troops are on manoeuvres in the low lying ground below us. The views from here are more or less as they are from Little Fell but now we can see Cow Green Reservoir as we looked north across the multitude of stones that are covering the north side of the fell. I walked down the fell for quite some distance to get a better view of Cow Green but it's just a shame that we're not here on a crisp and clear day as the haze is knocking the edge off any chance of a decent long photo shot in any direction.

Cow Green Reservoir from Mickle Fell.

Looking over far to the east we could see an OS trig column on the far end of the curved ridge and noticed a couple of walkers just leaving it and heading our way but as we were to be leaving here soon we didn't catch sight of them again.

As we had set off quite early we thought that we may be the first ones up here today but it was not to be as another visitor had beaten us to it, and in fact was still here, but being in his camouflage kit had gone unnoticed as he lay in the grass.

SAS Marine commando training on Mickle Fell.

Well it was time to move on after having had a mooch about and a drink of water so we set off the way that we had arrived here. As we reached the fence we met a chap who had arrived here by way of the route from the south following the fence from the B6267 road and after having a chat with him about the route that he had taken - which he said was not too bad a way up - we moved on only to be met by another four walkers who had arrived here by the same route as us. Pleasantries were passed between us and then we went on our way back down the west ridge to then follow the grass track back for a fair way before we decided to cut across to the west crossing the moorland that was between us and Scordale Head our chosen route of return.

On our way to Scordale.

The plan was to pass by the south side of an unnamed tarn, cross the tributaries of Coal Sike, then meet up with a sheepfold before finally reaching Scordale Head. That decision was a big mistake, nay even bigger than big, it was horrendous with the long heather clutching at the ankles, bog, hags, hidden holes and rocks threatening to break a bone or two. We decided that we'd had enough of this as we were making very little progress so we began to make our way back up to top of the bank where we knew we would find ourselves back on the grass track. As we passed below the aforementioned stone shelters we took aim towards the currick at Arnside Rake and from there regained the track that just for now was running roughly in our direction.

We followed the track until it turned away from the direction that we wanted to go and then headed over easier grass covered ground that lay between us and a rock covered mound that was also hosting a currick. This is the highest point on Hilton Fell.

Round Hill and Burnhope Seat from an island of rocks on Hilton Fell.

It was here that we had a short break for food and drink. We were sat amongst an island of rocks surrounded by a vast area of moorland that itself was encircled by the high Pennine Hills with the only gaps being the great gash of Scordale to the southwest and some slightly lower ground that carries the Pennine Way as it runs northeast towards Cow Green Reservoir.

Having rested up for a few minutes we continued down the fellside passing over Little Augill and an area of shake holes before reaching the path that leads out of Scordale Beck from under Brock Scar to Scordale Head. The head of the valley is like a large green and brown covered basin, but as we progressed down the valley on a narrow grass path the sides closed in with areas of mining waste being visible on the western side. There is no sign of the gill yet but within a very short time visible signs of it began to appear under Brock Scar as the path rose up from the valley bottom at the point where the narrow, stony bed of the just now dry gill begins to show itself as it begins its long and widening journey down the valley from where it will change its identity twice more to eventually join up with Hilton Beck and then finally continue on its journey into the River Eden.

Scordale widens out as we get lower.

As we descended down the valley the path crossed over Scordale Beck to its east bank from where it began to rise back up the hillside. As we could see the path way below us in the valley bottom we thought nothing about it as we assumed that once over the hump the path would drop down once again. As we progressed it became obvious that this was not the case and as there was no path showing on the map we decided to cut down the steep bank towards a waterfall opposite Brock Scar. Upon reaching the waterfall a further descent had to be made to be able to pass below it using large boulders to cross over to the west bank.

Once on the west bank we made our way over some rough pathless ground before we spotted a path marker post and a rough path that improved as we got further down it. Then we were on a grassy path that steadily widened as we began to pass under the old walls, buildings, and terraces that are all that now remains of the once massive mining operations that went on in this valley.

We reached the valley bottom as the path crossed the beck under Dow Scar and all we can do now is wonder at the works that went on around here and follow the wide track alongside Scordale Beck. Nature is slowly getting its own back on the devastation caused by the mining, but it will take many more centuries of healing before the scars are finally and permanently covered over with the vegetation of her choice.

A view down Scordale.

Looking up to Dow Scar we noticed a large white board but even with my most persuasive endearments Chris wasn't game to climb up to see what was written on it. It probably says "Danger, keep away." Unless it's for the army games who would want to put a sign in a place like that?

Looking up Scordale to Dow Scar.

Looking back up Scordale.

As we passed under Amber Hill and approaching Swindale Beck once again we saw a parked up LandRover and wondered if it was an army vehicle. But no, it wasn't, as we spotted and talked to the three people who were taking advantage of the non-firing days and who had just come down from Little Fell. We left them to it and continued walking back to Hilton as we passed Roman Fell and Murton Pike to reach the more open ground prior to arriving back at the car where we once again phoned up the Warcop Guard Room to announce our safe return to base and thanked him for his help. He asked if we had had a good day and thanked us for calling them back.

It has been a dry, sunny and warm day with hazy conditions and a cool breeze at height. The afternoon brought some cloud and warmer weather with it but all in all it has been a good walking day. Apart from requiring a permit to walk the area there is nothing difficult about this walk with very easy gradients all the way. Eyes were kept peeled for any dangerous objects of which we saw none apart from the split and rusty piece of metal somewhere near Siss Gill. We were glad that we hadn't had any wet weather for a few days as the ground, especially in the lower area, was mostly dry. The long grass track that runs between the two big fells was an additional bonus, whereas the long heather and rough ground under Arnside Rake was not. Alright, in a way we 'stole' Little Fell but the man who mattered didn't object and it is obviously climbed by people with no permit, probably locals having a walk out.

[Broggy1]

Good stuff

I always suspected that there would be little objection to climbing these hills on non firing days from anywhere without going through the motions of applying for a permit or (as I did) doing Little Fell via the annual guided walk....but I suppose it also depends on your nerves.

Not sure I'll visit these two again (too much hassle and faff for pretty average hills) but Roman Fell is certainly on the agenda on a non firing day soon.

[thefallwalker]

good report mate
As for the SAS marine frog, he's lucky my size 10's didn't engage him! he was that close before we noticed
looking forward to the next 1's

[MiniRambo]

Well done TM (and TFW). Another good read and interesting report of local hills. Although the weather was fair, it's a pity that views were limited as can often be the case in summer conditions.

[simon-b]

Useful information, TM. Thanks for posting. As a Yorkshireman, I ought to climb Mickle Fell someday. It's in County Durham now, but is also the high point of the traditional Yorkshire Ridings.

Nice report and pictures. Good to see you got some views; that's a bonus when you couldn't exactly plan around the weather forecast.

[poppiesrara]

Really interesting and useful report, Trailmasher, thanks!

Most of us might only come this way once, and we'll be armed with a lot of handy information when we do now...

[trailmasher]

:clap: Good stuff

I always suspected that there would be little objection to climbing these hills on non firing days from anywhere without going through the motions of applying for a permit or (as I did) doing Little Fell via the annual guided walk....but I suppose it also depends on your nerves.

Not sure I'll visit these two again (too much hassle and faff for pretty average hills) but Roman Fell is certainly on the agenda on a non firing day soon.

Thanks for your comments Broggy 1 . We did see walkers coming from all directions at one point and you're right about being average hills as there's nothing to get excited about on these two but they're Hewitt's and they're done now I also have my eye on Roman Fell and I believe it's a fav walk for the locals on a non-firing day

[trailmasher]

good report mate
As for the SAS marine frog, he's lucky my size 10's didn't engage him! he was that close before we noticed
looking forward to the next 1's

Thanks TFW and I didn't like the way he was glaring at me Hope that you're getting ready for the big five

[trailmasher]

Well done TM (and TFW). Another good read and interesting report of local hills. Although the weather was fair, it's a pity that views were limited as can often be the case in summer conditions.

Ta very much MR and it's been hazy on a few of my last outings but we take what there is BTW has Chris never mentioned seeing deer on the nearby fells Again, thanks for reading and comments

[trailmasher]

Useful information, TM. Thanks for posting. As a Yorkshireman, I ought to climb Mickle Fell someday. It's in County Durham now, but is also the high point of the traditional Yorkshire Ridings.

Nice report and pictures. Good to see you got some views; that's a bonus when you couldn't exactly plan around the weather forecast.

Thanks a lot Simon-b and pleased that it's useful to you As a fellow Yorkshire man I also think that you should make the effort to get up it Thanks for your comments and I did my best with the pics

[trailmasher]

Really interesting and useful report, Trailmasher, thanks!

Most of us might only come this way once, and we'll be armed with a lot of handy information when we do now...

Thanks poppiesrara and glad that you found it useful As mentioned I think that they are fairly relaxed on non-firing days as long as the clocking in and out procedures are adhered to there were about 8 cars parked at Hilton when we got back so must be a favourite starting point for these fells

[ChrisW]

How nice to see a sensible relaxed approach to permissions (on non firing days) A really interesting write up as ever TM and pics to match. Love the no digging sign I suppose you have to tell people nowadays Strangely geometric rocks with that impressive cairn on Hilton Fell, they almost look like foundation stones

[johnkaysleftleg]

Top notch report TM, loads of useful info. If I ever get to Mickle fell I would like to knock off Little Fell at the same time, good to know it's possible without bending the rules.

[trailmasher]

How nice to see a sensible relaxed approach to permissions (on non firing days) A really interesting write up as ever TM and pics to match. Love the no digging sign I suppose you have to tell people nowadays Strangely geometric rocks with that impressive cairn on Hilton Fell, they almost look like foundation stones

Thanks Chris I don't think that the army guys are too bothered about Little Fell as long as people behave correctly it is a grouse moor but we neither saw nor heard one all day and it did seem strange to find the island of rock slabs on Hilton Fell

[trailmasher]

Top notch report TM, loads of useful info. If I ever get to Mickle fell I would like to knock off Little Fell at the same time, good to know it's possible without bending the rules.

It's useful to get 'em both if you can as saves a lot of travel and walking Easy walking but quite a distance Thanks for your nice comments JKLL