Nuttall's 10.1 squelchfest around and above Burnhope Moor.

[trailmasher]

Burnhope Seat plus 4.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I was going to do this walk with Chris, but other more mundane matters took precedence over his day out on the fells so I decided to get on with it by myself as me and my shadow get on quite well together and it would be a bit of company on this long moorland walk around the North Pennines eastern fells. But, as the day boded well in Sunday's weather forecast E decided to come along and keep us company so more kit, food, and drink to sort out for the ensuing march across the moors.

As promised the day dawned dry, sunny, and warm with quite a few clouds about but nothing to mar the welcome sunshine as we set off for our parking place at Burnhope Reservoir the preferred spot of the Nuttall's, but that is not the reason for our choice of starting point. I had considered starting from various places along the B6277 to save myself some climbing especially at the 590 metre contour by Crookburn Bridge but there would have been a lot of duplicated leg work for that to work. The next option was to start further along down the road at the start of the old mine road just below Grass Hill Farm and start with Three Pikes and do a linear but that would have meant two cars and a long drive to the Killhope Cross and back again.

We arrived at Burnhope Reservoir around 9:30am where there was only one other car parked up. whilst consuming our usual pre-start drink of tea and a bite to eat we had a look around the old redundant stone building that sits on the reservoir wall and presume that it must have been - or still is - where the pumping station and access into the bowels of the reservoir retaining wall are. The reservoir itself was very low on water and looking at the grass growing on the usually water covered embankment has been for quite some time. Upon starting the walk we left the car park to walk southeast along the tarmac road to pass through a small wicker gate in the wall passing an old lime kiln on our right…

Old lime kiln near the reservoir.

before arriving at another gate that led us onto the well graded tarmac lane that goes by the name of Grasshill Causeway and after a fairly long uphill climb of around 70 metres and being forced to leave the road at one point because of belligerent free ranging cattle straddling it we arrived at a wooden gate from where the tarmac slowly ran out to be a well stoned and still easy graded track that now goes by the name of Galloway Hill. As we have gotten higher the views have opened up across the valley of Weardale with the hills of Killhope Law, Middlehope Moor, and The Dodd to name a few now in view to the north. West and south are the hills we are soon to be crossing whilst east Chapelfell Top can be made out.

As we progressed up the track the inevitable grouse butts were in evidence and somewhere on the left there is a shooting hut although we didn't go out of our way to find it. A short while after passing the butts we arrived at a fence and gate at Coldberry End and this is the point where the hard work now begins. Three Pikes is over to our left and we left the track to follow the fence as it went roughly south downhill to a wet hollow at the head of Cutthroat Sike before rising and after walking along a long flat area falling once more to the head of Pencil Cleugh from where the going gets really rough underfoot.

Following the fence to Three Pikes outlined in the middle distance.

There is now an unremitting and relentless fight with the bog, groughs, and hags that seem endless and if the tracklog is to be looked at the squiggles of it will show how much of a work around we had to do to be able to pass through this part of the walk to Three Pikes summit.

Peat hags on the way to Three Pikes.

Eventually finding our way through and reaching more amenable ground we passed an old unmarked boundary stone…

The old boundary stone with Great Stony Hill behind.

just past the corner of the fence that we climbed over and from there it was - after the last rough patch - an easier walk over rough grass to reach the cairn and shelter…

Elizabeth at Three Pikes west cairn and shelter getting ready to eat.

that are not at the true summit which is further away to the east across a few more peat hags and sat in the middle of a great expanse of grass that bears a few stones as a cairn with a white plastic pipe helping to mark the spot.

After walking to the correct summit we hunkered down at the shelter to have a well earned break whilst taking in the views to the south and west where we could see Cow Green Reservoir, Meldon Hill, and way over to the southwest are Cross Fell and the two Dun Fells with many smaller ones between us and them. We could feel the chill of the breeze on this exposed top so donning of coats was done before we set off to re-trace our inward track back to the main track of Galloway Hill and our next top, Great Stony Hill and its trig point at 708 metres that we can see from this elevated position far away to the northwest.

Great Stony Hill from Three Pikes.

Before making too much headway we stopped to survey the landscape to try and choose a better route back than the one that had brought us to Three Pikes. Below us there was the fence that we had crossed earlier on our way to here and further along it and more to the north there is an adjoining fence with a wooden slide gate in it. That is what we aimed for but first we had to cross some quite boggy ground again but once over that and climbing the slide to gate to follow the fence northwest until it left us and from where we stumbled upon some good old quad bike tracks which were a big help in getting us back to the Galloway Lane track.

From the track we climbed a short bank to come upon a narrow trod through the grass and after a few minutes of passing over mixed ground conditions which entailed a lot of moss we arrived at the highest stone scattered point of Great Stony Hill with its OS column, large cairn, and the remains of some old structures that look as though they could have once been associated with the local mining activities.

Great Stony Hill summit.

Once again we are surrounded by the far away south and western Pennines and we can now see more or less where we are going with Harwood Common - or Redgleam as it also known as - to the west, Burnhope Seat further along to the northwest, and Dead Stones just short of north from the west. The ground looked pretty good from where we were but as can be seen later, looks aren't everything by any means.

Harwood Common - Burnhope Seat and Dead Stones to the right.

After leaving GSH we had a long walk west following the fence to reach a stile to allow passage over a cross fence from where we encountered wetter ground between High Field and Langtae Head and once more needing quite a lot of working around to keep as dry as possible. The ground that looked so amenable is in a lot of places just body grabbing wet moss and bog and is not a place to be on a foggy day.

Bad ground on the way to Harwood Common.

Once we had got through this marshy ground it became firmer underfoot as we left Langtae Head and approached an area of disused quarries and spoil tips where it looked as though a lot of the large mounds of small stones had been taken away probably to be used on the estate roads. We came across and used whilst we could some old mine roads…

The old mine track and shaft on the skyline under Scaud Hill.

from where we could see an estate road and signs of it being repaired by what we guess are - or were - the old mine/quarry waste tips as we passed below the south side of Scaud Hill. There are also old mine shafts about but they are fenced off and after dropping a stone down one had to wait a while before I heard it hit the bottom. I know how these shafts were built and it must have been hard, wet, and dangerous working conditions especially in an enclosed space such as they had to work in.

Once past the old shafts and we had left the old mine track behind we made our way towards an obvious level patch of old workings where there was another shaft and the last one that we would come across on this walk. From the old waste tip we had to make our way across and up the pathless fellside tramping over more long, rough grass with its own areas of moss and soft ground but nothing like we had passed through only an hour ago. One or two more peat hags were encountered but all in all the going was fairly easy as we got the summit cairn in our sights and found it sitting on grass on this otherwise featureless Hewitt of Harwood Common.

The day is hot though the breeze is cool as we took a short break to take in fluid before setting off for Burnhope Seat the highest of our five hills today at 746 metres and quite a way to the northwest over more rough ground which by now is getting somewhat monotonous, but one has to keep smiling even if it's only to encourage those that are with you.

We set off across the moor with Burnhope Seat looking straight at us as we tramped over the grass and heather aiming for a fence that passes across Scraith Head and what must be the collecting ground for the water that runs north east into Scraith Burn, Burnhope Burn and eventually the reservoir whilst draining off to the southwest it makes its way into Crook Burn and the River Tees. But in our opinion not enough of it drains off as it's akin to the swamps on the Florida Keyes and is quite a challenging place to cross without sinking up to the fetlocks in sludge and water.

Burnhope Seat behind wet ground.

However, we eventually got across whilst trying to keep as near to the fence as possible which at times was impossible but as we got further away from Scraith Head the ground got progressively better. Better I said, but still not good as we arrived at a junction of fences where there is a wooden slide gate and stile plus a large square shaped boundary stone that looks quite new, is sat on a small plinth of stones and has the initials DC and EC on two of its four sides. I didn't look at the other two sides as getting over what's in front of us now is more important than initials on a stone, more peat hags and donkey work.

Boundary stone below Burnhope Seat.

We crossed over the stile to put the fence on our left and began to make our way through more brown, sticky umbala - the Baluba tribesman's word for crap - helped along by pieces of discarded fence posts tossed aside after the new fence was erected.

Elizabeth in the peat hags below Burnhope Seat.

Walking the fence posts below Burnhope Seat

There is one fairly decent grassy patch amongst this lot but by the time you get there you're probably going to be goosed, so time for a short respite at this point is not a bad idea. After this short interlude of comfort we started again fighting the wet peat…

Elizabeth trying to keep dry on her way to Burnhope Seat.

until after finally getting over the last of the hags the ground once again firmed up a little but not enough to stop using the old fence posts that now lay in between two rows of standing posts forming a narrow passage up the fellside walking aided by the posts underfoot and the vertical ones to hold on to.

Keep between the posts on the way to Burnhope Seat.

After slipping and sliding about between the posts better ground was reached where we found short grass, a bit of a luxury around this neck of the woods, and a narrow path that we followed directly to the OS trig column sat on its columnar base of concrete and surrounded by medium sized stones.

Burnhope Seat OS trig column summit.

This spot appears to not be the true summit that is further over to the west so I set off in search of it. From my point of view this was a waste of time as the way over to it is pathless and very boggy and had the small cairn of stones been much bigger it would have been easier to pick out as it's sat on a hump of grass on the far side of the fence that I followed to get there. At one point the ground is so bad that I did what others before me had done and actually walked on the wire fence that has been half flattened for presumably that purpose.

A wet passage to Burnhope Seat's true summit.

My way back was by a different route as I kept more to the north of my inward journey and it was found to be much drier but I did have to take on the role of Jonathan Edwards at a couple of places as I threw my finely honed and tuned self across some wide stretches of water filled holes. I took an altitude reading at both cairn and OS trig column and found no difference in height, and looking from one to the other from both ends each one looks higher than the other, I rest my case on this one.

The damn battery on my camera has just run out so I will now have to use my phone which takes crap pictures but will just have to hope for the best.

Another snack and drink was had at the trig column before setting off to our last top of Dead Stones although we still have Highwatch Currick to negotiate after Dead Stones. To do this we set off just east of north following the fence and keeping it to our left as we first of all crossed more wet ground to find drier stuff after a good few metres.

Dead Stones dead ahead.

Salad days we thought as we walked over good grass and remembered that the Nuttall's said that this was mostly easy going now for the next 1½ miles - 2½ kilometres in new money - and who were we to disbelieve them as we almost ran across the good ground beneath our feet.

I'd like to meet this bloke who says that something is 100 yards away when in reality it's something like a quarter mile and that 'the going is easy for the next 1½ miles'. After this false start the ground is horrendous with a large area of the now familiar sticky ground, peat hags, bogs, and wet ankle deep moss in the low area at Sallygrain Head, yet another gathering ground for water. At one point on the opposite side of the fence to us some Good Samaritan has laid a ruck of wooden pallets down the full length of the hags to act as a walkway across them but by the time we had got to them it wasn't worth the effort climbing the fence and in any case the ground was wetter at its northerly end where there were no pallets.

Pallet path on the way to Dead Stones.

Having negotiated this latest obstacle we then found better ground again and now followed a narrow path through the grass to come across a stone shelter…

Stone shelter on Dead Stones.

just below the summit of Dead Stones and a large, well built and tall cairn sat on the highest point of the fell.

Dead Stones summit cairn.

The shelter has a fireplace and roof that looks like it would leak like a colander during rain but at least it is shelter from the weather if the need ever arose.

Another well earned break for a refuel before setting off east for the last top of the day, Highwatch Currick and its trig point and this now means another 2.5 to 3 kilometres to that point. E is tiring and we still have a fair distance to go apart from the walk to Highwatch Currick there is still a fair bit to go from there to the reservoir but at least the worst is over now with the going good over grass and an intermittent path to follow, first downhill and then another climb up to the currick. The day has been - and still is - very warm and our stash of drinks is getting sorely depleted so I held back on mine to give E more of a chance if we needed it later on.

As we walk east Highwatch doesn't appear to be getting any nearer which is a little disconcerting for Elizabeth at the moment although we are travelling fairly quickly over this good ground. Forty five minutes later we are following an old tumbledown wall up towards the trig point on Highwatch Currick, leaving the wall and a short swerve to the left and we arrived at the trig point with a small cairn sat to its left. This is where my phones battery ran out thankfully as the pictures are rubbish so once more or less off the fell I used E's phone for the last few shots. A short break before taking the path down to a rough track past The Malakoff and what seemed like a winding descent down but was in fact more or less straight as the track went east for quite some distance before turning slightly left to arrive at a fence and gate. At this point we took to the rough fellside once again to walk southeast down Green Laws, over large clumps of grass and around larger areas of rushes our target being a lane that runs between walls and will bring us out at Stripe Head.

We couldn't actually see the lane from where we were high up the fell but we could see a large barn in the general direction of the lane so we went for that and soon enough the gateway into the lane soon appeared. The lane which is fairly steep, very stony and slippery with water running down it soon had us at the tarmac road where we turned right to follow it right the way around onto to reservoir wall and the car.

A view over Weardale from the old lane.

Burnhope Reservoir.

Our drinks had just about held out but there was plenty more in the car along with hot water and tea bags which were used to make a welcome change from lukewarm bottled water.

I don't mind walking by myself; in fact I love the solitude of a good walk in quieter places but on this occasion it was good to have some company whilst walking this giant sponge of the Northern Pennines as it would have been all too easy to pack in after the first three tops and do the other two individually at some other time from some easier access point, so I'm pleased that E came along and it has been a long hard slog for her since we left Harwood Common but never a moan or complaint left her lips, bless her.

It's been a hot day despite the coolness of the breeze at height, but not hot enough to dry out the ground, so I would think that this is a walk for less than freezing temperatures on a good, clear winter's day then maybe a speedier passage could be made across this holding ground for water.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Some walk reports make you wish you where there.....

Please don't take offence TM but this isn't one of them

Loads of useful info as per usual but the most useful being wait for a freeze of the high ground. I did once make my way up Great Stony Hill almost by accident but the remainder of these hills have remained untouched by my boots. No way I'd take Hughie up there I fear I'd either have to carry him or I'd lose him.

[trailmasher]

Some walk reports make you wish you where there.....

Please don't take offence TM but this isn't one of them

Loads of useful info as per usual but the most useful being wait for a freeze of the high ground. I did once make my way up Great Stony Hill almost by accident but the remainder of these hills have remained untouched by my boots. No way I'd take Hughie up there I fear I'd either have to carry him or I'd lose him.

Thanks very much JKLL and no offence taken mate as this is a rough one I read your report of your trip up Great Stony Hill and that was why I was considering that way of going . Unless Hughie has ten foot long legs with waders to suit leave him at home for this as I nearly lost E on a couple of occasions
I would suggest flares and high frequency radio if and when you tackle this one Anthony

[Broggy1]

Tough walk.

I did most of these hills last year and we had a much drier summer so the going was a fair bit easier for me - albeit i did slightly different routes at times.

I remember the pallet path and being quite thankful for it though and I also remember distinctly thinking the same thing as you when it came to Burnhope Seat's true summit - the Trig can only be inches lower and even then "if you're heads above it, you're above it!".

Definitely hills for a heavy frost or a drought period and - as you say - company is not bad idea on them as if something happened to you it would be along while before anyone found you.

Have loved your reports this year!

[trailmasher]

Tough walk.

I also remember distinctly thinking the same thing as you when it came to Burnhope Seat's true summit - the Trig can only be inches lower and even then "if you're heads above it, you're above it!".

Definitely hills for a heavy frost or a drought period and - as you say - company is not bad idea on them as if something happened to you it would be along while before anyone found you.

Have loved your reports this year!

Tough and rough indeed Broggy but we all do it
Regarding the 'true summit', after passing over that mess I had a job even seeing where the cairn was and like I mentioned in the report the GPS recorded exactly the same height as the trig point so if anyone gets to that then they should consider job done

Pleased that you have read and enjoyed my reports and thanks very much for your comments

[poppiesrara]

Really good effort there, TM, it looks horrendous!

If I ever go there, I was already pretty sceptical of the appeal of this Nuttall route, and this hasn't helped! Could you see if just trying the short up/downs from the road to the south looked any better?

[ChrisW]

Good lord TM, that's appalling I have spent quite some time trying to find a suitable adjective for someone who voluntarily put themselves through something like this, as you can imagine I came up with quite a few

But I believe I've settled on the correct one so here you go mate :-

DEDICATED

Not the one you expected eh? Great effort in some truly bloody awful conditions

[trailmasher]

Really good effort there, TM, it looks horrendous!

If I ever go there, I was already pretty sceptical of the appeal of this Nuttall route, and this hasn't helped! Could you see if just trying the short up/downs from the road to the south looked any better?

Horrendous it is poppiesrara and thanks for your comments .

There is no easy way to do these individually apart from Great Stony Hill that can be got at via the track that starts just southeast of the cattle grid at Ashgill Head on the B2677 road as the ground is bad from all directions It is possible to get Harwood Common and Burnhope Seat from the same road following the fence up from Crookburn Bridge on the same road but Straith Head is very wet. Three Pikes can also be done along the old road from Ashgill Head although a long rough walk bog and heather bashing, doing Great Stony Hill as well would save a trip and some leg work. I did consider doing an out and back for all of these but now glad that I kept on walking as would not have liked to go through it all again.

Good luck and thanks for your comments

[trailmasher]

Good lord TM, that's appalling I have spent quite some time trying to find a suitable adjective for someone who voluntarily put themselves through something like this, as you can imagine I came up with quite a few

But I believe I've settled on the correct one so here you go mate :-

DEDICATED

Not the one you expected eh? Great effort in some truly bloody awful conditions

I sometimes wonder why we do it but we do I do like a challenge and this was certainly that and a great effort from E who coped with it all wonderfully even though she was tired towards the end

I suppose some people would call it something other than dedicated but as far as I'm concerned you can't beat the good old outdoors

Thanks for your comments Chris much appreciated

[thefallwalker]

"I was going to do this walk with Chris, but other more mundane matters took precedence over his day out on the fells"

Due to sad circumstances I never made this 1 & after reading yours & Elizebeths heroic efforts I can honestly say I'm relieved
The both of you deserve a medal so well done, I would of been no good to you on this walk mate even reading the report makes me want to whine, whinge & grumble under my breath at you
See you both in the morning for another epic no doubt

[trailmasher]

"I was going to do this walk with Chris, but other more mundane matters took precedence over his day out on the fells"

Due to sad circumstances I never made this 1 & after reading yours & Elizebeths heroic efforts I can honestly say I'm relieved
The both of you deserve a medal so well done, I would of been no good to you on this walk mate even reading the report makes me want to whine, whinge & grumble under my breath at you
See you both in the morning for another epic no doubt

Thanks for your comments TFW and being the man that I am I would have loved you to have been on this one with me if only to hear the non stop whinging and complaints for the next 12 months and yes it could be a big day

[Christo1979]

A great report, and one that makes me question my own sanity, given that I’ve got a free day tomorrow and thought I might head up to do these hills tomorrow. As ever, your experiences are a great reference for me to read before I head off into the bogs 😂.

[trailmasher]

A great report, and one that makes me question my own sanity, given that I’ve got a free day tomorrow and thought I might head up to do these hills tomorrow. As ever, your experiences are a great reference for me to read before I head off into the bogs 😂.

Thanks very much for your nice comments Christo and pleased that some of my walk reports and track logs seem to supply enough info and help other likewise people on their walks The weather has been fairly good to us lately so you have chosen a good time to get these done in hopefully drier ground conditions

Good luck for the day and stay safe. Also looking forward to your report if you do one Again, thanks for your comments on this walk from the past