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Baugh Fell via Rawthey Gill

Baugh Fell via Rawthey Gill


Postby john923 » Thu Oct 20, 2016 7:41 pm

Hewitts included on this walk: Baugh Fell (Tarn Rigg Hill)

Date walked: 09/10/2016

Time taken: 6

Distance: 15.2 km

Ascent: 650m

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It’s a long time since I’ve written one of these things – well, 3 years to be precise – where has the time gone? A couple of those years were, of necessity, a bit quiet on the walking front so now we’re trying to make up for it a bit. So, we had a few days away in early October and given a good forecast and a run of dry weather beforehand we though it would be good opportunity to get Baugh Fell under our belts. It seems to be the sort of hill that most people do only once, which seems to be all the more reason for picking the right day.

2016-10-09 Baugh Fell.GPX Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


So on a fine Sunday morning we parked up at the end of the minor road at Uldale where there’s space for two or three cars (and one space already taken). There’s a distant view of Cautley Spout from the starting point and the route starts with the tarmac access track to Uldale House. Shortly after passing the farmhouse, where five yapping sheepdogs in their pens gave vocal notice of our presence, a helpful pointer then signed the way up a steep bank for the path south-east to Grisedale.
Baugh Fell _03.jpg
Turn left up the bank here

We headed up across a field where the rushes had been mown and a muddy stretch by Whin Stone Gill Bridge to reach the open access land.
Baugh Fell _04.jpg
The Howgills

If there was now a decent path we lost it immediately and never found it again. The onward route is simple enough, following quad bike tracks and narrower trods at some distance from and above the river but it’s fairly squelchy going. At least it’s compensated for by nice views up and down the valley.
Baugh Fell _05.jpg
River Rawthey

Baugh Fell _06.jpg
Ruin by the Rawthey

Evantually we dropped down to the river at the point where the wall comes down from Holmes Moss Hill and just beyond here there was a useful place to cross.
Baugh Fell _07.jpg
Looking down the river from Rathey Gill Foot

Baugh Fell _08.jpg
The start of Rawthey Gill - looking back to Wild Boar Fell

The next couple of hours were spent negotiating the twists and turns of the gill. This was at times delightful and at times frustrating. The Nuttalls write of sticking to the west bank throughout but I find it difficult to believe that anyone wouldn’t swap to the other bank if it looked easier. We must have crossed ten times or more although it wasn’t always obvious that we’d made the right choice – what looked good going for a short level stretch on the riverbank soon became less easy as the next corner was rounded and we found ourselves walking on the sides of our feet along trods which surely were too narrow for the sheep. At least with the water level so low the crossings were all straightforward.
Baugh Fell _09.jpg
Rawthey Gill

Baugh Fell _10.jpg
Further up Rawthey Gill

Baugh Fell _11.jpg
Waterfall

About half-way up we stopped by a small waterfall which made a nice lunch spot. Afterwards a short scramble up the right hand side of it got us going again. Further up a large round sandstone boulder looked very incongruous – it surely can’t have originated on this hill. Eventually, with the stream now most definitely smaller and quieter than when we set off we reached Gill Head and took the left fork and then the next right.
Baugh Fell _12.jpg
Boulder

Baugh Fell _13.jpg
Gill Head - take the left fork here

Baugh Fell _14.jpg
Leaving Gill Head

The huge expanse of open moorland which then opens up came as quite a surprise after the claustrophobic nature of the ever narrowing gill. The East Tarns were on our left and the rest of the top seemed to be a patchwork of grass and red sedges and areas of bare peat and stones. We picked our way through this to get to the Hewitt summit of Tarn Rigg Hill where the view ahead to Whernside, with Ingleborough behind, is the main attraction. It was here we spotted, in the distance, the only other walkers we would see that day.
Baugh Fell _16.jpg
East Tarns

Baugh Fell _17.jpg
Whernside from Tarn Rigg Hill

Baugh Fell _18.jpg
Knoutberry Haw trig point

It was an easy walk from there, following the wall, to the trig point of Knoutberry Haw and the next section northwards to West Baugh Fell Tarn was easier still. This was by far the fastest section of the day and one of the most enjoyable - level and dry with a small path to follow. The rock isn’t isn’t far below the surface here so there’s simply not enough peat or vegetation to hold up a lot of water. Except of course for West Baugh Fell Tarn
Baugh Fell _20.jpg
Tarn Rigg Hill from Knoutberry Haw

Baugh Fell _22.jpg
Tarn Rigg Hill and Knoutberry Haw from West Tarn

Unfortunately the decent route degenerated fairly quickly into tussocky grass and rushes. This was a bit of a slog and it seemed to get worse the lower down we got. We aimed for the white house in the distance (New House on the map) but even so, dropping down to hit the track to Rathey Gill Quarry was unpleasantly steep at the end of the day. (I guess there may be some merit in continuing in a bit more of a NNW direction and then looping back, just to make the gradients a bit easier, but I’m not planning to check it out any time soon.)
Down by the river the beeches were starting to put on their autumn colours. All that remained was to cross the wooden footbridge, take a last look at the Rawthey cascades and head up through the trees to join out outward route.
Baugh Fell_28.jpg
Back down to the river

Baugh Fell_29.jpg
River Rawthey at Uldale

Although a bit tough going on the way up and the way down which is mostly pathless, the top of the fell was much easier going than I had expected. It does need a clear day though to make the most of the expansive views.
john923
 
Posts: 196
Munros:16   Corbetts:10
Fionas:6   Donalds:11
Sub 2000:17   Hewitts:237
Wainwrights:187   Islands:5
Joined: Apr 20, 2009
Location: Winchcombe, Gloucestershire

Re: Baugh Fell via Rawthey Gill

Postby trailmasher » Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:02 pm

Good report and pics john923 :clap: you must have been the owner of the blue car that was parked up next to mine and the other two walkers that you saw in the distance was me and my wife E. 8)

I am just in the throes of writing my report for the same day but you beat me to it :( however I will submit it as I may have a different slant on it to yours :wink: Some of your photos are nearly identical to mine so will find something different out of the wreckage :lol:

Well done on a good walk :clap:
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trailmasher
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Re: Baugh Fell via Rawthey Gill

Postby john923 » Fri Oct 21, 2016 8:08 pm

Thanks for your comments trailmasher and what a bizarre coincidence? :D The blue car was indeed ours - in fact we could see both for most of the time we were descending from the West Tarn. We didn't actually see you two ahead of us at that point but you can't have been that far in front.

I remember when I checked earlier reports for this hill being slightly surprised that you hadn't already done one - it is classic trailmasher territory I thought to myself :lol: - so I hope I haven't taken the shine of what you were going to say. I shall certainly look forward to it.

It's a shame we didn't actually get to say Hi in person - it's always pleasing to meet fellow WHs.
john923
 
Posts: 196
Munros:16   Corbetts:10
Fionas:6   Donalds:11
Sub 2000:17   Hewitts:237
Wainwrights:187   Islands:5
Joined: Apr 20, 2009
Location: Winchcombe, Gloucestershire

Re: Baugh Fell via Rawthey Gill

Postby trailmasher » Fri Oct 21, 2016 9:11 pm

john923 wrote:I remember when I checked earlier reports for this hill being slightly surprised that you hadn't already done one - it is classic trailmasher territory I thought to myself :lol: - so I hope I haven't taken the shine of what you were going to say. I shall certainly look forward to it.

It's a shame we didn't actually get to say Hi in person - it's always pleasing to meet fellow WHs.


This was our last of the northern fells in the Yorkshire Dales and had to wait so that the two of us could do it together :( :wink: and I've certainly had some 'classic' walks in the Pennines and Dales this year :crazy: :roll: and don't fret you haven't taken anything away from my report 8) and will do my best to emulate yours :)

We did linger awhile but couldn't see you on the horizon so shot off after a quick brew but may meet on a hill somewhere, sometime :D
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trailmasher
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Posts: 1302
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Re: Baugh Fell via Rawthey Gill

Postby ChrisW » Mon Oct 31, 2016 3:11 am

I often find myself asking the same "where does the time go" question John....still didn't get the answer yet :roll: Anyway, looks like you made a great choice for your return and in favourable conditions too...long may they continue :wink:
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