Hardraw Great Shunner Fell Hugh Seat Hell Gill Cotterdale Hardraw
23rd April 2010
Good climbs and High Fells
Who: DS; Stayed the weekend at Dent
Weather: Sunny periods with a cool breeze. Could walk on the tops with just a base layer but when we stopped for a break then we had to put a top on. When we dropped down to Hell Gill I put my shorts on. Brilliant walking weather. There was some haze on the tops which spoilt the views only marginally.
Parking: On the road at Hardraw. On busy days the parking is limited so get there early. When we returned to the car there was a note saying we had outstayed the 3 hour waiting limit and should pay £5 at the Green Dragon. I took no notice of it but the note said that they had our car number. I wondered what was going on. More of this later.
The Walk
I wondered what to wear and decided on my summer trousers and a base layer. A good choice for the start of the walk. But in my defense I took my shorts and short and long gaiters. Walk through the village (west) away from Sedbusk.
As you leave the village just before the end of the 30mph speed restriction turn right up a walled track (FP).
This is the start of the ascent of Great Shunner Fell. A notice told us that there were restrictions on a path at Cotterdale because of logging. We were returning via Cotterdale but decided that as there were diversions in place we would decide on the detail of the route later, if we were diverted from our intended path.
The track climbs up Hollin Hill for 0.5km where it bends left and continues to climb. You can make good time on the track all the way up to the summit of Great Shunner Fell.
In a further 1km a track – Hearne Coal Road - goes off right to Pickersett Nab. Keep left (FP) up the main track. A further 200m on, a path goes off left to Cotterdale (FP). The track continues to climb and views open up.
Lovely Seat is on your left and as you climb the hills of Baugh Fell and Sail come into view on your left.
A further 1.2km on the track divides again.
Take the right hand track (FP) which now climbs for a further 4km to the lonely top of Great Shunner Fell.
It’s a great climb. The path is easy to follow, even in poor visibility.
In part it’s paved and the remainder is a mixture of grass, peat and some stoney patches. The views continue to open up as you climb. Today the curlews were out, the lapwings swooping round and calling to their mates and the skylarks in full voice. It was beautiful and one of the reasons I enjoy so much being on the high moors. You have to be there to appreciate the feelings days like today evoke.
As you climb you can see the quadrant stone seat that marks the top of the Fell for miles. It never seems to get closer. However, as you climb to the top of the flat top plateau of the fell the line of hills from Sail to High Seat and on to Nine Standards Rigg opens up.
Close to the summit you cross a stile in a fence and 50m later you’re at the summit. The view from the top is stunning. All around to the north, east and west are lonely grass and heather covered peat moors. To the south is Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside, to the east is Swaledale with Rogan Seat on its north side and Lovely Seat at the head of its southern side. North is Nine Standard Rigg and to the west the fells that border the Mallerstang Valley with the Howgills beyond. It took us 1.75 hrs from the start to the top. Here we had a well earned rest and refreshment before heading for Hugh Street.
From the top the way ahead is north of west. On a clear day you can see Hugh Seat so navigation is easy. Head to the fence on your left and walk back to a sheep gate.
Go through the sheep gate and descend off the top to the left hand side of a fence. This fence can be followed all the way to the top of Hugh Seat; on days with poor visibility this would be the safe option. But the fence twists and turns and you can shorten the route by cutting across some of the bends. It’s over 4.25km from Shunner fell to Hugh Seat. The route follows the watershed between East Gill and West Gill that flow south into the Ure and Great Sleddale Beck that flows into the Swale.
It’s a wet area but today after a month of little rain it was dry. And it was a good job it was as some of the areas that we crossed would be decidedly difficult in the wet. Today we didn’t have gaiters and at the end of the day my socks were clean and boots dry! Wouldn’t happen in the Dark Peak.
As you traverse the watershed the route adjacent to the fence becomes easier as you can follow quad tracks from the gamekeepers. The whole area is being fenced, drained and re seeded to promote heather regeneration and re-introduce black grouse.
Eventually you cross a new track and the go through a gate in the fence to cross to the northern side.
From here a fence drops to the watershed between West Gill Head and Short Gill; the fence follows the right hand side of a clough that leads into West Gill.
The final ascent of Hugh Seat starts at a sharp right hand corner in the fence and climbs up the left hand side of a fence along a line of wooden buts that run parallel to the fence. Half way up you cross a fence coming from the left then cross back to back to the left hand side of the fence climbing up the fell.
Soon the gradient drops and you reach the apex of the fence which almost doubles back on itself. This is the top of Hugh Seat.
Ahead 100m away is Lady’s Pillar and in front of this the Mallerstang valley framed by Swarth and Wild Boar Fell.
It’s a great view.
From Hugh Seat head due south, dropping down and crossing the top of Little Grain. You pass two cairns and head for a third which is adjacent to a fence.
In bad weather follow the line of the fence. It’s quite easy going in the dry as you descend but can be wet at the bottom as you cross the head of Little Grain and before the climb up to the top of Little Fell.
Once you get to the fence follow it south with the fence on your left. It’s wet at the bottom of the coll and you may need a detour away from the fence to cross the bottom of the coll. However, get back to the fence and follow it until it turns hard left (west).
Here cross the fence via a stile and take a weak path that heads south and climbs up to the top of Little Fell. It’s quite easy going. You have to cross a fence close to the top – there is no stile so be careful not to damage the fence. On the top side of the fence a lot of work has been done on the fellside drilling drainage ditches and planting heather.
Head south and climb to the top which is denoted by a small cairn and a large post. We had lunch here in the spring sunshine.
From the top continue south over Ure Head and onto Sail. The last time I’d been here I had struggled up High Seat and was full of lactic acid as we walked the skyline to Little Fell. Because Sail is lower than Little Fell I declined the offer to conquer Sail. Today it was a delight.
From Sail the way down off the top is just north of west.
Head north to a large cairn on the western side of the top. From here you can see Hell Gill a couple of kilometres below you due west. If you follow the gill down you eventually come to a wood. At the bottom of the wood is Hell Gill Bridge. The wood is just north of west and around 2km below you . Although it doesn’t look it, it’s quite an easy descent. However, contractors have drilled drainage ditches by contouring round the fellside. So be careful not to twist your ankle. As you drop down and are close to the wood you pick up tracks that takes you along the bottom (eastern side) of the wood and drops down to a good track – The High Way – to the south of Hell Gill Bridge. Three teenagers were trying to see the Gorge from the bridge. They were the first people we’d seen all day. To our left on The High Way we could see a couple walking towards us and a couple walking away from us. With the exception of a guy we saw at Cotterdale these were the only people we met all day; and it was a Saturday.
Turn left on The High Way. It’s a good track that contours along the side of the valley with the infant river Ure in its bottom. You follow the track for 3km before leaving it at High Dike. Soon the track divides; take the left hand track. Shortly after this I changed into shorts; yes spring is here! The track crosses a number of gills, the first of which is the infant Ure. This is followed at regular intervals by Birks, Washer, Grass, Lambfold and Keld Gills. Eventually you climb up to the buildings of High Dike where you turn left (FP) and climb diagonally right up and over Tarn Hill. It’s a pleasant climb on a grassy path. After 1km you reach the top and the apex of two fences (FP). Continue straight and the path drops down towards Cotterdale.
After 0.7km you reach the edge of what used to be an extensive plantation which you enter via a stile over a fence. Parts of the plantation have been felled, but the path is reasonably clear and in part well way marked. The top part is felled and the path runs to the left of Tarn Gill. Eventually you hit the trees; we had to make a detour as some had fallen over the path. The path then hits a track which you turn right on to (way marker). In 30m you turn right off the track (way marker) and drop down through a further felled area to the edge of the trees. A way marked path takes you right, round the top of the trees and eventually drops down to a track by Tarn Gill. Cross the track and continue ahead dropping down to West Gill – which is now a river.
You cross the Beck via stepping stones; if the Gill is in flood then 100m or so up stream is a bridge. Across the Beck turn right and follow the left hand bank for 300m. As the river bends right and the path tracks the left hand side of a fence to a farm. Ignore the stile (a single walker ahead of us turned right and crossed the stile – we saw him later walking down the road into Hardraw as we drove off) and continue along the line of the fence and across the bottom of the farm buildings to a stile by a gate. Turn right along a track and immediately turn left and cross Cotterdale Beck using a footbridge. For the first time this year there were oyster catchers scurrying around. On the far side turn right and walk down a track on the left hand bank of the Beck. After two walls off left a path is marked as going left into a field; Dog said we couldn’t miss it. We couldn’t find a stile! More Yorkshire farming hospitality. We could see the stile exiting the field we should have gone into. However, turn left through a 5 bar gate in the next field – there is a stone barn in the middle of the field – and walk to the top right hand side of the field. Cross a stile (FP) , then a footbridge and climb diagonally right to a stile in a wall. Here turn right and track along the top of the wall.
The path essentially contours along the valley side but there are dangers and care is needed to keep to the path especially in the first 300m. From the stile the path follows the top of a wall and then crosses an open field to a wall. Cross the wall. There is a tendency to go low in this field but the path follows below the top wall in this field and above a barn. On the far wall of this field is a stile. The path is now more distinct and you contour down the valley side. Addleborough comes into view and below you can see Appersett and Hawes. After 1.3km the path begins to climb before levelling out and joining the track (FP)you were on earlier in the day that took you to Great Shunner Fell. Turn right on the track and drop down into Hardraw (FP). At the road turn left walk past the cafe and the Green Dragon pub to the car. We stopped for a pint in the pub only to get an ear bashing form Mrs Dog because the landlord is a supporter of off road activities. When we got back to the car we found the note on the windscreen. I half read it and dismissed it. Later we found out that our two wives were responsible for the it; much to their amusement.
Summary
An excellent walk in perfect walking weather. The route is reasonably easy to follow but care is needed in poor visibility from Great Shunner fell to Hugh Seat, from Hugh Seat to Sail and from Sail to Hells Gill. It is a walk for a clear day after a dry period. Surprisingly for a Saturday we saw few people but did see and hear lots of wildlife.
Home Start Point Dales Books Related Sites Text Only Map&Summary
Home Start Point Dales Books Related Sites Text Only Map&Summary
No more pics as battery failed!