Garrigill, B6277, Tyne head trail, Calvert End, Noonstones Hill, Cumbria.
[19.5 km] Thu 22 Aug 2013

OS Grid Ref: NY 7447 4155
Lat/Long: 54.768302, -02.398192

In the centre of Garrigill village is a small car park. I left my car there and set off along the road to Garrigill Bridge. Just before reaching it is the Village Hall on the right.

Looking over the right hand bridge parapet I could look down to the River South Tyne and also some levelled areas that seemed to have access from an adjacent garden. Straight over the bridge is a steep path upwards which I followed. It was wet and slippery in places and half way up to the main road was a holiday cottage on the left which only had a steep rough unmade track for access.

It’s not a track I’d risk my car on. A little further up I came to the tarmac road which was still steep but had a good wearing surface. I reached the main B6277 and turned right for an easy walk to the south. It was warm but quite overcast with the threat of rain. Across the valley to the right I could see the fell I was going to be walking over. After a mile I reached Ashgill Bridge which is much larger than appears as you drive over it. A long way down below is Ashgill Force. The stone information plaque on the parapet reads:

Cumberland County Council
Ashgill Bridge
1916
William Finch - County Surveyor and Bridgemaster

After the last house on the right I came to the footpath sign that pointed me down across fields. The grass and rushes were horribly wet and the route was just a rutted track. As I reached Hole House Farm the path wasn’t very obvious. The path sign pointed into the field on the right but I had to negotiate an unsigned gate to get into the farmyard. It was well maintained but I couldn’t see anyone around. Over the bridge I walked up the track to the tarmac road at a sharp left turn.

I headed south for a short way where the tarmac finished but a track continued. The sad looking crumbling farm of Dorthgill was on the left. The roof was still on but was sagging alarmingly. The track was well maintained and substantial bank stabilisation works had been done to stop it washing into the river. A vehicle had driven past me earlier and later I saw it parked in the Moor House area which I visited on 26 June 2012. As I approached the high point of the track there is a monument to the source of the South Tyne River on the left. By it is a marker stone which reads:

Source of the South Tyne
by Gilbert Ward
2002

The infant river South Tyne runs north to reach the River North Tyne near Hexham where they combine to form the main River Tyne which runs to Newcastle and the North Sea.
As I walked over the rise I looked down on to the River Tees which also flows into the North Sea to the east but take a route that reaches the sea at Middlesblorough. The source of the Tees is Tees Head by Crowdundle Beck but I’m not aware of a marker for it. I left the track and walked across to the right. There were some scattered stones which could have been old mine workings. What I did come across was an old silted up leat, or artificial watercourse. It originally ran back the way I came and would have taken water from the Tyne and brought it by gravity to the summit of the pass. It was probably for the old mine workings further down the track. I came to an old mine entrance which is marked as a ‘level’ on the map.

The ground was now getting very rough and wet. I headed up to an old ‘hush’ which is where the surface spoil was removed by a water dam which was filled then released to scour the surface to expose lead ore. It was huge and impressing and had old mine shafts on the north side. I was now on Calvert End and came to a rough track which I soon had to leave to head towards Round Hill and the junction of 3 walls. The weather was deteriorating and the rain became heavier.

I followed the summit wall to the north and came to a gate which I passed through to take a quad track on the west of the wall.

It didn’t last long before running off in another direction. The ground improved a bit at Noonstones Hill then I descended towards Paper Hill and a line of shooting butts.

To the north of Paper Hill the ground was so bad and wet I took a short cut across by Linkinhow Syke to a track at Green Hill. I followed it to the right where it joined the tarmac road near Howgillsike. I followed it down towards Garrigill but stopped briefly at Crossgill Bridge to look at the marker stone on the parapet which reads:

Crossgill
Bridge
Renovated
1891

Garrigill Post Office

Back in the village I saw the Garrigill Post Office was open. I was intrigued so had a look inside. It was fairly old fashioned with a flag floor.