Swaledale, Oxnop Common, Whitfield Fell, Nth Yorkshire.
[14.0 km] Tue 05 Aug 2014

OS Grid Ref: SD 93154 95878
Lat/Long: +54.358379, -02.106843

The weather forecast for today is better that tomorrow, which is my usual walking day. I drove via Wensleydale to the steep climb out of Askrigg towards Gunnerside. Over the summit I descend part way down to Jenkin Gate where there was plenty of space to park. I walked back along the road and over the summit again. A camper van was parked there but nobody was up. Its location gave superb views. I turned right to follow a stoned track where the map shows Stackhill House.

It is now a well maintained Shooting House and the split level front door was unlocked. Inside was clean and tidy with large candles arranged in strategic places. It would have been a lovely lunch stop but it was far too early. To the south was a wonderful view of Wensleydale. To the east was a plume of smoke rising vertically then wafting across the dale in a higher cross wind. South was the very distinctive mountain profile of Addlebrough with Buckden Pike on the far horizon.

I continued along the track which was pleasant walking. When the stone surface ended it continued up the fell though much less distinct. Over Blackstone was a large square cairn and in the distance the more distinctive cairn or beacon on the north end of the ridge. When I arrived there were great views down into Swaledale.

I now had no path to follow as I headed west to cross rough ground to Stony Gill Head. It is a dry gill that descends towards Swaledale. Along the west side I came to an interesting circular sink hole filled with water. It looked like a natural feature as there were no spoil heaps to indicate mining or quarrying.

I crossed more rough ground to Mason How Top where it improved underfoot. There were several interesting boulder features. I descended to the stone wall and followed it to another stone built shooting hut. This was unlocked as well with the inside well maintained and tidy. The main building also had an upstarts accessed by a very steep set of stairs. From the hut I began my return to the road along a recently stoned track. It was level at first but on the final approach was a very steep descent to reach the gate and road. At the road I turned right and had to climb steeply up back to the car for quite a while to regain all the altitude I had lost.