views from here were limited by the steep enclosing slopes. The Blakethwaite
Stone, marked on the map, was a little underwhelming but it signifies the
centuries-old frontier where Westmorland once met Yorkshire. The proud
old shepherds would never have believed that their ancient counties could be
carved, chopped and partly wiped into the history books.
A dozen golden plover wheeled above Stowgill Brow. Their plaintive calls
echoed on the wind as they ducked and dived across the horizon, while a snipe- jet black against the clouds – shot into the sky with the force of a small fighter
plane. Later in the day I disturbed a portly woodcock from its rushy hiding
place and it took off with just the same vigour but not quite as many zig-zags.
HIGH POINT OF THE HOWGILLS
The Calf is the highest point in the Howgills, and its trig point became visible
once I crossed Windscarth Wyke and breached Bush Howe. White Fell Head
was a gently rising stage that turned east to meet the top table, where an
unexpected pool could almost be a spilt drink. Often, during the summer,
this becomes nothing more than a muddy stain but today its smooth cobalt
surface reflected the clouds as they drifted and ballooned over Yarlside and
Great Dummacks.
The view was exceptional but it was easy to see why the Howgills can easily
confuse when the mist comes down. The convex slopes effortlessly mingle
with each other, and the numerous steep spurs all look very similar. The
valleys wriggle into the ridges but, even in broad daylight, it would be all too
easy to end up in the wrong one.
The cloud-draped escarpment of Cross Fell growled in the north and the
Lakeland peaks competed for airspace. The fells around High Street were
particularly conspicuous and I counted five long ridges running west beyond
Shap. Kidsty Pike and the crags at Riggindale were thrown into dark shadow as
the afternoon progressed, but the far hills of Yorkshire kept their sunshine.[previous spread] Classic Howgills country – looking north towards the ridge known as
Breaks Head on the descent from Uldale Head to Blakethwaite Bottom [right] Dramatic
light sweeps across the gullies that tumble down to the rocky ravine known as Carlin Gill
[below] The view north-east from The Calf with the ridge running out to Hazelgill Knott
in the centre. Randygill Top rises beyond the great gulch of BowderdaleHOWGILL FELLS
56 The Great Outdoors July 2019