The Black Horse of Busha
A short, steep detour from the ridge between Bush Howe and The Calf provides views
of the intriguing Black Horse of Busha. This is a large patch of isolated stones that, from
certain viewpoints, resembles the outline of a horse – although many people say it looks
more like a camel! There has been speculation that this could be an ancient hill figure,
while another theory says it might have been created by smugglers as a navigational
aid from out at sea. This would seem unlikely since it lies at least 20 miles inland and
is often draped in thick mist. Another legend describes how Roman soldiers used the
landmark when they travelled between Lancaster to Carlisle. The strange figure must
have had some local importance because, until the Second World War, school children
were apparently given a day off each summer so that they could help to maintain
the shape of the horse. It isn’t marked on the map but the location is pinpointed in
Wainwright’s book about the Howgills.
Horseshoe walks
The broad ridges above the long, deep valleys of the Howgills lend themselves to some
excellent high-level horseshoe routes. A circuit of Weasdale, for example, starts on
the northern side of the fells and takes in Green Bell and Randygill Top as well as the
source of the River Lune. And the fine walk up Cautley Spout (a cascade of over 650ft
and the longest waterfall in England) begins by the A683 and continues along the edge
of Cautley Crag before descending south over Middle Tongue. Look out for one of
Andy Goldsworthy’s artistic sheepfolds by Red Gill Beck at the top of the falls.
MORE HOWGILLS HIGHLIGHTS
The Great Outdoors July 2019 57