Knarsdale to Greenhead Pennine Way RFM Blue Line

 Knarsdale to Greenhead 

Pennine Way 

RFM Blue Line

10/08/24

Day 2 of a trip to walk the Pennine Way from Garrigill to Greenhead with my brother, Peter. The day started at the Lowbyer Manor at 8.00 with a very tasty full english. We drove to Greenhead and then leaving Peter's car there I drove us back to Knarsdale.

It was about half a mile to get back to the point at which we had left the Pennine Way the day before. The day promised to be sunnier and definitely less windy than yesterday. We immediately started to climb a hill, back to the real Pennine Way.

Up one hill and straight back down to the railway at Burnstones site of Knarsdale Hall which looked splendid.

Up the hill to Side House where we met a farmer's wife with her little 4 wheeler waiting at a gate. She said she was waiting for her husband bringing sheep off the moor. We exchanged friendly pleasantries and continued on our her way her wishing us well for a good walk. What a great start to the ramble.

The wall line was straight and I was sure we were following the route of a roman road from the fort going probably to the fort at Greenhead.  Next to the wall in a marshy area a snipe rose from the ground and powered past me at arms length.  A look at the map indicated that I was right. 

Up and down the valley at Small Cleugh and then across the top of Lambley Common following the romans. I speculated that restoring the roman road would make a great tourist attraction. Peter indicated that the spending of many billions to build a roman road for me to walk on would probably not be economic not to mention archaelogically destructive. Back to earth Roger.

We crossed the moor and left the roman road to drop down to the A689 near Lambley.

Across the marshy fields of the Blackburn past a bull. This bull didn't get up and didn't look very muscular but it did have a nose ring. Across Holly Rigg to High House which we couldn't work out whether it was a defendable farm house or just a barn.

Acorss Hartley Burn and up the steep marshy slope towards Foxhole Cleugh. The cows were hiding in the long grass. 

Our route was past this bull, 2nd of the day, he was lying on the path close to the gate. We flanked the cows and calves that were nearby and edged our way to the gate which was only feet from the bull. He never flickered. He looks big in the photo but in real life he was huge. I was glad he was tranquil. I should say at this point that Peter wanted me to walk between the bull and the wall but at that point he though it was a cow. To be fair I think you could have patted him on the head he was so relaxed.

Up and down another valley and on to Ulpham and through past Batey Shield.

Looking back the fort was still just in view. We crossed the fields to Greenriggs and went through the garden next to the house past rotting cars, geese and hens with many chicks. It was fun and a bit 'Larkins'

We then crossed bleak moorland past Wain Rigg. We tried to have our lunch at the trig point on Black Hill but it was walled off so we settled for some rocks nearby. This was a very big isolated landscape, it was great.

We saw a pair of snipe close to the path.

 We came off the upland and turned right onto Todholes, a small disused quarry and building.

In the far distance we could see the wall on the hillside in the distance.

Down to Greenhead Cleugh along a hard core farm track and across the A69. It was easy to cross, plenty of gaps.

More cows in the fields as we passed the golf course.

We crossed the golf course on the Vallum, the earthwork associated with Hadrian's Wall. I did not find this out until after our walk.

To get to the road we had to walk down a steep banking and through a narrow field with a horse in it. My theory with horses is that if you make a noise you do not scare them so they remain calm. Imagine my suprise when I clicked and this large pony looked up from his grass meal and started walking towards me up the narrow path. I patted his head and after being urged by Peter squeezed past him towards the gate. The pony followed me and nuzzled my rucksack which as it contained an apple was no suprise. I could hear Peter behind me trying to usher him away from my back but he was fine just nudging me gently. We patted him over the gate but following good practice I had to refuse him the apple as you should never feed farm animals whilst rambling.

We walked on a grassy path past a row of terraced houses and over the railway, (probably historically connected).

We passed the ruins of  Thirwell Castle which is 12th century not Roman.

We passed the ford at Holmhead. Others know the history of this much more than me but it was very pretty. We thought the ford must be the only way to get to the houses, most inconvenient.

Then it was up a very straight very steep hill. (The up view is on the left and down view above.) I have since found out that this is the course of Hadrian's Wall so unknowingly we have already walked on the Wall. Cool.

The view from the top shows the Wall on Walltown Crags. We were more concerned with getting to the car in the car park. On this journey the roman wall and forts etc will just be of passing interest secondary to the Pennine Way objective. Maybe one day I will return to explore more thoroughly because I really do like the fact that you can still almost touch the Romans

Knaresdale to Greenhead
Distance	12.39	miles
Duration	5.32	hours
Avg. Speed	2.24	mph
Total Ascent	1638	ft
Steps	30818

For the 2 days

Garrigill to Greenhead
Distance	25.34	miles
Duration	11.44	hours
Avg. Speed	2.16	mph
Total Ascent	2787	ft
Steps	63656