Grasslees Valley to Darden Pike and Return
Northumberland
Distance 6km Climb 300m
Saturday 14 May 2016
I parked the car in a lay-by on the B6341 in the Grasslees Valley (130m). The same lay-by as I had used a couple of weeks ago, Today Anne was with me and I was showing her Darden Pike. We headed south down the permissible footpath towards Grasslees Burn. It was very warm and as before a nice day for walking.
The footpath crosses Grasslees Burn (110m) and as before we took the east side footpath through a gate onto a cleared path through the heather as it steadily climbs south, on the east side of a long narrow strip wood.
The path levels off across the side of Humble Law, then drops slightly through a gate. We could hear a cuckoo in the wood. The path starts to climb again there is a route through the heather where others have walked it was a lot drier today still quite boggy in places, no real hardship.
We stopped occasionally looking at the stunning views behind us, north, east and west. Where the thin track splits after approx 1.5 km we took the path to the left, east. The last time I walked here I took the path right up towards the top, this path disappeared. Today we walked by the fence, the path still climbed and was good.
As Darden Lough came into sight we turned right and walked across boggy heather, west towards the fence where I knew a path ran to the top. We disturbed a couple of greylag geese who flew off and landed on the lough.
At the top where there is a large cairn, we climbing over the gate and walked to the trig point at Darden Pike (374m). The daffodils I saw last time I was here were now dead, what a shame. We took a few photos and I showed Anne where I had walked on my previous visit.
Instead of walking on, today we turned back to the fence
and I showed Anne where our route back, we would head down the west path along the left,
western ridge. As on the other day the views were stunning we could see north, east and west, for miles.
We set off downhill, through the heather on a narrow path.
The route down had steady a little boggy area, the ground drops and levelled as we moved downhill.
Looking back at the top, the moon was out.
You could see the top of Darden Pike from a long way on this route.
As we moved down the ridge we could see our start. From the ridge we followed the path as it drops down into the field we had
crossed at the start of the walk.
The rock formation and crags to the east looked stunning.
It had been a lovely day walking, we had covered approx. 6 km with approx. 300m climb.
More to follow.
Details correct at time of walking.
If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Northumberland or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.
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