Manside Cross via Darden Pike from Grasslees Valley and Return
Northumberland
Distance 17km Climb 500m
Thursday 5 May 2016
I parked the car in a lay-by on the B6341 in the Grasslees Valley (130m). After a cup of tea I headed south down the permissible footpath towards Grasslees Burn. It was a nice day for walking, a little overcast but mild with a gentle breeze.
The footpath crosses Grasslees Burn (110m) and I 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, as the ground drops slightly the footpath took me through a gate. The ground starts to climb again although there is a route through the heather where others have walked it is slippery in places, quite boggy in others, with stones and boulders but no real hardship. It does not take long to reach a height which has stunning views looking back, north, east and west. South there is a view of a heather going up.
After approx 1.5 km the thin track splits, I took the path right up towards the top. I should have followed the other path round east, left to Darden Lough. The path I took soon disappeared and I was walking and stepping over thigh high heather not easy going at all.
At the top there is a large cairn. Climbing over the gate I walked to the trig point at Darden Pike (374m). Someone has planted a couple of daffodils and they looked lovely although they were being blown all over.
It was a cold wind blowing from the west as I sheltered with a cup of tea, planning the next part of my route. After a few biscuits I set off down hill, south east. Again the heather was deep and not making walking easy. I dropped and climbed up to the fence south of Dough Crag. The walking nearer the fence line was a little easier.
Cresting the rise and heading south down the fence I was joined by a couple of geese flying overhead honking and squeaking around me. I thought I must have disturbed them but as I moved further south I saw a roe deer run down near the wood to my left, it was beautiful. The geese continued to circle me and I saw the deer run back up to my right in the open ground, I was too slow to get my camera out as the deer moved over the rise through a small gully with the geese following. I think it must have been the deer that had disturbed them. Being circled by geese has happened to me a few times over the last few months.
At the fence corner I crossed the fence and continued south beside a small stream. It was boggy in places but a lot easier walking than through the heather. The wood to my right had been harvested and piles of logs were stacked next to the track ready to be moved. A hundred meters south from where the stream turns sharp left into the wood I joined the stone track. It was easier following the track through the wood. After approx 1300m the countryside opened up and I was in another large area of harvested wood in Harwood Forest (280m). On my right, south, the map showed a double fence line that I followed south. It was very rough going, very wet as I joined the fence line. Which in places was gone. The photo does not show how rough the going was. After a approx 100m of very wet grassland I followed the fence line south. In places there was patches of bog and felled trees to cross. It took me a lot longer than I had estimated to move across this ground.
As I climbed I came across a harvested area where new trees had been planted.
I was now in an area shown on the map as Gunner's Box, where a footpath running east to west crossed the fence. I walked across an old earthworks following another fence line south east to the Manside Cross trig point (325m).
After taking a few photos I walked back to the footpath fence junction and sat and had my sandwiches. I checked my map and looked to see where I would walk next.
I decided rather than walk back over the really rough ground I had walked on, I would return a different route. I followed the footpath west and joined a track that headed north, through another part of harvested wood.
I saw another roe deer as I startled it and it ran south, how graceful they move over rough ground, I was a little envious. Again too slow to get my camera out. I found a fire-break that headed north and took this. It was warm within the fire-break being very sheltered, peaceful and quite, it was lovely. The ground started to rise, it was slippery in places and had a few tufts. Easier walking than through the trees.
At the fence I turned west, over more tufted ground. On my right I saw another fire-break heading north, I had seen this when I was on the track and knew it would take me back the way I wanted to go. Along the fire-break a few of the trees had blown over so finding a way round them caused a little delay but not much. As I moved into more harvested area I had to take my fleece off it was starting to turn very warm.
Back on the track I headed north along the way I had come. I could see the way I had walked down and I was going to walk the same way back. Leaving the path I continued north by the stream I had earlier followed south.
Crossing the fence and following the fence north, there was no sign of the geese now as I reached the rise and looked across at Darden Pike.
I continued along the fence line to Dough Crag (386m). Looking east, right I could see Little Lough.
Looking north I could see Darden Lough.
I walked west dropping down to pass the south edge of Darden Lough. Then turning north to join the fence. Crossing the fence I climbed again up the path to Darden Pike (374m).
After a short stop to take a few photos I headed down west along the path along the left western ridge. The views were stunning.
I could see for miles north, east and west.
From the ridge the path drops down into the field I had crossed at the start of my walk. Then it was over the Grasslees Burn and the short climb back to my car in the lay-by.
It had been a lovely day walking, hard in places, very hard in others. I had covered approx 17 km with approx 500m climb.
More to follow.
Boz North
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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