The Land of the Lune - Drakkar Press

The River Rawthey ...
Like the Lune, the Rawthey first flows north (as
Rawthey Gill off Baugh Fell) and then swings west
and south. Baugh Fell is the largest mountain of
Loyne, in terms of volume, that is, not height, occupying
the huge expanse of high ground between the A683, the
A684 and the Rawthey-Grisedale valley. It is one of the
least visited of the peaks of the Yorkshire Dales and
understandably so, because it is surrounded by many
more attractive challenges.
It is pudding-shaped, with the unappealing
characteristic, for a walker, of being relentlessly uphill
from whichever direction you tackle it and of having a top
that is always over the horizon. There is little of interest
above 400m. And when you reach the top, you cannot
be sure that you are there. The trig point at Knoutberry
Haw is, according to the OS map, 2m lower than the
unmarked, gentle summit at Tarn Rigg Hill (678m).
Some would say that Baugh Fell is pudding-textured
too but that is an exaggeration. Yes, it tends to be wet
and there are peat mounds to negotiate but there’s plenty
of grass and the top is a rough, stony plateau. Still, it is
one of those mountains best tackled when the ground
is frozen solid and there’s a layer of snow to hide the
desolation.
Baugh Fell is not the most exciting fell but it does
provide a magnificent view in all directions: circling
from the north Wild Boar Fell, Mallerstang, Great
Shunner Fell, Pen-y-Ghent, Pendle, Ingleborough,
Whernside, Great Coum, the Lakeland Peaks, and the
The River Rawthey ... 63
Howgills. The views of Whernside and Great Coum are
particularly striking. From other directions they appear
unremarkable but from here they have majestic profiles.
After 3km Rawthey Gill turns a left angle, becoming
the River Rawthey, to run through a limestone gorge
and over a series of waterfalls, one of which at least
deserves a distinctive name. Some call it Uldale Force
but Uldale seems to be the area north of Holmes Moss,
with Uldale Gill further north still. What’s wrong with
a simple Rawthey Force? Anyway, the 10m waterfall is
quite the equal of more illustrious waterfalls that we will
meet later.
Whin Stone Gill, Blea Gill and Needlehouse Gill
(which begins as Uldale Gill) join the Rawthey off the
western slopes of Swarth Fell, which is one of those
underrated hills that suffer by comparison with a near
neighbour (no, not Baugh Fell – Wild Boar Fell to the
north). At 681m, Swarth Fell is higher than the Howgills
and Baugh Fell and, with a flattish top and crags to
the east, has the characteristic shape of the peaks of
the Yorkshire Dales, although it is only half within the
National Park.
Swarth Fell also has the distinction of lying on the
‘national divide’ of England. From its southern ridge,
waters to the east flow (via the River Ure) to the North
Two pages before: From Fell End Clouds towards
Cautley Crag.
Below: From Baugh Fell over Rawthey Gill to the
Howgills.
This is Chapter 4 of The Land of the Lune (2nd edition), http://www.drakkar.co.uk/landofthelune.html, Copyright © 2010 John Self