Fremington Edge from Reeth.

Start. Reeth.

Route. Reeth - Reeth Bridge - High Fremington - Reels Head - New Close Bank - Fremington Edge - Fremington Edge Top - Fell End - Storthwaite Hall - Heggs House - Castle Farm - Reeth Bridge - Reeth.

Notes. This little excursion's been hidden in the dark recesses of my hard drive forever, I stumbled across it whilst having a clear out. I studied various routes up the hill before setting out, so many people take the obvious direct ascents through the vast complex of redundant mine workings, steep and lung busting, maybe I'm getting soft but I reckon this is an easier if slightly longer option.

The wall of grey crags I was about to traverse looked rather imposing from the large village green at Reeth. Grey buildings and grey rock on a cheerless murky day, not the most enthusiastic of starts. With a threat of rain in the air I set out descending the hill to the river, a fine bridge spans the Arkle Beck, I crossed to join field paths heading west to High Fremington, at this small cluster of farm buildings and Dales cottages a finger post invited me to Marrick Priory, I obliged letting field paths guide me under Fremington Edge to a narrow ribbon of tarmac, this was the road to Marsk, my route onto the hill. An easy ascent followed, with tarmac under foot I reached the junction with the Marrick road, a finger-post invited me to step into sheep pastures, this was the start of the three and a half mile traverse of Fremington Edge.

Lets not guild the lilly, with a dry stone wall and landrover track to guide me, heather moorland rising to the north and the landforms to the south melting into a murky day, this was a trudge. Champions of Fremington Edge may disagree, I would be the first to hold my hand up and admit, maybe the steep ascents are more interesting, in Summer with sun on your back and the heather in bloom it will be a very different experience, but today with drizzle on my back it was a trudge.

Lets be nice and call it a plod, I plodded passed a restored lime kiln, north-west passed some old mine workings, an abandoned radio mast and some ancient bell pits. Eventually the path passed through a gate descending through the Fell End Lead Mine. I passed a couple of deep hushes before reaching more abandoned mine workings. The mine track I was now following deposited me at Storthwaite Hall in the valley of Arkengarthdale, I turned to head back to Reeth. I wandered South through pastures and woodland, an ancient bridleway possibly once the main routes through the valley under foot, I left the bridleway at Heggs House, field paths then ushered me through yet more limestone pastures, passed ruinous farmsteads and down to the banks of Arkle Beck. I soon spilled out of the fields onto the main road next to Reeth Bridge, the fine bridge I'd crossed earlier, all that remained to re-trace my steps to the village green.

view route map.

home.

Reaching across the horizon, Fremington Edge, seen from near Reeth Bridge.

From field paths west of Reeth, Grinton Moor.

Calver Hill above Reeth as seen from near High Fremington.

Cogden Moor across Swaledale.

Restored lime kiln passed at the start of Fremington Edge.

Hazy views across Swaledale.

The route ahead.

Looking back to Garnless.

Old lead mines on Marrick Moor, they also mined coal, iron stone and chert (an impure black or grey quartz, used in the manufacture of fine china and pottery) on these high tops.

Views taken along Fremington Edge.

Bell Pits on Fremington Edge Top. Narrow vertical shafts were sunk into the coal or iron ore seem, they were then opened out into large chambers, little timber was used so when the roof became unsafe the pit was abandoned.

Looking west along Fremington Edge.

More old mine workings and abandoned Bell Pits.

Hazy vistas over Marrick Moor to the ill-defined hills above Marske.

Seen from Fell End, Fremington Edge and the valley of Arkengarthdale.

Forever etched into the landscape, the scars of an industrial past, this hush carves it's way down Fell End, there's also one across the valley, a giant scar on Peat Moor.

The ghosts of an industrial past, abandoned mine workings under Fell End.

Descending to Storthwaite Hall viewing Fell End and Fremington Edge.

Fremington Edge above Arkengarthdale.

Reeth with Green Hill rising behind.

A final look back to Fremington Edge, and a promise to return on a brighter day.

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