Route: leaving the car by the recycling point in Blencarn and exiting the village to the southeast to take a path across a narrow strip of access land, the path boggy and submerged in parts. Climbing on a clear path through bracken (past attractive Highland Coos) to reach the summit of Grumply Hill and along the ridge to rejoin the valley path steeply crossing Wildboar Scar and then easing to continue up the plateau towards the Pennine Way, the ground becoming very marshy for a mile or so. Climbing northwards on the Pennine Way, the promised paved path sadly giving way again to marsh. Finally reaching a dry stony summit plateau with the recently rebuilt shelter. Descending northwards, again on marshy ground to reach a lateral path, corpse road but with only faint signs on the ground until it became a dry grassy track beneath mine workings (allowing us finally to run for a bit) and hence down to Kirkland. Then taking rather a complicated path round the tarn and back to the start.Conditions: very sunny, warm and mainly still (but icy wind on the top).
Pub: the White Stag, Dufton for Westgate Brewery Atlantic Hop.
