Nine Standards Rigg

Wed 31 Aug 22

My friend and fellow blogger Simon were due to meet up to walk and neither of us were feeling particularly fit (unusual for August).  I’d been looking at a short route near Kirkby Stephen – Nine Standards Rigg  I asked Simon if he fancied it and he said it was on his to-do list so it was settled – that’s the peak we’d do!

I’m quite lazy nowadays about carrying my big, heavy Zenith film SLR camera, partly because I’m normally walking in the Lakes and have photographed everything there is to photograph.  It wasn’t a great day weatherwise but Nine Standards is definitely a peak to take your camera on.  I’ve scanned some of these photos in black and white as I thought the subject suited it.

All photos:
my Zenith manual film SLR

We normally take one car and it was my turn to drive but Simon said he needed to call at Carlisle on the way home to pick up a parcel so we took both.  It took longer than we expected driving along the busy A66 – I resolved to go back the other way via Tebay and the M6 which ended up being a much better route – I think Simon did the same.

We were delighted to find that there is a large, free carpark in Kirkby Stephen and parked our cars up while I went to search for a bakery.  After a quick late breakfast of something savoury (can’t remember what) and a chocolate eclair, I was ready to set off.

We went back and got my car and drove out to the nearby village of Hartley.  I drove up the road above Hartley for the mile or so of road uphill to the start of the moorland to see whether we could park up near the gate.  When we got there we weren’t sure whether we should so I drove us back down to the village and parked just above it.

It is a steep ascent up the road but pleasant scenery with lots of tempting looking hills.  On re-reaching the gate to the moorland, we went to read the notice board.  Apparently there are three routes depending on the season – our summer route was straight up the rough vehicle track.  This was dry, good going and pleasant enough and soon the famous Nine Standards appeared on the horizon!

There was a small cairn on the hillock nearby but probably a different builder than the famous ones above.  In fact, on the approach there were quite a few single cairns, one of which I rebuilt to a better standard before continuing!

We were soon near the ridge-top and the cairns…

The Nine Standards – builder/s unknown

On arrival at the cairns, much enthusing and clicking of cameras ensued!  Each cairn is built in a completely different shape – they’re on average around nine or ten feet tall and all are very impressive.

Simon photographing at the opposite end…

one of our favourite cairns

the little cone cairn in the middle of these three was my joint favourite

my other joint favourite is the straight tower one here

the straight tower again with a strange hollow to the right of it

We availed ourselves of one of the ‘ledged’ cairns to sit comfortably out of the cold wind for a snack and a hot drink while we debated whether the actual summit of the fell was a short distance further away as there looked to be a summit cairn and it looked uphill.  We decided to go and find out – whether it was or not (and I think it was), a short walk past it yielded a nice view back to the Nine Standards…

I continued on for a short distance along the ridge as I could see some interesting stones piled up ahead.  When I got there it was some sort of collapsed building of several rooms – very unusual on a moor top!  Not sure what it had been…

Staying in black and white for a minute as I particularly liked this shot of the distant Wild Boar Fell given that treatment…

Wild Boar Fell over Mallerstang Edge

I won’t go back the same way on a walk no matter what so said we’d take the route I’d originally looked at on the map – I think this is the Spring route.  It was wet but more scenic and I enjoyed it.  There was an interesting gill…

I think, from the map, this is Rigg Beck

and I think this is Faraday Gill

looking across Tailbridge Hill

Soon we briefly rejoined our outward route – with slightly wetter feet but then that’s Northern English summer walking for ya!  Nice view back over the wall…

Nearly back – Lower Faraday Gill

Soon we were back at the moorland gate and the pleasant (and much easier) walk back down the steep road.  There were people parked up by now so I’m pretty sure we could have parked up near the road-end but never mind…

A great day out to an interesting location!

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