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CHAPTER 1 GELTSDALE

An old railway trackbed on the way back to Howgill (Walk 2)

The extreme northwestern part of the North Pennines is easily reached by way of Brampton and is dominated by the broad moorland dome of Cold Fell. The ‘mad’ River Gelt drains this area, having its headwaters on boggy moorlands partly protected by the RSPB and partly managed for grouse shooting. The King’s Forest of Geltsdale was established in the 14th century and was notable for the hunting of wild boar.

Four walks in this area are described, starting with an easy and attractive low-level circuit in the countryside near Brampton, which is just outside the AONB boundary. Cold Fell is best climbed in good weather and features extensive views, but the ground underfoot is nearly always awkward and boggy. Don’t expect to meet many walkers on top. (An elderly local farmer once asked the author to point out Cold Fell, on the grounds that he’d heard of it, but never really knew where it was!) The King’s Forest of Geltsdale is explored using tracks and paths around the flanks of the hills, rather than crossing over them. Croglin Fell, on the other hand, is climbed purely for its own sake. Interestingly, Croglin village achieved some notoriety following a series of ‘vampire’ attacks in the 19th century.

Public transport to Brampton is good, both by bus and train, but onward transport is quite limited. Some of the little villages may have a bus service on only one or two days in the week. While a full range of services is available at Brampton, facilities in the nearby villages are limited to occasional pubs, some of which provide accommodation. Bear in mind that accommodation in Brampton comes under considerable pressure in the summer months, as it is within easy reach of the popular Hadrian’s Wall National Trail.