Pinfold Hill

Hill, Mountain in Westmorland South Lakeland

England

Pinfold Hill

Charcoal kiln, Wakebarrow Converting recently harvested wood into charcoal using an iron kiln. — Charcoal kiln, Wakebarrow Credit: Karl and Ali

Pinfold Hill is a prominent hill located in the county of Westmorland, in the northwestern region of England. Rising to an elevation of approximately 500 feet above sea level, Pinfold Hill is part of the stunning landscape of the Lake District National Park, known for its rolling hills, picturesque lakes, and charming villages.

Situated near the small village of Pinfold, the hill offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Its location within the national park provides visitors with opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, walking, and birdwatching. The hill's gentle slopes make it accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels, making it a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

Pinfold Hill is characterized by its lush greenery, dotted with scattered trees and shrubs. The hill is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including various species of birds, small mammals, and insects. Nature enthusiasts can often spot ravens, kestrels, and buzzards soaring through the skies above.

The summit of Pinfold Hill offers a vantage point to admire the breathtaking landscape of Westmorland. On clear days, visitors can enjoy sweeping views of nearby valleys, rolling farmland, and the distant mountains of the Lake District. The hill's tranquil and idyllic setting provides a peaceful retreat for those seeking solace in nature or a quiet spot for a picnic.

Overall, Pinfold Hill is a natural gem within Westmorland's stunning countryside, offering visitors the chance to connect with nature, enjoy outdoor activities, and soak in the beauty of the Lake District National Park.

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Pinfold Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.28765/-2.8283165 or Grid Reference SD4688. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Charcoal kiln, Wakebarrow

Converting recently harvested wood into charcoal using an iron kiln.

Karl and Ali

Wakebarrow Pot entrance, Whitbarrow

There is little known cave development on Whitbarrow despite the considerable thickness of Carboniferous limestone available. This is the closest local equivalent to the deep systems of the nearby Yorkshire Dales. A small seepage stream sinks nearby and in wet weather reaches the restricted entrance. It was explored in 1964 by the Red Rose Cave & Pothole Club to a low crawl a few metres inside. This was extended in 1982 (by the Bishop Auckland Caving Club) through to 15m and 5m vertical pitches into a large chamber at a depth of 32m. So far, this seems to remain the limit despite the obvious potential for further depth. It isn't known if the water has been traced to link it with potential resurgences but obvious possible destinations are SD4387 : Fairies' Cave (Pool Bank Cave) or SD4484 : Beck Head rising. If I was still an active caver this would be an obvious target for 'pushing'.

Karl and Ali

Inside Wakebarrow Pot

This is looking down through a narrow 'squeeze' just inside SD4487 : Wakebarrow Pot entrance, Whitbarrow. Going in feet-first a ledge can be gained (on the right), from where a small chamber can be reached - just visible beyond. That's as far as I fancied going with just a small head torch. From there a low crawl leads to vertical drops into a big chamber. About 20 years ago I attempted to descend these but could not locate any reasonable anchors to tie a rope to without rubbing points on the sharp limestone.

Karl and Ali

Cottage at Row

Beside the lane/public footpath which heads west of the hamlet towards open pastureland and the wooded heights of Whitbarrow.

Karl and Ali

Lime kiln above Row

This impressively large kiln above the footpath is remarkably well-preserved and is a Grade II listed structure Link

Karl and Ali

Still hanging in there, Township Allotment

An isolated stunted tree that I first visited in October, 2011 SD4488 : A tree barely surviving, Township Allotment continues to defy the elements and cling to life. Today, conditions were relatively benign with warmth and sunshine after days of persistent rain.

Karl and Ali

Scattered trees, Township Allotment

Old maps indicate that the wall on the west side of this woodland (visible in the photo) was built later than the plantation walls on the north and south sides.

Ian Taylor

Brigsteer Causeway from road to Helsington Church

Colin Park

Helsington Pool (creek) as seen from S of Helsington Barrows

Colin Park

Lyth Valley

Peter McDermott

South Low Farm

Peter McDermott

Flodder Hall

Flodder Hall Farm.

Peter McDermott

Gilpin Bank

Peter McDermott

Ash trees in Whitbarrow Nature Reserve

High up on the plateau, the Ash Trees are looking very stressed, but here in the more sheltered woodland, most, like these, are looking quite healthy, although there are still a few (mostly smaller ones) which seem to be affected by Ash Dieback Disease, The diverse mixed nature of the broadleaved woodland here must be a help - disease spreads much more quickly in monocultures. As well as Ash there are birch, oak, holly, alder, hawthorn, hazel and some patches of beech, as well as the odd non-native like the weed sycamore. The forest floor is, however, widely covered by bracken (the world's single most invasive species apart from humanity).

Andy Waddington

Public footpath in Whitbarrow Nature Reserve

There's quite a network of paths and tracks within the Nature Reserve, of which comparatively few are, like this one, public rights of way, with very little in the way of signage to distinguish them. This hardly matters to the walker in that the area is all CROW Access Land, but there are more paths than shown on the map and no views of distant landmarks by which to stay orientated, so it's not always easy to pick the right way on, even with a GPS. It's one of those places where a compass is more useful. This bit of the woodland has a lot of Hazel, much of which shows signs of having been coppiced. The taller trees are mainly Ash, and there are quite a few here that seem to be in trouble - maybe they've just lost leaves in the recent strong winds, but one suspects Ash Dieback Disease is here and we can only hope that some proportion of the population prove to be resistant.

Andy Waddington

A maze of twisty footpaths, all alike

The marker post shows no less than five arrows (one is on the far side of the post), four of which represent public footpaths and one a permissive path (surely all paths are permitted in CROW Access Land?). Whilst some are bigger than others, all look similar and there are more junctions just a short distance away with no views of distant landmarks by which to orientate oneself. A compass (and GPS, which Geographers do tend to be carrying) is useful here, but beware there are other ways than just the paths marked on the map and no signage at most of the other junctions.

Andy Waddington