Bields Hill

Hill, Mountain in Westmorland Eden

England

Bields Hill

Footpath in groove en route for Nine Standards Rigg The path, seen looking to the west - downhill - is one of the main routes to the summit of Nine Standards Rigg and is a variant of the &#039;Coast to Coast&#039; long distance path. — Footpath in groove en route for Nine Standards Rigg Credit: Trevor Littlewood

Bields Hill is a prominent hill located in the county of Westmorland, in the northwestern region of England. It forms part of the larger Pennine range and is known for its picturesque beauty and rich natural heritage. Standing at an elevation of approximately 1,925 feet (587 meters), Bields Hill offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

The hill is characterized by its gentle slopes and lush greenery, making it a popular destination for hikers, nature enthusiasts, and photographers. The area is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including heather, bracken, and various species of birds and mammals. The rocky outcrops and crags that adorn the hill add an element of ruggedness to its overall appeal.

Bields Hill is easily accessible, with several footpaths and trails leading to its summit. The most commonly used route starts from the nearby village of Orton, where visitors can embark on a scenic walk through rolling meadows and woodlands. The ascent to the top is moderate, making it suitable for individuals of varying fitness levels.

Once at the summit, visitors are rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, including the nearby Howgill Fells and the Lake District National Park. On clear days, it is even possible to see as far as the distant Scottish hills.

Overall, Bields Hill in Westmorland offers a serene and tranquil escape for those seeking to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the English countryside.

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Bields Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.463325/-2.2760949 or Grid Reference NY8207. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Footpath in groove en route for Nine Standards Rigg

The path, seen looking to the west - downhill - is one of the main routes to the summit of Nine Standards Rigg and is a variant of the 'Coast to Coast' long distance path.

Trevor Littlewood

Footpath erosion - Nine Standards Rigg

One of the variants of the Coast to Coast path approaches the hill of Nine Standards Rigg by this route. On the steep slope there has presumably been sufficient erosion that wood-retained steps were built and that probably led to some recovery in the grass cover - see to the right of the steps. In time however lack of maintenance has seen the earth eroded from the stepped line which would make climbing and descent awkward; as a consequence, understandably, walkers have walked a line beside the steps causing yet further erosion!

Trevor Littlewood

Peat haggs near Baxton Gill Head

An extensive area of peat haggs and bog lies to the south-west of the summit of Nine Standards Rigg; the trig point of the hill is seen on the skyline to the left of a pair of walkers. Following an extended spell of unusually dry weather the crossing of the ground in view was remarkably easy.

Trevor Littlewood

Ruined building on south-western slope of Nine Standards Rigg

This ruin, close to a junction of bridleways on the slopes of Nine Standards Rigg is not shown on OS maps at either 1:50 000 or 1:25 000 scales; its original purpose is unknown though there is an old quarry to the east and there could be some connection with that. The hill seen at the left side of the image is Tailbridge Hill.

Trevor Littlewood

One of the Nine standards.

Along the Coast to Coast path.

steven ruffles

Collapsing wall fragment at old quarry workings on Bastifell

Bastifell is a location to the north of Nine Standards Rigg and the Nine Standards can be seen distantly at the right side of the image. The section of walling is a curiosity seemingly serving no clear purpose other than perhaps as an occasional shelter for those working at the shallow quarry excavations in the vicinity.

Trevor Littlewood

Scattered rocks and wall fragment on Collin Hill

North from Nine Standards high ground descends gradually and mainly is grass covered but some rock is exposed. Gritstone has been quarried on a small scale but in this image and certainly on the distant hill to the north there's much scattered white rock; limestone surely. The purpose of the short section of dry stone walling is unknown.

Trevor Littlewood

Section of ruined wall on Collin Hill

Collin Hill is a minor fearture of the hill country north of Nine Standards and Nine Standards Rigg. The image shows densely scattered white rocks (presumably limestone), on lower ground beyond the stretch of dry stone walling with a bog in between.

Trevor Littlewood

Ruined barn, Reigill

In the background on the right is Tailbridge Hill.

Ian Taylor

Dry stream bed, Reigill

A continuation of Faraday Gill, looking downstream.

Ian Taylor

Footbridge below Nine Standards Rigg

Another view of NY8106 : Inadequate Footbridge, when in low cloud. This concessionary footpath is part of Wainwright's Coast to Coast route.

Ian Taylor

Cairns on Nine Standards Rigg

The 3 northernmost standards in low cloud.

Ian Taylor

Trig point, Nine Standards Rigg

There is no flush bracket, and no obvious sign of one. Perhaps the pillar has been rebuilt. There is a cut bench mark on the stone in the left foreground.

Ian Taylor

Traces of old industry at Little Longrigg

The eye is drawn to the middle distance where there is evidence of some workings on the slopes of Birkett Hill. In the foreground is the crescent shaped outline of an old turf and stone dam, almost certainly used in the 18thC for the purpose of hushing on nearby slopes in the search for galena [lead ore].

Gordon Hatton

Site of Hartley smelt mill

This was once the site of a lead smelting mill, although evidence is now hard to find. Records show a single hearth mill here between 1714 & 1777, after which it may have fallen into disuse. Apart from a small area of flattened ground and a few protruding stones, there is little to see, although some of the stones in the wall to the right are dressed and others show signs of heating. This was small scale lead production almost a century earlier than the bigger mills such as Old Gang, Surrender and Grinton over in Swaledale.

Gordon Hatton

Limestone outcrops by Birkett Hill

For those of us used to the relatively flat bedded limestones of the Yorkshire Dales, these outcrops come as something of a surprise as they are steeply angled and in close proximity to both shales and sandstones. The reason must be the nearby northern extension to the Dent fault which runs along the western margins of the central Pennines.

Gordon Hatton

Shale slope with boulders

The steep slope of black shale drops into Brownberhead Beck which drains from the eastern side of Nine Standards. The groove in which the boulders lie has been eroded: presumably loose shale has been lost with the larger rocks originally embedded in the shale, remaining.

Trevor Littlewood

Estate track on Peatmoor Hill

Even on the most recent online 1:25000 mapping (as of 2022) the estate track is not shown climbing Peatmoor Hill any further than Burntling Hole. However, in reality, as shown on the larger scale map, it provides convenient walking access not only up to High Dolphin Seat, but right up to within half a kilometre of the summit of Nine Standards Rigg, thus avoiding seasonal restrictions and the problems of erosion on the normal routes used by Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk. This way up doesn't seem to have been "discovered" yet by walkers, maybe because to get to it involves a bit of intricate fiddly driving on single-track, with limited parking. We had the route to ourselves for my sixty fifth birthday...

Andy Waddington

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Bields Hill is located at Grid Ref: NY8207 (Lat: 54.463325, Lng: -2.2760949)

Administrative County: Cumbria

District: Eden

Police Authority: Cumbria