Shacklesborough

Hill, Mountain in Yorkshire

England

Shacklesborough

Combs Round Combs Round is a sheepfold with other dry stone walls associated, west of Balderhead Reservoir. A public bridleway passes on its south side. — Combs Round Credit: Trevor Littlewood

Shacklesborough is a prominent hill located in the county of Yorkshire, England. Situated within the picturesque Yorkshire Dales National Park, it stands proudly as a part of the Pennine range. With an elevation of approximately 484 meters (1,588 feet), Shacklesborough offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The hill is characterized by its rugged terrain, covered in heather moorland and grassy slopes. Its distinct shape and steep sides make it a popular destination for hikers, nature enthusiasts, and adventure seekers alike. The summit of Shacklesborough is marked by a trig point, providing a sense of achievement for those who reach the top.

As part of the Yorkshire Dales, Shacklesborough is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The heather-covered moors are host to numerous bird species, including the endangered black grouse, making it an ideal spot for birdwatching. The hill is also home to various mammals, such as red deer and mountain hares, adding to the area's natural beauty.

For those seeking outdoor activities, Shacklesborough offers a range of opportunities. The hill is crisscrossed by a network of footpaths and trails, providing ample routes for walkers and cyclists. The challenging gradients and rocky terrain also attract climbers and boulderers looking for a thrilling experience.

In summary, Shacklesborough is a noteworthy hill in Yorkshire, offering stunning views, diverse wildlife, and a range of outdoor activities. Its location within the Yorkshire Dales National Park further enhances its appeal for visitors seeking natural beauty and adventure in this scenic region of England.

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Shacklesborough Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.548699/-2.1427328 or Grid Reference NY9017. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Combs Round

Combs Round is a sheepfold with other dry stone walls associated, west of Balderhead Reservoir. A public bridleway passes on its south side.

Trevor Littlewood

Bruised line track and 'grip' above River Balder

The location is moorland south-west of Balderhead Reservoir. The apparent stream groove is actually a drainage ditch known as a grip; one of many on the slope rising towards Shacklesborough. Grips are furrows ploughed deeply into peat to promote drainage of moorland. For many years there was a policy of draining moorland and grants to farmers and landowners were available. That policy has now been reversed and grips on many moors are now being blocked so as to 're-water' the land. The depth to which these grips were cut is indicated in Peter McDermott's photograph from a nearby location - Link.

Trevor Littlewood

Broken rocks at dam of Balderhead Reservoir

Balderhead Reservoir is the most westerly of three reservoirs in Baldersdale; Blackton and Hury being the others. Those two reservoirs were full at the time this image was made. Balderhead was built between 1961 and 1964, filling in 1965. Wikipedia tells that Cow Green, was considered as the site for a new reservoir but that "it was in a sensitive habitat area, so Balderhead was built instead". Ironic - Cow Green Reservoir was constructed anyway, just a few years later.

Trevor Littlewood

Broken rock band on Shacklesborough

Shacklesborough is a curious summit on the south side of Baldersdale. It rises from flat moorland as a circular feature ringed with crags which have somehow resisted the erosion that has removed the rest of a stratum. The rocks, presumably of gritstone, form a broken, discontinuous ring about the flat summit area. Balderhead Reservoir is in the distance.

Trevor Littlewood

Rock band on Shacklesborough

Shacklesborough is a minor but striking feature in an otherwise flat moorland landscape; a discontinuous rock band encircles its summit area. The view is across moorland from an area of rushes at the high point of Hunder Hill.

Trevor Littlewood

Embedded rocks along Crawlaw Rigg

Just out of view to the left of the rocks is a well-built cairn which might be the feature Crawlaw Currack, at the eastern end of Currack Rigg. At the centre of the image is Shacklesborough; beyond, on the horizon is Mickle Fell, its summit being the left dome with the trig point location being above the left side of Shacklesborough.

Trevor Littlewood

Buildings at Water Knott

Water Knott has been an outdoor centre for Leeds Grammar School but, in August 2021, it no longer is. There are plans to reopen the buildings, again as an outdoor or field study centre, after some redevelopment.

Trevor Littlewood

Hunder Beck downstream

Hunder Beck is a tributary of the River Balder which it enters at the west end of Blackton Reservoir.

Trevor Littlewood

Southern end of Balderhead Dam

Sandy Gerrard

Bleak Rigg On The Edge Of Balderhead Reservoir

David Robinson

West Carnigill farm.

A walk in Baldersdale.

steven ruffles

Dun Moss

There is a substantial estate track along the north side of Hunder Beck, only recently shown on OS mapping. It leads from the southern end of the Balderhead reservoir dam to a shooting hut at the edge of the estate at Rise Gill Foot (Rise Gill being the main feeder which becomes Hunder Beck at about that point). Other unmapped tracks lead off from it (created with plastic matting rather than stone as here on the main track). The view from the track (which just barely cuts the corner of this square) is to the southeast into the wilderness of bog and sedge across Hunder Beck. Although the area looks wild, there is an airstrip over there, not far away - it's not clear if they are now engaging the grouse in aerial dogfights.

Andy Waddington

Estate track north of Hunder Beck

Not yet shown on 1:25000 or smaller scale mapping, the estate track leads from the south end Balderhead reservoir dam to a shooting hut on the estate boundary at Rise Gill Foot (Rise Gill being the main feeder to Hunder Beck, changing name close to the hut). The track and its various branches are visible on aerial photos, which are often a more useful resource for those planning to walk or cycle across grouse moors like this (mainly geographers in pursuit of hectad completions, one imagines). Although made with stone at this point, parts of the track (and a couple of branch tracks) are instead constructed of plastic matting held down with steel staples in areas presumably too boggy (and therefore expensive) to build this way.

Andy Waddington