Blackedge Bottom

Valley in Westmorland Eden

England

Blackedge Bottom

Bleaberry Force This impressive 30&#039; fall is in Bleaberry Gill North East of Nine Standards Rigg, Cumbria. — Bleaberry Force Credit: Colin Gregory

Blackedge Bottom is a picturesque valley located in Westmorland, a historic county in the northwest region of England. Nestled amidst the stunning landscape of the Lake District National Park, this area is renowned for its natural beauty and tranquil setting.

The valley is characterized by its rolling hills, lush green meadows, and a meandering river that flows through its heart. The river, known as the Blackedge Beck, adds to the charm of the valley as it cascades down multiple waterfalls, creating a soothing soundtrack for visitors.

The vegetation in Blackedge Bottom is diverse and abundant, with a variety of plant species thriving in the fertile soil. From colorful wildflowers to towering trees, the valley is a haven for nature enthusiasts and hikers. The area is also home to a range of wildlife, including rabbits, foxes, and various bird species, providing a glimpse into the region's biodiversity.

For those seeking outdoor activities, Blackedge Bottom offers numerous opportunities for exploration and adventure. Hiking trails crisscross the valley, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Visitors can also enjoy picnicking by the riverbank, fishing in the beck, or simply immersing themselves in the peaceful ambiance of the countryside.

Blackedge Bottom is a hidden gem in Westmorland, offering a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Its unspoiled natural beauty and tranquil atmosphere make it a must-visit destination for anyone seeking solace in nature's embrace.

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Blackedge Bottom Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.46645/-2.2442258 or Grid Reference NY8407. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Bleaberry Force

This impressive 30' fall is in Bleaberry Gill North East of Nine Standards Rigg, Cumbria.

Colin Gregory

Backstone Castle

Backstone Castle is a rocky outcrop above Backstone Beck. The elaborate name might lead unwary walkers to believe they are heading for some ancient historical site. In reality it is merely a distraction in a vast and bleak moorland setting.

Colin Gregory

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

Moorland on north side of Back Gutter

The watercourse of Back Gutter is at the left side of the image, virtually concealed by rushes. The two wooden structures breaking the skyline are grouse butts.

Trevor Littlewood

Snow beds on north side of Back Gutter

Back Gutter drains water eastwards from the slopes of moorland to the east of Nine Standards.

Trevor Littlewood

Brownber Tarn, frozen

Brownber Tarn is encircled by an area of atrociously wet moorland; it lies to the east of the high grassy moorland ridge at Brownber Edge, itself east of Nine Standards. The eastern side of the tarn is pictured.

Trevor Littlewood

Ridge of Brownber Edge

Brownber Edge is an elongated dome of a ridge lying to the east of the more significant hill, Nine Standards. The view is from the featureless crest of the ridge generally north-eastwards.

Trevor Littlewood

Unusual section of walling near Brownberhead Beck

Brownberhead Beck is the foreground stream. Beyond it a walker is sitting on a curious piece of wall - if that's what it is! There are two stretches, both low, set at a right angle. The location is remote and no purpose behind the construction can be imagined. (The pole across the stream of course has a gin trap mounted on top.)

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

Estate track on High Dolphin Seat

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 largeer 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. The view here looks west to Greenfell Crag and beyond to the Vale of Eden. 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

Looking down Stowgill Sike towards the Belah valley

The 1:25000 map shows estate tracks up to Burntling Hole and to the shooting hut in Great Stowgill, but only the larger scale maps show the section of recently built track linking the two over High Dolphin Seat from which this view looks. It would seem to be the route of choice for the gamekeeper who overtook us towing a trailer with a quadbike on it as we walked up what was proving to be a remarkably pleasant and dryshod way up Nine Standards Rigg, avoiding the seasonal restrictions and bad erosion on the normal routes shared with Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk. Apart from the gamekeeper who gave us a cheery wave as he passed, we met no-one at all on this route (or on top) as it seems not to have been "discovered" by the majority of walkers and guidebook writers.

Andy Waddington

Looking down Stowgill Sike towards the Belah valley

This little sike soon drains into Bleatapow Sike at about the point where that transforms into Stowgill Sike, flowing northeast towards the Belah. A recent estate track (not yet shown on the 1:25000 map) has given easy access via High Dolphin Seat to the longer-established tracks here, one of which can be seen on the left of the photo. Across the Belah valley, extensive plantation woodland lies just below the road to the Tan Hill Inn (England's highest pub) and beyond that the telecommunications mast on Moudy Mea is on a hill also used by the Romans for a Signal station.

Andy Waddington

Shooting hut in Williamson Gill

The shooting hut in Williamson Gill lies at a junction of tracks from Stowgill and a very recent addition over High Dolphin Seat, leading to another new extension of the track most of the way to the summit of Nine Standards Rigg, these newer sections only being shown on the largest scale mapping and not on the 1:25000 map as of early 2022. The route from near the end of the Heggerscales road, via Burntling Hole and Peatmoor Hill, now provides a convenient, steady gradient and erosion-free route of ascent for Nine Standards Rigg, circumventing the seasonal restrictions of the various versions of the Coast to Coast walk which have been put in place to try to avoid further deterioration of those paths. It doesn't yet seem to have been "discovered" by walkers and guidebook writers so that we had it to ourselves on this rather fine January day.

Andy Waddington

Collapsing remains on Bastifell

As well as piles of stones and evidence of quarrying, there are a number of small - very small - buildings on Bastifell, none of which seem big enough to have served the purposes of shelter and all of which are in a state of collapse despite apparenty being quite well-built from flagstones which stack pretty well. The smallest building was tinier than even an outside privy - perhaps it was used to store tools ?

Andy Waddington

Grouse butt line alongside hill road

The hill road doesn't appear on current OS maps and must be a relatively recent addition to the landscape. Lower on the slope, behind the camera position, it meets a road of a better construction which is on maps. The route in view, climbing on the north side of Nine Standards seems merely to be an elongated strip of shattered rock laid on the moorland rather than an actually constructed feature.

Trevor Littlewood

Shooting hut on Winton Fell

A hut is marked on OS maps but is named as a shooting box. The building here is almost certainly a new structure replacing the 'box'. The pattern of hill roads in the area is also different from that shown on OS maps and as Andy Waddington states - Link - one of the new roads climbs right to the summit area of Nine Standards.

Trevor Littlewood

Hill road passing through gate in fence

The road has risen from Stowgill and here is alongside Stowgill Sike - it's off to the left. The gate is needed as a large tract of ground around Great Stowgill, (a surprisingly deep gash in the hillside), has been planted with countless young trees. The whole surrounding area has been fenced to exclude grazing sheep which might nibble at the saplings.

Trevor Littlewood

Wall bounding enclosures at west side of Stowgill

Stowgill is a remote Cumbrian farm just outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park; the farm buildings are not in view in this image. The wooden building has the look of a shooting hut and there are many grouse butts on the moorlands to the south.

Trevor Littlewood

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Blackedge Bottom is located at Grid Ref: NY8407 (Lat: 54.46645, Lng: -2.2442258)

Administrative County: Cumbria

District: Eden

Police Authority: Cumbria