Posts tagged Trig Pillar
Cycling The NCN 2 from Dover to Hastings

Early morning start in Hastings

This was a 2-day cycle adventure continuing our occasional crawl around the south-coast of England, 1 weekend at a time. We picked up where we left off the previous summer at Dover Waterfront and headed towards Brighton. As well as being well-spaced for a 50(ish) mile a day trip, the towns were also good for trains to and from London. Our main consideration was that the outbound train from London Victoria to Dover Priory has to be after 19:00 to avoid Friday evening rush-hour. It got us into Dover after dark but it was only a 10 minute cycle to the Dover Premier Inn where we were staying. There were no restrictions on the return trip from Brighton to London Victoria on the Friday.

Day 1: Dover to Hastings

Start: Dover Priory Station, Priory Station Approach Road, Dover CT17 9SB
Finish: Hastings Pier, 1-10 White Rock, Hastings, TN34 1JY
Distance: 97.4 km (54 miles)
Elevation change: + 602m / -609m (Net -7)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Saxon Shore Way, North Downs Way, King Charles III England Coast Path, High Weald Landscape Trail, 1066 Country Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1, 2, 17, Cantii Way
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lots, but we stopped at Pedaler on the Port, Dover (1.5 km in), The Star, St Mary in The Marsh (40 kmi in), Brew at 32, Lydd (51 km in), The Lookout, Rye (66 km in)
OS Trig Pillar: TP4139 - Jurys Gap
Maps:
- Dover, Folkestone & Hythe Map | England Coast Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 138
- Romney Marsh, Rye & Winchelsea Map | Tenterden & New Romney | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 125
- Hastings & Bexhill Map | Battle & Robertsbridge | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 124
Links: Dover, Folkestone, Abbots Cliff Sound Mirror, Hythe, Royal Military Canal, Romney Marsh, St Mary In The Marsh, Lydd, Camber Sands, Rye, Whichelsea, Hastings

 

Our trip started at 10:30 on the Saturday after Dover Waterfront parkrun and a slow breakfast at the Pedaler on the Port cycle cafe. The 87 km route was mostly flat but bookended by steep climbs at the start and end of the day. The early climb came right after Dover town as the NCN 2 ascends Shakespeare Cliff to Capel-le-Ferne before a steep descent into Folkestone. Watch out for the Sound Mirror next to the Millennium Milepost at 8 km which gives you a good excuse for a rest around half-way through the climb.

The first part of the flat section under Radnor Cliff in Folkestone and along the Royal Military Canal is a highlight of the route. We bypassed Hythe town but, in hindsight, we would have stopped there for some food as pubs and cafes are few and far between in the marshland west of Hythe. By the time we reached St Mary In The Marsh at 40km we more than ready for a rest in The Star pub. As it happened we were too late for lunch and too early for dinner so, after a short rest, we pressed onto Lydd to have a longer rest and some good food in the cycle-friendly Brew at 32.

After Lydd it’s only 6 km back to the coast at Jury’s Gap, although the strong wind in our face made it feel like 20 km. After another pub stop in Rye we pressed on towards Hastings via the steep climb at Fairlight. After 80 km of wind I had no interest in trying to keep in the saddle and decided to push the bike up most of the hill. The steep down into Hastings was the reward, as was the warm meal and early night ahead of day 2.

Day 2: Hastings to Brighton

Start: Hastings Pier, 1-10 White Rock, Hastings, TN34 1JY
Finish: Brighton Station, Queens Road, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, BN1 3XP
Distance: 72 km (44.7 miles)
Elevation change: +507m / -475m (Net +32m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Motoring Heritage Trail, 1066 Country Walk, Wealdway, South Downs Way, Vanguard Way, Sussex Ouse Valley Way, Newhaven-Brighton Clifftop Path, Greenwich Meridian Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 2, 21, 90, Cuckoo Trail, Prime Meridan Cycle Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lots, but we stopped at Pevensey Starbucks (17.5 km in), Arlington Tea Garden (31.5 km in), The Ark, Newhaven (54.3 km in) and a chip shop near the beach in Brighton.
Maps:
- Hastings & Bexhill Map | Battle & Robertsbridge | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 124
- Eastbourne & Beachy Head Map | Newhaven, Seaford, Hailsham & Heathfield | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL25
- Brighton & Hove Map | Lewes & Burgess Hill | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL11
Links: Hastings, Bexhill-on-Sea, Pevensey, Cuckoo Trail, South Downs National Park, Alfriston, Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Rottingdean, Brighton

 

With no parkrun to work around we set off early along the Hastings to Bexford seafront with the aim of finding breakfast around 15km in. After passing several sea-side places that weren’t quiet open we settled for a Starbucks next to a petrol station in Pevensey. Not the nice coastal stop like we found in Walmer on the previous trip but it did the job.

Our original plan for this second day was to come off the NCN s at Pevensey, sticking to the coast through to Eastbourne then crossing the South Downs through Jevington. In the end we decided to stick to the NCN 2 through Polegate, Arlington and Alfriston. Although it takes a wide path away from the coast, it’s an interesting route through pretty villages.

After the South Downs section the NCN 2 took us back to the coast at Seaford. We were on familiar territory having visited Peacehaven, Rottingdean and Brighton on previous cycle trips.

Our final section took us along the coast to Brighton Pier with a quick stop near the beach for chips before heading north to the station to get the train back to London. The next section will likely be in 2026 with a return to Brighton for the next section to Poole.

The Full 2-Day Route

Day 1 in red, day 2 in blue

The Millennium Mileposts

Dotting the UK's National Cycle Network are over 1,000 unique markers known as the Millennium Mileposts. Unveiled in 2000, these cast-iron sculptures are more than just waymarkers. Designed by four artists, one from each nation of the UK, they celebrate the diversity of the cycling routes. These artistic mileposts come in various shapes and can be found in both bustling towns and scenic landscapes, adding a touch of artistic charm to a cycling adventure.

Here’s the 26 Mileposts that I spotted on the 2 day cycle trip. The first 22 were on Day 1 and the final 4 were on day 2.

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Coast, Disused Railway, National Trails, National Trust, Trig Pillar, South Downs, National Park, Canal, Kent, Sussex, EnglandComment
Snaefell: Isle of Man High Point

Snaefell Station and Cafe with the summit marked by the transmitter on the right

Also known as: Sniaull (Manx). Snaefell comes from old Norse, meaning Snow Mountain or snaufjell - “area above the tree line”.
Significance: Country and Island High Point for the Isle of Man
Member of: Marilyn, Hardy, Island High Points, European Country High Points
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Iron Cragg (Cumbria, England)
Elevation: 621m
Date climbed: May 3rd 2024
Coordinates: 54° 15' 47'' N, 4° 27' 42'' W

Route Start: Snaefell Mountain Railway - Summit Station
Route Finish: Manx Electric Railway - Laxey Station.
Route Distance: 8.2 km (5.1 miles)
Route Elevation change: +29m / - 593m. Net - 564m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (walk): Isle of Man Cycle Route 6
OS Trig Pillar: TP6035 - Snaefell
Pubs / Cafes on route: Snaefell Summit Restaurant & Café
Map: Isle of Man Map | Port St Mary, Castletown & Ramsey | Ordnance Survey | OS Landranger Map 95
Guidebook: Walking on the Isle of Man: 40 walks exploring the entire island (Cicerone)
Links: Wikipedia: (Isle of Man / Snaefell, Laxey, Snaefell Mountain Railway, Snaefell Mine), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

The Snaefell walk was the highlight of an especially enjoyable 4 days on the Isle of Man. Having completed Nobles parkrun on the morning we set off for Laxey to bag the island’s High Point. In our first plan for the walk we looked at doing a circular route starting at Mountain Box on the A18 that crosses the side of Snaefell. We got excited by taking the old electric train up so we decided on a train-up, walk down combination. It was an amazing day and I’m very happy that we chose that option.

The Snaefell Mountain railway starts at Laxey Station near the island’s west coast. There’s good options for free parking or you can also get there via the Manx Electric Railway from Douglas or Ramsey. We weren’t able to book online so we got tickets from Laxey Station and waited for about an hour for the first train with availability. From Laxey the train takes around 30 minutes to climb up the valley to the summit station. Sit on the right hand side of the train going up for the best views of the Laxey Wheel and the valley. The left hand side has better views as you approach the summit.

Although we were there on a dry sunny week, the summit was extremely windy so take warm clothes to the top whatever the weather is like in Laxey. We stopped in the cafe for a while before completing the short walk up to the Trig Pillar at the summit.

From the summit take the path due south to The Bungalow Station (Mountain Box) at the A18 crossing. The safest way to cross over the road is to take the footbridge then follow the path that returns to cross the railway to the east of The Bungalow. Once on the northern side of the railway follow the path down the valley in a north-westerly direction to the Great Snaefell Mine. Watch the video below to learn about the history of the mine and the disaster that closed it.

After passing the mine take a right onto the old mine road and follow it for 3 km to the small village of Agneash. Take a right at the T-junction and continue following Mines Road to the Laxey Wheel. We stopped here for an hour to explore the Wheel and the old mine entrance. After the Wheel it’s less than 1 km walk back to Laxey Station

Richard gowerTrek, Trig Pillar, Mountain, Country High Points, Island High Points, Isle of ManComment
Walking The North Downs Way Part 8 - Westerham Hill to Otford

North Downs Way near Chevening

Start: The Velo Barn, Unit 1, Betsoms Farm, Pilgrims Way, Westerham TN16 2DS
Finish: Otford Memorial Hall, 28A High St, Otford, Sevenoaks, TN14 5PQ
Distance: 12.8 km (7.9 miles)
Elevation change: +128m / -225m. Net -97m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Berry’s Green Circular Walk, Darent Valley Path
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Velo Barn at the start of the route, Rose & Crown Sevenoaks (10 km in), several in Otford High Street
OS Trig Pilllar: TP4287 - Knockholt Beeches
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Guidebook: The North Downs Way National Trail from Farnham to Dover (Cicerone)
Links: Chevening, Otford

This is the eighth of a series of short point-to-point walks along the North Downs Way. The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent. Our walks took in short sections of 10 km to 13 km which we did with a friend over the course of a couple of years when our schedules coincided. The North Downs Way is well sign-posted however I highly recommend taking a map or GPX route to keep you on track. The Cicerone book on the trail is a great guide to the points of interest along the way.

Our original plan was to only walk the first seven sections covering Surrey before the driving from home started getting to long. It was only when I was completing my quest to bag all OS Trig Pillars within the M25 that I realised that I needed to do one final section and get the Knockholt Beeches Trig Pillar to complete the set.

Picking up from the Velobarn at Westerham Heights we continued east along the North Downs Way. This was a bright, sunny day in mid-April and a nice change from the gloominess of the previous section that we did nearly 18 months ago. The first 5 km of this section stays high on the ridge with great views to the south across open fields. At around 4.7 km you can take a very minor diversion to the north of the trail to find the Trig Pillar hiding in a bush along a field fence-line.

Shortly after the Trig Pillar the trail enters Cooper’s Wood. Watch out for the cutting in the trees where you can see down to Chevening House, the official country residence of the British Foreign Secretary. You can also get a good view of the estate as the trail descends out of the woods, across farmland to Sundridge Road. When we were there in April 2025 a diversion was being put in place to cut off part of the route that follows Sundridge Road. We chose not to take it, prefering to stick to the route that we had on the map. In hindsight I wish we had taken the diversion as there’s no pavement on some of the road and very fast cars wizzing by.

Shortly after crossing over the A21 on Morrants Court Road you’ll reach the Rose and Crown at the 10 km point. It’s the first pub to stop for a rest on this section. The final 3 km after the Rose and Crown also follows the Darent Valley Path into Otford. This is a pretty village with some well kept old buildings and several information boards detailing its history.

Richard gowerTrek, National Trails, National Trust, Trig Pillar, Kent, EnglandComment
Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma High Point

View to Tenerife from Roque de Los Muchachos

Roque de los Muchachos

English Translation: “Rock of the Boys”
Significance: Highest point on the Island of La Palma, Canaries, Spain
Elevation: 2,428m
Date “climbed”: February 23rd 2025
Coordinates: 28° 45' 15'' N, 17° 53' 5'' W

Start / Finish: Small parking area at Mirador de Roque de los Muchachos, Ctra. al Roque de los Muchachos, 38788, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Distance: 1.3 km (0.8 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 84m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): GR 131 El Baston
Cafe / pub on route: None, nearest refreshments are vending machines at the Observatory Visitors Centre
Map: La Palma Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map (David Brown)
Guidebook: La Palma and El Hierro Walking Guide (Sunflower Guides)
Links: Wikipedia (La Palma, Roque de los Muchachos), Peakbagger,

 

At the end of February we always escape the UK winter to go somewhere warm for Timea’s birthday. The Canary Islands have been a good choice for us for winter sun and we’ve been working our way through them one per year. As well as a bit of relaxation we always attempt to tick off each island’s highest point. Unfortunately, often due to weather, we’ve missed out on a few of the summits. That’s why I was excited to see that you can drive to La Palma’s highest point. I wasn’t completely sure that we would reach it though. My friend Joel had visited the island 6 weeks before and the the access road was closed. The weather was on our side with no issues getting to the top.

While you’re there, it’s well worth visiting the space observatories located near the high point. We booked a 90 minute tour with Ad Astra which included a tour of the Gran Telescopio Canarias, the largest optical-infrared telescope in the world. The high point is a 10 minute drive from the Observatory visitor centre.

The main thing to know about the car at the high point is that it’s very small and gets very busy, especially right after the Observatory tours. We made a point of leaving the Observatory Visitor Centre straight after the tour had finished to get ahead of everyone else. The car park was full when we got there but we only had to wait a few minutes to get a space. Those that came after us had to wait on the tricky hair-pin bends for spaces to become available. We found the guy at the top in the hut to be especially unhelpful at managing the traffic so Timea had to get out to be an unofficial car park supervisor. Without that nobody would have got in or out for ages.

Once parked you’ll find the Trig Pillar at the northern edge of the lot with great views across to the observatories. From here you can take a 1.3 km out-and-back walk down to the Mirador del Espigón del Roque. We were especially lucky as it was a clear day and we had views across to Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro.

Richard gowerTrek, Mountain, Canary Islands, Spain, Island High Points, Trig PillarComment
Brimmond Hill: Aberdeen High Point

Approaching the summit of Brimmond Hill from the car park.

Significance: High Point for the City of Aberdeen Council Area
Member of: Scotland County/Unitary Authority High Points, Marilyns
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Cairn-mon-earn
Historic County: Aberdeenshire (of which Ben Macdui is the County Top)
Elevation: 266m
Date climbed: September 30th 2024
Coordinates: 57° 10' 23'' N, 2° 14' 22'' W

Route Start & Finish: Brimmond Hill Car Park, Aberdeen, AB15 8RQ
Route Distance: 2.6 km (1.6 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 100m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Brimmond Hill Circular
OS Trig Pillar: TP0666 - Brimmond
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Aberdeen & Banchory Map | Deeside Way | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 406
Links: Wikipedia: (Aberdeen / Brimmond Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Brimmond Hill is the highest point in the present-day Council Area of Aberdeen within the Historic County of Aberdeenshire. We bagged this one in 2024 on the final day of our annual County Top trip having also visited the high point of Dundee City and the Historic County Tops of Angus and Kincardineshire.

This one can be bagged in a short out and back walk from the Brimmond Hill car park off the Borrowstone Road. It’s a 1.3 km walk the top which is marked by a Trig Pillar, a radio transmitter and a flag pole. It was a little misty when we were there but we still had a good view across to Aberdeen City, the airport and the surrounding hills.

We returned to the car-park via the same route but there’s also a circular option which returns via a path to the south adding around 500m to the total trip.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Aberdeenshire, ScotlandComment
Mount Battock: Kincardineshire County Top

Path split on the circular route. Mount Battock in the distance

Significance: Historic County Top for Kincardineshire
Member of: UK County Tops, Scotland County/Unitary Authority High Points, Marilyns
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Mount Keen 
Elevation: 778m
Date climbed: September 29th 2024
Coordinates: 56° 56' 57'' N, 2° 44' 31'' W

Route Start & Finish: Small parking space near Millden Lodge, Glen Esk
Route Distance: 15 km (9.3 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 637m
Subsidiary tops on route: Wester Cairn
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
OS Trig Pillar: TP0677 - Mount Battock
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Glen Esk and Glen Tanar (OS Explorer Map Series): No. 395
Links: Wikipedia: (Kincardineshire / Mount Battock), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Mount Battock is the Historic County Top for Kincardineshire and the 27th highest of all of the UK County Tops. We bagged it in 2024 on our annual County Top weekend trip, along with the Historic County Top of Angus and the Council Area High Points of Dundee and Aberdeen.

The start of the route is from a small parking area in Millden just off the minor road that tracks the northern edge of the River North Esk. From here take the lane that heads north from the parking spot, past the old water mill to a path junction at Muir Cottage. Take the right hand path to follow the track that follows the left-hand side of the Burn of Turrett. At the 2km mark you’ll reach another path junction which marks the start of the main circular section of this walk. Take the left hand path to the Trig Pillar and stone shelter at the summit of Mount Battock.

To descend cross over the fence to the south of the summit, using the ladder stile. There’s a path here in places but it’s often hard to track as it passes through very boggy ground. Just keep close to the fence on your left for around 800m until you reach a well-defined track. Follow the track in a south / south westerly direction until it meets the Burn of Turrett. Cross over the burn and you’ll reach the path junction where you previously took a left to start the circular section. From here take a left to retrace the first 2 km of the route back to the start.

Kincardine Kirkyard

One of the highlights of this year's County Top bagging trip was finding the remains of the lost County Town of Kincardine. This was originally a Scottish Burgh that developed around Kincardine Castle. By 1600, the burgh was in decline, and the county town moved to Stonehaven where it is now.

Our hunt for the lost town of Kincardine began on the way to Aberdeen after our Mount Battock walk. We stopped for a drink in Fettercairn and discovered a plaque in the main square detailing the town's history. The last sentence on the plaque reads: "All that remains of the old County Burgh today is the tiny Kirkyard of St Catherine's Chapel with a solitary tombstone dated 1786"

The site of Kincardine Castle is easy to find with a 5 minute drive to the east of Fettercairn along the B966. Take a left off the B966 to find Castleton Kincardine Farm (AB30 1EX). Turning left into the farm drive you can see the foundations of the old castle on your right. Slightly further down the farm track you'll see a clump of trees in the middle of a field. This is the remains of the old kirkyard.

We parked at the side of the lane and crossed the field to the kirkyard. In late September the field had been ploughed but be careful not to damage crops at other times of the year and, if possible, ask permission from the landowner. The tombstone and remains of the old wall are easy to find in the centre of the trees with not too much foliage to get through.

Links: Fettercairn, Kincardine

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, Kincardineshire, ScotlandComment
Glas Maol: Angus County Top

Walking from Glas Maol towards Creag Leacach

Significance: Historic County Top for Angus
Member of: UK County Tops, Scotland County/Unitary Authority High Points, Munros, Marilyns
Parent Peak: Lochnagar
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Carn a' Coire Boidheach
Elevation: 1,068m
Date climbed: September 28th 2024
Coordinates: 56° 52' 23'' N, 3° 22' 6'' W

Route Start & Finish: Small parking area on A93 Old Military Road, ~3km north of Glenshee Ski Centre
Route Distance: 19.3 km (12 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 808m
Subsidiary tops on route: Carn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise, Creag Leacach
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Monega Pass
OS Trig Pillar: TP3372 - Glas Maol
Pubs / Cafes on route: Cafe at Glenshee Ski Centre
Map: Glen Shee & Braemar Map | The Cairnwell & Glas Maol | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL52
Links: Wikipedia: (Angus / Glas Maol), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, Glenshee Ski Centre

Glas Maol is the Historic County Top for Angus and the 7th highest of all of the UK County Tops. We bagged it in 2024 on our annual County Top weekend trip, along with the Historic County Top of Kincardineshire and the Council Area High Points of Dundee and Aberdeen.

The quickest way to conquer Glas Maol is an out-and-back from the large car park at Glenshee Ski Centre. I always prefer an interesting circular over an out-and-back so we opted for the 4-Munro circuit that I found on the Walk Highlands site. For this we started at a small parking spot around 3 km north of the Ski Centre. If that parking spot is full then park at the Ski Centre and walk to the northern parking at the start of the walk rather than at the end.

From the northern parking spot take the footpath that ascends to Carn an Tuirc in an east/north-easterly direction on the northern side of a small stream. After 1.2km you’ll cross over the stream, continuing to ascend. You’ll reach the summit of the first of the day’s Munros after 2.9km.

Continue along the path, now curving to the south-east, for another 2.6 km to reach the summit of Cairn of Claise. This is the second Munro of the day and, at 1.064m, just 4 metres lower than Glas Maol. Continue along the path, now heading south-west. The route descends slightly then ascends, crossing over the Monega Pass, to the summit of Glas Maol. The high point is marked by a Trig Pillar and a stone shelter large enough for 4 people.

After the Glas Maol summit, continue heading south-west, descending for 1km to the 10 km point in the walk. Here you’ll reach a path junction marked by a large cairn. This is a good point to make a decision to either take a short out-and-back to the 4th Munro, or return straight down to the road. We expected bad weather but, as it turned out, we had a bright, albeit cold, day with good visibility so we decided to bag the 4th Munro.

To reach Creag Leacach continue south for 1.5 km following the ridge line towards the steep ascent to the summit. The path gets very close to a steep drop on the left hand side just ahead of the climb so be extra careful in low visibility. After the summit, retrace your steps back to the large cairn, then continue descending in a north-westerly direction towards the ski-slopes. As you get closer to the slopes, continue along the path as it curves to the west and descend back to A93 Old Military Road at the large Glenshee Ski Centre car park. Take a right onto the road and follow the grass verge back to the starting point.

There’s a cafe at the Ski Centre that’s a great place to stop at the end to celebrate completing the route. Don’t rely on it if you’re out late in the day though. Our excitement to stop there quickly vanished when we arrived there 5 minutes after closing time.

While some of the County Top walks are starting to blur together in our memories, Glas Maol will likely be one that will stand out as a real classic route. The great visibility that we had that day certainly helped but the chance to bag 4 Munros in 1 walk was a big factor too.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, Angus, ScotlandComment
Gallow Hill: Dundee City High Point

Water Tower at the top of Gallow Hill

Significance: High Point for the Dundee City Council Area
Member of: Scotland County/Unitary Authority High Points
Parent Peak: King's Seat
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Craigowl Hill
Historic County: Angus (of which Glas Maol is the Historic County Top)
Elevation: 175m
Date climbed: September 27th 2024
Coordinates: 56° 29' 41'' N, 3° 2' 5'' W

Route Start & Finish: Clatto Country Park Visitor Centre, 83 Clatto Country Park, Dundee, DD3 9SE
Route Distance: 1.2 km (>1 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 20m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
OS Trig Pillar: N/A. Nearest is TP6425 - The Roundie
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Dundee & Sidlaw Hills Map | River Tay | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 380
Links: Wikipedia: (City of Dundee), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Gallow Hill is the highest point in the present-day Council Area of Dundee City within the Historic County of Angus. We were in town for the day as a part of our annual Scottish County Top weekend. As a warm-up for bagging Glas Maol, the Angus Historic County Top, on the following day we visited Gallow Hill plus a couple of Trig Pillars in the area.

The summit of Gallow Hill is a short out-and-back from either of the car parks at Clatto Country Park or the Templeton Woods Ranger Station. From either start point walk to the large concrete water tower at the top of the hill. The actual high point isn’t marked so we walked round a few possible contenders. The coordinates from Peakbagger take you to a bend in a path to the south of the tower. This seems unlikely to be the place as it’s not the highest ground and it’s not on a boundary. The water tower base is also unlikely as it’s man-made but we walked a full circuit of the outer fence anyway. Most likely seemed to be a small knoll on the east of the tower. Whichever point was the highest, we felt satisfied that we’d bagged it and returned back to the car.

There’s no Trig Pillar at the high point but The Roundie, nearby at 159m elevation is worth a visit. We also visited Dundee Law earlier in the day. This is 1m lower than Gallow Hill, but a more satisfying visit as it has a Trig Pillar and a great view over the city and the Tay Estuary.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Angus, ScotlandComment
Walking the Quaraing Loop & Trig Pillar, Skye

Start & Finish: The Quiraing Car Park, Unnamed Road, Portree, Sartle, Staffin, Portree, IV51 9LB
Distance: 6.5 km (4 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 288m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Skye – Trotternish and the Storr Map | Uig | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 408
Links: Isle of Skye, Trotternish NSA, The Quaraing

Following our previous day’s out-and-back walk to the Old Man of Storr, we returned to the north of Skye for the Quaraing Loop. Similar to the Old Man, the Quaraing is a popular walking spot with stunning rock features. There’s a large car park nearby that can get very busy in the summer and at weekends.

Also like the Old Man, most visitors do an out-and-back to the see the Prison and the Needle. It’s well worth doing the full 6.5km loop though as there’s a lot more to see further on. The start of the trail is already at 250m elevation so the first 2km, heading anti-clockwise, is a gentle ascent. The main trail takes you through the middle of the Prison and the Needle before turning a corner. After the corner there’s a flat(ish) kilometre through a valley heading north-west towards Fir Bhreugach. Although it was tempting to check out views from the mountains to the north, we kept to the Quaraing Loop.

The return half starts with a steep ascent up the side of Meall na Suiramach. We had a very clear day and the views from our frequent rest-and-take-a-breath stops were outstanding. For here you can see the whole northern side of Skye and across the sea to other islands. The highest point of the Loop doesn’t quite get you to the Trig Pillar at the summit of Meall na Suiramach. I needed to bag it I so took a small diversion from the main trail to the Trig, returning a bit further along the trail to rejoin Timea who opted for a 10 minute rest over bagging a Trig Pillar.

Most of the final stage of the walk is a steady descent down toward the car park with a steeper section at the end. When were there in Summer 2024, the path on the final section was closed for repair so we had to find a steep alternative with a lot of hanging onto foliage to keep slipping. The new stone path looked impressive though.

The Old Man of Storr might be the most impressive rock formation but, for me, this was the most enjoyable walk and the best part of our short stay on Skye.

Richard gowerTrek, Trig Pillar, National Scenic Area, Inverness-shire, ScotlandComment
Cycling The Viking Coastal Trail and NCN 1 in Kent

Margate Beach

This was a 2-day weekend cycle adventure on the NCN 1 and 15 in Kent. For Brian and I it was a continuation of the Thames Barrier to Margate trip that we did earlier in the year. This time we returned to Whitstable to pick up the NCN 15 to follow it to the end at Dover. For day 2 we followed the NCN 1 back to Whitstable. At 145 km and mostly flat it’s an easy ride giving more than enough time for coffee and cake stops along the way.

Day 1: The Viking Coastal Trail from Whitstable to Dover

Start: Premier Inn Whitstable hotel, Thanet Way, Whitstable, CT5 3DB
Finish: Premier Inn Dover Central (Eastern Ferry Terminal) hotel, Marine Court, Marine Parade, Dover, CT16 1LW
Distance: 79.5 km (49 miles)
Elevation change: + 554m / -602m (Net -48)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): England Coast Path, Saxon Shore Way, Oyster Bay Trail, Wantsum Walk, Augustine Camino, Stonelees Trail, Miner’s Way Trail, Via Francigena
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 15: Viking Coastal Trail, NCN 16, EV5,
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lots, but we stopped at Westgate-on-Sea, Whitfield and Sandwich.
Maps:
- Canterbury & Isle of Thanet Map | Herne Bay, Deal & Whitstable | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 150
- Dover, Folkestone & Hythe Map | England Coast Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 138
Links: Whitstable, Herne Bay, Reculver, Westgate-on-Sea, Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Sandwich, Whitfield, Dover

 

Our trip started at the Premier Inn on the southern edge of the town. From there it’s a 2.5 km cycle to the coast where, as it was Saturday, we stopped for Whitstable parkrun. The NCN 15 (not to be confused with the same numbered route in Leicestershire) runs from Whitstable to Dover, with the Reculver to Pegwell Bay section called the Viking Coastal Trail.

As it passes through several sea-side towns there’s lots of options to stop for food and drink along the way. We planned to stop for breakfast in Margate but hunger got the better of us so we stopped early at Westgate-on-Sea. At Pegwell Bay there’s an option to return to Whitstable via the inland section of the Viking Coastal Trail. That would make a great half-day trip, effectively a circuit of the Isle of Thanet, but we carried on south along the route 15.

After Pegwell Bay the route leaves the coast and heads in-land to Sandwich. We planned to have lunch there, mostly for the childish amusement of having a sandwich in Sandwich. We timed it badly though and arrived just as cafes were closing for the afternoon and the pubs were packed. As we were retuning there the next day we grabbed some quick food and moved on.

After Sandwich the route continues south, gradually climbing in elevation to the highest point of the day at Dover Castle. After this there’s a steep descent to Dover town centre where we stayed the night at the Marina.

Day 2: Dover to Whitstable via the NCN 1

Start: Premier Inn Dover Central (Eastern Ferry Terminal) hotel, Marine Court, Marine Parade, Dover, CT16 1LW
Finish: Premier Inn Whitstable hotel, Thanet Way, Whitstable, CT5 3DB
Distance: 64.7 km (40 miles)
Elevation change: - 554m / +602m (Net +48)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): England Coast Path, Saxon Shore Way, Stour Valley Walk, Augustine Camino, Canterbury Middle Ring Walk, Canterbury Outer Ring Walk, Crab & Winkle Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 1, NCN 15: Viking Coastal Trail
OS Trig Pillar: TP5672 - Richborough Hill
Pubs / Cafes on route: Lots, but we stopped at Walmer, Sandwich, Fordwich and Canterbury
Maps:
- Canterbury & Isle of Thanet Map | Herne Bay, Deal & Whitstable | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 150
- Dover, Folkestone & Hythe Map | England Coast Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 138
Links: Dover, White Cliffs of Dover National Trust, Walmer Sandwich, Fordwich, Canterbury, Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, Whitstable

 

For our return leg to Whitstable we followed the NCN 1, completing the London to Dover section that we started in our trip earlier in the year. The first section is very steep and follows a narrow path up to the top of the White Cliffs of Dover. We were an hour away from fully waking up so made the easy choice to slowly walk the bikes up the cliffs. From the top there were great views over the Channel and back to Dover Castle while we recovered from the climb.

From the top the route has an 8 km steady downhill section to the coast at Kingsdown to make up for the earlier climb. This coastal section was one of my favourite parts of the 2-dy trip with its mix of quiet country lanes and easy riding along the sea-front. We were not in a rush so decided to maximise the coffee and cake stops with the first one at Walmer. Stop #2 was in Sandwich where we had a lot more success than the previous day with cafes actually being open and wanting to sell us food.

The middle section from Sandwich to Canterbury was flat and pleasant but not particularly memorable. We pushed on to Canterbury for a long lunch near the Cathedral. The final section from Canterbury was far more interesting as it mostly follows a disused railway nicknamed the Crab and Winkle line.

This was a very easy weekend, both from a logistics and a cycling perspective. If you don’t have a hole weekend then it can be split into 2 shorter circles with Sandwich as the split.

The Full 2-Day Route

Day 1 in blue, Day 2 in red

The Millennium Mileposts

Dotting the UK's National Cycle Network are over 1,000 unique markers known as the Millennium Mileposts. Unveiled in 2000, these cast-iron sculptures are more than just waymarkers. Designed by four artists, one from each nation of the UK, they celebrate the diversity of the cycling routes. These artistic mileposts come in various shapes and can be found in both bustling towns and scenic landscapes, adding a touch of artistic charm to a cycling adventure.

Here’s the 21 Mileposts that I spotted on the 2 day cycle trip. The first 2 were on the Viking Coastal Trail on Day 1 and the rest were on the NCN 1 on Day 2.

Richard gowerCycle, NCN, Coast, Disused Railway, Kent, National Trails, England, National Trust, Trig Pillar Comments
West Midlands High Points

The West Midlands, a Ceremonial County in the heart of England, was formed ass result of a series of political and administrative changes that took place over centuries. Before the creation of the West Midlands, the region was divided into Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, The Local Government Act of 1974 marked a significant turning point in the history of the West Midlands. This legislation abolished the existing county boundaries and created a new county, the West Midlands. Today the 7 sub-divisions of the West Midlands are Metropolitan Boroughs.

For county-top hill-baggers, the region is, be honest, not very interesting. There’s a few good views but they’re mostly drive-bys in areas you’re not likely to go to unless you lived there or had an obscure hill-bagging obsession. If you’re in the latter camp, here’s a guide to the high points of the West Midlands. Click on the Blog Post link for each summit shown below for details on each.

Birmingham

Highest Point: Rednall Hill North Top, 250m
Historic County of High Point: Worcestershire (of which Worcestershire Beacon is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP4411 - Lickey Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Birmingham), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the official flag of Birmingham

Coventry

Highest Point: Corley Moor, 167m
Historic County of High Point: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP2413 - Corley Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Coventry), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the official flag of Coventry

Dudley

Highest Point: Cawney Hill, 251m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP1060 - Barrow Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Dudley), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Sandwell

Highest Point: Turner’s Hill, 271m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP6743 - Warley Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Sandwell, Turner’s Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Solihull

Highest Point: Meigh’s Wood, 185m
Historic County of High Point: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP3975 - Hollyberry End
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Solihull), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of jet_man1990

Walsall

Highest Point: Barr Beacon, 227m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: TP1049 - Barr Beacon Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Walsall, Barr Beacon), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Wolverhampton

Highest Point: Sedgley Beacon, 235m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP5243 - Orton Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Wolverhampton, Beacon Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

The Metropolitan Boroughs of West Midlands, with the highest points grouped by Historical County.
Note that not all of each Metropolitan Borough was fully inside each Historical County shown here.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, West Midlands, England Comments
Barr Beacon: Walsall High Point

Barr Beacon War Memorial

Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Walsall
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Turner’s Hill
Historic County: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 227m
Date climbed: July 27th 2024
Coordinates: 52° 34' 24'' N, 1° 54' 40'' W


Route Start / End: Parking at Beacon Road, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 0QW
Route Distance: 0.8 km (0.5miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 4m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Beacon Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP1049 - Barr Beacon Resr
Map: Birmingham Map | Walsall, Solihull & Redditch | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 220
Links: Wikipedia (Walsall, Barr Beacon), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Barr Beacon is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, within the Historic County of Staffordshire and Ceremonial County of West Midlands.

After our Wrekin walk earlier in the day we got talking to a guy in a pub where we were having lunch. He overheard our conversation about the day’s hill-bagging and offered us some advice. For Barr Beacon his main advice was “don’t go there unless you want to have your car stolen” … and especially don’t go there at night. We couldn’t really tell if he was joking or not but we were definitely going to bag it and had no intention of going there at night anyway.

Barr Beacon is a high, narrow ridge with views to the east and west. There’s a large car park at the top and the summit, near the War Memorial, can be done in a few minutes. We got there early afternoon on a Saturday and, although there were some dodgy looking cars, there were also families around having picnics.

The OS Trig Pillar is a little further north from the high point and in private land protected by a metal fence. There’s a spot in the fence with a post missing to the right of the road where it curves down the hill. If you can find that you can squeeze through and climb through the hedge into the field to bag the pillar. It’s fairly unpleasant as you need to climb over some fly-tipped debris and avoid the tree that has been used as a toilet.

Having bagged the high point and Tig Pillar we were happy to see that our cars were still there.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Staffordshire, EnglandComment
The Wrekin: Telford and The Wrekin High Point

View to the toposcope and transmitter from the Trig Pillar

Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for Telford and The Wrekin
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Caer Caradoc Hill
Historic County: Shropshire (of which Brown Clee Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 407m
Date climbed: July 27th 2024
Coordinates: 52° 40' 9'' N, 2° 33' 5'' W


Route Start / End: The Wrekin Forest Glen Car Park, Little Wenlock, Telford, TF6 5AL
Route Distance: 7.2 km (4.5 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 307m
Subsidiary tops on route: Little Hill (232m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Telford T50, Shropshire Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP0712 - Wrekin
Map: Telford, Ironbridge & The Wrekin Map | Ironbridge Gorge | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 242
Links: Wikipedia (Telford and The Wrekin, The Wrekin), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

The Wrekin was the literal high point of a day of bagging High Points of the West Midlands. The rest were quick drive-bys in obscure and often dodgy areas so we made the most of the Wrekin trip to make it a circular rather than an out-and-back.

Like most people we started at The Wrekin Forest Glen Car Park. It gets full quickly in the summer but we were lucky and got a space. The annoying thing was that payment is only by credit card or via an app that I’d never seen before. The card machine wasn’t working and there was no mobile signal so we ended up having to pay on-line half-way up the ascent.

With parking drama out of the way we took the shortest route to the summit on the Telford 50 trail. We were there on a clear day so we got a great view at the top across to Wales on the western side and Staffordshire on the east. The summit has an OS trig pillar, a toposcope, a transmitter tower and the remains of an Iron Age fill fort.

From the top we continued walking south-west for another 1 km down to Little Hill. It was marked on the map so we thought we’d check it out but there was little to mark it and no view. Continuing another 20m we took a left onto a footpath, then another left to pick up a path that lead us back to the car-park on a lower level.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Shropshire, EnglandComment
High Points of The Sussex Rapes

The English county of Sussex holds a unique historical term that can raise eyebrows: the "Rapes." Unlike modern definitions, the term in Sussex refers to a historical administrative division. The origin of the term "Rape" for these regions is shrouded in mystery. Theories range from a possible link to the Old English word "raep," meaning "harvest," to a connection with the Danish word "rape," signifying "district."

The Historic County of Sussex has six Rapes: Arundel, Bramber, Chichester, Hastings, Lewes, and Pevensey. Established sometime before the Norman Conquest of 1066, these Rapes likely predate the current county borders. Each Rape contained smaller subdivisions called "Hundreds," forming the backbone of local administration for centuries. Some historians believe the Rapes might have originated as defensive units, with each Rape centered around a strategically placed castle. This theory aligns with the arrival of the Normans, who are known to have built fortifications across England.

The Rapes continued to be used for administrative purposes for centuries, but their importance gradually declined. By the 19th century, their role had largely been superseded by more modern administrative structures. Today, the Rapes of Sussex remain a fascinating relic of the county's past. Though no longer serving an administrative function, they hold cultural significance and continue to spark curiosity.

Rape of Chichester

Rapal Town: Chichester
Norman Castle: Chichester Castle
Highest Point: Black Down, 280 metres, is also the Historic County Top of Sussex, the Present-Day County Top of West Sussex and the highest point in the South Downs National Park.
OS Trig Pillar: TP1443 - Blackdown
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Rape of Arundel

Rapal Town: Arundel
Norman Castle: Arundel Castle
Highest Point: Glatting Beacon, 245 metres
OS Trig Pillar: TP1358 - Bignor Beacon
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Rape of Bramber

Rapal Town: Bramber
Norman Castle: Bramber Castle
Highest Point: Chanctonbury Hill, 242 metres
OS Trig Pillar: TP2110 - Chanctonbury Ring
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Rape of Lewes

Rapal Town: Lewes
Norman Castle: Lewes Castle
Highest Point: Ditchling Beacon, 248 metres, is the Present-Day County Top of East Sussex.
OS Trig Pillar: TP0760 - Ditchling
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Rape of Pevensey

Rapal Town: Pevensey
Norman Castle: Pevensey Castle
Highest Point: Crowborough Beacon, 242 metres, is also the high point of the High Weald National Landscape.
OS Trig Pillar: TP2630 - Crowborough
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Rape of Hastings

Rapal Town: Hastings
Norman Castle: Hastings Castle
Highest Point: Brightling Down, 197 metres
OS Trig Pillar: N/A. Closest is TP4140 - Jurys Gut
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, South Downs, Sussex, EnglandComment
Glatting Beacon: Rape of Arundel High Point

View to Glatting Beacon from the South Downs Way

Also known as: Bignor Hill
Significance: Highest point in the Rape of Arundel
Parent Peak: Butser Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Littleton Down
Present Day County: West Sussex (of which Black Down is the County Top)
Elevation: 245m
Date climbed: July 20th 2024
Coordinates: 50° 55' N, 0° 38' W


Route Start / End: South Downs Way Parking, Chichester, RH20 1PH
Route Distance: 2.8 km (1.7 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 37m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): South Downs Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP1358 - Bignor Beacon
Map: Arundel & Pulborough Map | Worthing & Bognor Regis | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL10
Links: Wikipedia (Rape of Arundel, Bignor Hill), National Trust Slindon Estate, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Like Chanctonbury Hill which we visited earlier in the day, I could have bagged this one on an earlier trip along the South Downs Way. It’s easily accessible as a small diversion from the National Trail and hard to miss (look for the big transmitter in the trees).

We bagged it on a short circular walk from the Bignor Hill South Downs Way Car Park. From the parking, follow the South Downs Way in a westerly direction for ~280m then take a right hand path ascending towards the big transmitter. Near the top, take the service track to the transmitter where you’ll find the Trig Pillar lurking in the undergrowth.

Either return the way you came or return to the main path that you were on, take 2 lefts and you’re back on the South Downs Way. Take another left to follow the Trail back to the car park.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Sussex, National Trust, England, South DownsComment
Chanctonbury Hill: Rape of Bramber High Point

View to Chanctonbury Ring from the Trig Pillar

Also known as: Chanctonbury Ring
Significance: Highest point in the Rape of Bramber
Member of: Marilyns
Parent Peak: Ditchling Beacon
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Ditchling Beacon
Present Day County: West Sussex (of which Black Down is the County Top)
Elevation: 242m
Date climbed: July 20th 2024
Coordinates: 50° 53' 48'' N, 0° 22' 54'' W


Route Start / End: Chanctonbury Ring Car Park, Chanctonbury Ring Road, Steyning, BN44 3DR
Route Distance: 4.3 km (2.7 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 154m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: South Downs Way,
OS Trig Pillar: TP2110 - Chanctonbury Ring
Map: Arundel & Pulborough Map | Worthing & Bognor Regis | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL10
Links: Wikipedia (Rape of Bramber, Chanctonbury Hill, Chanctonbury Ring), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

I very nearly bagged Chanctonbury Ring a few years back while cycling the South Downs Way. We stopped to visit the nearby Trig Pillar but I didn’t realise that the Rape of Bramber High Point was so close. So, on a day of bagging my remaining Sussex high points, Mark and I revisited for a short, steep circular walk to visit both the high point and the Trig Pillar.

To follow the same route start at Chanctonbury Ring Car Park and follow Chanctonbury Ring Road in a southerly direction. Continue south as the road becomes a path that leads up to the South Downs Way. We took a short cut up a less-used, steeper path through the woods. It actually didn’t save much time as a guy that we saw taking the longer route arrived at the top at more or less the same time as we did.

Whichever route you take, turn right onto the South Downs Way and head towards the clump of trees that’s the site of the Iron Age hillfort. The South Downs Way goes round the trees on their southern side so you’ll need to leave the trail to follow a smaller path through the trees. The high point isn’t marked but easy to find. From the high point continue west out of the trees to briefly rejoin the South Downs Way before cutting off again to the Trig Pillar.

To return follow the fence to the north of the Trig Pillar back towards Chanctonbury Ring to find a gate and a path that leads back down the hill in a north-westerly direction. At the bottom of the hill take a right on another path that leads back to Chantonbury Ring Road near to the Car Park.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Sussex, England, South DownsComment
Crowborough Beacon: Rape of Pevensey High Point

View to the south-west from Crowborough Beacon Golf Club

Significance: Highest point in the Rape of Pevensey, High Point of High Weald National Landscape
Member of: Marilyns
Parent Peak: Ditchling Beacon
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Ditchling Beacon
Present Day County: East Sussex (of which Ditchling Beacon is the County Top)
Elevation: 242m
Date climbed: July 20th 2024
Coordinates: 51° 3' 17'' N, 0° 9' 15'' E


Route Start / End: Croft Road Car Park, Pine Grove, Crowborough, TN6 1AR
Route Distance: 3.9 km (2.4 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 47m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
OS Trig Pillar: TP2630 - Crowborough
Map: Ashdown Forest Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath & Crowborough | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 135
Links: Wikipedia (Rape of Pevensey, Crowborough, High Weald), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

I had high hopes for Crowborough as it has “Beacon” in it’s name as is the high point of both the Rape of Pevensey and The High Weald. It turns out that there’s not much to see. The high point is an unmarked spot outside a house called Deep Dene on Warren Road. It can easily be bagged as a drive-by but we chose to park in Crowborough village centre and bag it as a part of a short circular walk.

To follow the same route leave Croft Road Car Park and head north to join the A26 Beacon Road. Take a left onto the A26 and walk in a south-westerly direction for ~700m to the water reservoir opposite Beacon Road West. Here you’ll find the OS Trig Pillar next to a small brick building. Continue south for ~25m to reach the high point at Warren Road.

Continue further south along the A26 to a footpath at the edge of the woods at 2 km into the walk. This is a point marked in Peakbagger as Crowborough South Slope, the High Point of the High Weald. Although Crowborough is completely within The High Weald, the town isn’t part of the National Landscape, so this is technically the highest point rather than the spot at Deep Dene.

Take a left onto South View Road to find the best and only panoramic view of the walk across Crowborough Golf Course. Continue along South view road, then onto Croft Road to return to the Car Park

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Sussex, National Landscape, EnglandComment
Brightling Down: Rape of Hastings High Point

Brightling Obelisk

Significance:  Highest point in the Rape of Hastings
Parent Peak: Crowborough Beacon
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Crowborough Beacon
Present Day County: East Sussex (of which Ditchling Beacon is the County Top)
Elevation: 197m
Date climbed: July 20th 2024
Coordinates: 50° 58' N, 0° 23' E


Route Start / End: Small parking spot at junction of Willingford Lane and Mill Lane
Route Distance: 0.6 km (0.4 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 3m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
OS Trig Pillar: TP4140 - Jurys Gut (not at the high point, but ~1 km to the south)
Map: Hastings & Bexhill Map | Battle & Robertsbridge | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 124
Links: Wikipedia (Rape of Hastings, Brightling, Brightling Park), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

The high point of the Rape of Hastings can be found on the edge of the private Brightling Park, currently home to a racehorse training company. The summit is hard to miss as it’s marked by a large obelisk called The Brightling Needle. If you don’t mind a bit of minor trespassing its a 600m out and back walk from a small parking space near the junction of Willingford Lane and Mill Lane.

If you’re no up for tresspassing then don’t hop over the gate into the small wooded area at the south eastern end of Willingford Lane. Don’t follow the track through the woods and hop over another fence into the field, then follow the track up to the Obelisk. Instead, you can see the Obelisk through the fence further down Willingford Lane. Alternatively you can ask permission from the landowner to access the land.

While you’re in the area it’s worth visiting Jury’s Gut, an OS Trig Pillar located 1km to the south on a path next to a kiln-shaped folly called The Sugarloaf.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Sussex, EnglandComment
Isla de Lobos, Fuerteventura

Punta Martiño Lighthouse on the northern tip of the island

The Canary Islands are a regular choice for us to spend our end-of-winter holidays. They’re always warm in February and, at 4 hours flight time, they’re about as far as we want to travel for a one week trip.

Our goal for these trips is always resting over adventure and I’ve learned not to get over-excited about ticking off everything on the islands. We’ve missed most of the highest points either due to weather or length of walk. Due to this we’ve managed to successfully miss the highest points on Tenerife, Lanzarote and La Gomera. We did manage to get to the Gran Canaria summit although that’s only the highest accessible point very close to the actual high point.

So, on our week in Fuerteventura I had written off the high point even before we left the UK. Pico de la Zarza is not a very difficult hike but it was too long and too hot for our relaxing break. I added it to the list of the other Canary High Points to cover later on a different type of trip at at a different time of year.

My need for high point bagging ended up being satisfied by a trip to a small island just off the north coast of Fuerteventura. Isla de Lobos is a 5k / 15 minute ferry ride from Corralejo harbour. It has well-marked hiking trails totaling 10k and an out-and-back ascent of Montaña La Caldera.

We took the 12:30 foot ferry run by Naviera Nortour. By the time all the tourists had stopped their faffing on and off the boat it was 13:00 before we started the hike. This gave us a full 3 hours on the island before needing to be back at 16:00 for the 16:15 return ferry.

We had read on other blogs that the 10k circuit takes 2 and a quarter hours to complete. That would be a very fast pace, especially if including the high point. We walked at a steady pace, stopped for lunch 15 minutes at the lighthouse and took the full 3 hours.

We took the anticlockwise route having seen a recommendation in another blog post that this would be the less popular route. Everyone with us that day must have read the same post as most people were going the same was as us.

A few minutes later east of the ferry pier is El Puertito where there’s a pretty bay and a restaurant. We passed through it quickly as it was already crowded. From there we took a side route from the main path that takes in Las Lagunitas.

The paths around the island are well maintained and mostly flat. When you get to the lighthouse be prepared for a short climb up the hill. You’re now roughly half way into the walk and a good place for photos and a rest.

After the lighthouse return to the base and take the right hand path, now on GR131. After 3.5 km you’ll reach the spur to climb the hill to the high point. If you don’t fancy it you can carry straight on back to the ferry pier.

The weather had changed for the second half of our walk and we had some light rain on the approach. As we started ascending the rain stopped and some heavy wind started. Timea got to around 100m of elevation and decided that was enough for her as she didn’t want to be blown off back to the mainland.

I continued the remaining 10 mins to the summit to reach the Trig Pillar, get a few photos and tried not to be blown off. Even that day there were great views to both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote but I didn’t hang around for long to admire them.

From the path junction to the Montaña it’s another 20 minutes walk back to the ferry pier.

With a new island and a high point bagged I was now happy to head back to the hotel to relax for the rest of the trip.

The Hike

Start / Finish: Lobos Island Ferry Pier
Distance: 9.9 km (6.1 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 128m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): GR131 Camino Natural de Fuerteventura
Cafe / pub on route: Chiringuito Lobos Antoñito El Farero, 600m from the Ferry Pier
Guidebook: Walking on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura (Cicerone)
Links: Fuerteventura, Corralejo, Lobos Island

Montaña La Caldera

Also known as: Caldera de Lobos
Significance: Highest point on Isla de Lobos
Elevation: 127m (although listed as 124m on Peakbagger)
Date “climbed”: February 23rd 2024
Coordinates: 28° 45' 6'' N, 13° 49' 49'' W
Links: Peakbagger

Isla de Lobos from above

Richard gowerTrek, Island High Points, Trig Pillar, Coast, Canary Islands, SpainComment
Chiltern Walks: Three walks from Swyncombe

From Walk 2: Swyncombe and Park Corner

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns with 3 separate routes all starting from St Botolph's Church, Swyncombe in Oxfordshire. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

Each of the 3 walks touches combinations of sections of the Shakespeare’s Way, The Chiltern Way and The Ridgeway. If you’re following The Shakespeare’s Way series of walks through the Chilterns this post contains sections 2 and 3 taking you from The Ridgeway near Watlington to just south of Russell’s Water.

Details for All Routes:

Start & Finish: St Botolph's Church, Swyncombe, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 6EA
Map: OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Swyncombe, Ewelme

Route 1: Swyncombe and The North

Distance: 8.1 km (5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 176m
Shakespeare’s Way section covered: The Ridgeway to Cookley Green: 3.8 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Ridgeway, The Chiltern Way, Shakespeare’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Cycle Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: None

From St Botolph's Church follow The Ridgeway in a northerly direction for 3.7 km to meet the junction with the Shakespeare’s Way at Ridge Farm. Take a right to follow the Shakespeare’s Way for 3 km to Cookley Green. At Cookley Green take a right onto Church Lane to follow The Chiltern Way back to the start at St Botolph's Church.

Shakespeare’s Way previous section (north): Britwell Salome and Lower Warren
Shakespeare’s Way next section (south): Swyncombe & Park Corner (scroll down)

Route 2: Swyncombe and Park Corner

Distance: 9.9 km (6.2 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 199m
Shakespeare’s Way section covered: Cookley Green to The Chiltern Way near Maidensgrove: 2.1 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Ridgeway, The Chiltern Way, Shakespeare’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Cycle Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: None

From the southern side of St Botolph's Church follow The Chiltern Way in an easterly direction for 2.7 km to the Chiltern Way/Shakespeare’s Way path junction just west of Russell’s Water. Continue south for 800m to meet another Chiltern Way/Shakespeare’s Way path junction just west of the Five Horseshoes pub. Take a right to follow The Chiltern Way in a westerly direction for 3.9 km, passing through Park Corner, to reach The Ridgeway. Take a right onto The Ridgeway to follow it in a northerly direction back to the start at St Botolph's Church.

Shakespeare’s Way previous section (north): Swyncombe & The North (scroll up)
Shakespeare’s Way next section (south): Nettlebed, Park Corner and Maidensgrove

Route 3: Swyncombe and Ewelme

Distance: 10.7 km (6.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 232m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Ridgeway, The Chiltern Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Cycle Route
OS Trig Pillar: TP4072 - Huntingland
Pubs / Cafes on route: None

From St Botolph's Church follow The Ridgeway in a south-westerly direction for 1.5 km to a path junction before the manor house at Ewelme Park. Take a right on to this path heading north-west for 1 km to meet The Chiltern Way at a smelly pig-farm. Take a right to follow The Chiltern Way in a north-westerly direction to the outskirts of Ewelme village. Continue following The Chiltern Way for as it curves round to following an easterly direction connecting with The Ridgeway at Swyncombe Downs. Take a right to follow The Ridgeway (staying on The Chiltern Way too) back to the start at St Botolph's Church.

For OS Trig Pillar baggers, you can visit the Huntingland Trig Pillar which is just off The Chiltern Way at 7.2 km into this route. It’s in a field and easily accessible but best to visit in the winter when there’s no crops.

Richard gowerTrek, Trig Pillar, Chilterns, National Trails, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment